This is a great thread. My brother has been collecting films on DVD and he calls me all the time to ask about films I think he should get. I'm a real big fan of 70's cinema, so almost all of my suggestions come from that decade. I just think it was a time when filmmakers were allowed to explore all kinds of interesting ideas. I think they still can but we call that Independent cinema these days and I think it's harder to get it done and shown to people. Studio films have to be put through that cookie cutter process, plus all that test screening to see what the audience likes or doesn't like...ruins everything. So here's some films I really love but I don't think were consumed by a large audience:

The Long Goodbye- Elliot Gould is just amazing in this film. It's a Robert Altman picture and of course it's based on the classic Raymond Chandler story. Gould plays Philip Marlowe and I guess a lot of people hated this picture at the time it came out because this is Chandler done with the Altman twist. Just a beautiful film with some great acting. Sterling Hayden is in this film and I've just always loved him as an actor. He's fantastic in this as he plays sort of an Ernest Hemingway type writer. Basically he creates this amazing character, and to me anyway, you just can't take your eyes off him when he's on screen. I guess Hayden was an odd guy in his own life and I'd love to hear some stories about him if anybody has any. Anyway, this film is your basic mystery but it has all these layers that Altman brings to it. If you want to discuss soundtracks this film takes an interesting approach as throughout the entire picture they use different versions of the same song, "The Long Goodbye" of course. If you've never seen this film check it out. It's my favorite Altman picture, my favorite Elliot Gould picture, and has a great turn by Sterling Hayden. Watch it more than once.

The Ninth Configuration- Now this is a great film and probably one a lot of people have never seen. I think the script to this picture may be the best film script ever written. It's not an easy film to get into and I think it's certainly a film a lot of people would not get but if they gave it a chance they may really like it. It would probably take multiple viewings though. So much is going on in this film I think it really confuses people. The images that get thrown at you are also very bizarre and I think make people miss the dialogue. Interestingly enough, it seems most people can't even put this film in a category. Some call it a war picture, some say it's sci-fi, some call it a drama, some call it a comedy, some call it a theological picture. I think it's all of these except science fiction...not sure where they get that but perhaps it's because one of the main characters is an astronaut. What the film is really about is the true nature of mankind and if we can see or comprehend that at all. Basically it's a pretty deep film with so many layers it may seem ridiculous to some. The characters are spouting this very deep philosophical dialogue while the action is very out there and funny. It has, I think, a jarring effect for most people. This whole film is set in an out of the way mental institution for veterans, that just happens to be this beautiful old castle. So basically, without giving too much away, you have all these guys that are clinically insane arguing the case for humanity. It really is a perfect film from my perspective...I think you'd really like this film Eric if you haven't seen it. It's written and directed by William Peter Blatty (the guy who wrote The Exorcist) so you know where it's coming from philosophically. I also always sort of felt that Mr. Baerwald would really like this film...have you ever seen it David?

The Last Detail- This is my favorite film with Jack Nicholson. I recommend this to anyone who likes Jack, or has been in the Navy (Kevin G you might get a kick out of this), or pretty much to anyone that likes a good gritty film about guys being...well...guys. If you've never seen this...and honestly I don't know if many people have...give this film a chance. My father was in the Navy and well...he's a great guy so I don't want this to reflect on him in a negative way...but I always see a bit of my dad in Jack's character in this film. If you don't like Jack or wonder why anyone thinks he's a great actor...and I know people that can't stand him and think he just plays the same wacko in every film...then you have to see him in this. This is the best performance he ever gave for my money. There are just some great moments in this film and Nicholson gets to give some fantastic speeches. Women may not like this film...ahhh...you know it's got a lot of guys being all nuts and guts...but guys will understand this 100%, in fact this may be the ultimate guy flick. The polar opposite of a chick flick.

The Hospital- Sure everybody knows Network and loves that film but the film that Chayefsky wrote that I think is most like it is this one. This came before Network and George C. Scott's doctor seems to be sort of  William Holden's character and Peter Finch's character roled into one. Basically this is a black comedy set in a hospital where stuff is really going in the wrong direction. It would be fun to hear Gene's take on this film.

Saint Jack- This is just a film a lot of people have not seen that is well worth finding. It's directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Ben Gazzara plays the lead. Just an excellent character study about a guy who has chosen sort of a different path in life. It's Gazzara's best film, I think (better even than "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie"), and it's all shot on location in Singapore. A great overlooked film.

So there's a few I think are well worth trying to "get" in all the ways that may imply.