Essential cult classics you've never seen

đoni501 said:What's the big deal with Al Capone?

Everyone treats him like some kind of legend, so I want to dive into his work, but he's nowhere to be found on any streaming service.

If you're relying solely on what's available on streaming platforms to build your cinematic knowledge, you're going to miss out on the heavy hitters. You'll end up with a pretty incomplete picture of film history.

Al Capone is an incredibly significant film for several reasons. I won't get too deep into a lecture here, but maybe do a little digging on your own—you've got to put in some effort if you want to actually learn something.

I mean, if we’re going to go around slapping people with claims of having a "film education" (looking at you, regarding that massive wall of text from the previous poster), then we really ought to discuss the actual culture of how movies are consumed. Most of those so-called "classics" watched on basic cable don't offer anything more than raw data.
Personally, I'd much rather remain uninformed until a genuine opportunity to actually experience cinema presents itself.

Al Capone said:What’s the deal with Al Capone?

Everyone treats him like some kind of icon—I want to check him out—yet he’s nowhere to be found on any streaming service.

Well, I managed to grab it from a torrent site yesterday; I'll hopefully get around to watching it over the weekend...

Morgan Wright said:Man, I actually just grabbed it off LimeWire yesterday—fingers crossed I actually get around to watching it this weekend!

Ugh, okay, now I feel like I seriously need to download Blade Runner too.
Seriously though, LimeWire was such a classic, wasn't it?👍

frozenfox13 said:Al Capone is an incredibly significant film from several different angles. I won't sit here and lecture you on the details—just do a little digging. You have to put in some actual effort.

...or maybe just check out that study of 9 films by Ante Peterlić (@ joni501)

And look, frozenfox13, I have to tell you, that last post of yours felt—how should I put this without offending you? Hmm... arrogant. 😁 It’s just that almost all the movies you listed are nearly impossible to find legally if you're living here in the States. I've seen most of them myself, but believe me, tracking them down is a massive headache.

On topic: there’s a mountain of "anthology" classics I still haven't checked off my list, but what really bugs me is that while I'm a huge fan of Ingmar Bergman and have seen about ten of his works, somehow I managed to miss The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberry, and Fanny and Alexander. 😬

frozenfox13's list serves as a wonderful starting point for anyone diving into cinema, just as he mentioned... I've managed to watch almost all of them.

Of course, you can find nearly any movie out there if you're willing to put in the effort...

A close friend of mine actually amassed about 2,000 titles on Blu-ray and DVD over a couple of years—though he certainly hasn't seen a third of them—ranging from half pure classics to the other half being total trash and pulp flicks, since he has such a soft spot for that kind of cult iconography...

Casablanca (in black and white), Maltese Falcon, and Citizen Kane.

Madame Hooch said:So, "The Godfather" is playing on ABC tonight...

I've never actually sat through it before—and honestly, I'm not planning to tonight either.

You know what this reminds me of? Total celibacy.
I didn't hook up with anyone until I was twenty-eight. And hey, I'm not planning on changing that tonight.

Madame Hooch said:So, they're showing "The Godfather" on ABC today.
I've actually never sat down to watch it...

Look, I've had all three movies sitting on my hard drive for a year and a half now, and I still haven't watched them. I just can't bring myself to do it. I just can't find the motivation...😢

frozenfox13 said:Before we even start debating this movie, please go watch at least...

Look, I am with you one hundred percent on this, but there is absolutely zero chance of finding those old classics anywhere. Seriously, if you happen to know where they're hiding, please, for the love of God, share the info!
Maybe some random local news station might show it, or if the folks over at ABC News decide to actually respect the craft and air something decent for once. (And even if some miracle happens and they do, they’ll probably broadcast it at 10 in the morning 😠 though, thank goodness there's YouTube)

newcomer said:Another "must-watch anthology" for "our generation": IMDB.com's top 50 indie (whatever that even means) movies.
I've actually sat through 38 of them from this list 😉

watched 43 of them, though there's a massive pile of gems tucked away in there that aren't even mentioned

Spanish Bulldog.

I went through 22 films on that list, but that doesn't prove much. Most of them are just those typical 8/10 flicks. You won't find anything like Acquire, Wrath of God, 12 Monkeys, or Casablanca in there... so the whole list is pretty much garbage. 👎

31..

I’m genuinely stunned that IMDb finally decided to give Orson Welles's Falstaff its due credit (whether you call it Chimes at Midnight or just Chimes). The man was a visionary. When you look back at how he pushed the boundaries of cinematography in The Magnificent Ambersons—his first major leap following Citizen Kane—or even that quirky choice to roll the credits over a shot of the cast and crew, you realize he was playing a completely different game than everyone else. He was always miles ahead of his contemporaries simply because he refused to be formulaic.

He took on Shakespeare in a way that feels incredibly raw and uniquely his own. Even though he was working with a shoestring budget on this one, his directorial touch is absolutely breathtaking. The energy is palpable, especially through his trademark style: those tight, wide-angle close-ups of facial expressions that inject such a sharp sense of satire into every moment. It’s those specific faces that really make the Shakespearean dialogue sing. It remains one of my absolute favorite films.

I guess I misjudged them—they’re definitely classics, even if half of them aren't actually that great.

Has anyone here actually sat down to watch any Mizoguchi films? Or maybe some of those early masterpieces from the big Italian directors like Rossellini or Visconti?

I'm also dying to check out the best of Iranian cinema. I think I caught a glimpse of something on PBS once, but I haven't really dove in yet.