Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Most Shocking, But Now Favorite Movies...

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 12-29-2005, 04:13 AM:

I was totally "shocked" at some films when I 1st saw them. But over the years, many have become my all-time favorites. Some in that catagory for me that come to mind:

"Blazing Saddles"
"Porky's"
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
"Eating Raoul"
"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974)

and of course

"Animal House"

What are some of yours?

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 12-29-2005, 04:59 AM:

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Paul Verhoven's The Fourth Man

Quentin Tarantino almost always gets a rise out of me. I always dismiss him, then I see another one of his movies and he pulls it off. I was surprised from Reservoir Dogs right through Kill Bill.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 12-29-2005, 05:14 AM:

Spoorloos (released in English as The Vanishing and subjected to a shitty remake under that title in the late '90s)
The Wicker Man
Le Salaire de la peur ('The Wages of Fear')
Shooting Stars (had a very downbeat ending for a major film with big names in it, and must have represented quite a risk for the studio)
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt - I've heard rumours that a remake is in production or will shortly be - if so will be only the second Fritz Lang film to be remade (Joseph Losey's 1951 remake of M being the first). Again, a film which drops the typical Hollywood happy ending, with Dana Andrews ending up in the electric chair.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 12-29-2005, 06:16 AM:

Yes, "Spoorloos" was a great and intense film, and the US remake blew massively.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 12-29-2005, 08:06 AM:

Blue Velvet

I really did not like this film when it first came out, but some years later a friend convinced me to watch it again from the perspective that it is a comedy, not a drama. I've liked it ever since.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-29-2005, 08:46 AM:

"Psycho" for sure.... I first saw it when I was about 9 years old.... [Eek!]

"Alien" Probably the most believable Science fiction film ever made.... When the guys stomach exploded! Boy Howdy! [puke]

"Fargo" for sure...... "Ah, hon, ya got Arby's all over me."

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 12-29-2005, 10:07 AM:

"Rocky Horror" first run. The six people who saw it laft with question marks over their heads....like in newspaper cartoons. For some reason, later as a revival, it made a lot more sense and was a lot more fun. Louis

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 12-29-2005, 10:28 AM:

Alien
The Producers (Original version)
Monty Python's THE MEANING OF LIFE (Who wouldn't be shocked at Mr. Creosote!)

Posted by David Buckley (Member # 2600) on 12-29-2005, 12:11 PM:

Videodrome. When I first saw it (on video) many years back I couldn't get past the first exploding head. Now I think its farcical...

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 12-29-2005, 12:22 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
The six people who saw it laft with question marks over their heads

Reminds me of when I saw Naked Lunch. There were about 20 people in the theatre at the begining, and 4 (all part of my party) at the end. I don't think anyone got it. I always liked the film, so it does not count for this thread.

Posted by Shane Cooper (Member # 2510) on 12-29-2005, 09:36 PM:

A big surprise for me was Three Kings.

I remember seeing the trailers in the theater and telling my wife that it looked horrible. Ice Cube? Marky Mark? It turned out to be one of my favorites!

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-29-2005, 10:57 PM:

I can't think of any movies where I was just "shocked" and perhaps put off by a film, and then come around later to like it. There's plenty I've found shocking, but also liked right away.

Here's a few that rattled me good, but I really liked anyway.

"Alien"
"Deliverance"
"Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer"
"One False Move"
"Resevoir Dogs"
"Robocop"
"Trainspotting"

I'm sure there's more, but that's all that immediately come to mind.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 12-30-2005, 03:28 AM:

I'm not easily shocked, and I can't really think of a film which meets the criteria for this thread. I couldn't say it's a favourite film, I've only ever seen a few clips from it, but 'Un Chien Andalou' would have to be on the shock list; the scene with the razor and the eye never fails to get a reaction.

There's also a scene, but I can't remember which film it's from, one of the Omen' ones possibly, where a large sheet of glass moves, and cuts through somebody's neck.

How about films which were supposed to be shocking, but when you saw them you just thought 'What on Earth was all the fuss about?' My nomination for that would have to be 'A Clockwork Orange'.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 12-30-2005, 05:16 AM:

...Crash, The Last Temptation of Christ, Straw Dogs (not likely to be used as a promotional video by the Cornwall Tourist Board!); in fact practically every film which has ever caused a significant censorship controversy!

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 12-30-2005, 11:17 AM:

1) The Serpent and the Rainbow

The hero being buried alive in a casket full of snakes and blood is one of the scariest scenes I can remember in a movie.

2) Jacob's Ladder

I'm a big fan of Ambrose Bierce's Civil War stories. The plot line is modeled after An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge but with aspects of modern warfare thrown in for good measure.

