Whoopi Goldberg in The Telephone (1988)

Some films are obscure for a reason. You're probably imagining the worst, but let me put your mind at ease. One of the myriad reasons a film can be obscure is miscategorization. This film is really more a victim of that than it is a poor film in and of itself (though it's not exactly a magnum opus either). Whoopi Goldberg plays Vashti Blue, an actress living in a cold water flat in a bad part of town (what town we're not quite sure). She's been left high and dry by her boyfriend and her sleazy agent (Elliott Gould), she's besieged by her hostile neighbor and she's hanging on by one thin thread in the form of her telephone. It serves as her lifeline, her link to the outside world and she uses it constantly. As the story unwinds we learn just how lost she is as she tries to make the best of a bad situation.

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This film - the directorial debut for Rip Torn - is one of those that you either love or hate. It's a brilliant showcase for Whoopi Goldberg's crazy characters and she has some nice moments in it. It was, however, neither a critical nor a commercial success and I think that was primarily because, as I said above, it was miscategorized. At the time it was released, Goldberg was becoming well known for her work as a comedian, and appearing in several big budget formula films like Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986) and Burgler (1987). This independent film was a departure in concept, but not in marketing. Like other flops, it was presented as a zany comedy, while it's really a psychological drama and a character study. Regardless of how you feel about the film, if it had been marketed more aptly and the timing of its release hadn't come when Goldberg was becoming known for more conventional fare, it might have been better received. Look for John Heard in a cameo toward the end.

The Telephone is available on VHS and DVD and can also be found in full on YouTube. The uploader has disabled embedding, so you'll have to go directly to the video here. Above is a clip from the film featuring several of Whoopi's characters uploaded by celestialboy80.

Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD & YouTube, largely unknown)

Danny & Marlo Thomas & Roddy McDowall in Cricket on the Hearth (1967)

When we think of Dickens and Christmas, we naturally think of A Christmas Carol. In truth, Dickens wrote five Christmas stories, including the one that this holiday special was based on. Though this animated story produced by holiday heavyweights Rankin & Bass bears little resemblance to the original novela, it has some charming musical numbers and a sweet story to warm your heart. Bertha (Marlo Thomas), the daughter of toy maker Caleb (Danny Thomas) is in love with handsome Edward. When Edward is lost at sea, Bertha suffers a case of hysterical blindness and the family falls on hard times. Will the luck of their cricket, Crocket (Roddy McDowall) see them through? Also in the cast is veteran character actor Hans Conried, Abby Lane and the Norman Luboff Choir.

This special is available on DVD, and can also be seen on YouTube. Part one is above, uploaded by starwarsmarveldc.

Obscurity factor: 8 (available on DVD & YouTube, largely forgotten)

Ziggy in Ziggy's Gift (1982)

Christmas specials fall into one of two different categories - classics or obscurities. This one, though of a classic quality is definitely in the second camp. Our intrepid little hero, so familiar to us from the comic pages, has a devil of a time finding his way through the holiday season, though he never loses his faith and good humor. The special was written by Ziggy's creater, Tom Wilson, and features the voice of Perry Botkin Jr., who created the theme music for another Obscurity Factor series - Quark. The charm and warmth of this special make it a joy to watch. Perhaps it didn't catch on because it's set in a rather bleak urban environment. One way or the other, it's definitely worth seeing.

Ziggy's Gift is available on DVD and can be found relatively easily. It's also been uploaded to YouTube in two parts by jiggerfool. Part 1 is above.

Obscurity factor: 8 (available on DVD & YouTube, known and loved by a cult following of fans)

John Lithgow & Cynthia Nixon in The Manhattan Project (1986)

Paul (Christopher Collet) is a bright boy. He excells in science and math and his curious mind is accompanied by a somewhat devious nature. John Matthewson (Lithgow) is a scientist working on high grade plutonium and trying to make time with Paul's mother. To that end, John invites Paul to visit his lab. Unfortunately, he's underestimated Paul's knowledge and understanding. In a move that's part protest, part prank, Paul and his friend Jenny (Nixon) steal some plutonium and Paul proceeds to make an atomic bomb with it for a science project. Will he win first prize... or even live to compete?

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This film by Woody Allen collaborator Marshall Brickman was undoubtedly green lit because of the success of War Games (1983). It features the same archetypes and asks some of the same questions. The characters differ somewhat and have some compelling flaws. Some of the situations are a bit far fetched, but the whole thing holds together as entertainment. It's fun to see Cynthia Nixon as a teenager and look for Robert Sean Leonard in a small role.

