As a resident artiste’ of the San Francisco Bay Area I have the privilege of getting exposed to all kinds of artistic achievements that fly under the radar. Here are some movies that you’ve most likely missed or never heard of. How many of them have you seen? How many of them have you heard of?

 

Whatever Happened to Susan Jane?

This early 80’s film will be especially appealing to fans of John Waters as it can only be described as Watersesque! A take on the wild clubber days of San Francisco complete with sketchy artists and smarmy queens, as a housewife type lady goes on a quest to find out whatever happened to that woman from high school, a wanderlust adventure of someone who looks for someone else as she really looks for herself and finds the wild underground of San Francisco, back in the day when SF really was Sodom and Gomorrah!

Whatever Happened to Susan Jane? on IMDB

 

Meet the Feebles

When muppets go bad. Peter Jackson made this absolutely twisted take on puppets before he became a nerd God with his Lord of the Rings movies. Not for the faint of heart: Drug abuse, raunchy sex, and mobster muppets carrying out hits! The seamier side of show business that tells you what was really going on backstage at the muppet show!

Meet the Feebles on IMDB

 

Whole Train

Germany is home to a vibrant movie industry which includes offerings by independent filmmakers such as Florian Gaag. His movie Whole Train is the story of graffiti artists in Berlin, artists whose work is meant to be temporary and outside of the law. An independent German film follows a gang of graffiti artists avoiding cops and battling rival tag gangs. A story about young culture in the heart of Germany, a culture heavily influenced by hip hop. Not just about outlaw artists, but also about the bohemian vibe in Berlin. It also has an awesome ending! A nice gem of a movie that flies under the radar.

Whole Train on IMDB

 

Archangel

I’m not sure how many people are familiar with Winipeg’s very own Guy Maddin, who has made quite a few remarkable films, but Archangel is his best. Maybe I am biased because it is the first Guy Maddin film I ever saw. If you have heard of Maddin it’s probably because of his one film that comes closest to the mainstream, The Saddest Music in the World, which features actors Isabella Rosellini and Mark McKinney of kids in the Hall fame. Archangel is the story of World War I era people in Russia, filmed in a unique and haunting style. I was very impressed with this highly stylized and haunting movie that was made on a starvation budget and features intertitles despite being a sound film.

Archangel on IMDB

 

Daughters of the Dust

I already mentioned this film in my article Seven Black Films You Should See, but I’m mentioning it here again because this is a gem that too many people have not seen. A period piece at the dawn of the 20th Century showing a community in the post slavery era on an island off of the coast of South Carolina, where the people struggle with their recent past, their current present, and their potential futures. A rich film showing a people whose lives are a collision of history, generations, and the calamities of recent struggles, and also a very distinct tale about how history can influence and shape a individual’s very identity.

Daughters of the Dust on IMDB

 

Rare Exports

A one of a kind Christmas movie that gives us a Scandinavian take on ol’ Saint Nick. Yes, I will call this a holiday film, though you will not think about Santa Claus in the same way ever again! Local folk find out about an expedition to uncover the true meaning of Christmas, and it’s not a very merry way to celebrate the Winter Solstice. The ultimate Christmas and horror film crossover!

Rare Exports on IMDB

 

Leningrad Cowboys Go America

Another Finnish film, this one by Aki Kurismaki. This is a film about a would be pop sensation going to find their fame and fortune in the United States. A great rock and roll journey and testament. This Finnish tour through the American heartland is a definite must see, if for no other reason than the hair and footwear!

Leningrad Cowboys Go America on IMDB

 

How I Won the War

Most people who have heard of this film know about this movie because John Lennon is in it. They say “Doesn’t Lennon star in it?” “Didn’t John Lennon direct it?” No, he just has a minor role in this film, and all of the John Lennon hype overshadows what a good film this is. A dark comic take on Word War II, and probably the only cynical take on that war that you will ever see, as it showcases the problematic issues of patriotism, the military-industrial complex, perspectives on history and patriotism, and the raw indifference to the human cost of warfare. It bites because it attacks one of the most sacred film institutions: The last “good” war.

How I Won the War on IMDB

 

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

A stylish and fascinating film billed as the first vampire movie in Farsi. Classic cars, tattooed drug dealers, junky parent, a leather jacketed lead, and a woman who is not to be trifled with. This movie is often mistaken as an import, (Once by me,) but was actually made in Los Angeles! A must-see for horror and thriller fans, and for anyone who just wants to see a good movie.

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night on IMDB