graham-willis's - Films of the Year 1946-Present Day List

Show moreShow less

"Taxi Driver" provoked fierce controversy when it was released, running into censorship problems in America as some of the scenes of violence were described to be "as gory as Clockwork Orange and Straw Dogs".

In addition there was an outcry at a 13-year-old schoolgirl actress (Jodie Foster) co-starring as a prostitute. It won Best Picture at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival and received Academy Award Nominations for Best Film, Best Actor (Robert de Niro) and Best Supporting Actress (Foster).

Five years in the making, 'Eraserhead' contains all of the trademark attributes of a Lynch film - haunting visuals, an ethereal score, unsettling sound design, and, most notably, a black sense of humour - creating a world onscreen thatis exhilarating, terrifying, and truly unique.

Show moreShow less

On a black and unholy Halloween night years ago, little Michael Myers (Will Sandin) brutally slaughtered his sister in cold blood. But for the last fifteen years, town residents have rested easy, knowing he was safely locked away in a mental hospital - until tonight.

Tonight, Michael (Tony Moran) returns to the same quiet neighbourhood to relive his grisly murder again...and again...and again. For this is a night of evil. Tonight is Halloween!

Show moreShow less

"Alien" is the first movie of one of the most popular sagas in science fiction history, and introduces Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, the iron-willed woman destined to battle the galaxy's ultimate creature.

The terror begin when the crew of the spaceship Nostromo investigates a transmission from a desolate planet and makes a horrifying discovery - a life form that breeds within a human host. Now the crew must fight now only for its survival, but for the survival of all mankind.

Show moreShow less

John Merrick (John Hurt) is the elephant man, forced into circus sideshows and spurned by society because of the disfiguring disabilities he was born with.

Rescued by a well meaning surgeon (Anthony Hopkins), he tries to escape a life of prejudice and cruelty as he tries to fit into the world ruled by Victorian sensibilities.

Show moreShow less

One of the most shocking and controversial films ever made, Christiane F tells the true story of a young girl's descent into the drug scene of 70's Berlin. Christiane, lonely and alienated, lives with her divorced mother.

When a school friend takes her to a club where her hero David Bowie plays, she finds herself in another world, one she is desperate to be a part of. In her new environment drugs are commonplace and though frightened, her fears of rejection are greater. She begins with Valium, then LSD, until ultimately she discovers heroin. Soon addicted, she turns to prostitution to support her habit. Christiane is 14.

Show moreShow less

This musical movie adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's classic best-seller tells the story of the last remaining Unicorn on earth who sets out from her home in lilac woods in the hope that she will find another of her kind.

A wondrous quest begins with the Last Unicorn meeting many colourful characters along the way, including Schmendrick the Magician, Mommy Fortuna and Molly Grue. Danger Looms, However, with the appearance of the sinister Red Bull.

Show moreShow less

Max Renn (James Woods) is looking for fresh new content for his TV channel when he happens across some illegal S&M-style broadcasts called "Videodrome".

Embroiling his girlfriend Nick (Deborah Harry) in his search for the source, his journey begins to blur the lines between reality and fantasy as he works his way through sadomasochistic games, shady organisations and body transformations stunningly realised by Oscar-winning makeup effects artist Rick Baker.

Show moreShow less

"1, 2, Freddy's coming for you". And here he is, phantom fiend Freddy Krueger in all his razor-fingered infamy. Wes Craven directs this trendsetting first in the slash-hit series. The premise is simple: Freddy (Robert Englund) homicidally haunts the sleep of Elm Street teens.

The results are terrifying and mind-blowingly innovative. There's another film debut too: Johnny Depp. He plays the ready steady of the hottie mcsmarty (Heather Langenkamp) who figures a clever way to flambe the fiend. But ever-say-die Freddy will be 3, 4 back for more...even returning to the screen in a killer 2010 remake of this devilish original. Sweet dreams!

Show moreShow less

The year is 1985 - but not for long. Because teenager Marty McFly (Michael J.Fox) is about to be blasted back to 1955 aboard the plutonium-powered DeLorean created by eccentric genius Doc Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd).

But when Marty accidentally keeps his parents-to-be from falling in love, it triggers a time shattering chain reaction that could vaporise his future - and leave him trapped in the past! Now, Marty's last hope is to change history - before the clock runs out in his only chance to get himself Back to the Future!

Show moreShow less

In a small, woodsy Oregon town, a group of friends - sensitive Gordie (Wil Wheaton), tough guy Chris (River Phoenix), flamboyant Teddy (Corey Feldman), and scaredy-cat Vern (Jerry O'connell) - are in search of a missing teenager's body.

Wanting to be heroes in each other's and their hometown's eyes, they set out on an unforgettable two-day trek that turns into an odyssey of self-discovery. They sneak smokes, tell tall tales, cuss 'cause it's cool and band together when the going gets tough. When they encounter the town's knife-wielding hoods who are also after the body, the boys discover a strength they never knew they had.

Show moreShow less

Born the bastard son of a hundred maniacs, demented killer Freddy Krueger is back for fresh victims in this hallucinatory shocker co-written by original creator Wes Craven. The last of the Elm Street kids are now at a psychiatric ward where Freddy haunts their dreams with unspeakable horrors.

Their only hope is dream researcher and fellow survivor Nancy Thompson, who helps them battle the supernatural psycho on his own hellish turf.

Show moreShow less

After 6-year-old Andy Barclay's (Alex Vincent) babysitter is violently pushed out of a window to her death, nobody believes him when he says that "Chucky", his new birthday doll, did it! Until things start going terribly wrong...dead wrong.

And when an ensuing rampage of gruesome murders lead a detective (Chris Sarandon) back to the same toy, he discovers that the real terror has just begun...the deranged doll has plans to transfer his evil spirit into a living human being - young Andy!

The Cook serves up gourmet masterpieces in a beautiful restaurant. The thief holds his tyrannical court in the restaurant, terrorising all around him. His wife has a dangerous and illicit passion. Her lover is having the riskiest affair of his life.

Show moreShow less

Once upon a time in a castle high on a hull lived an inventor whose greatest creation was named Edward. Although Edward had an irresistible charm, he wasn't quite perfect. The inventor's sudden death left him unfinished, with sharp shears of metal for hands.

Edward lived alone in the darkness until one day a kind of Avon lady took him home to live with her family. Ando began Edward's fantastical adventures in a pastel paradise known as Suburbia.