This film is available on DVD, but can be hard to find online. Above is the trailer for it from Video Detective.

Obscurity factor: 9 (on DVD, hard to find otherwise, largely forgotten)

James Caan & Sally Kellerman in Slither (1973)

Car thief, Dick Kanipsia has just gotten out of prison. With no real plans, he drifts, until the possibility of a fortune drops into his lap. This possibility sends him on a strange and unsettling road trip where he meets kooky and slightly psychotic Kitty Kopetzky (Kellerman) and the Fenakas (Peter Boyle & Louise Lasser), a band leader and his wife, also in pursuit of the loot. They join forces and pile into the Fenaka's Airstream trailer, only to be pursued by an ominous black van, which soon multiplies into two. Will our band of intrepid travelers reach their goal before being overtaken by the unidentified evil lurking behind them?

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This is a very strange film. For starters, the title says nothing about it and is much better suited to the 2006 horror film that shares it, and the circumstances are bizzarre and have a random quality to them that can be confusing. That being said, oddly enough the film holds together well. It's really because of the character portraits created by these talented actors. It's very much a black comedy, with some very funny twists to it. Look for character actors Alex Rocco, Richard B. Shull and Allen Garfield in small but pivotal roles.

 

Slither is available on DVD. Above is the trailer for it from the TCM site. Other scenes from the film can be watched at TCM, but I haven't been able to find the full film available online.

Obscurity factor: 9 (largely forgotten, on DVD, otherwise hard to find)

Jane Fonda & Jeff Bridges in The Morning After (1986)

Alex Sternbergen (Fonda) drinks too much. This fact is made painfully obvious to her when she wakes up next to a bloody corpse and has no memory of how she got there. Did she kill him, or has she been set up? Her blind panic is mitigated by ex cop Turner Kendall (Bridges) who helps her organize her thoughts and get to the bottom the mess. Will she figure it out before it drags her under?

This is a great example of an 80's thriller and Fonda does a great job as the booze soaked actress. It's masterfully directed by Sidney Lumet and look for gay character actor James Haake as a drag queen friend of Sternbergen's who helps her out of a jam and Bruce Vilanch in a small role as a bartender.

This film is available on DVD though it's out of print and can be expensive. Luckily it's also available on Amazon Direct at considerably lower prices.

Obscurity factor: 4 (somewhat remembered, on DVD & VOD)

Peter Lawford & Sammy Davis Jr. in Salt & Pepper (1967)

The sixties saw an explosion of spy themed filmes, all inspired by the success of the 007 franchise. From serious cold war dramas like The Spy Who Came In From the Cold (1965) to ridiculous romps with sexy starlets like Modesty Blaise (1966), the intrigue was thick and heavy. This film is one of the latter type, with Lawford and Davis playing night club owners who are sucked into a seriously stick situation. A girl is found dead in their club and she just happens to be part of a terrorist group, bent on wrecking havoc on the British government. Will the inimitable Salt (Davis) and Pepper (Lawford) be able to intervene in time?

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This silly film is more of an excuse for the stars to act cool and hip and for the producers to parade an endless collection of sexy sixties babes in front of the camera. The scenes of swinging London are fun to look back on and the film was successful enough to inspire a sequal - One More Time (1970) which has the distinction of having been directed by Jerry Lewis.

This film is available on DVD, as is its sequal. Above is the trailer, uploaded to YouTube by OurManInHavana.

Obscurity factor: 7 (on DVD, known to rat pack fans, dimly remembered otherwise)

Art Carney, Ellen Burstyn & Larry Hagman in Harry and Tonto (1974)

Paul Mazursky has had an interesting career. His work was so relevant to cultural trends in the 60's and 70's. That period of his filmmaking is a remarkable time capsule of the era. This film is part of that, but like his best work, also has something to say about people and relationships. Harry (Art Carney) feels out of place as a septuagenerian in a society increasingly focused on the young. Aside from a few old friends, the only real companion he has left is Tonto, his cat. The brutality of the city has dented and tarnished his life, and when his apartment building is slated for demolition, he has a crisis that is temporarily placated by moving in with his son and his family. The discomfort of the living arrangements  drive Harry to a cross country odyssey where he visits friends and family, meets strangers who have gifts for him and learns to shed the identity of a victim and own his power.

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This film, for which Carney won a best actor Oscar, made quite an impression on the American public at the time, though it has since fallen into relative obscurity. The "road picture" nature of the film allows for a great series of memorable small parts and cameos. Look for Ellen Burstyn as Harry's daughter, Larry Hagman as his younger son, Geraldine Fitzgerald as an old flame, Chief Dan George as a Native American medicine man, Barbara Rhodes as a hooker and a delightful turn by Melanie Mayron as a runaway.

