Cassava Films - The List of 9

the list of 9 for may 28, 2007:
NINE CLASSIC FILMS ORIGINALLY PANNED BY CRITICS

Though it may have made more sense to have posted this list shortly after my filmClaustrophobia/Serial Slayer was released to mostly poor reviews amongst the hardcorehorror crowd, I probably would have looked whiny and defensive in doing so. And I'm not sayingClaustrophobia will ever be heralded a "classic." But for a filmmaker like me just tryingto make his little movies, it's inspirational to see that some of the best-loved films of all timealso once had trouble convincing critics of their worth, either because they were "genre" picturesor because they were considered misfires or simply because they offended their snooty critics. Butyears later, new generations of fans are discovering these films left and right, while theiroriginal detractors are entirely forgotten.

VERTIGO (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958). Famously panned byTime magazine as "another Hitchcock and bull story," Vertigo was generally ignoredby the public and critics alike. Hitchcock, annoyed at its lack of success and perhaps a littleembarrassed by its revealing earnestness, even removed it from circulation in 1973. It was onlyre-released in 1983, after the director's death.
PEEPING TOM (Michael Powell, 1960). Michael Powell was oneof England's most cherished directors until he released this dark, somewhat sick horror drama (thesame year that Hitchcock met with big success with Psycho). Critical hatred for his film was so great that Powell couldn't get another "serious" picture made until 1969. Today it has an enormous cult following, led by Martin Scorsese.
SCARFACE (Brian De Palma, 1983). Repeat viewings by youngmales - especially in the world of hip-hop - saved this ultraviolent Al Pacino film from the scrapheap. Must be all the quotable dialogue, hammily delivered by a game cast. But back in 1983,critics thought it was junk, and it didn't appeal to audiences either.
FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (Amy Heckerling, 1982). Longbefore screenwriter Cameron Crowe became a household name, he wrote this script for the funny,truthful teen movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which during its release was written offas part of the Porky's trend of stupid, sex-filled teen movies.
HALLOWEEN (John Carpenter, 1978). Reviewers of the timecondemned the movie as exploitative trash, but since then it's been championed as the godfather ofhorror films, one of the greatest in the genre that most other slasher flicks can only aspire to.
THE OUTLAW JOSIE WALES (Clint Eastwood, 1976). AlthoughEastwood's "Spaghetti Westerns" for Sergio Leone had won due praise, as a director he was stillseen as something of a wannabe; the films he helmed back then were considered "programmers,"nothing serious. The Outlaw Josie Wales, one of the finest Westerns ever made, was merelyyawned at. During the next few decades, it became a classic.
SOMEWHERE IN TIME (Jeannot Szwarc, 1980). Thisunrepentantly romantic time travel drama barely lasted a couple of weeks in the theaters beforebad critical response and an indifferent public bid it a hasty exit. Later, it was one of thefirst films that truly found its audience through video rentals and cable TV. Next toSuperman, it's what Christopher Reeve is best known for.
TRON (Steven Lisberger, 1982). The script is dopey, andthe video game based on the movie made more money, but there are many adults today whoworship Tron. And certainly it holds an important place in film history for itsgroundbreaking computer effects, its sound and costume design, and its marvelously unique look.But back in 1982, most brushed it aside as a weird, failed Disney experiment.
THE RULES OF THE GAME (Jean Renoir, 1939). Today it'sconsidered one of the greatest motion pictures ever made. Yet when it was originally released, aman tried to burn down a theatre it was showing in, audiences walked out in droves, reviewershated it because it ridiculed French society, and the French government banned it. Soon the Nazisinvaded France - and banned it again. The negative was destroyed, as were most prints, until small chunks of the film were rescued and reunited in 1956, after which it was declared a masterpiece.