Probably one of the freakiest movies I can remember.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-30-2005, 12:51 PM:

American Beauty, but for a different reason. We had a number of older (well, OK, "old") people come to that show and complain about "dysfunctional sex" and how "horrible" the show was, and etc. so I hated the movie by osmosis. But then I watched it and thought it was great.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 12-30-2005, 03:09 PM:

Like Bobby & Stephen, I wasn't turned off of any of the following films because of the "shock" (or, I guess I would say, "surprise") ... but, off the top of my head, the following surprised me in one way or another:

Un chien andalou, 1929
Nuit et brouillard (Night and Fog), 1955
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, 1974
The Brood, 1979
Come to Daddy, 1997 [Aphex Twin] (if music videos count)
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, 1999
Ôdishon (Audition), 1999

=-=-=

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 12-30-2005, 11:53 PM:

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 12-31-2005, 12:20 AM:

quote: Jeremy Jorgenson
Come to Daddy, 1997 [Aphex Twin] (if music videos count)

Oh dear god, I agree with that one!

Event Horizon Not the greatest movie of all time but lots of disturbing scenes
Babe Pig in the City The scene with the animals being captured REALLY disturbed me but has become one of my fav. movies of all time
Blair Witch Project I seriously could not sleep until the sun came up after the midnight screening of this.
Virgin Suicides

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 01-02-2006, 09:33 AM:

I didn't like "Magnolia" the first time that I saw it but it has since grown on me and it is now one of my favorites.

Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 01-02-2006, 11:45 AM:

I am suprised noone has mentioned "Faces of Death"! [Big Grin]

Hey...maybe we now have an insite into what became of Michael Jackson's pet monkey, Bubbles! [Big Grin]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 01-04-2006, 05:02 PM:

So Will, I find it amazing that YOU know so much about Jackson's monkey.

Do you help him spank his monkey? [Razz]

Posted by Nick Scott (Member # 2850) on 01-05-2006, 03:02 AM:

:Spaceballs. I hate star wars and trek so this film was gold.
:Lock Stock And 2 Smoking Barrels. a Very clever film and also Snatch for me.
I was unkeen on Snatch because of its name then i had to screen check it and i thought it was great.

Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 01-05-2006, 06:04 PM:

Ha Ha Ha Phil....but you "blew" it! [Big Grin]

I was referring to the monkey brain eating scene in the film 'Faces of Death"! [puke]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-05-2006, 06:16 PM:

Will,

Don't forget the creamed monkey brains served for desert in "Temple Of Doom".

Mark

Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 01-06-2006, 11:23 PM:

Hi Mark...

I have the perfect April Fools joke....but I'd get into DEEP [bs]

if I pulled it off.

Maricopa Community Colleges has their College of Mortuary Science right next to our technology building. Anyhow, they just installed a retort...it's outside surrounded by a block wall...and you can see the stainless steel exhaust for a country mile. Anyhow, the retort is right next to their entrance and there is also a picnick table right there.

So, I figured what better to start up a BBQ restraunt? Put a huge banner out that says "Leatherface's Original Style Texas BBQ...Homemade Sausages and Quality Meats...Sponsored By Don Corleone's Mafia Disposal Service" [Big Grin]

Do I have a sick sense of humor or what [Big Grin]

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 01-07-2006, 08:54 AM:

"It takes a lot of critters to make Farmer Vincent's fritters."
---Motel Hell---

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 01-07-2006, 03:40 PM:

quote: Will Kutler
I was referring to the monkey brain eating scene...

Hahahahahaha OK Will! Ya got me! I owe you one. But like a good Catholic boy, I don't get mad, I get even! [Razz]

Posted by Floyd Justin Newton (Member # 1316) on 01-07-2006, 05:30 PM:

Ok, Will. Watch your back! [Wink]

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 01-10-2006, 02:41 AM:

quote:
--Motel Hell---

There's a painful memory. A friend & I caught that one while waiting for our car to be repaired in a city we were driving through. We were 2 of about 8 in the auditorium, I think it was a matinee, & the other 6 were in a group sitting several rows further down, commenting on the movie, & were obviously drunk out of their minds. At about 3 in the afternoon.

[Cheesy scene in Motel Hell were something like a piece of water pipe suddenly leaps up, flies across the room, & impales someone]

Character on screen: screams
Drunken audience member: {Jumps to feet & sings while dancing} "Feel it in your baaa- deh!"
Other drunken audience members jump up, dance & sing: "Feel it in your body! Feel it in your body!"

--
I think trumps on brain-eating references would have to be a scene from the finish of one of those awful "Cannibal Movies" of the late 70s/early 80s, where some guy captured by the cannibals has his head sticking out the top of his cage & the cannibals take the top off his head & eat his brain while he rolls his eyes & looks generally depressed about it all.