1001 Movies You NEED to See Before You Die

1,001 Movies – Week 44

“The Dark Crystal” to “David Copperfield”

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The Dark Crystal (1983) – Dark Crystal was made up of an entirely Muppet cast and co-directed by Frank Oz and Jim Henson. It was a stunning accomplishment of cinema; telling an intelligent and rewarding fantasy story that will survive for generations to come. (CK)


Dark Star (1974) – John Carpenter’s first film is a low-budget SF-comedy cult classic about four astronauts in deep space. See it! (GS)


Darkman (1990) – Sam Raimi’s big budget B-movie is surprisingly stylish with a couple wild action scenes (I’m thinking of our hero hanging from the bottom of a helicopter being smashed into stuff). (GS)


Dave (1993) – The President (Kevin Kline) is incapacitated by a stroke and replaced by an everyman (also Kline) who proceeds to win over the press, the public and even the President’s estranged wife (Sigourney Weaver). A delightful film filled with fun cameos by celebrities and politicians alike. Charles Grodin’s scenes at the White House are a scream! (GS)


David Copperfield (1935) – For my money, the most perfect screen adaptation of Dickens’s semi-autobiographical novel to date, with a cast of character actors that is nothing less than perfect. Especially memorable are W.C. Fields as Mr. Micawber, Basil Rathbone as David’s sadistically-abusive step-father, Mr. Murdstone, and Edna May Oliver as Aunt Betsy. (KCL)

 

 

Originally published in Raspberry World – Volume 2, Issue 1 (June/July 2007)