What's your favourite unknown movie ?

[grumbler]

They Might Be Giants (Anthony Harvey, 1971)  This is one of the most mysteriosly "unknown" movies of which I am aware.  I don't think I have ever met anyone who saw it unless I nudged them.  Stars George C. Scott and Joanne Woddward, made by the same team that made The Lion in Winter three years before, and virtually unknown. 

Scott is a NYC retired judge who thinks he is Sherlock Holmes, Woodward is Dr. Mildred Watson, a psychiatrist assigned to his case, so you can see where this is going.  They search for Moriarity through the  "forgotten people" of New York (played by an ensemble of brilliant character actors like Jack Gilford, M. Emmet Walsh, and F. Murrey Abraham (who debuted here and didn't really get starring roles until Amadeus many years later).

Brilliant flick.  Has humor, pathos, and and surprisingly uplifting philosophy in the right mix.

[Capetan Mihali]

Since both Sheilbh and CdM have mentioned it, I guess it doesn't qualify but Naked is one of my favorites as well.

Wanda, a 1970 movie by Barbara Loden (Elia Kazan's wife at the time), is one that I've watched repeatedly and enjoy more every time, even though it is a pretty bleak tale of ennui and armed robbery in and around Scranton, PA.

More recent ones that come to mind:

Werckmeister Harmonies, from 2000: A circus featuring a whale carcass arrives in a small Hungarian town.  Mass violence ensues.

Ratcatcher, from 1999: Depicts a boy's life in Glasgow housing projects during the Scottish garbage strike of the mid-70's.

[Sheilbh]

Have you seen the Jen Genet directed short film Mihali? 

Can't remember what it's called but I quite enjoyed it.  It's silent.  It's major themes are homosexual desire and prison.

[Scipio]

They Might Be Giants (Anthony Harvey, 1971)  This is one of the most mysteriosly "unknown" movies of which I am aware.  I don't think I have ever met anyone who saw it unless I nudged them.  Stars George C. Scott and Joanne Woddward, made by the same team that made The Lion in Winter three years before, and virtually unknown. 

Scott is a NYC retired judge who thinks he is Sherlock Holmes, Woodward is Dr. Mildred Watson, a psychiatrist assigned to his case, so you can see where this is going.  They search for Moriarity through the  "forgotten people" of New York (played by an ensemble of brilliant character actors like Jack Gilford, M. Emmet Walsh, and F. Murrey Abraham (who debuted here and didn't really get starring roles until Amadeus many years later).

Brilliant flick.  Has humor, pathos, and and surprisingly uplifting philosophy in the right mix.

That movie is sheer fucking genius.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

hard core logo?

Deserves wider recognition... is the "Goin Down The Road" of the modern age.

apparently 4 sequels are/were planned. is Bruce MacDonald George Lucas? or does he just want to escape directing "queer as folk" and "degrassi next generation" rent gigs

I think I heard he was filming a sequel now or soon ( 1 is stupid, but 4? that's retarded. Tv series maybe?  Same ending as movie every episode? )

[grumbler]

That movie is sheer fucking genius.

Agree, but ask again why it should be so unknown. Superstar cast, superstar production team (hell, it is one of five or six "Newman's Own" movies) and yet unknown.  Weird.  It's like the Bermuda Triangle sucked it in or something.

[Eddie Teach]

Not Xanadu is it?

Couldn't tell you.  Parents own a pub, the chick walks a tightrope in the pub, she has a crush on the music exec, he turns out to be gay.  Is that Xanadu?

I dunno, I quit watching after 20 minutes. 80s musical, had Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly and some young dude who was the main character.

[Syt]

"I bought a Vampire Motorcycle" starring the late, great Michael Elphick. Contains possibly my favourite movie line ever, "I haven't had a cunt all night, Drinkstable."

That the one with Anthony Daniels as priest?

[Admiral Yi]

I dunno, I quit watching after 20 minutes. 80s musical, had Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly and some young dude who was the main character.

[Zohan]Nonononono[/Zohan]  Mine had a cast of no names.

[Malthus]

I'm a big fan of Koyaanisqatsi, though I'm not sure how "unknown" it is - many I mention it to have not heard of it, but it is very influential. Speeded up and slowed down camera work, music by Philip Glass.

[saskganesh]

hard core logo?

he's got ideas, including one sequel involving the teenage kids of the band and another which is a prequel. I checked IMDB and nothing appears to be in production. I assume he's just throwing it out there, to see if he can raise the booty.
Deserves wider recognition... is the "Goin Down The Road" of the modern age.

apparently 4 sequels are/were planned. is Bruce MacDonald George Lucas? or does he just want to escape directing "queer as folk" and "degrassi next generation" rent gigs

I think I heard he was filming a sequel now or soon ( 1 is stupid, but 4? that's retarded. Tv series maybe?  Same ending as movie every episode? )

[Threviel]

Photographing Fairies, about a photographer traumatized by the death of his wife that tries to photograph some fairies- I don't know why I like it, but it's a great movie anyway.

[PDH]

I always enjoyed "Our Mr Sun" filmstrip in gradeschool. 

[Maladict]

I'm a big fan of Koyaanisqatsi, though I'm not sure how "unknown" it is - many I mention it to have not heard of it, but it is very influential. Speeded up and slowed down camera work, music by Philip Glass.

I've seen it ages ago, liked it.
Have you seen the sequels? I've often wondered if they measure up/add something new.

[Malthus]

I'm a big fan of Koyaanisqatsi, though I'm not sure how "unknown" it is - many I mention it to have not heard of it, but it is very influential. Speeded up and slowed down camera work, music by Philip Glass.

I've seen it ages ago, liked it.
Have you seen the sequels? I've often wondered if they measure up/add something new.

I haven't - I heard that they don't measure up (i.e., too blatantly plugging a "message"). Someday I'll check them out though.