Unsung masters

[MacQuarrie]

In response to the "Not the Greatest" thread, here's one where you get to name the person, place or thing that is generally ignored in lists of "the Greatest..." and really ought to be at the top. Who are the unsung masters? Who is the guy who raised the bar and was subsequently forgotten or ignored, despite brilliant work?

Greatest actor-- Here's one I've named before: Tom Conti. Nominated for the Oscar only once (for "Reuben, Rueben"; what are you waiting for? Rent it!) but he's a damn fine actor. See "Merry Christmas, Mister Lawrence" or "Miracles" (with Teri Garr) or "Saving Grace" (the 1985 one about the Pope) or even "American Dreamer" with JoBeth Williams. The guy doesn't know how to be lousy.

[Buzz Dixon]

Hugo Haas was a Czech character actor/writer/director who turned out some amazing oddball but wholly entertaining low budget films in the 1950s and early 60s.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0351947/

Far too many of them were about an older man (usually played by Haas himself) being betrayed by a much younger wife/mistress (usually played by Cleo Moore); Hugo appears to have been working out some personal issues.

And because of their low budgets and occasionally spotty technical standards, Haas has often been unfairly likened to Ed Wood Jr.

Nay, say I. Haas really had some good chops going and at his best should be likened to Edward G. Ulmer, the legendary low budget film maker who created such marvelous films as THE RAVEN and DETOUR.

Haas is really pretty good and his movies almost always have distinctive touches.

[Gilda Dent]

Harold Lloyd.

Everyone knows Charlie Chaplin, who was, by the way, not the greatest silent film comedian. That would be Buster Keaton, who is well known to anyone who knows much at all about film.

Harold Lloyd gets lost in the shuffle, but his best films hold up fine against Chaplin and Keaton.

Most people do recognize him for his most famous bit--dangling from the hands of a large clock high above a busy street, but few know the name or have seen the movies.

They're a visual treat, very funny, and contain some of the most thrilling stuntwork on film, in large part because you know that what you're seeing is what was happening. That scene with the clock on the side of the building was filmed with Lloyd hanging from the hands of a clock on the side of a building. Contrary to myth, there was a safety platform just out of camera range, about 15 feet below Lloyd, but still, who wants to fall 15 feet?

The major films are available on DVD and are an absolute delight.

[Pink Bat Max]

Jackie Curtis, playwright.

I've only read/seen fragments of her work, but WOW. Very impressive, witty, and intelligent.

[rick]

My choice is writer Joseph Heller.

Oh sure everyone has at least heard of Catch-22, but how many people have read, Good as Gold, God Knows or Picture This?

All book that I consider at least as brilliant as Catch-22.

Funny, sad and facinating, all of these books are meaningful studies of history, religion, love, hate and the human spirit.

[Shades0077]

Harold Lloyd.

Everyone knows Charlie Chaplin, who was, by the way, not the greatest silent film comedian. That would be Buster Keaton, who is well known to anyone who knows much at all about film.

Harold Lloyd gets lost in the shuffle, but his best films hold up fine against Chaplin and Keaton.

Most people do recognize him for his most famous bit--dangling from the hands of a large clock high above a busy street, but few know the name or have seen the movies.

They're a visual treat, very funny, and contain some of the most thrilling stuntwork on film, in large part because you know that what you're seeing is what was happening. That scene with the clock on the side of the building was filmed with Lloyd hanging from the hands of a clock on the side of a building. Contrary to myth, there was a safety platform just out of camera range, about 15 feet below Lloyd, but still, who wants to fall 15 feet?

The major films are available on DVD and are an absolute delight.

You know what the best part about that movie was?

He was essentially doing it one handed. He had previously been in a prop mishap where a bomb exploded and took off a few fingers of his hand. He had a glove made up with fake fingers, and he was still able to climb up the side of a building.

[Adam C]

Really the first name that this thread brings to mind is Vini Rielly.

For those unfamiliar Rielly is a rock guitarist hailing from Manchester who got his start in the 70s British punk scene, joining legendary indie-label Factory Records in 1978. For the past 30 years he's been playing under the name Durutti Column which is essentially a showcase for his innovative guitar playing (backed by his long-time drummer/manager Bruce Mitchell).

