Ah, Yellowbeard; sadly, the movie set where Marty Feldman died of a heart attack.
We had Cinemax, when we first got cable (had it for about a year or two, before it was cut off. We got the free first month, never ordered it; but, it fell through the cracks)> Lof of obscure ones them, though some of the films were from the 70s:
Drive-In, about Friday Night at the local Texas small town drive-in, with Trey Wilson, as a would be robber, and the kid who played Engelbert, in The Bad News Bears film. Made with local Texas actors, under a Texas Film Commission program. Some really funny stuff, though some low grade acting. Released in 1976.
Honky Tonk Freeway-people on the road to Florida, from different locales and the people of the FL town of Ticklaw, who have been cut off by the new interstate, despite bribes to a commissioner, to get an exit. They take matters in their own hands and create their own exit. Various characters seen separately, who all converge on Ticklaw. Had: beau Bridges, Howard Hessman, Beverly D'Angelo, William devane, Daniel Stern, Terri Garr, Peter Billingsley, Hume Cronin, Jessica Tandy, Barbara Rush, Geraldine Page, and a lion in a truck (with a rhino) and a waterskiing elephant (named Bubbles)
HOTS-a sort of Animal House sorority, with a lot of T & A, including a third act strip-football game, between the rival houses.
Lunch Wagon-low rent T & A comedy of three women running a food wagon, while inept crooks try to tunnel into a bank (or something) with rose Marie as the mother of one of the crooks.
The Hunter-Steve McQueen's last film, about real bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson. not obscure then; but, not a hit. Featured a big action scene on the Chicago El.
Sky Riders-late 70s action flick where Robert Culp's wife (Susannah York) and child are kidnapped and held in an old monastery, atop a mountain. James Coburn is the ex-husband of the wife, who recruits a hang glider team to help him get up there and rescue them.
Attack Force Z-Australian film with Sam Neil and Mel Gibson, as Aussie special operations soldiers who land by kayak to search for survivors of a downed plane. Loosely based on real events, including
Operation Opossum.Breaker Morant-Bruce Beresford Aussie film about the Aussie soldiers put on trial, during the Boer War, for shooting a German priest (who was actually a Boer spy), under disavowed orders. They were considered scapegoats for British atrocities in the war. Based on the true story and play. Edward Woodward as Morant, Bryan Brown as his lieutenant. not totally obscure (won several awards); but, not as well known in the US.
The Fifth Musketeer-Directed by Ken Annakin, based on The Man in the iron mask. beau Bridges in the dual role, father Lloyd as a decidedly un-religious Aramis, Jose ferrer as Athos, Alan Hale Jr as Porthos, and Cornell Wilder as D'Artagnan. Wilder and Hale had played musketeer sons in At Swords Point, in the early 50s, at RKO. Rex Harrison as Colbert and Ian McShane as Fouquet, the villain. Also featured Ursula Andress as Louis da La Valliere, Sylvia Kristel, as Marie Therese, and Olivia de Havilland as the Queen mother (Anne of Austria). Decent, if somewhat mixed film.
Flesh & Blood-Paul Verhoeven film (in Hollywood), with rutger Hauer as a betrayed medieval mercenary who kidnaps the intended bride of a prince and takes over a castle, while the prince lays siege, using science to pierce the walls (including bio warfare; but catapulting rotting meat into the castle's well).
Knightriders-George Romero film, with Ed Harris, about a troupe of performers who put on jousting shows, while riding motorcycles. Also has Stephen King as a loudmouth in the audience.
The Turning Point-1977 film, with Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft, set around the world of ballet. Not exactly obscure (nominated for 11 Oscars); but, not exactly well remembered after its theatrical run, even then.
Baltimore Bullet-comedy with James Coburn as a pool hustler, who ends up with Bruce Boxleitner as a sidekick, headed for a big tournament, with Omar Sharif.
Rough Cut-Burt reynolds caper film, with Lesley Anne-Down and David Niven, about a jewel thief and a kleptomaniac, who is blackmailed by a detective (Niven) to get close to American master thief Reynolds, to find out his scheme and feed it to Niven. Twist ending, to boot. Tanked in theaters, played Cinemax quite a bit; actually a pretty fun film.
S
ea Wolves-Andrew V McLaglen film, with Roger Moore, Gregory Peck, Patrick MacNee, trevor Howard, Jack Watson, David Niven and Wolf Kahler, about a group of old men (al ex-soldiers) who are used by british intelligence to attack a German spy ship in Goa, a neutral Portugese island colony, off the coast of India. Based on a true story (oen of three Moore did with McLaglen, including The Wild Geese and ffolkes, aka North Sea Hijack).
The Challenge-Scott Glenn as a man recruited to smuggle an heirloom katana into Japan, only to find it is a fake and he is a decoy. gets embroiled in the world of the yakuza and circles of power. Steven Seagal worked as a martial arts choreographer for some scenes.
T
he Final Option (aka Who Dares Wins) an action movie, based on the Iranian Embassy siege, in London, where the SAS stormed the building and killed the terrorists. This time, the terrorists are Leftists anti-nuke people who want a missile launched at a city to demonstrate the terror of the weapons, to lead to full disarmament. Pretty right Wing fantasy, in its politics. Starred Lewis Collins (The Professionals), Judy davis (The Ref), Richard Widmark, Edward Woodward and Hammer horror actress Ingrid Pitt as a rather sadistic member of the group. the anti-nuke group is being manipulated by the KGB. Of course....
St Ives-Charles Bronson crime film, where he plays a reporter who is contacted by a very successful and neurotic thief (John Houseman), whose journals have been stolen, with plans for crimes and details of past crimes. Maximilian Schell as his doctor, Jacqueline Bisset as Houseman's aid/lover, and Dana Elcar as a police detective friend of bronson. Bronson is St Ives (also from 1976).
Carbon Copy-not exactly obscure then, but it is now. George Siegel is an exec at his father-in-laws company, in a loveless marriage with Susan St James, and meets his son, by an African-American woman he knew in college, played by Denzel Washington, in one of his earliest film roles. Siegel gets cut off by the family and has to survive, with Denzel, including working as under-the-table labor, on a ranch, shoveling horse s@#$. Bit preachy; but, genuinely funny moments and well acted.
Cable could also be a source of earlier obscure films; On USA Cable I saw:
F
raulein Doktor-Suzy Kendall as a German spy, who steals the formula for a new type of mustard gas
Callan-Edward Woodward in the film version of the original pilot teleplay, for the tv series. At the time, i thought it was another Harry Palmer film, as it shared a lot with the Michael Caine films.
Touch and Go-an Australian caper comedy, about a group of suburban women who commit robberies to fund a school for under-privileged kids. The concoct a plan to rob a resort island casino, complete with scuba suits to hide their gender, and tape recordings of phrases spoken by a man (commands, for during the robbery). The money gets mislaid, though, leading to a bi chase, in the climax.
