Films That Are Underrated

There are films out there that are very overrated and critically acclaimed, films that are, in my opinion, could have been a lot better. But there are several films out there that don't seem to get the recognition they deserve. Sure, the are not the greatest masterpieces of all time, but they are surely masterpieces that I feel deserve a lot more credit for not only doing things never done in film before, but for setting the groundwork for many other films (films that would receive a lot more recognition) to follow and for spawning several iconic characters and locations that would be distinguished in all of our minds. Let's dive right in, shall we?

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

This is one of the very few films that could perfectly pull off the combination of living people with the wonder and charm of animated cartoons. Sure, it has been done several times before in films like Mary Poppins and Anchors Away, but this film did it so fluently. The animated characters were crisp and blended in flawlessly with the live-action actors, making it seem like they were right in front of the camera instead of drawn on paper and superimposed onto the film. Sure, there are many controversial debates about this film, like it is said that in the Laserdisc version of the film, there is a scene where you can see Jessica Rabbit's "you know what", or it is said that Donald Duck says something dirty to Daffy Duck in the iconic piano scene, but for what it all comes down too, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was the perfect concoction of live-action comedy and the over the top silliness and violence of classic cartoons. It was also the first time Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny were seen on screen at the same time.

 I don't know about you, but seeing this as a little kid, this was a groundbreaking moment that made my mouth drop to the floor. But the most vital impact that this film's legacy had to offer is that it was a reemergence in American animation and cartooning, leading to eras like the Disney Renaissance, which spawned masterpieces like The Lion King and Beauty And The Beast, as well as shows like The Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures over at Warner Bros. And you can tell that a lot of hard work went into making this film, and in the end, Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg did a fantastic job with this classic, for it was not only a film that launched the era that we are all familiar with today, but it took everything from the golden age of classic cartoons and rolled it into one. Heck, even Droopy Dog made his way into the film! How awesome is that!

March of the Wooden Soldiers

Having Thanksgiving without this movie is like having Christmas without egg nog. This film, in my opinion, is perhaps the most underrated, unspoken of, fantasy film ever produced. Sure, it doesn't have the cultural and breathtaking bond of films like The Wizard of Oz and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , but as one of the very few fantasies of that time period, it did so much. It had the comic geniuses of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, it had Santa Claus, it has evil bogeymen monsters from Bogeyland, it had Felix Knight in tights, it had monkeys in Mickey Mouse costumes, it had fiddling cats, it had violent pig-napping, macho men bodybuilders in black suits, an old crone named Barnaby, babies in trees, homosexual marriage, violent water-dunking, and an epic confrontation between the wooden soldiers and the bogeymen. It's an awesome movie, packed with adventure and excitement, and I enjoy every minute of it. It's a film that children drool over, and that's actually how children like me got into the film, because we saw it at a young age and were blown away by it's dazzling wonder and simplicity.

Of course there would be several adaptations throughout the years. There was one by Disney, one starring a young Drew Barrymore, a cartoon version, even a version starring child icon Shirley Temple. But with many of these remakes, none of them capture the charm and appeal of the first, for it was one of the very few of it's kind at the time, and would open the doors to many more classic fantasy films to come in the future. As a matter of fact, it is said that this film has aired on television more times that other classic films like The Wizard of Oz and It's A Wonderful Life. That, my friends, is why I think this film is one of a kind. It's had an impact all to it's own, and even today, when we have a galaxy full of fantasy/sci-fi films to enjoy, we can always look back to one of the very first fantasy films and see how the entire industry has changed throughout the years. And to think it was all made within Hal Roach Studios.

TRON

This film is perhaps the first film ever to use computer graphics to it's full potential. TRON, a box office flop released by Disney in 1982, has a complex story with complex characters and complex design, but it is still a darn good sci-fi flick that will have many people flying out of their seats and clinging to the walls. It has an exciting light cycle race, an exciting nuclear glowing frisbee duel, guys in glowing red suits that wield electrocuting poking sticks, the MCP, which looks like Zordon's deformed red brother twice removed, and that cosmic clicking noise everyone makes when they walk. In my book, that is what makes a great sci-fi flick, and TRON has had it's own cult following. From several arcade games throughout the years, to a far superior sequel that was absolutely STELLAR in 3-D, to a planned television series, TRON is one film that Disney has really hit a home run with, and even though there are many famous science fiction films like Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey that always get the spotlight shined on them, everyone will strongly agree that there is no film that is like or will ever be like TRON. It's the most brightly colored flashy joy ride a person could ask for.

King Kong

Yeh, I know, I talk about this film an awful lot, don't I? Well, I can just clear all that up by stating that I AM A KING KONG FANATIC. It is a film that has been overlooked so many times and doesn't get the praise it deserves. I say this because this is perhaps one of the first films to have special effects in general. The tedious stop motion animation and film bonding that was done really makes Kong and the other creatures of Skull Island incredibly realistic. The process of piecing together this animation lead the film makers to develop new ways of film making, and would lay the groundwork for many other famous stop motion artists to follow, such as Ray Harryhausen, Nick Park, George Pal, and even Tim Burton. Kong has also left an uncanny impact on pop culture and would inspire many other famous ape faces to do the same, such as Mighty Joe Young, Gorilla Grod, and the barrel throwing 8-bit maniac that is Donkey Kong. Heck, King Kong has even fought against Godzilla and hey, he even fought against a cyborg version of himself, Mecha Kong. How about that!

Surely, King Kong is an iconic monkey in the main stream, and has also lead other film makers to try and remake this epic retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and despite the horrid remake in the 70s, which had Kong relentlessly fighting atop the World Trade Center, Peter Jackson did a fantastic job recreating the classic feel and imagery of the original film in his epic remake from 2005. But the original King Kong is hands down the most iconic, and in my opinion, even better than other classics released around that same time like Gone With The Wind and Citizen Kane (though both were remarkable good as well).

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Why this film is constantly slapped aside like a dirty diaper is far beyond my thought process, but for a remarkable entertaining fantasy film with a lot of humor, exciting, little girls blowing up into blueberries, and comedy, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, like March of the Wooden Soldiers, is groundbreaking in it's own right. Like Wooden Soldiers, we all saw this film at a young age, that is why it has such a lasting impact and when we see pictures and stills from this film, we can immediately point out where they come from. The film is also very colorful, and even if it has it's cooky moments (Wonka's epic boat ride anyone!), it still has those remarkable settings and characters that are simply unforgettable. And who could forget those cheesy Oompa Loompa songs. 

I don't know about you, but I think those songs are even more catchier than some of the songs in The Wizard of Oz! From what I can understand, Roald Dahl, the author of the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which the film was based off of, wasn't too happy with how the film came out, which prevented a sequel from being made. But if you ask me and many other hard core movie fans that have come to cherish this film, this version of Dahl's classic tale is the definitive telling of the story  and ten thousand times better that Tim Burton's telling of the story, even if the film has many things that differentiate it from the book. But either way you put it, I wouldn't give up the fond memories of this movie, not for all the everlasting gobstoppers in the world, because this my friends is hands down one of the greatest fantasy/musicals ever produced. Oh, and bythe way, what's a snozzberry?

So there is a list of films that I fell deserve a lot more credit than they get. Hopefully, some of your favorites were on there, and hopefully, one day in the future, these films can be recognized a lot more, because they are truly remarkable films, and even though they are cult classics, they are still just as entertaining and fun loving as many other highly achieved motion pictures.