Forgotten Films: Do You Remember?

[Shannon L.]

 

Back in bowl! Back in bowl!

You know, I don't remember much about the movie, but that quote?  We've quoted it so many times over the years.  The actor's delivery was great.

[jenh526]

A theater professor I had in college was actually in the movie - Eric Christmas. He played Terry Hoskins' father. He was also the priest in Harold and Maude (another oldie but goodie - Harold, eat your beets!). Glad to know others loved this movie too.

[Bastet]

I loved Eric Christmas in that movie, and in several other things.  I was so happy to see him pop up in an episode of The X-Files (my favorite show at the time) and Seinfeld.  I didn't know his name, but I remembered him so fondly from All of Me (I love him leading the horse 

in which Terry's spirit now resides

 away at the end).

 

Did anyone else watch Stealing Home, the late '80s film with Mark Harmon and Jodie Foster, told significantly in flashback (through William McNamara and Jonathan Silverman), as he struggles to figure out the right thing to do with her ashes?  I love that film, but I sometimes wonder if my mother is the only other person in the world who's watched it.

 

"You had sex with my prom date."

Edited February 20, 2015 by Bastet

[DeLurker]

Now I want to rewatch Stealing Home and Summer School.

[Bastet]

I have them both on DVD; you bring the popcorn. 

 

Stealing Home is far more overtly sentimental a movie than I'd normally like, but it comes together into something I find utterly charming.

[Charlie Baker]

VIsiting the topic for the first time--amazing how many of these I've seen.  And a few I'm intrigued to look up.

My contributions today are two movies from the 70s with Art Carney, who was far more than just Ed Norton to Gleason's Ralph Kramden. (He was the original Felix Unger on Broadway, for example.)

His Oscar winner Harry and Tonto, a road trip with an old man and a cat.  Very 70s yet holds up well.  His performance is good, but his Oscar win was kind of surprising, considering the competition: Nicholson, Hoffman, Pacino, Finney.

The Late Show, a more obscure one, a mystery with comedy (something hard to pull off), which also stars Lily Tomlin. They work well together, as I recall.  I haven't seen this one in a long time, have to seek it out sometime.

[Sharpie66]

I just recently discovered the movie podcast site F This Movie, and I enjoyed reading one of their articles about a film I had completely forgotten about--Matinee. It's a great little teen comedy that is more a homage to the cheesy horror flicks of the 1950s and '60s directed by William Castle. John Goodman is the Castle stand in who comes to Miami in October 1962 to have a world premiere for his latest film, "MANT!" A teen boy who is a big fan of his film's gets to help Goodman get everything set up and promote the film. Oh, and the Cuban Missile Crisis is going on, too.

It is very funny, a great shout out to the Castle films (Goodman has the Castle trick of having a "nurse" in the lobby to help anyone who gets sick from watching the film, played by Cathy Moriarty who is Goodman's girlfriend here), and they use the overhanging dread of nuclear war to really good effect.

[Spartan Girl]

I'm not sure Continental Divide counts as a "forgotten film," but it's definitely underrated when you compare it to the attention Animal House and The Blues Brothers got.  But it's a great romantic comedy that IMO is way better than many of the crappy rom-coms we get today.  John Belushi and Blair Brown were both excellent, and I loved seeing John's softer side.  It pisses me off that people blew it off when it was released back in 1981, even though it got some pretty good reviews.

[magicdog]

Harry and Tonto, a road trip with an old man and a cat.

 

 

Loved this film!  I had heard about it for years but never got around to it until it was broadcast on cable a few years back.  I always knew Art Carney was more than just "Ed Norton", but I think this was one of his best performances on film.  So bittersweet, but so relatable.

 

 

 

I'm not sure Continental Divide counts as a "forgotten film," but it's definitely underrated when you compare it to the attention Animal House and The Blues Brothers got.  But it's a great romantic comedy that IMO is way better than many of the crappy rom-coms we get today.  John Belushi and Blair Brown were both excellent, and I loved seeing John's softer side.  It pisses me off that people blew it off when it was released back in 1981, even though it got some pretty good reviews.

 

 

I think part of the reason the movie failed at the box office was because people weren't prepared to see someone as zany as Belushi in such a serious, romantic role.  I remember when the previews were running on TV and even I had to blink twice to make sure it really was John Belushi in what was shown to be a film that wasn't in the vein of Animal House or his work on SNL.  His contemporary, Robin Williams managed to shake that off thankfully, and if Belushi had lived longer, perhaps he could have too.

[Spartan Girl]

Maybe, but it was still a good movie, and it could have worked if moviegoers would have been open-minded enough to give it a chance.  Just my opinion.

