5 Grossly Underrated Films
Five exceedingly decent films that didn't receive the accolades they deserved.
In the world of film, there are a handful of winners and many losers. A chosen few will reap the awards of the artistic labours carried out during many months, sometimes years, while others will be rebuffed and confined to the humiliation of the 'Reduced' section in a local Blockbuster. In other cases, some films are lost in the stampede, forgotten by much of the world that gravitates towards the blockbusters, the all-star cast, and elaborate advertising campaigns. Amongst the cobwebs, out of the sight and mind of modern movie-goers, there are some real diamonds that are just as important now as they were upon their original release, but as they are frequently arthouse films they lack commercial appeal. Commercialism is seen as paramount, and frustratingly it overshadows artistic craft - but not in this article. Here's five grossly underrated films you should all seek out... 1. The Conversation
Set in San Francisco and released in 1976 by the masterful Francis Ford Coppola, The Conversation is a chilling insight into the surveillance network and its alarming development. Gene Hackman, remembered by many as Jimmy Popeye Doyle in The French Connection, plays Harry Caul, an expert in the surveillance industry and one of the most highly revered operatives. Coppolas film examines the disturbing consequences of the voyeuristic lifestyle in a shadowy underworld of suspicion, paranoia, and murder. As the precarious narrative tenuously slinks along, viewers will be fraught with nerves as the protagonist delves and meddles in veiled secrets with deadly consequences. Although the film won the prestigious Palme dOr at the Cannes Film Festival in 1974, it was startlingly overlooked at the Oscars despite its three nominations, and to this day many people have no idea about is existence. A forgotten gem, perhaps only held dearly by cinema buffs and fans of the psychological thriller, The Conversation is a genuine work of cinematic genius that everybody should watch.