Akly, Fortunato, The_Return & Others.

[joshaube]

*Totally meant Alky.

Sorry about the title, just calling attention to this thread. I recently signed up for a netflix-like service that let's me extended my viewing options, and was wondering on what I should be adding to my list. I was looking for the best of the best, more on the obscure side of things. Here's what I got so far, which should give you a hint to what I'm looking for:

My Own Private Idaho, Mala Noche, The Vanishing (Spoorloos), Eyes Without a Face, Eraserhead, Sisters, The Fury, Dead Ringers, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, 8 1/2, The Beyond, The Church, Opera, Atame!, Visitor Q, Paris je t'aime, Scrapbook (is this good?), Irreversible, Rushmore, Blow Out, Mysterious Skin.

Basically I'm trying to catch-up on some classics, and movies that have a surreal nature to them or dark and depressing subject mature. The more shocking or fucked-up, the better.

Any Criterion recs?

[slasherman]

What about Chopping Mall (1986) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090837/
80's b-movie cheese

[ChronoGrl]

Let me know how Mysterious Skin is. I have it at home but haven't watched it yet.

Other little picks to check out:

Little Modern Horror Gems:
The Signal (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/The_Signal/70066355?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1083392147_0_0)
Crazy Eights (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Crazy_Eights/70083116?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=221383986_0_0)
Mulberry Street (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Mulberry_Street/70070339?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1668768631_0_0)
Borderland (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Borderland/70082647?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=726477645_0_0)
Murder Party (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Murder_Party/70077076?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1671127963_0_0)
May (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/May/60026120?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=524099389_0_0)
Session 9 (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Session_9/60021401?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1111704131_0_0)

Foreign:
Gozu (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Gozu/70000195?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1730111263_0_0)
Ichi The Killer (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Ichi_the_Killer/60032644?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1803774851_0_0)
Three... Extremes (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Three..._Extremes/70038945?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=602219493_0_0)
Shutter (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Shutter/70062814?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1022442737_1_0)
Devil's Backbone (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/The_Devil_s_Backbone/60023254?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=683157688_0_0)
Inside (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Inside/70093339?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1204307912_1_0)
Ils (Them) (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Them/70075470?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1749313604_0_0)
Delicatessen (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Delicatessen/60000704?trkid=190393)
Paprika (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Paprika/70065105?trkid=190393)

Others (Indie):
Brick (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Brick/70024088?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1281510498_0_0)
Wristcutters: A Love Story (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Wristcutters_A_Love_Story/70043837?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1052196535_0_0)
Pecker (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Pecker/17687904?trkid=190393)

[joshaube]

May, Session 9, Three... Extremes, Inside, Ils, and Brick are all excellent... so your other rec's MUST be good! Thanks. :)

[Posher778]

I know you currently hate me, but i'll throw in a few you may or may not have seen:


Memento
American Beauty (I had to say it)
Requiem For A Dream
Funny Games
Hard Candy
American Psycho
North By Northwest
Donnie Darko
Michael Clayton
Rear Window
Salvage (Decent slasher with an empty, cold feel throughout)
Let's Scare Jessica To Death (Atmosphere)
12 Monkeys
Minority Report
Arsenic and Old Lace
The Bird With The Crystal Plumage

Not all of those fall into exactly what you were looking for, but who knows.

[Posher778]

Wristcutters

You liked that? I was expecting some decent depiction of death, and it was just boring as hell.

[joshaube]

I am over the hate for you Posher. I tried buying and exporting across-border explosives, but I ran into customs trouble. You're lucky.

American Beauty is one of my favourites. I've seen everything on your list (and they are all amazing) except for:

Funny Games (do you mean original, or the US remake?), Let's Scare Jessica to Death, Arsenic and Old Lace and The Bird With The Crystal Plumage.

Is Salvage the film about the girl who continuously gets murdered? I liked that one.

[Posher778]

I am over the hate for you Posher. I tried buying and exporting across-border explosives, but I ran into customs trouble. You're lucky.

American Beauty is one of my favourites. I've seen everything on your list (and they are all amazing) except for:

Funny Games (do you mean original, or the US remake?), Let's Scare Jessica to Death, Arsenic and Old Lace and The Bird With The Crystal Plumage.

Is Salvage the film about the girl who continuously gets murdered? I liked that one.

