Three Overlooked Films of the 90s
Dead Man, Bottle Rocket, Dark City: Under-Rated Films Before 2000
The movies recommended in this article are quite different from one another, but they share one quality: greatness. Each movie has different factors which make it unique, but they all work the art of cinema in different ways to make them shine. All of them have superb filming, mise-en-scene and editing, but individual factors in these movies separate them from the pack and display the power of modern cinema.
3) Dark City
Dark City is a sci-fi film from 1998 which stars pre-24 Kiefer Sutherland among other relatively unknown actors. Although it is the cardboard cutout of a science fiction movie, it is in no way clichéd. A visually stunning movie that will contort one’s view of reality in a similar manner to The Matrix (but was released a year beforehand), Dark City has a plethora of distinguishing features, including its editing, scenery, and narration.
The most remarkable feature of the film is its quick cuts. The film rapidly moves from shot to shot, often changing camera angles before lines of dialogue are finished. Combined with the intense lighting and extensive set design, the cuts give a view of almost the entire world of the movie, which makes for some excellently produced visuals. Critic David Bordwell cites it as the quickest-cutting film in cinema history at one cut every 1.8 seconds! The film has a thrilling, intelligent plot, strong acting, and weirdly beautiful scenery.
2) Bottle Rocket
Acclaimed director Wes Anderson’s first feature film, the 1996 Bottle Rocket often goes overlooked, which is a shame. Anderson pulls out all the normal stops in his directorial debut, but for some reason it shines over his later attempts. Anderson’s regular cast of Luke and Owen Wilson star in this dramedy about two Texas friends who turn to a fairly unsuccessful yet entertaining life of crime. While the style of the film is nothing new for Anderson, there are multiple elements which add greatly to the film’s aesthetics.
While Anderson’s other movies have all had a decent soundtrack, the score to Bottle Rocket is superb, although subtle. It sets the mood perfectly and blends with the interactions between the Wilson brothers. The plot itself is another force to be reckoned with. The dialogue is quick and witty where it needs to be, but it also evokes a bittersweet, melancholy feeling in the end. It is definitely Anderson’s scriptwriting prowess at its finest. After seeing Bottle Rocket, it is easy to see why Anderson decided to model his other films in a similar fashion.
1) Dead Man
Johnny Depp gives an incredible performance in this 1995 Western by Jim Jarmusch. Dubbed an “acid Western” for its twisted nature, Dead Man rife with symbolism and deep thematic elements which make it stand apart from traditional Westerns. The plot seems to be a distorted homage to the classic gun-toting Western movie, but the delivery by extremely talented actors makes it utterly enjoyable. There are amazing performances by all of the actors (including Depp, Billy Bob Thornton, Iggy Pop, and Robert Mitchum in what would be his last role), and the plot is morbid, but totally unique.
Another noticeable feature of Dead Man is its deviation from both standard Hollywood and Western procedures. This Western doesn’t rely on action as much as intelligent dialogue to keep the viewer engaged, and the black-and-white shot gives it an authentic aged look. But don’t let its eccentricity scare you away; this movie is still filled with gunfights and has witty dialogue and a plot that will certainly entertain.
Dead Man Theatrical Poster
|
Bottle Rocket Theatrical Poster
|
Dark City Theatrical Poster
|
What do you think about this article?
Comments
More in Film & TV
Latest Articles