[Vixenstud]

Just like John Candy in Only The Lonely with Ally Sheedy....god forbid the heavyset comedian tries to be romantic, this was a great movie and should have been a box office hit.

[Spartan Girl]

I LOVED Only the Lonely.  I totally bought Ally Sheedy and John Candy as a couple.  And Maureen O'Hara?  'Nough said.

 

god forbid the heavyset comedian tries to be romantic

 

SERIOUSLY.  It's perfectly okay to have ten billion romantic comedies with Matthew McConaughey playing a douchebag, but if there's a nice guy who isn't conventionally handsome in a romantic lead, then everyone just loses their minds.

[hendersonrocks]

OMG, Stealing Home. I was obsessed with it as a 12-year old, thanks in large part to the dreamy guy (William McNamara, thank you Wikipedia) playing a young Mark Harmon. 

 

One of my all time favorite movies is Young Catherine, an epic miniseries that starred pre-fame Julia Ormond as Catherine the Great before "the Great" part happened. It's all about her arrival in Russia and how she came to rule, and oh my goodness it was beautiful and good and full of Christopher Plummer charm & Vanessa Redgrave brimstone. I still hold out hope it could end up on Netflix or Amazon someday...it's too good to be sitting in a TNT vault. 

[magicdog]

One of my all time favorite movies is Young Catherine, an epic miniseries that starred pre-fame Julia Ormond as Catherine the Great before "the Great" part happened. It's all about her arrival in Russia and how she came to rule, and oh my goodness it was beautiful and good and full of Christopher Plummer charm & Vanessa Redgrave brimstone. I still hold out hope it could end up on Netflix or Amazon someday...it's too good to be sitting in a TNT vault.

 

 

 

I saw it on TV just a few months ago.  I think it was on one of the premiere movie channels. 

[hendersonrocks]

magicdog, you have given me hope!

[DeLurker]

I love the movie Dead Again.

[Sharpie66]

I saw Dead Again in the theater with my dad, and we both just ate that movie up! It is such a great film, although I was taken out of it a bit at one point I am not going to discuss since I can't do the spoiler tag here on my tablet. Also, it was the one movie I can remember where I had a very delayed moment of realization over the importance of a certain line--I was doing the dishes that night, several hours after seeing the movie, when all if the sudden the back of my brain made the connection.

When I saw it, they had not advertised Robin Williams being in the cast (it was an uncredited part, IIRC), so I was shocked to see him appear.

[cpcathy]

I love the movie Dead Again.

 

I wish Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson had never gotten divorced.

[jenh526]

Anyone remember the film Birdy with Matthew Modine (1984)? I read the book by William Wharton before I saw the movie. Also, I remember the movie Angel Heart with Mickey Rourke and DeNiro. It's weird, I rarely ever go to movies anymore. I guess nothing can really compare with my movie-going experiences in the 80's.

[Bastet]

Also, I remember the movie Angel Heart with Mickey Rourke and DeNiro.

 

And Lisa Bonet in some racy scenes, causing Bill Cosby - that paragon of virtue - to freak his shit. 

[harrie]

Anyone remember the film Birdy with Matthew Modine (1984)? I read the book by William Wharton before I saw the movie. Also, I remember the movie Angel Heart with Mickey Rourke and DeNiro. It's weird, I rarely ever go to movies anymore. I guess nothing can really compare with my movie-going experiences in the 80's.

 

I freakin' loved Birdy!  The ending was perfect; and Nic Cage was just a little eccentric in preparing for his role, it was before he went totally batshit crazy.  And I'll watch Matthew Modine do just about anything.  Didn't know there was a book, will have to look it up. 

[caracas1914]

1984's "Night of the Comet", cheezy soundtrack, silly lines and I love it.

 

A latino lead  Robert Beltran (pre Star Trek days) which was rare enough.

Edited March 5, 2015 by caracas1914

[caracas1914]

Harry and Tonto, a road trip with an old man and a cat.

As good as he was in this movie, I thought Art Carney was just as memorable in "The Late Show" with Lily Tomlin. Critically acclaimed at the time but you don't hear much buzz about it anymore on the best movies lists of the 70's. Edited March 6, 2015 by caracas1914

[GreekGeek]

I loved Harry and Tonto too. It makes me sad that about the only time you hear about it is Oscar season when Carney turns up on "undeserved Oscars" lists. 

[DeLurker]

I've always had a thing for Steve Martin. I loved his movies All of Me and LA Story. There are many good scenes in All of Me, but I particularly love the physical comedy of Steve Martin when he is learning to control his body with Lily Tomlin inhabiting half of it. The Prakha Lasa character is hilarious, and the end scene with Tomlin and Martin dancing is a joy to behold. LA Story is great too - there is one particularly lovely scene where the two main characters are walking through a beautiful garden and when the camera pans back to them they are two small children.