While he's essentially playing in style that's likely not to bring a mass audience Rielly curiously gets overlooked even by music mags compiling best guitarist lists (and I'm not just talking Rolling Stone, but more knowledgeable British publications like Uncut and Mojo). Similarly, he gets seems to get slight mention discussing that loose grouping of bizarre late 70s/early 80s musical styles collectively (and vaguely) dubbed "post-punk." Yet his style is probably unique among guitarists, putting to use his formal music training, creative finger picking, and formidable imagination. He basically drenches his guitar in echo signal to a create a quavering, textured sound that builds his instrumental pieces around. (There are a few songs where does vocals, but honestly it's the instrumentals that interest me more.) Perhaps one of the finest examples of what he does his "Jacequeline" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEGvzjmUs8Y) though it's uncharacteristically more uptempo and sprightly than a lot of his work, which leans more towards contemplation and melancholy as "Sketch For Summer" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kr0DcWieA) illustrates.

[Pink Bat Max]

For comics, Donna Barr. She does it all, writed, draws, inks, letters... you name it and she does it. And her work is so humane. Really, who else could take the premise of Erwin Rommel's little brother, set the story in a German military camp in WWII, and have the main character personify the concepts of dignity, human decency, and kindness to one's fellow beings in such a touching and hilarious way?

[rick]

Another really great underrated person is the wonderful film heavy, Sterling Hayden

Hayden is practically forgotten these days, but he was one of the best actors of the 1950’s. He was a tall, beefy, touch looking guy and in many ways he looked like your typical 1950’s leading men. He first really became known as bad man Dix Handley in John Hustons noir heist classic, The Asphalt Jungle and a very similar role in the early Kubrick racetrack heist film, The Killing.

He always managed to play into his leading man image in these rolls, managing to act like a typical 1950’s lead while at the same time killing people and robbing payrolls. His characterization and acting style were obviously a heavy influence on Tarentino, especially in Reservoir Dogs and both Harvey Keitel’s and Michael Madsons characters.

Of course to modern audiences, if they do remember Hayden it’s either for his role as the corrupt police captain shot in the throat by Michael Corleone in The Godfather or as the crazed General Jack Ripper, whose problems with his personal body fluids brings about the end of the world in Dr. Strangelove.

His later rolls in King of the Gypsies and as a fiery John Brown in the television mini series The Blue & the Gray are also well worth searching out.

Certainly he was one of my all time favorite character actors and an actor that people who really like film should take the time to search out.

[Adam C]

So he played Gen. Jack ripper? I never knew anything about the actor, but I'll be sure to keep an eye out for his work Rick.

[rick]

So he played Gen. Jack ripper? I never knew anything about the actor, but I'll be sure to keep an eye out for his work Rick.

Cool.

You won't be disappointed.

Oh yeah, make sure to take a look at the Joan Crawford trash western classic,Johnny Guitar, Hayden is great fun to watch trying, in his role as the title character, to keep a straight face while Mommy Dearest emotes through the oddest, lesbian western ever made.

Another really out of the ordinary little movie, but that’s what Hayden was good at.

[Adam C]

Oh yeah, make sure to take a look at the Joan Crawford trash western classic,Johnny Guitar, Hayden is great fun to watch trying, in his role as the title character, to keep a straight face while Mommy Dearest emotes through the oddest, lesbian western ever made.

Oooooo...I have a friend who might like that.

[MartinRedmond]

Don Heck, Jackson Guice, Whilce Portacio, Aadi Salman!

[the4thpip]

Linda Jones

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/djprestige/Flea%20Market%20Funk%20Blog/Linda-Jones.gif

(* 14. January 1944 in Newark, New Jersey; † 14. March 1972 in New York City)

Maybe she did not have immaculate singing technique, but few soul singers managed to put as much raw emotion as this gone-to-soon diva. Most of her songs sound like she has the razor held to her wrist. Her version of Carole King's "I can't make it alone" puts Dusty Springfield's to shame, and that's not an eays feat to accomplish.

