Synopses & Reviews
In this book, 35 directors champion their favorite overlooked or critically savaged gems. Among these guilty pleasures, almost-masterpieces, and undeniable classics in need of revival are unsung noirs (Murder by Contract), famous flops (Cant Stop the Music, Joe Versus the Volcano), art films (Lange), theatrical adaptations (The Iceman Cometh), B-movies (Killer Klowns from Outer Space), and even a few Oscar-winners (Some Came Running).
In these conversations, the filmmakers defend their choices. These films, they argue, deserve a larger audience and for their place in movie history to be reconsidered. But the conversations tangents, diversions, and side trips provide as much insight into the directors own approach to moviemaking as into the film theyre discussing. The filmmakers are the perfect hosts, often setting the tone, managing expectations, and giving advice about how you should watch each movie. Theyre often brutally honest about a films shortcomings or the reasons why it was lost in the first place.
The Best Film Youve Never Seen is not only a guide to some badly overlooked movies but a bold attempt to rewrite film history.
Review
"Powerful . . . [the book] offers both an intensely private best-of list and a fascinating romp through the history of film.” —Under the Radar
Review
"Theres certainly something to be found within to interest every cinephile. . . . Highly literate and engaging." —Film Monthly
Review
“If, as John Huston once said, movies are the reigning art form of the last hundred years, then Robert K. Elders idea of asking thirty directors to talk about the movie that most influenced their careers is a bonanza for film buffs and a wonderful recommendation to all who love movies. Elder has done us all a favor: read this book, then go see for yourself why these movies made the cut!” —Lawrence Grobel, author of Al Pacino: In Conversation
Review
"The conversations never feel forced or canned. . . . Elder has made a worthy contribution to the discussion of art and influence. At times, these conversations resemble the Paris Review's probing conversations with authors. Necessary reading for anyone who appreciates the transformative power of cinema." —Creative Loafing
Review
"[A] collection of revealing and entertaining interviews. . . . The discussions provide insight not only into the chosen films—most have been viewed repeatedly by the enthusiastic interviewees—but also into the directors own works. Their heartfelt and passionate tributes are cinephilia made concrete." —Booklist
Review
"Boasting a refreshingly eclectic group of filmmakers, . . . Elder's anthology manages to cover an extensive range of film history while maintaining the lure of an unedited, behind-the-scenes reel. Our rating: E for Everyone." —Nylon magazine
Review
“If you love films and care about filmmakers, youll have a hard time putting this book down. These lively conversations reveal just how much one generation of filmmakers influences the next--and how a single movie can change the course of a young persons life and career.” —Leonard Maltin
Review
“How necessary this book is! And how well judged and written! Some of the best films ever made, as Robert K. Elder proves, are lamentably all but unknown.” —Roger Ebert, author and film critic
Review
“I hate Robert Elder. While the rest of us struggle to come up with compelling content, he follows The Film That Changed My Life with another must-read for the novice and hard-core cinephile alike. Anyone who is passionate about art must be prepared to abandon the comfort of conventional wisdom to defend the denigrated and the dismissed; Elder and his impressive cast of commentators inspire us to continue battling for our beloved personal treasures.” —Adam Kempenaar, critic/host, Filmspotting
Review
“Sometimes it can be more of a pleasure to hear someone discuss a movie with love than it is to see the movie itself. The thoughts and enthusiasms of Richard Linklater, Guy Maddin, John Waters, and others are alone worth the price of admission—and Steve James describing a movie I already love is no less instructive.” —Jonathan Rosenbaum, author and film critic
Synopsis
In this book, 35 directors champion their favorite overlooked or critically savaged gems. Among these guilty pleasures, almost-masterpieces, and undeniable classics in need of revival are unsung noirs (
Murder by Contract), famous flops (
Can't Stop the Music,
Joe Versus the Volcano), art films (
L'ange), theatrical adaptations (
The Iceman Cometh), B-movies (
Killer Klowns from Outer Space), and even a few Oscar-winners (
Some Came Running).
In these conversations, the filmmakers defend their choices. These films, they argue, deserve a larger audience and for their place in movie history to be reconsidered. But the conversations' tangents, diversions, and side trips provide as much insight into the directors' own approach to moviemaking as into the film they're discussing. The filmmakers are the perfect hosts, often setting the tone, managing expectations, and giving advice about how you should watch each movie. They're often brutally honest about a film's shortcomings or the reasons why it was lost in the first place.
The Best Film You've Never Seen is not only a guide to some badly overlooked movies but a bold attempt to rewrite film history.
Synopsis
Revealing a festival of guilty pleasures, almost-masterpieces, and undeniable classics in need of revival, 35 directors champion their favorite overlooked or critically savaged gems in this guide. The list includes unsung noir films The Chase and Murder by Contract, famous flops Cant Stop the Music and Joe Versus the Volcano, art films Lange and WR: Mysteries of the Organism, theatrical adaptations The Iceman Cometh and The Homecoming, B-movies Killer Klowns from Outer Space and The Honeymoon Killers, and even Oscar-winners Breaking Away and Some Came Running. The filmmakers, including Guillermo del Toro, John Waters, John Woo, Edgar Wright, and Danny Boyle, defend their choices, wanting these films to be loved, admired, and swooned over, arguing the films deserve a larger audience and their place in movie history be reconsidered. Some were well-loved but are now faded or forgotten, others ran afoul of critics or were just buried after a dismal opening run, and still others never even got proper distribution. A few of these titles qualify as bona fide obscurata, but now most can be found on DVD or streaming from Netflix or Amazon. The filmmakers are the perfect hosts, setting the tone, managing expectations, and often being brutally honest about a films shortcomings or the reasons why it was lost in the first place.
About the Author
Robert K. Elder is the author of The Film That Changed My Life, It Was Love When . . ., It Was Over When . . ., and Last Words of the Executed and the editor of John Woo: Interviews. He is a journalist and teacher and has contributed articles to the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Onion AV Club, and many other publications.