I'm with you on All of Me, but was underwhelmed by LA Story.  It was probably the female lead - Sarah Jessica Parker maybe?

 

But I'll do a double feature tonight of All of Me and The Man with Two Brains.  I'll be a happy camper.

[DeLurker]

My double feature plan got derailed by cold medicine & Drop Dead Gorgeous. I've always thought that movie looked funny but never saw it (it is somewhere on my Netflix queue). But it was on, commercial free and I only missed 15 minutes so I left it on.

Very funny.

[DeLurker]

While waiting for the day's dose of caffeine to sink in, I did some early morning channel surfing.  Much to my delight I found an hour left of Roxanne with Steve Martin and Darryl Hannah.  I think it is one of her few movies I like her in.  Plus, I had totally forgotten about one of my favorite lines:

 

C.D. Bales: I said, ten more seconds and I'm leaving! Wait a second! What did you think I said?

Roxanne Kowalski: I thought you said, "Earn more sessions by sleeving."

 

There is no good reason why I find that so funny, but me and my friends back in the day used to randomly quote "Earn more sessions by sleeving."  We were a ridiculous group of cackling fiends who probably annoyed 99% of the people who had the misfortune of encountering us, but we had fun.

[Shannon L.]

It's because of Roxanne that I know how to spell Albuquerque  :) 

 

Also?  "20 something betters!".

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Further also, "You flat-faced, flat-nosed, flat-head."

[Sharpie66]

I saw Roxanne in the theaters when it first came out, and the entire audience was just roaring throughout the film, but especially during that bar showdown. So funny!

[Princess Sparkle]

My double feature plan got derailed by cold medicine & Drop Dead Gorgeous. I've always thought that movie looked funny but never saw it (it is somewhere on my Netflix queue). But it was on, commercial free and I only missed 15 minutes so I left it on.

Very funny.

 

That movie is such an underrated gem.  Everyone in it is just on their best game - even Denise Richards is hysterical in it.  I think I'm going to watch that tonight.

[spaceytraci1208]

Watching The Adventures of Milo & Otis and am just as happy as I was at 8 years old lol

[Bastet]

The numerous allegations of negligence/cruelty inflicted upon the animals during filming means that I cannot stomach that film.  Much of what made it on screen is horrible enough (and that's the US edit; the original is even worse); if even half of what is said to have happened to the animals off camera is true, it's a travesty.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Bastet

[harrie]

The numerous allegations of negligence/cruelty inflicted upon the animals during filming means that I cannot stomach that film.  Much of what made it on screen is horrible enough; if even half of what is said to have happened to the animals off camera is true, it's a travesty.

 

Wow - I did not know this. 

[spaceytraci1208]

The numerous allegations of negligence/cruelty inflicted upon the animals during filming means that I cannot stomach that film. Much of what made it on screen is horrible enough (and that's the US edit; the original is even worse); if even half of what is said to have happened to the animals off camera is true, it's a travesty.

Yikes...didn't know :(

[DeLurker]

Yikes indeed! 

 

I watched Milo & Otis last night too and was wondering about how they went about safely filming some of the scenes.  I had only seen snippets of it before and did not know about the animal treatment concerns.

[DHDancer]

Robinson Crusoe on Mars anyone?  A movie that made a huge impact on me as a youngster but never appeared on TV, nor video.  It was finally released a few years ago on DVD (I pre-ordered it!)  On re-watch, it held up very well to my memories, and still does.  The only actor who had any"name" before I saw the movie was Adam West,

and he died in the first few minutes of the movie!

.

 

I'll have to scratch my head and think of some of my other "lost" favorites now I've read this thread....  I was delighted to see Breaking Away mentioned above.  I've now added it to my Amazon watch list!  

Edited March 23, 2015 by DHDancer

[caracas1914]

It got great critical reviews at the time to me the quientessential "lost generation/20's" movie is "The Moderns" made by Alan Rudloph.  Just the most perfect cast, including Geneive Bujold who was to me one of the best actresses of her generation, never quite got the acclaim she deserved throughout her career. 

[DeLurker]

Just caught the last par of Caddyshack on TV and had to watch it for the millionth time.

Love the gopher dancing in the end.

Always have to watch Tremors if I find it while channel surfing.

Edited March 26, 2015 by DeLurker

[Crs97]

Does anyone remember The Man with One Red Shoe?  It was an early Tom Hanks movie that I thought was hilarious.  He is a musician who is mistaken for a spy. Daryl Hannah was in it as well as Carrie Fisher and (maybe) Dabney Coleman.  Very funny!

