Subject: Ah yes, the swordfighty movie.
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Posted on: 2019-08-08 17:55:00 UTC
I do have some vague memories of watching Highlander, but something about the story didn't quite match what I was looking for at the time - maybe I should give it another chance.
I will definitely watch Highlander 2 sometime, though. I have severe trainwreck syndrome, so I'm always up for a nice and terrible movie. And I did hear that the Highlander sequels are quite... interesting.
Today while watching MST3K, I realized that dang, I really am a giant nerd - most of the stuff I watch and read in my free time is genre fiction, and I do tend towards the more obscure stuff and cult favorites even in this area. I've brought some movie recommendations for fellow fans of sci-fi, fantasy and horror.
1. Zygote (2017)
This one might stick out a little, because it's a horror short instead of a feature film, but it is a truly excellent story with better storytelling and worldbuilding than a lot of feature-length movies I've seen. The story is about two survivors on a space station trying to escape what I can safely say is the most terrifying horror movie monster I have ever seen. I won't spoil the rest of the movie, but if you like good sci-fi, good horror and have a strong stomach for body horror, definitely check out this one - you can easily find it one Youtube.
2. H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror and Other Stories (2007) and The Call of Cthulhu (2005)
I know that H. P. Lovecraft is plenty problematic, but for fans of his writing, these adaptations are probably worth a watch. The first title is a Japanese claymation adaptation of three Lovecraft stories, 'The Picture in the House', 'The Dunwich Horror' and 'The Festival'; and if you think that Japanese claymation Lovecraft sounds like one heck of a combination, you're right - the animation style gives these stories a particularly chilling atmosphere, even if it puts some limitations on the storytelling.
The second title is a short black-and-white movie adaptation of 'The Call of Cthulhu', done entirely as a silent film, with all its technical limitations - and the result, while not perfect, is a visually and atmospherically very strong adaptation of an already spooky story.
3. Ink (2009)
A low-budget indie fantasy movie with a fairytale-like story, I cannot recommend this one enough both for its amazing visuals and for its plot, full of twists and turns and emotion.
4. Sunshine (2007)
While I'll admit that it's been a while since I last saw this sci-fi movie, I remember being blown away by its visuals and by the story, which combines melancholy and slightly philosophical character drama with definite horror undertones. Some people say that the combination of these elements isn't that well done, and I can definitely see where they're coming from, but I still say it's worth a watch - at the very least, it's a decent sci-fi movie with a bit of a horror angle, but it might also blow you away if you give it a chance.
5. Night Watch/Ночной дозор (2004)
Oh, this one is a real treat. Russian urban fantasy adapted from the novel of the same name, with vampires, curses, shapeshifters, fight scenes and secret magical societies striving to keep the balance between good and evil magic, all presented with a very strong Eastern European flavor. It does have some mildly spooky and some mildly bloody scenes, so watch out for that, but I can't recommend this one enough.
What are your nerdy movie recs?
If you like 80s pop culture, I recommend Ready Player One. I know the book it's based on is a bit... divisive, but the movie streamlines the story a bit and makes the challenges more interesting.
If you like anime movies, I suggest Studio Ghibli films like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and When Marnie Was There. The beautifully surreal Paprika and heartwarming Summer Wars are also worth a look.
Yeah, no Silent Voice, Your Name, Eva, or Miyazaki here (although definitely watch those if you haven't).
What I will recommend is the slightly-less well known you'd-swear-it's-Ghibli-but-it-isn't film, The Boy and the Beast. It's a charming coming-of-age story about a boy who runs away from home and lives with a bad-tempered-but-well-meaning bear in a kingdom of animals. It's adorable, heart-warming, and tear-jerking to watch our to protagonists grow together as they develop into truly admirable people. But what you expect from the director of Wolf Children? I truly can't recommend it enough.
For you film historians, I can suggest The Hidden Fortress, an adventure film and period drama that heavily influenced both the plot and narrativr structure of Star Wars. A lot of people like it, but I could never get into it.
