Perhaps these films were not widely circulated in their time, for lack of studio support, or, maybe the timing of their releases were questionable.  And, several of these films have won awards and been listed on critics’ lists, but for some reason, if I mentioned their names to you, you might not know them.  So, with those thoughts, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Films You Might Not Have Seen” .

In no particular order…

1.  “The Sweet Hereafter”  (1997) .   Atom Egoyan.  Based on the superb novel by Russell Banks, Egoyan never strikes a false note in depicting this tragedy that befalls a small town.
2.  “Next Stop, Greenwich Village”  (1976).  Paul Mazursky.  Despite its moments of surprising misogyny, Mazursky’s autobiographical film is both funny and honest.
3.  “Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins”  (1975).  Dick Richards.   Gentle road comedy has the ability to move you in unexpected ways.
4.  “In a Lonely Place”  (1952).  Nicolas Ray.  One of Bogart’s more complex characters; this stunner sneaks up on you.
5.  “Seconds”  (1966).  John Frankenheimer. Neglected film looks at our obsession with youth, containing what many consider to be Rock Hudson’s greatest performance.
6.  “Slap Shot”  (1977).  George Roy Hill.  This is not only one of the best sports films, but certainly one of the funniest.
7.  “Near Dark”  (1987).  Kathy Bigelow.  Poignant vampire tale breaks rules but remains true to its genre.
8.  “The Conversation”  (1974).  Francis Ford Coppola.  Despite being an award winning film, many people missed this unusual film.
9.  “Loving”  (1970).  Irving Kershner.  An early “Ice Storm”, Kershner’s glance at middle class morals is subtle, yet powerful.
10.  “Rachel Getting Married”  (2008).  Jonathan Demme.  This highly unusual family drama takes a look at what we as humans will forgive.
11.  “Dreamchild” (1985).  Gavin Miller.  Dennis Potter’s fantasia on the relationship between Lewis Carroll and the real Alice is both touching and imaginative, and one of my mother’s favorites.
12.  “Spirits of the Beehive”  (1985).  Victor Erice.  This masterpiece influenced many filmmakers, including Guillermo del Toro.  The effects of Whale’s “Frankenstein” (1931) on two small children in Franco’s Spain is both intricate and subversive.
13.  “Slaughterhouse Five  (1972).  George Roy Hill.  This Universal release somehow captured perfectly the tone of Vonnegut’s melancholy and irony.
14.  “Fury”  (1936).  Fritz Lang.  Angry mob film shows the brilliance of Lang working within the studio system.  One of his best American films.
15.  “After Hours”  (1985).  Martin Scorsese.  The ultimate bad date film, drenched in a giddy irony.
16.  “The Boston Strangler”  (1968).  Richard Fleisher.  Highly influential crime film uses many cinematic devices, such as split screen, to get to this menace that overtook that city.
17.  “The Devil Doll”  (1936).  Tod Browning.  Made after the controversial “Freaks” (1932), this strange little revenge yarn actually resonates with pulp vitality.
18.  “Shoot the Moon”  (1981).  Alan Parker.  One of the more disturbing entries into the family drama genre.  Unlike its more conventional predecessor “Kramer vs. Kramer”, this one slipped through the cracks.
19.  “Naked Lunch”  (1990).  David Cronenberg.  Not widely seen, this amalgamation of two quite different artists, William Burroughs and David Cronenberg,  is both weird and strangely serene.
20.  “Up the Down Staircase”  (1967).  Robert Mulligan.  School as a war zone?  Mulligan skillfully shows the torment,  and, ultimately, the triumph of a first year teacher in a tough New York City high school.