Funny Games- I haven't found a copy of the original, but I heard both were great.
Salvage is the eerie one where she gets killed like 5 times. (Love the ending)

Let's Scare Jessica To Death has really spectacular atmosphere. It's very eerie.
Arsenic is a classic. A lot of people loved it. I thought it was pretty good.
The Bird With The Crystal Plumage is a must see imo.

[alkytrio666]

I'm going to start with a very strong recommendation:

Onibaba (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058430/) (1964)

I stumbled across this creepy little flick earlier this year and was stunned at how shocking and grotesque yet quiet and subtle it is. It essentially revolves around three very different Japanese peasants and the horror that befalls them as soon as lust and jealousy enter their lives. It starts out slowly but by the end I felt so disturbed and enthralled that I watched it again that very same night.

I think what's really wonderful about it is that it really is a time capsule; it transports you back to a time long ago and tells its story in the same fashion- it's a moving folktale.

Highly recommended, and definately essential.

[joshaube]

Definitely keep the list coming. :) I've added them all to my list.

[ChronoGrl]

May, Session 9, Three... Extremes, Inside, Ils, and Brick are all excellent... so your other rec's MUST be good! Thanks. :)

Of COURSE they're good. ;)

Gozu is honestly one of my favorites. I saw Visitor Q on your list and simply had to recommend it. It's my favorite Takashi Miike film so far.

And, if you haven't seen it, I have to throw Carnival of Souls (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Carnival_of_Souls/60001844?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1911845364_0_0) in there. It's a classic horror movie and the first horror film that I have ever seen.

As for classic comedies, definitely add Bringing Up Baby (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Bringing_Up_Baby/60027939?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1412715572_0_0) if you haven't seen it. Katherine Hepburn is absolutely hilarious.


You liked that? I was expecting some decent depiction of death, and it was just boring as hell.

Yeah, I loved it. I found it clever, witty, subtle, and with a great soundtrack. I highly recommend it.

[alkytrio666]

Another film I especially love recommending is The French Connection (1971). It's by the director of the Exorcist, William Friedkin, and its just as gritty, fierce, and thrilling.

[fortunato]

Onibaba (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058430/) (1964)


i'm going to bigtime second this one.

let's see, for starters (not all of these are horror):

i drink your blood (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067229/)
faces (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062952/)
picnic at hanging rock (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073540/)
the spirit of the beehive (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070040/)
vampyr (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023649/)
cries and whispers (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069467/)

[joshaube]

Not looking solely for horror. :) I added I Drink Your Blood already, Vampyr I heard was very good. Faces looks AMAZING. The rest I will be looking in to. Thanks!

[neverending]

Harold & Maude

[The_Return]

Just some random recommendations:

Class of 1985 - Somewhere between exploitation + revenge flick, set in a high school. Brilliant performances for this kind of movie, and a really cool (and somewhat prophetic) script.

The Last Broadcast - Avoid if you don't like Blair Witch style psuedo-documentary type horror movies. Its low budget, but IMO its one of the best of its kind - and it actually came BEFORE Blair Witch!

Shallow Grave - Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) directed this one...great performances and a really cool murder story.

Beauty and the Beat (1946) - You said something about looking for Criterion suggestions...here you go. Jean Cocteau directs a visually stunning take on the classic story.

House of 9 - Not really an amazing movie, but if you like stuff in the vein of Saw and Cube, you really should check it out.

Following - Christopher Nolan's (Dark Knight, Memento, The Prestige) first feature length movie. Its low budget to the max, but the script is really well written and the 2 main actors are fantastic. Easily on par with most of his bigger budget/more mainstream stuff.

Altered - One of my favourite Alien abduction movies. Builds suspense and keeps you guessing the whole way.

Kwaidan - Another Criterion suggestion. Really cool visuals and superb storytelling - easily one of my top Asian films.


...that should do you for now. Have fun!

[joshaube]

I own Class of 1985 and I agree, Class of 1999 is actually coming to DVD soon. I thought House of 9 was a neat little flick. Enjoyed the ending. I also owned Altered and thought it was an okay movie.

[Elvis_Christ]

Class Of 1984 is a great flick. Check out Savage Streets its in the similar vein and is really good.

Check out Ex Drummer cuz it fuckin' rules.

[neverending]

Harold & Maude.

[ManchestrMorgue]

Scrapbook (is this good?)

No, it is shit.

But it is a nasty piece of work. So if you are looking for something that is nasty and raw, with a very amateur home-video feel to it, it may suit.

Personally, if you want something nasty in the vein of Scrapbook, I would go for the August Underground trilogy of films, and Redsin Tower. Also try Nacho Cerda's Aftermath.

