Three somewhat obscure movies, everyone should see

[pacman]

I don't consider Tarantino's films to be either juvenile or immature or callow or made for teenagers. They are certainly "cartoonish" depictions of serious events in a similar vein to The Simpsons but QT doesn't make kid's films in the same way that Homer & family are anything but a kid's cartoon. 

 

I am an adult with little patience for patronising movies, especially the stereotypical stuff that Hollywood aims at the mainstream. I am not their target audience, or if I am, I'm not buying what they are selling. But I still like to be entertained. And in QT, I have found my type of entertainment. And I see I am not alone in my preference, Django is getting big support in my country with positive reviews & busy theatres.

 

Could that have anything to do with me being Australian with no connection to the subject at hand? And we do like our villains bad, our heroes flawed, our justice swift & our violence graphic...    yes, it ticks all the boxes for me. Plus the film is beautiful to watch with extreme wide angle shots combined with in-your-face close-ups & not much in between. The American countryside has rarely looked so beautiful on the screen either, not that I am qualified to pay such a compliment. I just thought it was such a nice looking film.

 

And just to be fair, I could have done without the dog scene. Death as a metaphor is one thing but it helps to know when to pull back. Should I condemn him for a lack of control? Naah, I'll accept that as the mark of a flawed man making flawed movies for flawed people....    like me. And the other 20 or 30 or 40 million paying customers all wanting to see what he makes.

[Jimslim]

I believe that Tarantino's best film was Reservoir Dogs...I realize that I am likely alone in that belief...

 

You are not alone it was his best movie and after that he was on a slippery slope downwards .

 

In my mind he is one of the biggest chancers in movie history , throw a in few cool characters , a bit of cool dialogue and waaaay haaaaay you got a cool movie and ain't he a genius !!!! 

[seven]

One of the documentaries nominated for an Academy Award is Searching For Sugarman. I

Made by a swedish guy. I haven't watched it yet, but i will

[seven]

T

I believe that Tarantino's best film was Reservoir Dogs...I realize that I am likely alone in that belief...

I agree with that. I really liked Pulp fiction too though.

[pacman]

Made by a swedish guy. I haven't watched it yet, but i will

 

Make sure you do. One of the most uplifting, feel-good docos ever made. IMO.

 

I didn't know the director was Swedish. How the hell did he come across this South African phenomenon? Was he living there? 

 

I would have given my right arm for the chance to make a documentary like this. It has all those human elements we so love. The forgotten genius who finds redemption at the end of the world. And Rodriguez himself is such a decent man. It appears he had his fame all along, just no one told him. It falls into the "too crazy to be true" category.

[Lefty]

You are not alone it was his best movie and after that he was on a slippery slope downwards .

 

In my mind he is one of the biggest chancers in movie history , throw a in few cool characters , a bit of cool dialogue and waaaay haaaaay you got a cool movie and ain't he a genius !!!! 

IMO, it is just the opposite. I like RDogs but I think QT continued ascending from there to where he is now. On a graph, I'd only show a drop for Kill Bill 1 and 2, and other than that his movies seem to get better and better to me. 

[Lefty]

I have nothing against Newman & Redford. They are fine gentlemen who bring their craft great credit. (Or brought as in the case of the late Mr Newman) And they were a match made in heaven when they were teamed together in Butch & Sundance. They are both better looking than Waltz & Foxx, they smile more, they laugh more, they do little to upset anyone (if you don't count bank robberies & hold-ups that is), they star in a classic film suitable for the whole family. It's all one big happy hoot about a couple of lovable rogues. Even though the movie was based on real life, by the time they had been re-born on screen, they would have made perfect guests at your maiden aunt's garden party. 

 

But that didn't make them compelling characters then or now. Very likable of course, it's just that I like Christoph & Jamie more. (If only I had used the personal pronoun I could have saved explaining myself)

 

 

There's an expression the English use which I think is international. "Jump the shark". It describes the moment in a film when the plot suddenly turns stupid. I'm not sure if Butch pushing that girl around on a bicycle is a "jump the shark" moment but five minutes of Raindrops Falling On My Head sure was.

 

In the middle of a cowboy flick about a coupla bad dudes, it metamorphosed into some silly song clip. I could not get back into it at all after that. Maybe it's just me & maybe it is a game changing movie but all I recall is a light weight comedy/romance/action movie that I will never subject myself to again.

 

 

 

As for Sam Peckinpah, I am not qualified to comment. I don't think I ever saw one of his movies. There are some quite alarming gaps in my cinematic profile. 

 

 

 

         

I thought Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was ok, but it wasn't close to being among my favorite westerns. It was too long, or seemed too long to me. The part where they are being chased by the famed lawmanl/tracker, Joe LeFors, seemed to go on forever. The highlight of the movie for me was Strother Martin. One of the all time great character actors. 