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Does anyone remember The Man with One Red Shoe?  It was an early Tom Hanks movie that I thought was hilarious.  He is a musician who is mistaken for a spy. Daryl Hannah was in it as well as Carrie Fisher and (maybe) Dabney Coleman.  Very funny!

 

"Do any of you remember how to kill a man?"

[proserpina65]

Does anyone remember The Man with One Red Shoe?  It was an early Tom Hanks movie that I thought was hilarious.  He is a musician who is mistaken for a spy. Daryl Hannah was in it as well as Carrie Fisher and (maybe) Dabney Coleman.  Very funny!

The French original is better, but this one was quite amusing, and I'll always have it to thank for introducing me to Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade.

[topanga]

Last night my kids and I watched "War Games" --it was the first time for all of us. That movie basically holds up. Except for Matthew Broderick's big-ass floppy disc and the rotary phones and the 1st generation home computers. Oh, and the weird synthesizer sound on the score. But I still enjoyed the basic premises of computer hacking and the dangers of letting computers take over jobs that require human input.

[Sharpie66]

I remember seeing WarGames in the theater with my sister and my uncle and his family and enjoyed it tremendously. For me, it pretty much epitomizes my memories of the 1980s, with Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Dabney Coleman, fear of computers taking over the world, and global thermonuclear war.

 

(I loved the shout-out to WarGames in Captain America: Winter Soldier!)

[Spartan Girl]

How about Dragnet with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd? I know it's silly, but it made me laugh. This was another early Tom Hanks movie and he was also funny in that one.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Spartan Girl

[Shannon L.]

I loved War Games. I watched it a lot when I was a kid.  Then, I watched it with my son a couple of years ago and I still enjoyed it.  (I still occasionally say "Mr. McKettrick, after careful consideration, I've come to the conclusion that your new defense system sucks" when something new isn't working-except I change it to fit the scenario, of course :)

 

Dragnet!  I've seen that movie several times.  That scene where they were in their captain's office, in their pagan ritual costumes, explaining the evening, cracks me up every time.

[Spartan Girl]

I also love the "your balls in my drawer" interrogation scene.

[Archery]

Last night my kids and I watched "War Games" --it was the first time for all of us. That movie basically holds up. Except for Matthew Broderick's big-ass floppy disc and the rotary phones and the 1st generation home computers. Oh, and the weird synthesizer sound on the score. But I still enjoyed the basic premises of computer hacking and the dangers of letting computers take over jobs that require human input.

I use the quote, "The only way to win is not to play," all the time to shut down pointless arguments.

[ratgirlagogo]

One of the only good live-action Disney films of the 1960's  ( in my opinion the best one, but I'll allow Mary Poppins:)) was The Three Lives of Thomasina.  There really aren't very many great cat movies, compared with great dog movies, but this is one of them.  The scene where Thomasina ascends into Cat Heaven (an homage to A Matter of Life and Death, mentioned earlier in this thread), walking up the stairs past dozens of cats and standing before Bast Herself - is one of the greatest scenes in the history of the movies. 

http://catsonfilm.net/2013/01/23/cat-of-the-day-095/

 

The blogger I linked to likes the film less than me - I don't think Thomasina is  a Cataphor and I admire the way the film explores difficult family relationships , also the complicated way a child tries to comprehend death - and the Good Animal Healing Witch!  Love.

Edited May 24, 2015 by ratgirlagogo

[BooBear]

Anyone remember "Johnny Dangerously?" back when Michael Keeton was just flat out funny.  That one still makes me giggle today.

 

Anyone remember "Bad Boys"? The original with Sean Penn and Ally Sheedy. I just remember it being really violent including a rape for Ally's character and a use of soft drinks as a weapon that I have never forgot.

 

How about Angel? There was a whole series of these... the first started with a teenager who was a prostitute by night to get money to live and attend private school during the day, that is, until some serial killer starts killing the other hookers. Sounds bad but it kept my attention.  I remember a really sad part when she is found out at her school and the geek who has been asking her out comes up with money to get her to date him.

 

And no one has never heard of this one but, I love it, "Down Twisted" it had Cary Lowell and Courtenay Cox who got mixed up in some sort of criminal activity. Cary Lowell's character is just roommates with this girl and the bad guys think she knows something. She gets knocked out in LA and taken to some remote South American country with Charles Rockett who becomes her love interest. This guy was mostly a comedian but here I really bought him as a lead love interest. Good flick.

 

And, "Making the Grade".  Some rich guy has to attend a private school to get his money from his trust fund, so he pays some slacker off the street, Judd Nelson, to attend for him. Hijinks ensue. I most remember it because so confident was the movie that there would be a sequel they put it in the end credits, alas... no sequel.

Edited May 24, 2015 by BooBear