The following I offer as a public service for those who crave viewing great movies and are not opposed to watching a flick that was made more than six months ago. There are so many fantastic movies on DVD or online nowadays that I’m sure 80% of the viewing public has never had the satisfaction of watching.
Below is a synopsis of six extraordinary films from the past most folks probably missed. Do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy of these little-known classics. Don’t let the year of their release scare you–an unforgettable movie is timeless!
- The Last Detail—1973, Jack Nicholson. Two bawdy, tough looking navy lifers, “Bad-Ass” Buddusky and “Mule” Mulhall, are commissioned to escort a young pilferer named Meadows to the brig in Portsmouth. Meadows is not much of a thief. Indeed, in his late teens, he is not much of a man at all. His great crime was to try to steal forty dollars from the admiral’s wife’s pet charity. For this he’s been sentenced to eight years behind bars. At first Buddusky and Mulhall view the journey as a paid vacation, but their holiday spirits are quickly depressed by the prisoner, who looks prepared to break into tears at any moment.
And he has the lowest self-image imaginable. Buddusky gets it into his head to give Meadows a good time and teach him a bit about getting on in the world. Lesson one: Don’t take every card life deals you. Next he teaches Meadows to drink, and, as a coup de grace, finds a nice young “woman” to instruct him in the art of lovemaking. Mule, who worries aloud about his own position with military authority, seems pleased with Meadows’s progress. However, when the trio reach Portsmouth, the game comes abruptly to an end as reality sets in. Is easily one of Jack’s best performances.
- 2. Lost in America—1985, Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty: David and Linda Howard are successful yuppies from LA. When he gets a job disappointment, David convinces Linda that they should quit their jobs, liquidate their assets and emulate the movie Easy Rider, spending the rest of their lives travelling around America…in a Winnebago! (This is a kind of large, luxurious mobile home which suits a 1980s yuppie more than the counterculture dropout approach of Easy Rider.) His idealized, unrealistic plans soon begin to go spectacularly wrong. My personal favorite comedy of all time, however,Young Frankensteinis a close second.
- Emperor of the North-1973, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine: It is during the great depression in the US, and the land is full of people who are now homeless. Those people, commonly called “hobos,” are truly hated by Shack (Borgnine), a sadistical railway conductor who swore that no hobo will ride his train for free. Well, no one but “A” Number One (Lee Marvin), who is ready to put his life at stake to become a local legend – as the first person who survived the trip on Shack’s notorious train. One of the ultimate mano a mano fight scenes in movie history.
- Twelve Angry Men-1957, Henry Fonda: The defense and the prosecution have rested and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young Spanish-American is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open and shut case of murder soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the juror’s prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused and each other. Based on the play, all of the action takes place on the stage of the jury room. There is also a 1997 remake with Jack Lemmon and George C Scott that is almost as good.
- Taking Chance(an HBO movie)-2008, Kevin Bacon: Inspired by the true story of the United States Marine who volunteered to escort the remains of a nineteen year old soldier who was killed in Iraq to his small hometown in remote Wyoming. Taking Chance stars Kevin Bacon in the feature directorial debut of Oscar nominated producer Ross Katz. Lance Corporal Chance Phelps (USMC) was just nineteen years old when he was killed during active duty. Now, as Lance Corporal Phelps is prepared for his final journey back home, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, USMC, (Bacon) makes it his personal mission to ensure that his fallen brother is laid to rest with the proper respect. As the journey begins, Lieutenant Colonel Strobl gains a greater appreciation of the sacrifices made in war than ever before. Have a box of tissue close!
- The Jericho Mile(a USA Channel Movie)-1979, Peter Strauss: Rain Murphy is a man sentenced to life in prison, choosing to do his time in near-isolation, and engages in distance running when given the opportunity for free time. While his form and speed capture the attention of prison officials who believe he could be competitive for the Olympics, Murphy expresses disinterest. But when the one man he has befriended is taken advantage of by political groups within the prison, Murphy decides to pursue the opportunity presented to him in his memory. This action not only has profound changes on him, but also on the atmosphere of the inmates in the prison and their outlook on the accomplishments he can make. Final scene is one of my all-time favorites. I truly wish my memory of these movies could be erased, so I might once again watch them for the first time and experience the impact of their brilliance! I honestly envy those who have never seen these films.