 

I am a big fan of Bloody Sam Peckinpah. I doubt you'd find anyone who's seen The Wild Bunch or Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid more times than I have. Even if westerns ain't your cup o' tea, his war/anti-war movie Cross of Iron is an unsung masterpiece to me. 

I still consider The Wild Bunch to be the best western movie ever made. 

[SiamSam]

One of my all time favourite westerns was Arthur Penn's "Little Big Man". I probably watched that as often as Lefty's watched "The Wild Bunch". Great movie. 

[seven]

Make sure you do. One of the most uplifting, feel-good docos ever made. IMO.

 

I didn't know the director was Swedish. How the hell did he come across this South African phenomenon? Was he living there? 

 

I

He was packpacking in SA and came across this story. It was recently awarded at the swedish "Oscars" for best documentary.

It also won  Critic's choice movie award, Vancouver film critics circle ,  National board review and  Cinema eye honors.

 

 I believe you, everyone says it´s great, so i will check it out.

[JaiDee]

I still consider The Wild Bunch to be the best western movie ever made. 

 

     More of a fan of the Clint Eastwood series of westerns in the 60's and the 70's......the so-called 'spaghetti westerns'.....with my all-time favorite being The Outlaw Josey Wales.

 

  I liked Butch Cassidy, 2 great actors in their prime......I remember seeing it at the drive-ins [?] when I was a wee lad.

[Kahuna]

One of my all time favourite westerns was Arthur Penn's "Little Big Man".

 

 

Marvelous marvelous film starring one of the greatest actors I have had the pleasure to watch...

[Lefty]

One of my all time favourite westerns was Arthur Penn's "Little Big Man". I probably watched that as often as Lefty's watched "The Wild Bunch". Great movie. 

I've seen Little Big Man many times. Richard Mulligan is the best Custer ever. Well, other than the real one I suppose. I am a student of the Battle of the Little Bighorn and have read and reread many books on the subject. I understand Mulligan's portrayal was a parody of the real Custer, but in some ways I think there was some truth to it as well. 

I am also a fan of Chief Dan George. He was sensational in this movie and also in The Outlaw Josey Wales. So many great and memorable lines IMO. 

[Lefty]

     More of a fan of the Clint Eastwood series of westerns in the 60's and the 70's......the so-called 'spaghetti westerns'.....with my all-time favorite being The Outlaw Josey Wales.

 

  I liked Butch Cassidy, 2 great actors in their prime......I remember seeing it at the drive-ins [?] when I was a wee lad.

I am a big fan of Josey Wales, but do not consider it a spaghetti western. The spaghetti westerns with Clint IMO were Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, all directed by Sergio Leone and known as The Dollars Trilogy. The were Italian productions, hence the term, spaghetti westerns. 

Clint directed Josey Wales and many of his movies from then on. My favorite Clint movies besides Josey Wales, are Kelly's Heroes, and Unforgiven. 

[Lefty]

Pacman,

If you really want to know and appreciate Sam Peckinpah, there are 4 of his movies I recommend you watch, then decide if you like him or not. The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Getaway, and Cross of Iron. Straw Dogs and The Getaway were both later remade though IMO not as good as Sam's versions. 

The movie that I've read was his personal favorite though, and also an excellent unsung movie, is The Ballad of Cable Hogue. You may wish to consider it too. 

[Lefty]

Forgive me if I mentioned this one previously in the thread, but it is 36 pages now and I do not wish to go back through and double check, but another classic western that I like very much is McCabe & Mrs Miller, starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. Soundtrack by the incomparable Leonard Cohen, directed by Robert Altman. Tarantino is a big fan of the movie too though says he is not a big Altman fan overall. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAU1CDpIPsw

[Hefe]

Yeah, I think we are actually in some kind of consensus here with the good westerns, all the above in this thread are pretty much must sees, especially if you haven't seen them in years. I have just started revisiting westerns after hardly watching any for years, for the record my 3 favorites in no particular order:

The Searchers. Who says Duke can't act? Here he is in a role that questions a lot of what previous westerns promoted, simply one of the best movies ever made.

The Wild Bunch. I didn't see this for years after it's release, my loss, I think this is Peckinpah's masterpiece just as The Searchers may be Ford's.

Leone's "Dollar Trilogy" (Thanks lefty!)

Notables: Red River, Jeremiah Johnson, Once Upon A Time in tne West, Bend of the River, Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

[JaiDee]

 Jeremiah Johnson

 GREAT movie!

 

Another one I saw at the drive-ins back in the day.......Redford going outside his usual role as a pretty boy.  One of my favorite westerns of all time, it also featured Will Geer of "The Waltons" fame as his trouble-making sidekick. Highly recommended.

[Kahuna]

No has yet to mention Unforgiven...Eastwood at his very very best...Giant...a great rambling sort of film but with an outstanding performance by James Dean...And the number  one westerm of all time, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre...Gold and greed and Bogart...Don't get much better than that...

[Lefty]

No has yet to mention Unforgiven...Eastwood at his very very best...Giant...a great rambling sort of film but with an outstanding performance by James Dean...And the number  one westerm of all time, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre...Gold and greed and Bogart...Don't get much better than that...

