From Italian Neorealism to French New Wave, a lot of critically acclaimed cinemas have been lost in the dust of time. Here is a list of some art-house films that are criminally underrated.
Cold Water (1994)
Director: Olivier Assayas
It is a powerful drama about teenage love and rebellion. Being an autobiographical depiction of Olivier Assayas own teenage life, the film features a group of amateur actors.
Despite the fact that Assayas is obviously influenced by the French New Wave, he manages to create his own cinematic language. Cold Water is a powerful drama with decent performances by amateur actors, visually stunning scenes and a great selection of rock songs. It is an underrated masterpiece of French art-house cinema that deserves more love and attention.
The White Reindeer (1952)
Director: Erik Blomberg
It ain’t just one of the most underrated horror movies of all time, but also a classic Finnish vampire style folktale. Set in the snow-covered mountains of Lapland, this haunting horror film focus on the adventures of a lonely but quite attractive woman. This abandoned woman visits the local shaman, who lives in a creepy place, to get some help with her love life.
Directed by Erik Blomberg, this eerie vampire tale stands out as a great depiction of the breathtaking landscapes of the Finnish countryside. It is a visually stunning film with impressive black and white photography that captures excellently the captivating scenery. Besides, this moody horror film presents the superstitions and myths of the Finnish tradition. It is a unique blend of Vampire myths and Finnish folk history.
Death Watch (1980)
Director: Bertrand Tavernier
La Mort en Direct (“Death Watch”) is a slow-paced sci-fi film about human alienation and mortality. It is the film adaptation of David G. Compton’s novel “The Unsleeping Eye”. Set in a utopian future where death from illness is very rare, the film follows the story of Katherine Mortenhoe a woman diagnosed as terminally sick. Vincent Ferriman, a television producer, offers her a large amount of money to film her last days and turn her life into a television show.
Death Watch is a bleak depiction of a decaying world. It is not only a pessimistic view of a reality but also a philosophical study of mortality and human manipulation. Taking everything into consideration, it is a genuinely unique sci-fi tale that is criminally underrated. A hidden gem of Tavernier’s great filmography that is now ripe for rediscovery.
The Public Woman(1984)
Director: Andrzej Żuławski
The Public Woman (“La Femme Publique”) is Zulawski’s powerful erotic drama about human manipulation. Inspired by Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel “Demons” this unreal journey features an outstanding performance by the gorgeous Valérie Kaprisky as a tormented character. She portrays excellently an emotionally stressed as well as mentally unstable inexperienced actress. This undeniably the best performance by the French actress.
It is a demanding art-house film that will definitely be a pleasant surprise for those who enjoy the surreal movies of Andrzej Zulawski.
The Little Soldier (1963)
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Directed by the legendary Jean-Luc Godard, Le Petit Soldat (“The Little Soldier”) is a triumph of the French New Wave. It remains one of the best works of the French filmmaker although this sensational film is criminally underrated.
The prolific filmmaker manages to create not only a tense political thriller with a philosophical sub texture but also an idealistic depiction of the 60s. In addition, the unconventional dialogues, the experimental handheld camera shots and the superb performances by Anna Karina and Michel Subor enhance this intense atmosphere. It is an essential Godard film that captures excellently the Algerian struggle. An unfairly overlooked classic for those who enjoy the revolutionary cinema of the French auteur.
Death by Hanging (1968)
Director: Nagisa Oshima
Nagisa Ôshima the legendary filmmaker, who has been associated with Japanese New Wave, creates another masterpiece. Death by Hanging (“Kōshikei”) is a black farce, a satirical view of the death penalty as well as a social critique of the practice of bureaucracy.
The film follows the unsettling story of a tragic Korean student who is found guilty of murder and rape. Although he is sentenced to death by hanging, the man survives to lose his memory. The executioners, some bureaucrats, are unable to figure out how to deal with this problem. In order to prove to the young man that he is guilty, they even try to recreate the scenes of the brutal killings. The rest of the film focuses on the effort by the officials to deal with this unprecedented problem, which reflects the dark side of the authoritarian social system.
The great Japanese director manages to create a remarkable film about the controversial theme of the capital sentence. It is unquestionably one of the most underrated films of the Japanese art-house movies.
Cinema Nerd 