One of the most stacked casts ever (Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Spencer Tracy, Debbie Reynolds…), and three of the greatest western directors (John Ford, George Marshall, Henry Hathaway) join forces to make a film that’s…not so good. Still, How The West Was Won qualifies as essential viewing due to its cultural significance and the enormity of the undertaking. Filmed in Cinerama (the brainchild of King Kong-creator Merian C. Cooper There has never been a film like this before or since. 

From Roger Corman, the Spielberg of schlock, the Coppola of kitsch, comes an essential “Cult Classic” – The Little Shop Of Horrors. In addition to featuring a talking, man-eating plant, this film is also notable for being Jack Nicholson’s screen debut – as a masochist who loves going to the dentist…ok. Guess we all have to start somewhere. 

Last week I recommended The Curse of The Cat People. This week I’ll recommend its predecessor, Cat People. Still as frightening as it was in 1942, producer Val Lewton’s female-becomes-feline flick was decades before its time. Check out his other films, and scare yourself silly.