The Top 100 Underappreciated Films: Part Two
By Darren Williams
5th August 2009

11. Angst (1983; Gerald Kargl)

A grim Austrian serial killer movie. Erwin Lederer's psychopath is released from prison and immediately starts searching for a new victim. Once he finds someone suitable, he launches a home invasion attack. Based on a real life case, Kargl is more interested in making the unnamed psychopath the animal that he is rather than trying to play for audience identification. It's disturbingly realistic, especially during his murder of the elderly lady of the house. This is the film Funny Games could have been.

12. Because of the Cats (1973; Fons Rademakers)

A brutal Dutch take on a Van der Valk novel, one of the other translations of the title is The Rape, so you know you're in disturbing territory. Van der Valk investigates a series of robberies that lead to a rape and a murder, his investigations bringing him into conflict with a group of bored rich kids. The film opens with a disturbing rape sequence which could lead many to turn off, but the film settles down into more traditional mystery territory soon, bolstered by a strong performance from Bryan Marshall as Van der Valk and a well drawn group of villains.

13. Cash on Demand (1961; Quentin Lawrence)

Hammer take on A Christmas Carol in this low key thriller. Peter Cushing plays a rigid bank manager at a small branch. As the bank is close to closing for the Christmas holiday, Andre Morell arrives claiming to be a representative of the company that insures the bank. Once alone with Cushing he informs him that his wife and child are being held hostage and that Cushing is going to help him rob the bank, without any of the staff finding out. A tense and gripping little film that should shock anyone who thinks they know what Hammer were all about. Morell and Cushing are on top form with the latter giving quite possibly his finest performance.

14. Deadly Strangers (1974; Sidney Hayers)

After nearly being raped by a truck-driver, Hayley Mills hitches a ride with Simon Ward. After a road accident, Ward seems keen to avoid the police, but is this because of the accident or because of the radio report about an escaped lunatic? Deadly Strangers could have easily become a by-the-numbers thriller, but strong performances by both leads, a couple of twisted backstories, and a honestly tense finale make this more than deserving of attention. On its initial release, it was hyped as the film that gave Hayley Mills her first nude scene, but it deserves to be remembered for far more than that.

15. Death Line (1972; Gary Sherman)

Donald Pleasence is Inspector Calhoun, a copper investigating the mysterious disappearance of a government official on London's underground system. He finds himself entangled in a back story that involves the deaths of workers on the line in the late 19th century and a possible cannibal family living in the tunnels. While the premise may sound ridiculous, Sherman directs with such wit and flair that we willingly suspend any disbelief. Pleasence has a lot of fun in the lead role, and we're provided with one of the most sympathetic villains in all of horror cinema. It deserves to be rated as not just one of the great horror films, but as one of cinema's great feature debuts.

16. Forbidden Zone (1982; Richard Elfman)

A bizarre musical fantasy from the brother of Danny Elfman, Forbidden Zone is the definition of a cult film. Taking its inspiration from everything from early animation to Cab Calloway musical numbers, Forbidden Zone doesn't make any real sense but then it never tries to. The Hercules family have a doorway in their basement that leads to the Sixth Dimension. The Dimension is a perverse kingdom, ruled over by King Fausto (Herve Villechaize) and Queen Doris (Susan Tyrell). One of the kids gets sucked into the dimension and it's up to the rest of the family to rescue her. A gloriously demented film with something to offend everyone. And you even get Danny Elfman as a singing and dancing Satan.

17. Never Take Sweets from a Stranger (1960; Cyril Frankel)

Hammer again, this one deals with paedophilia in a small town. A film of surprising restraint, it also manages to be quite chilling, especially in Felix Aylmer's portrayal of the abuser. An English couple move to a small Canadian town for the husband to take up a post of headmaster. Shortly after their arrival they discovered that an elderly, very wealthy, local man has made inappropriate advances towards their nine-year-old daughter. However, they find the locals unwilling to help them prosecute the man who helped build their town. Oddly enough for a film that came from The Studio that Dripped Blood, Never Take Sweets... is one of the least lurid or sensational films ever made on this topic.

18. On the Run (1988; Alfred Cheung)

Hong Kong action star Yuen Biao takes on the noir genre. Yuen plays a police officer whose wife is gunned down by a mysterious assassin. Finding himself framed for murder to keep him quiet, he goes on the run to try and take down the criminal organisation responsible for his wife's death. Darker than you might expect from HK action films of the period, it's an intense and realistic piece of cinema. It also gives Yuen a chance to show his acting talents.

19. Privilege (1967; Peter Watkins)

Watkins turns to his eye to the rock world with this unsung gem. In a fascistic future, a rock star is manipulated and controlled by the government as a way to keep the masses happy and docile. An uncompromising satire of the way rebel culture has been tamed by the establishment and an oddly eerie work, Privilege's criticism of the way corporations assist in manufacturing popular stars was buried by the studio for years, strange that.

20. The Swimmer (1968; Frank Perry)

Adapted from a John Cheever short story, The Swimmer follows Burt Lancaster's swimsuit clad suburban husband as he makes his way home by swimming through the pools in his neighbourhood. A strange and engrossing tale of breakdown and suburban despair. Each new pool seems to bring a shift in time and tone along with the gradual unveiling of past demons. One of the oddest films to ever come out of Hollywood, The Swimmer may present itself as a realistic drama, but it slowly reveals itself as a disturbing allegory for the life of a man.
,