In part 4 (#35-31), I talked about Elvis doing battle with an ancient mummy, Jeffrey Combs bringing back the dead, the first chapter of a fantasy epic, the biggest cult movie of all-time, and a musical about cannibalism. And now for the next 5.
dir. William Friedkin
Horror/Drama
I don't think I need to go into what makes this such a special movie, but much like how it helped shape the horror genre for years to come, it was one of the movies that helped shape my love for the genre as a whole. I think I was about 20 when I first watched it, and it still managed to get under my skin to the point I was afraid to look when I walked up the stairs for a solid month after watching it. A shocking, horrifying, and to this day still quite graphic horror movie with fantastic performances all around and an unshakable atmosphere that draws you in and doesn't let you go until long after it's over. It's still one of the creepiest movies ever made, and it accomplishes this while still telling an incredible story and succeeding in every way a great drama needs to. A complete package.
dir. Claudio Fragasso
Comedy/Horror/Fantasy
I've been on-board with cheesy so-bad-it's-good movies for years now, and I find it hard to think of a single unintentionally great movie that I would consider more entertaining than this. Everything about this movie is a complete disaster that doesn't make any sense. It has horrible performances, nonsensical plot lines that go nowhere, flat-out bizarre dialogue, and an anti-vegetarian message that can't even stay consistent with itself. It's often considered one of the best bad movies ever and I wholeheartedly agree. As much as I enjoy The Room, Birdemic, Hard Ticket To Hawaii and countless others, this one will probably always be at the top of that list. You can't replicate this kind of a mess, and that's part of what makes it so remarkable.
dir. Stuart Rosenberg
Drama
I've always had a particular fondness for Paul Newman and this is the movie of his that always appealed to me the most. A sort of rebel without a cause story anchored by a few amazing lead performances, and a central character whose need to defy authority and expectations makes it impossible not to find captivating. This isn't just a standard prison drama, but has some great comedy and wonderful character moments and interactions, along with the relatively unique chain gang setting. I've honestly loved this movie for so long it's hard to think of anything interesting to say about it about this point, but in the end it's how it makes me feel that matters the most. And this movie runs me through all sorts of emotions and ends on a tragic but somehow uplifting note that leaves me satisfied every time.
dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Drama/Thriller
My nomination for best sound design/editing of any movie ever made, this surveillance thriller is much more than just a spy drama, but a character study of an isolated man with a deep paranoia that shapes everything around him. Gene Hackman's performance as Harry Cole is one of my favorites of the 1970s, and one of the most subtle bits of acting of his career. I love how this movie cleverly uses repetition to trick you into thinking what it wants you to think, with subtle changes of vocal inflections totally changing the outcome of the story as it all unfolds. This movie could have easily turned into Dirty Harry with hidden mics, but it's this restraint that makes it so intense and mesmerizing. It may require a little patience but it's the kind of movie that only gets better every time you watch it.
dir. Ingmar Bergman
Drama
Anyone who thinks movies from the '50s and '60s didn't have much bite or edge need to give this a look, the film that was later reimagined by Wes Craven as Last House On The Left. In pretty much every way, this is a tough film to sit through. It's themes are challenging and devastating, the performances are raw and emotional, and the story itself is simple but totally heartwrenching. A movie with no simple solutions, pitting a grieving Christian father against the rapists/murderers of his sweet and innocent daughter, you can feel the conflict burning inside of him, as Max Von Sydow gives probably the best performance of his career. But even with how difficult this is, I find myself coming back to it quite frequently and always leaving it feeling moved.
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