Harry and Tonto is available on DVD. Above is the trailer for the film, uploaded to YouTube by Mazurskyfilm.

Obscurity factor: 7 (somewhat known for it's Oscar winning performance by Carney, otherwise largely forgotten, on DVD)

Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty and Stockard Channing in The Fortune (1975)

This delightfully dizzy film was part of a two film package deal Warren Beatty made with Columbia Pictures. The second film was Shampoo (1975). This film was supposed to be the hit of the pair. It had a lot going for it - a wacky, likable script, two very bankable stars, and a sensational director (Mike Nichols), however, when push came to shove, Shampoo walked away the winner.

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The film tells the story of Frederica Quintessa Biggard (Stockard Channing), an eastern heiress, lured away from home by sexy, but less than swift Nicky Wilson and his equally dimwitted friend Oscar Sullivan. Nicky is married, but loves Frederica... well, he loves her money, actually. Oscar isn't married, and because of the Mann act, which made it illegal to transport a woman across state lines for immoral purposes, Nicky convinces Freddie to marry Oscar, so they can flee to Southern California without risking arrest. Upon arrival, they set up housekeeping in a depressing little hamlet outside LA and Nicky and Oscar start to plot Freddie's demise. There's a wacky, screwball quality to this film and the promotional tag line hits the nail right on the head: "Sexier than the Marx Brothers, Handsomer than Laurel and Hardy, but not as smart as The 3 Stooges." The delightfully clueless quality to the comedy in the film is largely due to Stockard Channing, in her first big screen role.

Though not commercially available on DVD in the USA, copies can be found in the PAL format, which requires a region free DVD player. The whole film is above, uploaded in parts by Beatty001.

Obscurity factor: 9 (not available on DVD in USA, hard to find, available on YouTube)

Roger Moore & Martha Hyer in Crossplot (1969)

This rather silly thriller is saved by a truly gorgeous Roger Moore, a glamorous 60's London setting and some great retro visuals - for the most part. The plot concerns agitators, international intrigue and a nest of spys that suck an ad man (Moore) and a Hungarian beauty (Claudie Lang) into the fray. The action and characters remind one of North by Northwest (1959) and the whole film comes off in hind sight as Moore's audition for James Bond.

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This is a film to watch if you're fond of swinging London, the Mods, glamorous clothes and settings and you don't mind a somewhat derivative plot and extremely bad process screen sequences. There are a number of scenes that are pure comedy because of the green screen effects. Look for Bernard Lee, "M" from the Bond series, in a small role.

Crossplot is available on DVD and can be watched instantly on Netflix. The trailer is above, uploaded to YouTube by britflix.

Obscurity factor: 8 (not well remembered, available on DVD and Netflix instant)

Lana Turner, Cliff Robertson & Stefanie Powers in Love Has Many Faces (1966)

In this, the last of Lana Turner's super soapers, she plays an heiress, ex pat living in Acapulco with a beautiful trophy husband (Robertson). When we meet her, one of her boy-toys has committed suicide and the police are investigating. The seamier side of the tropical paradise is on full display in this glamorous, if highly overdramatic tome. Hugh O'Brian is the beach's ruling giglio and he hooks Ruth Roman. Meanwhile, Stefanie Powers (looking very strange and pixie-like in perky short hairdos) has come to see about the death of her former fiance, the aforementioned boy-toy.

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Though not as well known as Lana's other starring vehicles like Imitation of Life (1959) or Madame X (1966), this film is fun to watch for several reasons. It's thick with manufactured drama that can be and is spread on toast on a regular basis. It also has a delightful theme song, sung by the incomparable Nancy Wilson, and Lana Turner's wardrobe, designed by Edith Head has its own, deserved starring role. Look for an absurd climax featuring bull fighters.

This film is available on DVD, and can be rented to watch instantly at Amazon.com. It's hard to find footage online. Above is a clip from the beginning of the film from TCM's website.

Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD and Amazon.com, not as well remembered as other Lana Turner epics)

Barry Manilow & Annette O'Toole in Copacabana (1985)

After the phenomenal success of his hit song of the same name, Manilow starred in this television musical dramatizing the story we're all so familiar with. Tony (Manilow) and Lola (O'Toole) are talented performers, hungry for their first break. They meet, fall in love and find their way to the Copacabana, where they ultimately find success. Lola is lured away by the promise of making it big in Havana at the famed Tropicana and is heavily courted by the smarmy Rico (Joseph Bologna). Will Tony win her back? will she escape the clutches of Rico? I think you know the answer...

