cjrogan2003 Posted December 21, 2003 Share Posted December 21, 2003 What are some of the best films that are constantly UNDERRATED by film critics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinemetal Posted December 21, 2003 Share Posted December 21, 2003 Not sure what your criteria for critical underratedness are. What era of movies are we referring to, and by what sorts of critics? If we're talking about mainstream pop scribes, then movies like Borzage's History Is Made at Night or Sam Fuller's Forty Guns would be underrated, but among more well-versed historiological and genre critics, the respective melodrama and Western are well-regarded. If we're speaking about films usually considered excellent but that are simply less discussed, then The Parallax View and Broken Blossoms might both qualify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjrogan2003 Posted December 21, 2003 Author Share Posted December 21, 2003 I mean films that don't appear on AFI, Roger Ebert, Leonard Maltin "greatest" lists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinemetal Posted December 21, 2003 Share Posted December 21, 2003 Can't say I read much Ebert, but I do know that Maltin's video guide is great for unearthing so-called underrated flicks. He routinely gives out 3-and-a-half-star ratings to many films overlooked by casual movie poll. Some which come to mind: The Body Snatcher (1945, R. Wise) The Ruling Class (1972, P. Medak) Brute Force (1947, J. Dassin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyoldmovies Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 I definetely think that'The Sting' 1973 Best Picture Winner, is very underated. It is never mentioned with the greats, and one reason being that is stuck right between 'The Godfather 1972 and 'The Godfather Part 2 1974. Got lost in the shuffle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappy3500 Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 Cinemetal, you are certainly entited to your opinion, but personally, Sam Fuller films make me feel a bit unclean after I watch them. I find them unwholesome and depressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappy3500 Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 My personal choice for most underated film is "The Flight of the Phoenix" which is on nobody's list. There is a very convincing story of a plane crash in the desert and totally convincing portayals of various human reactions to the suvival crisis. Among the stand-out performers:Jimmy Stewart, in a rare non-sympathetic role, Richard Attenborough, and Hardy Kruger.Well worth a look if you haven't seen it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdimeo Posted December 23, 2003 Share Posted December 23, 2003 I think the movie Downstairs (1932) starring John Gilbert is one of the most underrated classic's of all-time. It's Gilbert's best talkie, and it also boasts a writing credit for Gilbert (an excellent plot). The rest of the cast is also very good, particulary Paul Lukas. Catch this gem on TCM the next time it's shown! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinemetal Posted December 23, 2003 Share Posted December 23, 2003 That's precisely what I love about Fuller, Slappy, that the boundaries of moral rectitude are blurred in his films. As he had said on more than one occasion, there are no heroes, there are no villains. For much the same reasons I also enjoy films by Louis Malle, Luis Bunuel, Martin Scorsese, etc. And The Flight of the Phoenix is molto underrato, as are many other Aldrich films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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