8 Underappreciated Movies From Great Directors

No running back is incapable of fumbling the ball, just as no filmmaker is incapable of creating a flop. Everyone stumbles at one point or another, it's just life, and directors are no exception. Just because Movie B may not be as great as Movie A though, that doesn’t mean it's not worth watching. Unfortunately, however, people only remember the best of the best and that's why often, acclaimed directors can put out solid films that get overlooked, such as these 8 movies. We don’t mean to suggest that they're not enjoyable or aren’t respected bodies of work, just that compared to their creator’s other efforts, these flicks are generally stored in the back of audience’s minds. From Quentin Tarantino to Stanley Kubrick, everyone falls of their A game once in a while and even though these don't represent their finest hours, they're all still worth a watch. Enjoy! Death Proof (dir. Quentin Tarantino) Known for: Pulp Fiction (1994), Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (2003, 2004), Reservoir Dogs (1992) What it’s about: Two groups of women find themselves stalked by the scarred, former Hollywood stuntman, “Stuntman Mike” (Kurt Russel), who uses his “death proof” stunt car as means to execute and fulfill his murderous ambitions. Why it’s worth watching: A part of the unusual “Grindhouse” theatrical phenomenon, Tarantino’s unorthodoxly edited Death Proof was the least favorite of all of his films. Many fans agreed with that notion, finding the straightforward story and strange appearance unappealing and outlandish. But Death Proof proved to be, at least, a well-executed experiment, as Tarantino demonstrates his love for film here perhaps more directly than any of his other projects. Key Largo (dir. John Huston) Known for: The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), The Man Who Would Be King (1975) What it’s about: Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) travels down to Key Largo to honor the memory of a fallen soldier in his WWII unit, where the man’s widow, Nora (Lauren Bacall), and her wheelchair-restricted father (Lionel Barrymore) run a hotel. Also staying in the hotel is the dangerous mobster, Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson), who, after a hurricane assaults the island, takes control and holds the other guests hostage. Why it’s worth watching: Hiding somewhere within the legendary collaboration of Bogart and Huston is Key Largo. Made shortly after The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, this thriller was lost beneath the now classic, with only film and Bogie fanatics (for the most part) finding and watching it. Bogart and Bacall once again demonstrate their remarkable chemistry here, and Robinson delivers a brutish performance as the gangster and leads the remarkable supporting cast. Though not as popular as Casablanca, or many of Bogart and Huston’s other works, Key Largo is still a remarkable film noir. Bottle Rocket (dir. Wes Anderson) Known for: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Moonrise Kingdom (2014) What it’s about: Upon his release from a mental hospital following a nervous breakdown, Anthony (Luke Wilson) joins his friend Dignan (Owen Wilson) on a hare-brained series of crimes to impress Dignan’s former boss, Mr. Henry. With their pot-growing neighbor, Bob (Robert Musgrave), Anthony and Dignan pull the job and hit the road, where they encounter love interests and discuss their desire for the crime life. Why it’s worth watching: If you’re a Wes Anderson fan, Bottle Rocket is fascinating to watch just to see how quickly he improves as a filmmaker from here to Rushmore, which came out only two years later, and The Royal Tenenbaums five years later. Aside from that though, the movie is fun and has that unique Anderson feel to it, and though it's certainly not as well executed as Moonrise Kingdom or Grand Budapest, it just as efficiently draws smiles on the audience’s faces. Empire Of The Sun (dir. Steven Spielberg) Known for: E.T. (1982), Schindler’s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998) What it’s about: In 1941, Jim Graham (Christian Bale), a young schoolboy, finds his privileged, upper class life turned upside down by the Japanese invasion of Shanghai. Separated from his parents, he's eventually captured, taken prisoner and sent to live in various confinement camps under Japanese rule. Though there are a few people who try to help the boy, including a swindling American expatriate (John Malkovich), the kid is forced to learn and find unorthodox ways to survive throughout one of China’s darkest hours. Why it’s worth watching: For the man who went