Though it's no classic, there are some lovely moments to be had, and it picks up as it goes along. If nothing else, it's good campy fun. Look for Estelle Getty as Manilow's mother, and some dreadful age makeup on Annette O'Toole at the beginning and end of the film.

This title is available on DVD, and can be seen in full on YouTube, thanks to an upload by nybrian5. The stream is in one big chunk, complete with the original 1980's commercials.

Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD & YouTube, known to Fanilows, otherwise forgotten)

Anthony Perkins & Julie Harris in How Awful About Allan (1970)

Anthony Perkins is very handsome in this well acted, but overwrought thriller from Aaron Spelling. After 8 months in the state hospital, Allan (Perkins) is coming home. He suffers from hysterical blindness after a fire in his home killed his father and disfigured his sister Katherine (Harris). Though his blindness has lessened to the point where he can see vague shapes, he's still unable to manage alone. Katherine and their next door neighbor, Olive (Joan Hackett) take turns helping Allan cope. Unfortunately, Allan isn't coping very well. He's hearing voices, seeing strange figures and is afraid that they're out to get him. Is he cracking up, or is he really in danger?

This production had enough legitimate star power and genuine talent to rate a DVD release. It can be found on Amazon, as well as on YouTube in full. The entire film is above, uploaded by smpr12.

Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD & YouTube, largely forgotten)

Dean Stockwell & Stefanie Powers in Paper Man (1971)

Since computers started taking over tasks from humans in the 1950's we've seen films with varying degrees of the fear of technology as their theme. Examples include the Matrix films as well as comedies like Desk Set (1957). This little thriller can be counted among them. When Joel Fisher (Elliott Street) receives a credit card by mistake and decides to keep it, he and his friends (Powers, Tina Chen and James Stacy) need the help of a graduate student in computer sciences (Stockwell) to help keep the account open. All is going swimmingly until the computer starts to systematically murder them!

This delightful little film was both released in the theaters and on television. It's well crafted and has some extremely creepy moments in it. Look for a beautifully shot scene where the lights are turned out as a girl runs up a corridor. There have been several low budget DVD releases of this film, and you can see it above, uploaded to YouTube by TVTERRORLAND.

Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD & YouTube, almost totally forgotten)

Polly Bergan, Sonny Bono & Farrah Fawcett in Murder on Flight 502 (1975)

I've been featuring a lot of cheese on the blog lately. This film is no exception - in fact, this film is an exemplary specimen of ripe, pungent, aromatic cheese, courtesy of Aaron Spelling. After flight 502 for London takes off from New York, a letter is discovered in the first class lounge warning of murders that will take place during the flight. Only the first class passengers are involved, and they include mystery writer Mona Briarly (Bergan), pop star Jack Marshall (Bono), international thief Paul Barons (Fernando Lamas), Jewish mother Ida Goldman (Molly Picon), bratty teenager Millard Kensington (Danny Bonaduce), Charlie Parkins (Walter Pidgeon) as well as a flight crew including Captain Larkin (Robert Stack) and stewardess Karen White (Fawcett). Who is responsible for the letter and who is or are the targets? As people start to die (in the "yanked from view into a closet" style of murder) we learn that the person who wrote the letter isn't joking. Red herrings abound, are dismissed and then the characters involved in them are relegated to the background. Also look for Brook Adams, Laraine Day, Ralph Bellamy and Hugh O'Brian in the cast.

Due to Farrah Fawcett's involvement in the film, it was released on DVD in the late 90's. Most of the reviews I've read seem to have missed the campier aspects of the film, but it's worth seeing for just those aspects. In addition to DVD, it can be seen in full above, thanks to a YouTube upload by smpr12.

Obscurity factor: 7 (on DVD and YouTube, known to Fawcett fans, otherwise forgotten)

Jack Lemmon & Virna Lisi in How to Murder Your Wife (1965)

This film owes a lot to Hugh Hefner, who's brand of bachelorhood was much envied and widely copied in the swinging sixties. Stanley Ford (Lemmon) is one of those blissful bachelors. He's a comic strip creator and wealthy New Yorker. His life is extremely ordered, thanks to his man servent, Charles (Terry Thomas). And his comic strip character, Bash lives life in much the same way his creator does. Ford attends the bachelor party for one of his friends and drinks a bit too much, only to awake the next morning, married to the blond bombshell who emerged from the cake at the party. Mrs. Ford (Virna Lisi) is shapely, beautiful, sensuous and doesn't speak a word of english! Suddenly Stanley's world is turned upside down - Charles leaves him, his home is redecorated and his social calendar is rearranged, his in-laws descend upon him and he finds himself unable to sustain the marriage of his character Bash. When plans to do away with Bash's wife are confused for plans to do away with his real life wife, she disappears, leaving him to defend himself in a criminal trial. Will she turn up before he ends up in jail?

