20 I Also Saw: Films New To Me

Films I saw this year I had not seen before; they were thought provoking, classics, entertaining or just piqued my interest. Some of them were recommended by my wonderful friends and family. These films are listed in order I saw them in 2020; this is not an exhaustive list as I saw over 700 new films in 2020.

Title (Year) Director. (Link is a YouTube trailer).

1. Tootsie (1982) Sydney Pollack. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, and Terri Garr. The two mesmerizing performances by Hoffman and Lange, capped off by excellent direction, still makes me smile.

2. The Wicker Man (1973) Robin Hardy. Starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, and Britt Ekland. This is arguably Lee’s best role in a commanding and oddly horrific film about a cult. Many horror films cannot stack up against this gem.

3. Maniac (1980) William Lustig. Starring Joe Spinell, Caroline Munro, and Tom Savini. Unsettling, gory, and deliciously crafted, this portrait of a serial killer delves into the torments of Frank Zito. This film joins the low-budget – high rewards category.

4. Dolemite (1975) D’Urville Martin. Rudy Ray Moore boasts his comedic, rhyming, and acting chops in this 1970’s blaxploitation comedy about a pimp who takes one the cops and criminals who betrayed him.

5. Beyond the Mat (1999) Barry W. Blaustein. Starring Terry Funk, Mick Foley, and Jake Roberts. I am impressed by the depth and honest look into a largely misunderstood sector of entertainment.

6. The Train (1964) John Frankenheimer. Starring Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau, and Suzanne Flon. A rip-roaring war adventure with phenomenal performances by Lancaster and Scofield.

7. The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) Gordon Hessler. Starring John Phillip Law, Caroline Munro, Tom Baker, and Douglas Wilmer. Ray Harryhousen showcases his claymation talents in a swashbuckling film featuring the talents of Law and Munro.

8. Lust, Caution (China) Ang Lee. Starring Tony Leung, Tang Wei, and Joan Chen. Tony Leung remains one of my favorite Chinese actors and he shines as the cunning Mr. Yee. The film lives up to its title and dishes up the splendid production design.

9. Capote (2005) Bennett Miller. Starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Clifton Collins, and Catherine Keener. This is a seething crime drama tip-toeing the line between exploitation and journalism.

10. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) Chia-Liang Liu. Starring Chai-Hui Liu, Lieh Lo, and Chia-Yung Liu. Any martial arts film fan must see this film.

11. The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) John Landis. Starring David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Marcy Goldman. Odd and weird cannot be enough to describe this fun tongue-in-cheek film.

12. Peeping Tom (1962) Michael Powell. Starring Karlheinz Bohm, Moira Shearer, and Anna Massey. Horror filmmakers should learn from this film because the central character is well-rounded and a serial killer; this creates an irresistible conundrum of empathy and distaste.

13. Conrack (1974) Martin Ritt. Starring Jon Voight, Paul Winfield, and Madge Sinclair. As a teacher, I love this story, the performances, and the advocation for unconditional love for students.

14. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) Joseph Sargent. Starring Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, and Martin Balsam. Matthau vs Shaw = epic crime thriller and showdown in this wickedly enthralling film.

15. The Ladykillers (1955) Alexander Mackendrick. Starring Alec Guinness, Katie Johnson, and Peter Sellers. Johnson steals the show as The Old Lady in a film featuring the innumerable talents of Guinness and Sellers. Did Sellers get outplayed by an old lady? Yes.

16. Frenzy (1972) Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Jon Finch, Barry Foster, Barbara Leigh-Hunt. This is Hitchcock, in his later career, in tense, violent, and creative form.

17. The Trouble with Harry (1955) Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, and Shirley MacLaine. A film really about nothing, but is entirely entertaining with black humor, colorful performances, and splendid direction.

18. Marnie (1964) Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, and Martin Gabel. Hedren and Connery shine in this layered psychological thriller about a habitual thief and a playboy. RIP Sir Sean Connery.

19. Videodrome (1983) David Cronenberg. Starring James Woods, Sonja Smits, and Debbie Henry. I’m still trying to figure out what this film covers, but I can tell you it’s relevant in the stories about technology vs man.

20. High and Low (1963) Akira Kurosawa. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, and Kyoko Kagawa. In an intense police procedural drama, Kurosawa crafts one of the greatest crime films made.

Have you seen any of these?