I mentioned it in post #313 as one of my 3 favorite Clint movies. No surprise you ignored it, since I am on your shit list these days. 

[JaiDee]

I thought Unforgiven was OK, not his best though.  IMO, of course.

[Lefty]

Yeah, I think we are actually in some kind of consensus here with the good westerns, all the above in this thread are pretty much must sees, especially if you haven't seen them in years. I have just started revisiting westerns after hardly watching any for years, for the record my 3 favorites in no particular order: The Searchers. Who says Duke can't act? Here he is in a role that questions a lot of what previous westerns promoted, simply one of the best movies ever made. The Wild Bunch. I didn't see this for years after it's release, my loss, I think this is Peckinpah's masterpiece just as The Searchers may be Ford's. Leone's "Dollar Trilogy" (Thanks lefty!) Notables: Red River, Jeremiah Johnson, Once Upon A Time in tne West, Bend of the River, Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

You're most welcome kind sir! Sergio Leone also did one more so called Spaghetti Western, though not with Clint. You listed it, that being Once Upon a Time in the West. It is a highly regarded critically acclaimed movie, but I personally found it a little drawn out and tedious. The opening scene was the best part of the movie for me,.Though when it comes to Clint westerns, The Dollars Trilogy do not rank as highly for me personally as Josey Wales, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, High Plains Drifter, and Two Mules for Sister Sarah. 

When it comes to the Duke westerns, my personal favorites are Rio Bravo, True Grit, and The Sons of Katie Elder. Two of those having Dean Martin as a co-star, which makes them better for me,. I thought they were a good team.  When he broke out of the western genre, he made some other really interesting movies. Donovan's Reef and Sands of Iwo Jima being a couple of them. 

 

Make sure when you watch The Wild Bunch that you get the unedited version which should be 145 minutes long. There are some shorter versions out there of about 120 minutes or so. 

[Lefty]

I thought Unforgiven was OK, not his best though.  IMO, of course.

Yeah, different strokes for different folks. The Good The Bad and The Ugly is #5 all time movie according to IMDB.com while Unforgiven is #95. The Wild Bunch is #203. IMO, that order should be reversed.  The Outlaw Josey Wales doesn't even make the top 250. WTF??? 

If I had to pick only one Clint movie to watch, it would be Josey Wales. 

[seven]

I´ve tried so hard to "like" westerns, but i just can't. Not my cuppa.  Last one was True Grit and i was bored to tears. Ive seen many of above mentioned movies like Ballad of Cable Hugh, Unforgiven,Pale rider,  Soldier blue ( Candice Bergen was my wet dream after that) but i guess i just don't get it.  

[Lefty]

 GREAT movie!

 

Another one I saw at the drive-ins back in the day.......Redford going outside his usual role as a pretty boy.  One of my favorite westerns of all time, it also featured Will Geer of "The Waltons" fame as his trouble-making sidekick. Highly recommended.

 

 

Speaking of Will Geer, he was quite an interesting fellow in his personal life. Take a read of his wiki page sometime. Who'd a thunk all Grandpa Walton of all people? Power to the People!!! 

 

Geer became a member of the Communist Party of the United States in 1934. Geer was also influential in introducing Harry Hay to organizing in the Communist Party. In 1934, Geer and Hay gave support to a labor strike of the port of San Francisco; the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike lasted 83 days. Though marred by violence, it was an organizing triumph, one that became a model for future union strikes

 

Geer became a dedicated activist, touring government work camps in the 1930s with folk singers like Burl Ives and Woody Guthrie (whom he introduced to the People's World and the Daily Worker; Guthrie would go on to write a column for the latter paper).

 

 In 1956, the duo released an album together on Folkways Records, titled Bound for Glory: Songs and Stories of Woody Guthrie. In his biography, fellow organizer and gay rights pioneer Harry Hay described Geer's activism and outlined their activities while organizing for the strike.

 

Geer was blacklisted in the early 1950s for refusing to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. As a result, Geer appeared in very few films over the following decade. Notable among them was Salt of the Earth which was produced, directed, written, and starring blacklisted Hollywood personnel and told the story of a miners' strike in New Mexico from a pro-union standpoint. The film was denounced as "subversive" and faced difficulties in its production and distribution as a consequence.

[Lefty]

I´ve tried so hard to "like" westerns, but i just can't. Not my cuppa.  Last one was True Grit and i was bored to tears. Ive seen many of above mentioned movies like Ballad of Cable Hugh, Unforgiven,Pale rider,  Soldier blue ( Candice Bergen was my wet dream after that) but i guess i just don't get it.  

To each their own. I'm the same when it comes to sci-fi or fantasy movies. Things like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Hobbit, Star Trek, Star Wars, Star anything I guess, just bore me to sleep. I'm also the same about movies like Saw or Hostel, or so called slasher movies. Just ain't mah thang.