Though rather silly at times, and decidedly misogynistic, this film is a fun time capsule of 60's attitudes about marriage and the battle of the sexes. Look for Claire Trevor, Mary Wicks and Jack Albertson in the cast as well.

This film is available on DVD, and can also be watched instantly on Amazon. Above is the opening sequence with Terry Thomas giving you a tour of Ford's gracious lifestyle. It was uploaded to YouTube by ttfellowship.

Obscurity factor: 4 (known to Lemmon fans, on DVD and streaming, not widely known)

Michael Learned & John Housman A Christmas Without Snow (1980)

This movie about second chances and starting over tells the story of Zoe Jensen (Learned), a recent divorcee who moves to San Francisco to begin again. She looks for work and tries to settle in. To make new friends she joins a choir. As they prepare for their Christmas concert the choirmaster, Ephraim Adams (Housman) drives them mercilessly. Will they find common ground or will the emotional toll drive the choir apart? Also look for James Cromwell and Valerie Curtin.

This TV film has been released on DVD and can be seen in full on YouTube. the entire film is above, uploaded by LuckyStrike502.

Obscurity factor: 8 (not well remembered, on DVD and YouTube)

Bob Hope & Raquel Welch in The Bob Hope Christmas Special (1967)

This time capsule collection of footage from Bob Hope's 1967 USO tours features performances by Raquel Welch, Barbara McNair, Les Brown and his Band of Renown and a bevy of beautiful starlets. It's interesting to note that these shows are what the 1991 Bette Midler film, For The Boys were based on. Watching Hope's monologues gives you a window into the unpopular pro-war point of view of the time and seeing the boys is both heart warming and heart breaking at the same time.

This film is apparently in public domain, but is still available on DVD and can be seen in full on YouTube. The entire production is above, uploaded by thefilmarchive.

Obscurity factor: 8 (available on YouTube and DVD, well remembered in theory but not practice)

James Garner & Bruce Willis in Sunset (1988)

This Blake Edwards film has some interesting aspects to it. It's an action/adventure mystery film featuring a dramatization of two figures that actually existed - cowboy film star Tom Mix (Willis) and lawman Wyatt Earp (Garner). The premise finds Earp coming to Hollywood to consult on a film about his life that's to star Mix. The night he arrives the two of them go to a house of ill repute called the Candy Store, run by a woman named Candy. When Candy turns up dead they take it upon themselves to figure out who did it. Along the way they meet mobsters and find themselves coming up against the Hollywood power elite. Will they solve the crime or will it be the end of the both of them?

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This film marks the second time James Garner played Earp. The first time was in the 1967 film Hour of the Gun. Also featured in the cast are Marial Hemmingway, Malcolm McDowell, Kathleen Quinlan and Dermot Mulroney.

You can find this film on DVD, and it's available to rent on YouTube. Click here for the rental page. Above is the television trailer for it, uploaded to YouTube by seanmc31076.

Obscurity factor: 7 (not well remembered, but available on DVD and online)

Dom DeLuise & Suzanne Pleshette in Hot Stuff (1979)

Not to be confused with the Donna Summer song of the same name (released the same year), this wacky comedy from director Dom DeLuise has all the earmarks of a Burt Reynolds/Sally Field comedy - just without Reynolds and Field. Frustrated Miami cops Ernie (DeLuise) Louise (Pleshette) and Doug (Jerry Reed) can't seem to nab the bag guys, so they open up a pawn shop and let it be known that the shop will fence stolen goods. As the crooks pour in to sell their loot, the cops nab them. All does not go as planned, however, and when our heroes are targeted by the mob all bets are off.

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This comedy is all about the gags, which are strung together on a somewhat slim plot line, however, the laughs make up for the implausibility. Also look for Ossie Davis as the Chief.

This film has been released on DVD as part of the Warner Archive collection and was previously released on VHS. It can also be seen in full on YouTube. Part one is above, uploaded by pointbreak2k.

Obscurity factor: 7 (largely forgotten, on DVD & VHS, also on YouTube)