[Buzz Dixon]

Rick -- y'know what would make a great triple feature? DUEL IN THE SUN, RANCHO NOTORIOUS, and JOHNNY GUITAR

BTW, if you ever get a chance, take a look at Sergio Leone's DUCK, YOU SUCKER (a.k.a. A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE) then follow it up immediately with JOHNNY GUITAR. I'm not saying Sergio cribbed stuff from Nicholas Ray, but I am saying he must've seen JOHNNY GUITAR and really liked it.

[Dark Galaxy]

"American Dreamer" with JoBeth Williams

I LOVED that movie when I was a kid!

[Corrina]

OOo....American Dreamer! Finally out on DVD!

Saw it for the first time last year and loved it to pieces. JoBeth Williams and Tom Conti are perfect. So few good romantic comedies and this is a great one.

Also, the movie most recommended to me by other romance writers. When we were watching it, the husband says to me, of the on-screen clueless husband, "I'm not like that, am I?"

And I said "No, you're not. Because you bought me a desk."

--It's a really awesome desk, btw.

[rick]

Rick -- y'know what would make a great triple feature? DUEL IN THE SUN, RANCHO NOTORIOUS, and JOHNNY GUITAR

BTW, if you ever get a chance, take a look at Sergio Leone's DUCK, YOU SUCKER (a.k.a. A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE) then follow it up immediately with JOHNNY GUITAR. I'm not saying Sergio cribbed stuff from Nicholas Ray, but I am saying he must've seen JOHNNY GUITAR and really liked it.


Actually I saw Fistful of Dynamite when it was in the theaters about a million years back. But I was like 14 and honestly I hardly remember it.

From the sound of things I need to check it as a grown-up.

[Buzz Dixon]

Actually I saw Fistful of Dynamite when it was in the theaters about a million years back. But I was like 14 and honestly I hardly remember it.

From the sound of things I need to check it as a grown-up.I think the individual scenes of A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE/DUCK, YOU SUCKER! are among the best individual scenes in any Leone picture; alas, the film as a whole doesn't hang together as well as his previous Westeerns.

I like the movie so much I once bought a bootleg "director's cut" VHS cobbled together from European, American, and South American sources. Leone originally opened the film with Rod Stieger urinating on an ant hill, paralleling the effect he was about to have on the Mexican government.

[MartinRedmond]

Jason Alexander is under appreciated. I enjoyed The Secret. Drawing, coloring, drawing realistic non-comic book clothing, he can do it all.

[Matt Algren]

Patricia Routledge

Rent this DVD (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Patricia_Routledge_in_Three_Portraits/60033552?trkid=189530&strkid=335549440_1_0) (or buy it) (http://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Routledge-Three-Portraits/dp/B0000TG8VQ/ref=sr_1_1/002-0583320-6934410?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1189112436&sr=8-1) and you'll agree with me. She's more than just Hyacinth Bucket.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/5157QFEFY4L._SS500_.jpg

[Infra-Man]

Maybe not forgotten entirely, but I gotta say Matthew Sweet. Great songwriter who's been somewhat ignored by a lot of people these days despite putting out two great albums in the 90s, Girlfriend and 100% Fun. Sweet should be a power pop icon, but nowadays people just think of him as that guy who does covers with Susanna Hoffs.

[MartinRedmond]

Listen to the Silversun Pickups, I think you'll like them.

[Infra-Man]

They're good. "Lazy Eye" was one of my favorite songs last year.

Actually, while waiting for a new Matthew Sweet album, the band The Broken West has been giving me my fix on good power pop.

[Infra-Man]

Gotta resurrect this thread to give a shout out to Jon Brion, a guy who should have more than a cult following.

Best known for his scores for Paul Thomas Anderson as well as the film scores and original music in I Heart Huckabees and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Brion is like a cross between Elliott Smith and Aimee Mann--both of whom Brion collaborated with or worked with during his career. Brion, who is also an accomplished music producer (biggest credit being his work with Kanye West) , was supposed to have produced Elliott Smith's album after Figure 8, but Smith and Brion had a falling out due to Smith's substance abuse problems.