David Nivin & Kim Hunter in A Matter of Life and Death

Obscurity factor: -2

Yesterdays film dealt with the afterlife during the period of the Second World War, so I thought this one, which has a similar basis would make a good follow up post.  Squadron leader Peter David Carter (David Niven) is about to bail out of his doomed plane without a parachute. He's resigned to his fate and his last communication is with the American girl manning the radio at the air base in England. Imagine his surprise when he awakens, washed up on the beach. He believes he's in heaven, but is disabused of that belief by a naked boy on the beach. The boy points out a cyclist pedaling home. Peter chases her down and finds that it's June, the American girl from the previous night. Meanwhile, up in heaven they're missing him. By the time they've located him on earth, he's fallen in love with June. He refuses to return with the Conductor and argues that, due to extenuating circumstances he should be allowed to remain on earth for a normal lifespan. He's granted a trial to prove his case.

This is the first film I've posted with a negative obscurity factor rating. It's not largely known to the general public, but has been named the second greatest British film ever made (by the magazine, Total Film in 2004) and is well known to film buffs. It is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. The cinematography is breathtaking and the sequences in heaven are rendered on a scale so vast and majestic you would think that the set designer had inside knowledge. Interestingly, the earth bound sequences are shot in Technicolor, while the heavenly sequences are in black and white. The cast is quite impressive as well, including in addition to Mr. Niven and Ms. Hunter, Raymond Massey and Richard Attenborough.

This film is available on DVD (though it's out of print and a bit pricey) and on YouTube. I've included the first installment above, uploaded by littleiceage. I suggest you do yourself a favor and either watch it on a large TV in a dark room or preferably look for it at a revival house. It's worth the effort to see this beautiful film on the big screen. The poster above is available at MoviePosterShop.com.

Obscurity factor: -2 (Available on DVD, well known among critics and film buffs, relatively unknown among the general public)

John Garfield & Paul Henried in Between Two Worlds (1944)

Obscurity factor: 6

When a couple (Paul Henried and Eleanor Parker) who have just committed suicide together find themselves on a steamship with other passengers, only they are able to surmise the truth - that they're in a modern day purgatory, sailing to their own judgment day. The assembled lot, all killed in an air raid, is diverse - a business man, a reporter (John Garfield), an actress, a wealthy couple, a sailor and others are alone on the ship with only one porter and believe they're sailing from England to New York.

This film is based on a play of the same name and still retains some of its wordiness, but is a compelling portrait of the then prevailing idea of the afterlife. In addition to Mr. Garfield and Mr. Henried, look for Sidney Greenstreet, George Coulouris and Edmund Gwenn.

This film is recently available on DVD, thanks to TCM. It can be seen there occasionally as well. The trailer is on YouTube and can be seen above, uploaded by Passthejointplease. The poster is available at Movieposterdb.com.

Obscurity factor: 6 (little remembered WWII film, available on DVD)

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (1979)

Obscurity factor: 2

Before there was the big budget, live action version of the classic C. S. Lewis tale there was this animated television special. The familiar story was told by the talented Bill Melendez, the force behind the Peanuts specials and the Children's Television Workshop, producers of Sesame Street. If you were a fan of the book, for a long time, this was the only telling of it available, so many people saw, and enjoyed it. The story of Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy passing through a wardrobe and entering a strange land has a prominent place in our culture, and this production served as the introduction of it to a good portion of the population.

This version is available on DVD, though is currently not in print. Copies can still be found on Amazon, though. You can also find it on YouTube. The first installment of it is above, uploaded by nwl23.

Obscurity factor: 2 (remembered by many, though overshadowed by the subsequent film, on DVD, available on YouTube)

Homebodies (1974)

Obscurity factor: 8

This is a curious little film that reflects the spirit of rebellion that was prevalent at the time it was made. The residents of an old building in an unnamed city are about to be evicted to make way for a shiny new sky scraper with luxury rentals. They've watched as the residents of the whole block are relocated without care or compassion and are grimly determined not to let it happen to them. Meanwhile, the construction site of the first building in the complex starts having fatal accidents that result in work stoppages. Are the residents of the tenement waging war on their evictors?

