Okay, trying this again, made brief mentions of it in several places before, but it still remains one of the key disappointments in this world of very regular and interesting odd movies, new movies which I at least haven't heard about before but which manage to stand out because there's a lot of people talking about them. Yep, that's the key it seems, both to a lot of peoples' purchases, and to companies licensing behaviour.
You need more than one lone voice, however accurate, descriptive or passionate : you need people to almost simultaneously stand up and shout "great movie!". Doesn't always happen, does it? Sure many out there are thinking about what they've missed and also what they bought they may not have. It's down to the regularity of films released on DVD - there's hundreds of the things each week - and how easy it is to manage keeping track of it all, how willing people are to do so and then share that knowledge or find an opportinuty that doesn't seem futile.
Here's a movie then, stands out like 'Hardcore' did, or 'Prime Slice' did : it's an obscure 70's movie with familiar faces, familiar elements, great talent and so on, but I just haven't seen it, haven't heard anything about it (other that the Amazon.com reviews) and now I am in that familiar place wondering why it isn't more obvious these things are out there.
This film is Directed by one of the guys involved in 'The French Connection' and it seems to contain that same decaying cityscapes, dodgy criminals, unconventional behaviour, car chases and so on. Where are these films hiding? Can I have some recommendations please? Anything with unusual subject matter, crime films in particular, great cinematography and adult themes if possible... primarily 70's American Movies, the best decade for me, but lots of these films are simply hiding away.
'The Seven-Ups' is release on R1 USA DVD May 23rd 2006. Looks great, could be terrible.
maybe the passenger is one of these hiding gems?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E33W0I/ref=pd_ys_ir_all_2/002-5424752-7114457?_encoding=UTF8&v;=glance&n;=130
I haven't seen it yet myself, but I'm thinking about ordering it
Just adding a few more obscure 70's titles. If you don't have NIGHT MOVES with Gene Hackman, grab it. Along with THE LONG GOODBYE and MARLOWE with James Garner and Bruce Lee it's one of the best private-eye films of the 70's. If you liked PRIME CUT or THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE, CHARLIE VARRICK with Walter Matthau is a good small time criminal outwits the mob film.
Another one with Garner in Rockford mode is THEY ONLY KILL THEIR MASTERS, not the best film but he's great as a small town sheriff. Don't know if it's on DVD yet or not.
Two very good takes on Sherlock Holmes are THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS with George C. Scott and THE PRIVATE LIFE OS SHERLOCK HOLMES.
Yeah, the 70's was a great period for Hollywood films, even the TV movies like ISN'T IT SHOCKING, THURSDAY'S GAME and SHIRTS AND SKINS were good. Now you have to search the world ( thank god for asia ) to find good stuff because Hollywood has been cranking out a lot of crap for the past 15 years or so.
Richard Lynch is outstanding in THE SEVEN-UPS. This has popped up on AMC over the last few years from time to time... can't wait to discard my VHS.
Since we're on the subject of hidden '70s gems, how about CISCO PIKE w/ Kris Kristofferson and Hackman? Altman's unjustly forgotten IMAGES? THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE w/ Jodie Foster and Martin Sheen?
I'm a huge fan of MFTV offerings from the '70s and '80s. I'd love to see a lot of pics from that format receive better treatment (SOLE SURVIVORS, THE NORLISS TAPES, A COLD NIGHT'S DEATH, BROTHERHOOD OF THE BELL, THE PAPER MAN... the list goes on and on and on and on...
In the buddy-buddy cop movie genre, 'Freebie And The Bean' is hard to beat, and shamefully hard to get.
Don't forget 'Prince of the City', starring Treat Williams. It is as good, if not better than 'Serpico'. It is coming to dvd according to Warner, this year, restored edition.
Has anyone seen THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD, with Michael Sarrazin? Saw the trailers and film poster when I was a kid, but have never seen the film - don't think it's ever been on UK TV or even been released to buy.
It's rural, rather than urban, but if you haven't seen it, check out the original "Walking Tall" (1973) directed by Phil Karlson. Note to Troy, I saw "Peter Proud" theatrically back in 1975 - OK but not one of J. Lee Thompson's better films.
thought i would get absolutely no response to this post, surprised again that loads have dropped in with some great suggestions... anyway : seen 'parralax' a few times, nice film... roegs 'dont look now' is one of my favourite films, reminds me a lot of giallo movies (yes, no black-gloved killer in it, i think) for its style and visuals.
The ruling class is one of the best movies I've seen in my life. One of these rare movies you can call a masterpiece, really!!!!!
I would add "O lucky man" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070464/), another brilliant movie from Lindsay Anderson and with Malcolm McDowell (remember "If"?).
The stuntman is another masterpiece, that's true!!!!
I also loved "A man and his dog", "Silent running",...
Oh man, THE RULING CLASS. I've only seen it once a long time ago but I still remember Harry Andrews hanging himself while wearing a tutu, f'ing hysterical.
El Duderino I'll definitely try to trackdown VIOLENT CITY. Bronson made some great films and Morricone is a genious, I only have five soundtrack CDs and three of them are his.
Oh and by the way ... get everything from Jean Pierre Melville if you don't know his movies. Le Samourai and Le cercle rouge first of all.
Oh maaaaaan!
So many good flicks that people are bringing up!
ROLLING THUNDER: Hell yes, baby! Tarantinno has got to get this out on DVD. One of the best revenge flicks EVER involves a Vietnam POW who finally returns home and runs into some nasty fellows who rob him, kill his family and shove his hand in a garbage disposal! With a shotgun and a hook arm, he starts to dish out vengance!
BOY AND HIS DOG: Don Johnson's second leading roll! Jason Robard rounds out a cool sci-fi adventure flick that did the whole post-apocalypse thing so well....and years before Road Warrior.
THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE: Needs to be seen to really be appreciated. Great cast.
Someone mentioned SERPICO, but how about the disturbingly good....
CRUISIN': Al Pacino brings to life an undercover cop who is a policeman by day and deep into the underground of the gay community by night, stalking a serial killer. Pacino's performance as a man who becomes torn by his dual-identity's was really powerful.
I wholly agree with the mention of Lindsay Anderson's "If..." and "O Lucky Man" (Not seen the third in the trilogy, Britannia Hospital though).
Not exactly rare, but after reading many of these flicks mentioned in this post...I have to put out Frankenheimer's SECONDS...the primordial stew from which all modern trippy mindbender-thrillers were born.
Plus it has a thorougly surreal grape-stomping orgy which is f'king fantastic.
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