on to make Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, Empire of the Sun looks and feels like a much drabber entry in Spielberg’s repertoire. The film had little star power and though it was nominated for six Academy Awards, it went, for the most part, unnoticed by audiences. But this was his first dramatic war epic, and with a striking 12-year-old Christian Bale playing the lead, John Malkovich at his side, and John Williams amplifying their story, Empire of the Sun is still a trademark Spielberg film. Eyes Wide Shut (dir. Stanley Kubrick) Known for: A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) What it’s about: After his wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), tells him of her near-infidelity, successful doctor, William Harford (Tom Cruise) sets out on a trek of sexual mystique and exploration. His journey leads him to a strange, confidential orgy of an unidentified secret society. Once there, however, he's subjected to the sinisterly of the erotic gathering and finds that the group's threats are very much real. Why it’s worth watching: Despite his untimely death at the tail end of the 20th century, cinematic icon, Stanley Kubrick, made sure that he left behind a puzzle that would leave audiences scratching their heads for years to come. The director proclaimed that his finale, Eyes Wide Shut, was his best, despite his impressive resume. Over the years, the mixed-received film has raised more questions over its prestige than its plot, as many wonder whether this is a Kubrick masterwork or simply a hoax. Rope (dir. Alfred Hitchcock) Known for: Psycho (1960), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959) What it’s about: When Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip (Farley Granger) murder their classmate, they hide his body in the living room and, in order to test the perfection of their crime, host a dinner party with those closest to the victim. It’s all a game to Brandon, so he invites the one man Phillip is convinced will figure out the truth: their philosophy professor, Rupert Cadell (James Stewart). Why it’s worth watching: Hitchcock detested this film, so much so that he withdrew it from public access (along with the other “Missing Hitchcocks” – Rear Window, The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo). Even though it has its faults, especially in terms of its aged technical experiments, Rope is a suspenseful entertainment from the mind of the master. A Perfect World (dir. Clint Eastwood) Known for: Unforgiven (1992), Gran Torino (2008), Million Dollar Baby (2004) What it’s about: After breaking out of prison, convict Butch Haynes (Kevin Costner) and his partner Terry take a young boy, Phillip (T.J. Lowther), hostage and flee across Texas. On the way, Butch and Phillip discover commonalities in their disgruntled pasts and form an unexpected and poignant friendship. Leading the pursuit for Butch and Phillip is U.S. Marshal “Red” Garnett (Clint Eastwood) and bureaucratic brainiac, Sally Gerber (Laura Dern). Why it’s worth watching: 1993 was an unbelievably impressive year for film – with Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List dominating the Oscars, as well as The Fugitive, Tombstone, Groundhog Day, and Eastwood’s own In the Line of Fire. As such, A Perfect World was left out of the conversation. But over time, it has garnered respect and reputation as the year’s most underrated flick. An unbelievably powerful and emotional story leads Eastwood’s film, as we find ourselves laughing and crying throughout Butch and Phillip’s Texas odyssey. The King Of Comedy (dir. Martin Scorsese) Known for: Taxi Driver (1976), Goodfellas (1990), The Departed (2006) What it’s about: Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro) aspires to be successful in show business but living in his mom’s basement and collecting celebrity autographs, he can’t seem to get his feet off the ground. So he figures the best way to make it to the top is by stalking his idol, talk show host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis), who wants nothing more than his privacy. Why it’s worth watching: Two years after winning Best Actor for his work in Scorsese’s masterpiece, Raging Bull, Robert De Niro and his common collaborator released The King of Comedy, which was undoubtedly unimpressive compared to the former, but still a very entertaining picture. The film sees De Niro and Scorsese’s first comedic work together, though it seems they’ve done it a hundred times over. In the years after, Scorsese suggested himself that it may not have been so well received because of its grave look at obsession “that people didn’t want to look at or know.”