For this list, I realize that it could be entirely composed of esoteric foreign masterpieces, but that's because nearly all foreign films are under-appreciated. The same idea even applies to domestic efforts that are really tiny and independently produced. So to make things a little easier for me to narrow down, I decided to limit myself to the works of studios and filmmakers with higher profiles (I might do a list of foreign titles another time).
10. The Conversation (1974)
While Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather: Part II was getting all the attention, his real achievement of 1974 was this smaller but much more involving thriller. Gene Hackman gives one of his best performances as Harry Caul, a secretive surveillance expert who ironically values his own privacy above all else, but consequently shuts anything of value out of his life. Things only get worse for him as he allows his guilt and paranoia to push him deeper into the mysterious conversation he was commissioned to record. The twist ending is satisfying, but even more potent is the film's unsettling denouement, where we see the unrepairable consequences of the decisions and assumptions Caul has made. Big thumbs up to legendary sound mixer Walter Mirsch for his sophisticated audio design.
9. Raising Arizona (1987)
Every once in a while, a movie will come along that reminds you of the pure blissful joy of watching movies. The Coen brothers' consistently overlooked Raising Arizona is one such film. The characters are so caricatured and hysterically funny, that it almost makes you forget how intricate the plot is, or how cleverly the dialogue is written. Yet, once you look past the hilarious absurdity of the story, you can see a touching dramatic thread about two people who are unsure about their ability to be decent parents, questioning whether or not they deserve a child, or even each other. Still, this farce is all about the laughs, and the Coens know how to lay 'em on thick. There's one action set-piece in particular that'll have you in tears from laughing so hard!
8. The Mortal Storm (1940)
Frank Borzaje's superb drama was one of the earliest American films to speak out against the Nazi threat in Europe. Starting out on the day Hitler seizes power of Germany in 1933, the story chronicles the tragic disintegration of a once-happy German family torn apart by opposing political convictions as radical Nazism sweeps through the minds of nearly every young man in the country like wildfire. It's not difficult to recognize The Mortal Storm as a piece of propaganda that champions individual rights over blind patriotism and totalitarianism, but its agenda does not detract from the emotional experience of the film. It's a very compelling story, terrifically acted by a cast that includes Jimmy Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, and Frank Morgan, all of them excellent.
7. Artificial Intelligence: A.I. (2001)
Working from a treatment conceived by him and Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg's daring science-fiction – a far more prickly one than those that audiences had come to know him for – is often maligned for its divisive ending, which some are quick to accuse Spielberg of tacking on as a contrived last-minute emotional ploy. Truth is, this was part of Kubrick's original vision, one meant to tie together the project's sprawling themes of creation and humanity. As such, it is probably Spielberg's most challenging and atypical contribution to the scape of sci-fi cinema. Haley Joel Osment, ever the precocious actor at the time, worked wonders with a difficult role that required him to fully understand his character's existential odyssey inside-out. All said, a stunning and misunderstood film.
6. Touch of Evil (1958)
After RKO recut his sophomore feature, The Magnificent Ambersons, Orson Welles was left embittered towards the studio system and would only make a few more pictures in Hollywood before moving to Europe. He was contractually coerced into making this one, only to be let go after shooting was complete so that the studio could continue tampering. A 1998 re-release editted the way Welles intended reveals that Touch of Evil was very much ahead of its time. Scenes like the opening tracking shot and Janet Leigh's abduction almost give the film a modern feel, and Welle's transformative performance as a corrupt cop is astonishing. Russell Metty's dark cinematography is a rich visual feast. This noir is NOT to be missed.
5. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
In Stanley Kubrick's perplexing swan song Eyes Wide Shut, Nicole Kidman plays a woman unsatisfied with her marriage to husband Tom Cruise (how prophetic is that!?). Early on, DP Larry Smith uses warm red lighting to lull us into a relaxed state conducive of the sensuality on display, and reverts to cool blue lighting to jolt us back into reality. For most of the main body of the film, these two colours are often juxtaposed against each other in frame, to striking effect, mirroring the conflicting desires of the characters. Some might argue that the sexually explicit representation of women borders on pornographic, but one cannot deny Kubrick's ability to keep our attention rapt. The film defies categorization to this day, and always presents new ideas upon closer looks. It ranks among the master's boldest work.
4. Big Fish (2003)
Though known for his trademark gothic style and macabre sense of humour, One of Tim Burton's best films remains this poignant drama/fantasy hybrid about a young man searching for clarity about his dying father's past. Told through mesmerizing magic realism, we get to glimpse the history of the father (wonderfully portrayed by Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney) in the tall tales with which he regales his impatient son. But it's only by the end that the son realizes that sometimes a bizarre exaggeration can be more truthful than the straight truth. The colour palette is decidedly brighter than any of Burton's other films, proving that he is an apt visual craftsman with more than just monochrome. Danny Elfman contributes a beautiful score. (Yes, this is a recycled review)
3. The King of Comedy (1983)
This cynical black comedy about obsessive fanaticism may be the most "un-Scorsese" movie Scorsese ever did, but it's also one of his best. Robert Di Niro gives one of the best performances of his career as a wannabe comedian who we pity and fear in equal measure for his radical obsession. Excellent supporting turns come from Jerry Lewis (an inspired casting choice as an arrogant talk show host) and Sandra Bernhard who is darkly hilarious as a lunatic fan with a hunger for some "old fashioned, all-American fun". Beneath the laughs, however, is a biting commentary on our society's unhealthy obsession with celebrity. The film has thankfully developed a healthy following, especially among Scorsese fans, but there are still many who are missing out on this important section of his portfolio.
2. Midnight (1939)
A case of mistaken identity turns into a delirious farce of deceit and fraudulence in Mitchell Leisen's Midnight, one of the most underrated and overlooked entries from the vintage year of 1939. Claudette Colbert was at her peak as a comedienne, delivering her lines with perfect timing and inflection. The smart-alecky script was co-written (it should come as no surprise) by the one-and-only Billy Wilder, who sneaked in some sly nods-of-the-hat to Cinderella, a loose inspiration for this twisty romp. It may not have epic scale, flashy colour, or memorable music going for it like a number of its more illustrious 1939 contemporaries, but its humour and performances have held up very well, making it a delightful discovery for those willing to give it a chance.
1. The Fox and the Hound (1981)
The passing of Walt Disney before the release of The Jungle Book in 1967 marked the beginning of a long creative dry spell for the Disney animation studio. It wasn't until the renaissance of the late 1980s that they would be able to really end their streak of poor-to-middling animated films, but one gem that got lost in the twenty-year mire of mediocrity is this touching fable about two best friends who were born to be enemies.
Usually, films directed by committee don't fare too well in upholding a unified vision, but The Fox and the Hound came off without a hitch. It's a small miracle that the story's hopeful message about love and tolerance never burdens or overshadows the story itself, which really is a beautifully spun tale to which both kids and adults can relate. Perhaps its lasting power as to do with the third act's departure from the Disney formula. The climactic action sequence is fiercely intense, yet not as much as the brief silent standoff that follows. The bittersweet denouement is enough to leave the most hard-boiled cinephile sobbing. It's all beautifully evoked through a compelling visual style that recalls the artwork of Bambi.
If only the studio had been making 'em like this all along, but alas, it was back to eight years of crap after The Fox and the Hound made its inconspicuous debut. It is, and always will be, a diamond in the rough.
