It has it moments. I liked it, but yes, very hard to find, I found it once online a few years ago on a website that no longer exists.
This one might be what you are looking for although maybe the original ending is an extra... I'm not sure Phase IV (1974) (Limited Edition)
Anyone else remember The Flim-Flam Man? It had a wonderful cast, came out in 1967. It had Harry Morgan, Slim Pickens, Strother Martin, George C. Scott, and a slew of others in it. Sadly, I can only find an out of print DVD going for silly money on eBay and Amazon. It is currently on YouTube, however. I suppose I am fond of it because a lot of the filming was done in a small Kentucky town I used to live in.
Terrific movie. If I’m not mistaken, it was a Canadian production, which might be the reason it’s not well-known in the U.S. For whatever reason, WABC in New York City would run the movie a few times a year, overnight on weekends, when I was growing up. That’s how I discovered it.
I really love the little-known 1977 film Full Circle, starring Mia Farrow. It's an adaptation of Peter Straub's novel, Julia, and after the film didn't make much money, a distributor re-released the film with a new title, The Haunting of Julia. Unfortunately, the movie didn't fare any better. Full Circle was briefly released on VHS, but it's never been available on physical media since then, due to confusion as to who owns the rights to the movie (allegedly). It was a Canadian/UK co-production and may have been one of the Canadian tax-shelter films of the era. So, it was very hard to see for many years but, fortunately, an HD digital copy was released about a year ago. I have no idea why a digital copy is possible but not a blu-ray or HD disc (anywhere in the world). The movie is a low-key but atmospheric horror film with a style not far off from The Changeling. It's also a horror movie with a subject I haven't seen very often - a mother's loss of a child. There's a great score (partially electric, partially acoustic) by Colin Towns, better known as a UK jazz composer, and it fits Full Circle perfectly. Fun fact - this was director Richard Loncraine's second film, and his first was Slade's movie, Slade in Flame.
I saw "Big Bus" as a kid and enjoyed it. I loved disaster movies back then so this was right up my alley. A friend of mine adored that movie! I made him a copy of the VHS back in the late 80s when it wasn't available to buy. When it came out on DVD, I got a review copy and gave it to him. It was one of the happiest days of his life!
Despite a cast with Bill Murray close to his box office prime as well as Geena Davis not long after her Oscar win - and pre-fame Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub - 1990's "Quick Change" bombed. A fate it didn't deserve, as it may well be Murray's best movie! Quick Change (1990)
Portrait of Jennie, Probably unknown to contemporary generations. Jennifer Jones, at the age of 29, convincingly plays Jennie from a young girl to a grown woman. In 1934, impoverished painter Eben Adams (Joseph Cotten) meets a fey little girl named Jennie Appleton (Jennifer Jones) in Central Park, Manhattan. She is wearing old-fashioned clothing. He makes a sketch of her from memory which involves him with art dealer Miss Spinney (Ethel Barrymore), who sees potential in him. This inspires him to paint a portrait of Jennie. Eben encounters Jennie at intermittent intervals. Strangely, she appears to be growing up much more rapidly than is possible. He soon falls in love with her but is puzzled by the fact that she seems to be experiencing events that he discovers took place many years previously as if they had just happened. Eventually he learns the truth about Jennie and though inevitable tragedy ensues, she continues to be an inspiration to Eben's life and art, and his career makes a remarkable upturn, commencing with his portrait of Jennie. The song of the same name written also in 1948, by J Russel Robinson and Gordon Burge, became a "jazz standard," though it never featured in the film, it "could bring a tear to your eye." Nat King Cole - Portrait of Jennie (Capitol Records 1948) No end of other recordings.
One of my favourite films ever is the French film "Betty Blue" from 1986. It was critically acclaimed at the time and pretty popular for a while, but seems to have disappeared without a trace. I always associate it with "Blue Velvet" as they came out around the same time, but Blue Velvet seems to have has persisted more effectively.
Digging through a box of DVDs fir something to watch in these self isolated times I came across these two worthwhile flicks: ' Southern Comfort ' with Keith Carradine abd Powers Boothe about some National Guardsmen tangling with the local Cajuns in the Louisiana swamps. Good one with a great Ry Cooder score. 'Chiefs ' -'a made for tv movie starring Keith Carradine , Charlton Heston , Brad Davies and Wayne Rogers about the police chiefs in a small southern U.S. town . With a great serial killer subplot running through it. Much better than your average made for tv schlock.
We watched that with friends from Romania, who lived there when Ceaușescu was in power. They thought it was one of the funniest movies they had ever seen. I thought it was pretty good, too.
Closer, 2004. Directed by Mike Nichols Starring Clive Owen, Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Julia Roberts. A tale of love and infidelity set in London.