Although, there is a non-Japanese Star Wars influence that I do entirely recommend: The 1927 silent film Wings. It's about World War 1 pilots, and is as grim as you'd expect in some ways, although it runs the gamut in terms of themes. For years, it was the yardstick by which all other films about planes were measured, and it is notable for its impressive (for the time) aerial combat shots (which are where it influenced Star Wars). But even on a plotting level this film impresses—It wasn't the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture for nothing. It's resonant and memorable, and utterly captivating, even to the fidgety child with a short attention span I was when I first saw it. If you ever get a chance to see this film, take it. And if you ever get a chance to watch it with live instrumentation (as intended), definitely take it. The same applies to Metropolis or A Trip to the Moon, but those films are better known—especially a trip to the the Moon because everyone's seen Hugo, right? Go watch Hugo if you haven't.
Returning to Japan, we have the Zatoichi series. Which... you have probably never heard of if you don't live in Japan. I hadn't. Basically, it turns out that Japan has its own James Bond equivalent (in terms of iconic status, legacy, and sheer number of films). And he's a blind swordmaster who's also a master Shogi player, professional masseur, archer, and... basically, he's ludicrously competent. You get the idea. Between 1962 and 1989, he was featured in no less than 26 films, in which he wandered around Edo-period Japan being awesome, fighting people, and just generally... thwarting, while making women fall in love with him so he can ignore their propositions and return to the road on time for the next adventure. Because it's that kind of film series.
Look, it's not exactly high art, but it's a lot of fun. Well, the first one was. I can't vouch for the rest personally.
And since we're on the subject of Samurai films, you can also go watch Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon if you haven't yet. But you probably have.
Yes, I know, CTHD isn't a Samurai movie, and it's not set in Japan, but it is good, and so I remembered it.
I've built quite a watchlist out of you guys' recommendations. These all sound great, but as a cinema nerd of sorts, I think Wings is the one I'm going to watch first out of these.
If we're talking Japanese cinema, I remember loving Takashi Miike's Audition. It's an incredibly messed up movie that I only recommend if you have a strong stomach, but it's also surreal and grotesque and very artistic for what's basically a horror story. My best friend and I had quite a fun time coming up with different interpretations and theories about it. And in terms of Japanese animation, Kakurenbo: Hide and Seek is a very interesting animated short about children playing a dangerous game in a strange city. Wherever you expect the plot to go, you probably won't guess the ending.
If we're talking traditional nerd, I remember really liking Reign Of Fire. It's a very silly film with a kind of ropey script, but it's worth it for the fact that some of the main characters retell Star Wars as a bedtime play for children in a post-apocalyptic landscape ravaged by gigantic fire-breathing dragons. I have made absolutely none of that up.
If we're talking film nerd, well... film nerds have probably seen more interesting films than I have. The best I can do is the delirious, powerful, spellbinding film-about-film Holy Motors. Leos Carax is the best director most people have never heard of and this is probably my favourite of his works.
I'd also recommend the Living trilogy by Swedish virtuoso director Roy Andersson. If Carax is the best director you've never heard of, Andersson is the best comedy director you've never heard of. They're not always easy watches, and it conforms to certain slow-cinema traditions, but the three films are beautiful pitch-dark comedies about humanity and the world we built for ourselves. Stories From The Second Floor is sometimes a little heavy going, but You, The Living and A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting Upon Existence are more watchable and hilarious in that very bleak way I love.
Reign of Fire actually sounds really good, in the "let's turn off our inner film snob and watch something fun" kind of way. I quite like cheesy fantasy, especially with dragons, so I'll definitely check this one out.
Honestly, I'm not a very highbrow kind of movie buff (like I said, I tend more towards genre stuff and I love me some cinematic ham and cheese), but I do like obscure, complex movies as well, and these sound quite fascinating. I also have some film nerd recs if you or anyone else is interested, but I put together my first rec list in more of a "nerd cinema" than a "cinema nerd" way, if that makes any sense.
I'll keep the descriptions shorter, because I have plenty of good finds.
* Diabolique - a taut, high-tension French thriller about two women conspiring to murder their abuser... but then the corpse vanishes, and strange things start to happen.
* Viy - a Russian adaptation of Gogol's short story of the same name, this is a quaint but surprisingly scary folk horror movie about a monk asked to pray over the dead body of a witch.
* Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession - a very silly and very strange Russian comedy about a scientist accidentally inventing time travel and bringing a grouchy Russian czar into the present day, and the shenanigans that ensue because of this.
* Possibly in Michigan - this one is a short film about two women and their stalker, but it's incredibly unsettling, surreal and dreamlike. Basically, it doesn't get more art house than this.
* Bitch - pardon the language, but it's literally the title of the movie. It's a strange and quirky drama about a stressed and frustrated housewife who one day snaps mentally and assumes the personality of a vicious dog, and about the way her family reacts to this bizarre situation. I love this movie to bits, honestly.
* Cat City - one of the best Hungarian animated movies ever made (if not THE best), this movie is a spy thriller-comedy about a planet where cats and mice are at war, and a high-profile mouse secret agent sent to retrieve plans for a weapon that could alter the course of the conflict. It's weird, dark, occasionally morbid and incredibly funny. It's a staple of my childhood, although I have no idea how anyone could let a child watch this.
* Control (Kontroll) - another 'Best Hungarian Movie' contender, this one is a social drama-black comedy-thriller about quirky metro ticket inspectors and a serial killer murdering metro passengers. Also, this is easily the most Eastern European movie I've ever seen, and I'm saying that as a compliment.
* Mädchen in Uniform - this one is just a lovely little drama from 1931 about a sensitive girl who falls for her teacher at an all-female boarding school. It is a bit... strange to watch because of the age difference issues, but this was the first big screen movie to portray female homosexuality in a sympathetic manner.
* Perfect Blue - basically, anything by Satoshi Kon tends to be a masterpiece, but this movie is my favorite. It is a dark, surreal, bloody and incredibly tense animated thriller about a singer-turned-actress' psyche crumbling under the strain of trying to build a career while being threatened by a creepy stalker. Be warned that it's a very messed up movie, but also an incredible experience.
* Revengers Tragedy - the very obscure adaptation of an already obscure Elizabethan revenge tragedy, this movie is about an unhinged man seeking revenge for the death of his beloved on a very screwed-up family; except it's set in modern times, with very trippy visuals, absolutely bonkers costumes (if you don't want to be scarred for life by seeing Derek Jacobi wearing lipstick, nail polish and cleavage-flaunting robes, you might want to avoid this one) and a great cast.
I could also mention must-see cinema nerd classics like Oldboy, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Plan 9 from Outer Space and such, or some films on the more disturbing side, but I'm not sure if I want to put the latter on the Board. The above movies are definitely great watches, though.
Looks like I've managed to accidentally imply that a man wearing lipstick and nail polish is a mind-scarring sight, which isn't exactly the best thing I could have said. I actually have no problem with that sort of thing, I was just trying to say that I was kind of taken aback when I saw Sir Derek Jacobi's costumes in Revengers Tragedy. The costuming choices in that movie are very... creative.
For those that don't know Highlander is a 1986 starting Chris Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown (or Raiden, James Bond and Mr. Krabs if you prefer). It's about a group of immortals who can only be killed if another immortal takes their head in a duel. Immortals have been fighting for centuries waiting for the time of the Gathering where the last immortals will duke it out and claim the Prize and become all powerful. The story is centered on the titular Highlander Connor MacLeod (Lambert) and the story constantly switches between the modern day (or as modern as 86 can get) and Connor's life in the highlands.
It's a great popcorn flick that features terrible fake accents, bad fight choreography that still somehow captures the imagination, Sean Connery pretending to be an Egyptian pretending to be a Spaniard pretending to not be a Scotsman, a rocking soundtrack by Queen and Clancy Brown in one of his most entertaining and terrifying roles.
Also of note are the infamous sequels. Never before has a franchise been this botched. I would actually reccomend Highlander 2: The Quickening just so you can see the resulting trainwreck. Try to track down the original version. They're harder to find but the 'fixed' versions remove some particularly hilarious plot details. What sort of details? Well I'll just say that Sean Connery was also pretending to be an alien.
I do have some vague memories of watching Highlander, but something about the story didn't quite match what I was looking for at the time - maybe I should give it another chance.
I will definitely watch Highlander 2 sometime, though. I have severe trainwreck syndrome, so I'm always up for a nice and terrible movie. And I did hear that the Highlander sequels are quite... interesting.