A Couple weeks ago Tremendo gave you three great comic book movies that weren’t based off of comic books. I had a flash of a few more and was going to save it for the release of The Dark Knight, but instead I’ll drop some sizzle into you life now and hope that something a little more mind blowingly fun comes to my mind next week. So here are three more non-comic book (but could be) movies to move to the top of the queue.
BUCKAROO BANZAI: ACROSS THE EIGHTH DIMENSION
(1984)
If ever a film screamed for a franchise this one was it. Brilliant scientist, rock star and crime fighter Buckaroo Banzai take on a group of bad guys called Lectroids from Planet 10 located in the eighth dimension. Joined by his band and fellow scientists the Hong Kong Kavaliers, they devise a plan to defeat the Lectroids and save the planet from destruction. The whole plot is a lot more complicates and wackier than that, but this thing is a cult gem through and through. With wild characters, situations and insane plot points, Buckaroo and his gang could easily have stepped right of the comic page. It is easy to visualize further adventures against numerous super villains and supernatural phenomenon alike. There have even been a couple attempts to make further adventures as both a television show, which was never made; as well as a small comic run that missed the mark. No one has ever been able to find that magic elixir that would bring Buckaroo to the mainstream and bring him the legions of fans he richly deserves, but the film we have is a wholly original and classic piece of cult fiction.MR. FREEDOM
(1969)
Eclipse has recently released a collection of a filmmaker named William Klein and among them is a super hero movie. This film uses the super hero to bash everything that is wrong with America. It has a really low budget, but unique visual style and an overt message about how Americans are all pretty much big, rude and crude know-it-all's who understand what’s best for the world at large. Mr. Freedom runs around in a big red whit and blue costume, but his alter ego struts around in a cowboy hat spitting on all the foreigners around him. Of course this is all in the name of freedom. It can get a little convoluted at times and so in your face with it’s spot on humorous message that you feel like you’ve been hit over the head with our own jingoistic bat. But I like it because it actually seems to have a bit of a timely message. Plus however heavy handed the message may be at least there is a message and that sting you feel is the knowledge that he got it a little bit right.CITY OF LOST CHILDREN
(1995)
A movie that has it all! A circus strong man is in search of his kidnapped brother. A brave young heroine who is the best thing since Alice stepped into the looking glass. A mad scientist needs to steal dreams to stay alive. Cyclops soldiers, Siamese twins, clones, a sentient brain in a vat! French film making team Jeunet and Caro blew people away with their debut film Delicatessen, then they threw in everything but the kitchen sink for this follow up. An entire world is created with fleshed out characters in every mildew-encrusted shadow. Ron Perlman gives a great sympathetic performance as the not so bright strong man who enlists the aid of Miette a whip smart orphan/thief to help locate the kidnapped child. With production design and a visual flair that could fill several movies, this would be the last film the Jeunet and Caro team would make together. But we have two great movies to enjoy from them; brimming with originality from whatever direction you approach it.BONUS: I thought of another one while writing this.
DARK CITY
(1998)
Alex Proyas followed up his very comic book based movie The Crow with this impressive piece if science fiction that delves into memory, reality and what it means to be a human being. Released then quickly disappeared in theaters, Dark City uses the classic noir trope of an amnesiac and possible serial killer trying to figure out who he is. The real twist being he and everyone else are just rats in a maze as an alien life form changes the physical dynamics of the city and the people. A brilliant combination of mystery and philosophy this film covers a lot of the same ground as The Matrix without ever getting heavy handed. It was Roger Ebert’s favorite film of 1998 and draws some very interesting parallels with the classic Fritz Lang silent film Metropolis.Hey, Metropolis is another great one, but I’ve already gone on too long. Check out any of these. One of them will surely strike your fancy.
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