August Underground and Redsin Tower aren't great films either, but might as well see the worst of them if you want to watch something in the vein of Scrapbook....

Aftermath is a different type of film. It's a short film and very well made.

[Disease]

Get yourself some Lar Von Trier kid.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001885/


a few I recomend are breaking the waves and dancer in the dark... but all his films are the type that would fit with what you are looking for.

[Disease]

Rivers Edge... a classic you have to see.

[Elvis_Christ]

Rivers Edge... a classic you have to see.

Fuck yeh!

Forgot about Dancer In The Dark saw that on the big screen when it came out, have to give it another spin sometime.

[Despare]

Try Tetsuo, hell, watch it with Eraserhead and Visitor Q. :)

[Elvis_Christ]

Give Rape Squad a watch too

[joshaube]

Well, the site ships them out in random order... here's what's on their way:
My Own Private Idaho, Onibaba, The Vanishing (Sporloos), The Church, Clean Shaven, The Fury, Dead Ringers, Persona.

[Despare]

Well, the site ships them out in random order... here's what's on their way:
My Own Private Idaho, Onibaba, The Vanishing (Sporloos), The Church, Clean Shaven, The Fury, Dead Ringers, Persona.

Some great picks in that bunch, I'm a huge fan fan of Dead Ringers, The Vanishing, and Onibaba.

[fortunato]

Well, the site ships them out in random order... here's what's on their way:
My Own Private Idaho, Onibaba, The Vanishing (Sporloos), The Church, Clean Shaven, The Fury, Dead Ringers, Persona.

clean, shaven is a great, often-overlooked film.

some excellent picks in there, though.

[joshaube]

I'm looking for some films similiar to Persona, Mulholland Dr., Repulsion and Eraserhead. Surreal, bizzare, emotional, experimental and abstract with a lot of though.

[Doc Faustus]

It's not in the same vein, but Slacker. If you haven't seen it yet, you really should. Also Waxworks. The silent one, not the 80s Monster Squad style horror comedy.

[fortunato]

I'm looking for some films similiar to Persona, Mulholland Dr., Repulsion and Eraserhead. Surreal, bizzare, emotional, experimental and abstract with a lot of though.

check out the works of ingmar bergman (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000005/), david lynch (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000186/), michael haneke (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0359734/), john cassavetes (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001023/), guy maddin (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534665/)

and

eyes without a face (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053459/)
begotten (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101420/)
solaris (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069293/) (1972)
spider baby (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058606/)
brazil (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088846/)
eyes wide shut (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120663/)
straw dogs (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067800/)
beauty and the beast (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038348/) (1946)
shotgun stories (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0952682/)
in the mood for love (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118694/)

and, to reiterate:

picnic at hanging rock (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073540/)
the spirit of the beehive (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070040/)
vampyr (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023649/)

[Roderick Usher]

Le Circle Rougue, Rififi, Le Samouraii - awesome French Crime Flicks
Tokyo Drifter, Youth of the Beast - super-stylish 60s Yakuza movies
Deadbeat at Dawn - super-low budget, but the work of a true backyard auteur, Jim Van Bebber
Once Upon a Time in the West, Manaja, a Man Called Blade, Django - kick-ass spaghetti westerns
The Philadelphia Story - funniest romantic comedy ever!
Dr. Strangelove - scariest, funiest film ever
Paths of Glory - Kirk Douglass & Kubrick go to war...and it's ugly
Ace in the Hole - most cynical film ever made
Down by Law, Mystery Train, Dead Man - Jim Jarmush is amazing
Blood Simple, Raising Arizona - early Coen Brothers genius
Street Trash - the Indiana Jones of zero-dollar alcoholic bum movies... but the melting people are waaaaaaaay more disgusting

[Elvis_Christ]

Down By Law maybe? Even tho the Seagal flick is killer :D

Deadbeat At Dawn is amazing, totally back that one and The Manson Family.

[slasherman]

I'm looking for some films similiar to Persona, Mulholland Dr., Repulsion and Eraserhead. Surreal, bizzare, emotional, experimental and abstract with a lot of though.
Santa Sangre ...

[ChronoGrl]

I'm looking for some films similiar to Persona, Mulholland Dr., Repulsion and Eraserhead. Surreal, bizzare, emotional, experimental and abstract with a lot of though.