This film is one part social commentary and one part horror film. The murderous impulses of these octogenarians are at once comical and repulsive and the graphic depiction of the gruesome acts, while minimal is effective. The deeper, melancholy message about how we dispose of our aged is also on full display. Look for Ruth McDevitt and Ian Wolf as the super and his wife.

This film is not yet available on DVD, though you can find it over at iOffer.com. You can also watch it in full on YouTube. The first installment of it is above, uploaded by dalekenbuck. I forget who brought this one to my attention. Whoever you are, thank you...

Obscurity factor: 8 (not available on DVD, known to horror buffs, available on YouTube)

Bette Davis in Stranded (1957)

Here, thanks to BDeyes81, is another lost Bette Davis gem from the anthology series Telephone Time. Bette plays a school teacher who must protect 5 children in a blizzard that cuts them off from civilization. It's nice to see her patient, kind, competent characterization of a teacher. These lost gems are so much fun to rediscover. The ending is a bit abrupt - I surmise that there was a tag that has been left off - but it's worth a look even so.

This is one of those productions that's extremely hard to find. You might be able to track it down in a collection of episodes of the series, but it would be difficult to locate. Thanks again to BDeyes81, it's above, for your viewing pleasure.

Obscurity factor: 10 (only available on YouTube).

Yves Montand in Z (1969)

Obscurity factor: 3

When it comes to political thrillers, few are as effective as Z. When a popular opposition leader (Montand) is assassinated, the investigating magistrate uncovers evidence of the guilt of high level government officials. As they attempt to cover up their involvement, witnesses and people close to the assassinated leader are beaten, bullied and intimidated. This French language film, directed by Costa-Gavras, is based on actual events that took place in the early sixties in his native Greece and will have you on the edge of your seat, but will leave you feeling angry and wrung out.

It was very well received, winning an Oscar for best foreign language picture and stirring up a lot of controversy where ever it was shown. At the time of its release, Greece was still under the rule of a Military Junta, which was supported by the US Government. The film was banned in Greece and Herbert Hoover made a statement claiming that anyone who would see it was not a true American. The left leaning point of view of the film made it the perfect target for the anti-communists.

The film is available on DVD, and has a high profile among film buffs and fans of political thrillers, however, it's profile is low with the general public in the US, as is the case with most foreign language films. If you're a fan of political thrillers, it's a must-see. The trailer is above, uploaded to YouTube by rialtomedia. The poster is available at MoviePosterShop.com.

Obscurity factor: 3 (available on DVD, well known to film buffs, largely unknown to the general population)

Cyndi Lauper, Jeff Goldbloom & Peter Falk in Vibes (1988)

Obscurity factor: 4

This film really is a forgotten gem. It's one part romantic comedy, one part adventure and one part mystical exploration. Sylvia Pickle (Lauper) and Nick Deezy (Goldbloom) are psychic, but that's the only thing they have in common - Sylvia is a flamboyant hairdresser with a penchant for picking the wrong men, while Nick is the curator at a natural history museum. They meet while taking part in a psychic study and take an immediate dislike to each other. When they're thrown together on a trip to Ecuador by shyster Harry Buscafusco (Falk), on the pretense of rescuing his fictional son, they try and put their differences behind them. When the real reason for the trip is revealed to them, they find themselves in danger, with only their powers to help.

I remember watching this frequently on TV in the early 90's. This film has a lot going for it. Cyndi Lauper does a very nice job tackling both the comedy and the more dramatic aspects of the character, while Jeff Goldbloom makes an unlikely, but very charming action/adventure hero. All of it adds up to a delightful, warm film that's worth a second look.

Vibes was released on DVD in 2009. Prior to that it was only available on VHS. It can also be seen on YouTube in its entirety, thanks to an upload by winterw00d. Part one is above. The poster is available at MoviePosterShop.com

Obscurity factor: 4 (rarely screened on TV, available on DVD, somewhat forgotten)