atopix t1_iuffv18 wrote on October 30, 2022 at 10:32 PM

"Underappreciated" or "underated" is usually the term people use when they watch a movie they loved, and they had never heard much fuzz about it, but trust me, this movie is not obscure, it's plenty appreciated within the circles where this kind of movie would be enjoyed, which is obviously not for the masses.

And yeah, it's amazing and unique.

MissGruntled t1_iugj6ck wrote on October 31, 2022 at 3:40 AM

Agree with that. I first watched it in an undergrad Film Studies course. People who know, know.

nevereatpears OP t1_iufl4fq wrote on October 30, 2022 at 11:10 PM

I'd argue that it's a pretty obscure movie, forgotten in the wealth of Scorsese's back catalogue. I don't know a single person who has seen it and never see any discussions about it or reference to it in movie discourse.

ExistingTheDream t1_iug4ejy wrote on October 31, 2022 at 1:38 AM

There is a whole episode of Ted Lasso mimicking it.

ImportantPainting t1_iufsi5x wrote on October 31, 2022 at 12:05 AM

I see it discussed pretty often in various film circles and it has 146k views on Letterboxd, especially compared to movies of the same niche like Miracle Mile. Besides I don't think a film by Martin Scorsese, who's one of the most popular and acclaimed directors of all time, can ever be considered "obscure".

atopix t1_iufmk2f wrote on October 30, 2022 at 11:20 PM

Well, Scorsese has made a ton of movies, include some big commercial hits with critical acclaim and which left a dent in the culture. You check the Scorsese's popularity rank in Letterboxd and After Hours is 14th, ahead of movies like Cape Fear and Mean Streets (both of which were parodied and referenced in pop culture), The Age Of Innocence and The Last Temptation of Christ (both of which garnered a lot of critical acclaim and nominations/awards).

You check how many "fans" it has and it has 2k, well above the 700 Hugo has, which was a far bigger movie, aimed at the general public and with a big marketing machinery behind it.

Like I said, After Hours is obviously not a movie meant for mass appeal and most people in the general public will not have heard of it, but that hardly means it's truly obscure. Not being popular doesn't mean it's obscure it just means it's not popular.

nevereatpears OP t1_iufps2s wrote on October 30, 2022 at 11:44 PM

It's an obscure movie from the 80s

AshgarPN t1_iug3rbo wrote on October 31, 2022 at 1:32 AM

I watched it a shitload in the ‘80s. Pretty sure HBO played it once a week for a few months. Not Scorsese’s highest profile film but definitely not “obscure”.

atopix t1_iufq6r1 wrote on October 30, 2022 at 11:47 PM

I'd say it's a weird movie from the 80s. Projecting your own perception of how you think it's seen based on the fact that you personally don't know anyone who has brought it up, is pretty meaningless.