You're going to love Takashi Miike. Check out this thread (http://horror.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33238) in the JA forum if you haven't already. :)

Definitely check out Gozu. I cannot stress enough how beautifully Lynch-like this film is. Ichi The Killer. Audition. You've already added Visitor Q. Check out Imprint, too. Not his best for sure, but definitely Miike.

[Roderick Usher]

Down By Law maybe? Even tho the Seagal flick is killer :D

Deadbeat At Dawn is amazing, totally back that one and The Manson Family.

oops:o :o :o

[Disease]

There is some here that I have to see. This is a gret thread.

[ChronoGrl]

There is some here that I have to see. This is a gret thread.

Yes, "gret" indeed. :p

[joshaube]

Hurrah, I've made a gret thread! :) Just watched Scanners, and I loved it. I can't wait to watch Dead Ringers, and was wondering if Naked Lunch was something I'd dig?

[fortunato]

Hurrah, I've made a gret thread! :) Just watched Scanners, and I loved it. I can't wait to watch Dead Ringers, and was wondering if Naked Lunch was something I'd dig?

naked lunch is definitely different from cronenberg's other stuff, but it's still cronenberg. it's very surreal and strange, even more hallucinatory and abstract than his other stuff.

it's a little silly, but i still really love it.

[neverending]

Brother From Another Planet
Liquid Sky
The Cars That Ate Paris

[Roderick Usher]

naked lunch is definitely different from cronenberg's other stuff, but it's still cronenberg. it's very surreal and strange, even more hallucinatory and abstract than his other stuff.

it's a little silly, but i still really love it.

ditto, but Videodrome is still my favorite film of his (with The Brood a close second)

[fortunato]

ditto, but Videodrome is still my favorite film of his (with The Brood a close second)

i agree 100%.
actually got to see videodrome on the big screen last year at the music box massacre in chicago.

it was pretty incredible.

[alkytrio666]

I think The Brood is Cronenberg's masterpiece, and highly recommend it.

[Roderick Usher]

for the best tough-guy cinema, you should see

The Steel Helmet
The Big Red One
The Wild Bunch
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
The Getaway (Steve McQeen, not the Alec Baldwin version)
The Great Escape
The Dirty Dozen
Stray Dog
High and Low
High Plains Drifter (1st western Eastwood directed is like a horror/revenge film)
Vantishing Point
Night of the Juggler

then the wierd shit
Blue Velvet
Wild at Heart
Little Otik
The Dark Backward
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
Withnail and I

[Papillon Noir]

If you like strange, surreal and experimental type films, I would also suggest these if you haven't seen them:

Maya Deren: Experimental Films (watch "Meshes on the Afternoon" & "At Land")
Un Chien Andalou
8 1/2
Perfect Blue
La Jetee
Dead End
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Carnivale (HBO Series)
Freaks
Gantz (Anime Series)
The Machinist
Aeon Flux (Animated Series)

[Roderick Usher]

I can't believe I forgot

Cool Hand Luke!

[joshaube]

I'm renting Blood for Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein... anyone see these? They look incredibly campy and fun. And criterion, too.

[fortunato]

I'm renting Blood for Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein... anyone see these? They look incredibly campy and fun. And criterion, too.

you pretty much said it: campy and fun.

they're completely ridiculous, but i like them.

[neverending]

It's a shame not to see Flesh for Frankenstein in 3-D though.

[The_Return]

The Cars That Ate Paris

Been wanting to see that for awhile now...might have to order the Criterion version somewhere. Looks really cool.

[newb]

I'm renting Blood for Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein... anyone see these? They look incredibly campy and fun. And criterion, too.

"To know life Otto, you have to fuck death... in the gall bladder! "

great drive-in double feature:D

[fortunato]

Been wanting to see that for awhile now...might have to order the Criterion version somewhere. Looks really cool.

unfortunately, criterion hasn't released it.
make sure you don't order one that claims to be criterion, cause you'll be getting ripped off.

there is a pretty great release of it here, though:

http://www.amazon.ca/Cars-That-Ate-Paris/dp/B0000BWVL4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1218684551&sr=8-1

[The_Return]

unfortunately, criterion hasn't released it.
make sure you don't order one that claims to be criterion, cause you'll be getting ripped off.

there is a pretty great release of it here, though:

http://www.amazon.ca/Cars-That-Ate-Paris/dp/B0000BWVL4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1218684551&sr=8-1

Well, that's good to know! I just saw it in the Criterion section on Deep Discount awhile back, and thus assumed that they'd released it...thanks for the heads up.