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Thu 2 Mar, 2006 10:34 am
Those films that either didn't receive much in critical acclaim, didn't do very much box office or both:
To start things off:
"Summer Lovers"
An early film for Daryl Hannah, Peter Gallagher and a subsequently dissapearing
Valérie Quennessen together in a vacation we can all only imagine when we were young. It's almost a fantasy.
I saw that one, the scenes on Santorini were very picturesque and I thought the nudity went far for an American movie (or maybe I saw the European uncut version)
Which reminds me of a Greek film with a young (and topless, shocking in thoses days!) Irene Papas, which also plays out largely on Santorini and involved a pet donkey, but I never can recall the title of that film.
The Princess bride
a silly slap stick comedy that is so horribly corny, you cant help but keep watching.
I have watched it.. ohh.. jeezee.. 30? times?
One of my all-time favorite "little" pictures is "The Big Kahuna", which basically consists of Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Peter Fanicelli (sp?) as 3 salesmen at a convention in Wichita, KS (my city) ruminating about life and spirituality.
You're right -- "The Big Kahuna" reached around 70% in favorable reviews but only did worldwide: $3,728,888 with a budge of $7M. A very watchable movie in good company with a similar film "Glengarry Glenn Ross."
I'm guilty also for "The Princess Bride" but I do remember it doing pretty well with the critics and at the box office.
Wow, TPD did well with the critics:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/princess_bride/
But only did around 30M (maybe not horrible back then but not great).
"The Big Kahuna?"
Sounds like it should have been filmed in Hawaii.
No, it's about a sales force attending a convention and it is biting satire, the slang meaning "the big boss."
"Chances Are" barely made the grade with the critics and only did right just under $ 17M, even in 1989 not great. Good guilty pleasure!
Here's one that history has been kinder to as at the time it did not get good reviews and did terrible box office:
"Blade Runner"
Is this a Daryl Hannah thing?
How did "Dancing at the Blue Iguana" do? Also a Hannah vehicle.
That would be a very guilty pleasure.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dancing_at_the_blue_iguana/
$30M box office and didn't fare well with user ratings either:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217355/
Is that being offered as your guilty pleasure? If so, you have to go sit in the corner for the rest of the day.
I kind of liked the film, but I wouldn't call it a guilty pleasure.
I am looking for a guilty pleasure that would be known across the pond, yet not have done well, its not an easy task.
Two come to mind.
"Gidget Goes Hawaiian"
"Dead Ringer"
Is there any way to turn OFF these annoying new hot links within our posts?
OK, I think I've got one. What about The Last Island (Gorris, 1990)? (Since we started about a film situated on an island) This film is the anti-thesis of Summer Lovers and as far as I can tell it did not win any awards and it was not the kind of film to be a box office success.
I cared enough to write a comment about it on IMDB.
Now those are great examples. I love "Dead Ringer" even though it's a Bette Davis potboiler, she and Karl Malden nailed it and produced an entertaining thriller.
I suppose I could sit through "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" with a large helping of poi by my side.
Lightwizard wrote:Now those are great examples. I love "Dead Ringer" even though it's a Bette Davis potboiler, she and Karl Malden nailed it and produced an entertaining thriller.
Don't forget Peter Lawford. What a weasel.
Oh, yeah -- Lawford was truly creepy and considering this film wasn't that remote from the death of Marilyn Monroe, it made my skin crawl the last time I saw the movie. Davis can do no wrong -- she's an American classic.
Paaskynen wrote:OK, I think I've got one. What about The Last Island (Gorris, 1990)? (Since we started about a film situated on an island) This film is the anti-thesis of Summer Lovers and as far as I can tell it did not win any awards and it was not the kind of film to be a box office success.
I cared enough to write a comment about it on IMDB.
Sometimes a guilty pleasure can end up being a film that has been pushed into obscurity and didn't deserve it. Good one, passkynen.
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