Author: Nathanael Hood

Top Ten Things to Know About Nathanael Hood

  1. He is a film fanatic. He watches between 14-21 films a week! (Ask him about his social life)
  2. He writes a blog about under-appreciated films. (He responds to all comments…hint hint) http://forgottenclassicsofyesteryear.blogspot.com
  3. He plays classical guitar. (Well, he thinks he does, at least….)
  4. His favorite top ten list that he has written: Top 10 Craziest Directors. (He worked for three weeks researching it!)
  5. His favorite top ten list that somebody else has written: Top 10 Unfinished Works of Art. (He enjoys the fireworks it makes his OCD-riddled brain make when he reads it)
  6. His favorite actors are Humphrey Bogart, Orson Welles, and John Wanye. (And yes, he will not refrain from throwing down fisticuffs if you call John Wayne a bad actor)
  7. He wants to become a director one day. (Look out Hollywood, another middle class WASP from the suburbs has dreams of Tinseltown!! Never seen one of THOSE before…)
  8. He considers himself a member of the Evangelical Left. (Conservative values and progressive politics! Who knew they could coexist?!?!)
  9. He would love to write for your site! Contact him at: [email protected] (Spambots need not apply…unless they’ve truly got some great deals!) He’s having trouble thinking of a tenth item for this list… (Oh…I see what he did there…)
Nathanael Hood’s Top Ten Movies (In Chronological Order)
  1. Synecdoche, NY (2008)
  2. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
  3. Ran (1985)
  4. Stroszek (1977)
  5. The Shootist (1976)
  6. Barry Lyndon (1975)
  7. Cries and Whispers (1973)
  8. Zazie dans le Metro (1960)
  9. Marty (1955)
  10. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

Almost everybody loves a good scare. Is it any wonder that horror has become one of the most successful and beloved genres in media? While most everybody is familiar with horror literature, television, and cinema, there is a rich world of horror comics waiting to be discovered, for those who are willing to look. However,…

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Ever since the days of silent film, audiences have crowded into theaters to see films that push the envelope of action and suspense.  One of the biggest crowd-pleasers are incredible stunts.  Professional stuntmen in Hollywood have made careers of risking life and limb on a daily basis all in the name of entertainment.  There have…

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This list is in response to my Top Ten Worst Moments in Marvel Comics that I published a few months ago.  In due fairness, here is a list of the Top Ten Worst Moments in DC Comics.  Originally founded in 1934 as National Allied Publications, DC Comics has grown into one of the two biggest comic book…

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Created in 1932 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Superman has become one of the greatest cultural icons in American history.  Sworn to protect truth, liberty, and the American way, Superman was the last survivor of the doomed planet Krypton who came to earth as a baby.  When he grew up, he gained numerous superpowers, including super-speed,…

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For decades, the world of directing was a male dominated landscape.  While there have been female directors since the inception of cinema in the late Nineteenth century, few have ever garnered the same success or recognition as their male peers.  This list is devoted to ten of the greatest female directors who ever lived.  They were women who…

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Music has often been a source of controversy in modern society.  Attempts have been made to censor and destroy music that has been deemed offensive and inappropriate.  Here, I have assembled ten of the most controversial pieces of music ever released.  I have chosen them based on two criteria: if they were revolutionary pieces of music that challenged…

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December 25th is almost universally celebrated as Christmas, the holiday when Christians celebrate the birth of their savior Jesus Christ. However, Christ’s birth is not the only important event to fall on December 25th. Many momentous things have happened on December 25th throughout the ages. Here are 10 of the most significant historical events to take place…

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Perhaps no comic book writer has been more influential and highly venerated as British author Alan Moore.  Widely considered to be one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, comic book authors in history, Moore has redefined the limits and expectations of the medium.  He began working in underground British magazines like 2000AD and Warrior where he…

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When people talk about Japanese role-playing games, certain images pop into mind: scrawny and under-dressed teens saving the world, ridiculously complex story lines, and ground-breaking graphics.  While it’s true that these stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, the world of JRPGs is one of the richest and most fascinatingly diverse in all of gaming.  They…

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The practice of binding books in human skin, also known as anthropodermic bibliopegy, is not just the stuff of dark legends and horror fiction.  It was a real technique which, although frowned upon and considered ghastly by today’s standards, was officially practiced since the 17th century.  The technique gained considerable popularity during the French Revolution and among…

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Marvel Comics is responsible for a complete revitalization of the comic book industry in the 60s, some of the greatest and most beloved characters and superhero stories in history, and helping to convince the mainstream that comic books are a legitimate art form. Their power and greatness cannot be denied. But, it also cannot be…

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The alter ego of scrawny young man Steve Rogers, Captain America, was created when he was injected with an experimental serum designed to transform him into the world’s greatest super-soldier. Armed with his trusty, nearly indestructible shield, Captain America wages war against the forces of evil, injustice, and tyranny. Unlike other superheroes, Captain America doesn’t…

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With the Green Lantern movie being released this month, now is a good time to look back at the mythos and characters behind the Green Lantern franchise. Green Lanterns are members of an intergalactic police force named the Green Lantern Corps. They are endowed with Power Rings that are able to create any construct or…

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Known to some as “avant-garde” and to others as “underground”, there is a distinct genre of film known as “experimental” that exists solely to further and explore the process of filmmaking. Usually made by artists who operate outside of the commercial mainstream, experimental films are usually made cheaply with very low budgets. They frequently contain…

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10. First Synchronization of Sound and Film The Photo-Drama of Creation (1914) The Photo-Drama of Creation was an eight hour long film that documented the Christian creation story. Funded by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, the film depicted Christian history until the supposed end of Christ’s 1,000 year reign. Taking two…

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Some of the most influential and beloved horror films came from an era before gory special effects, prosthetic limbs designed to be torn off actors, and meager shock scares.  These were the silent horror films.  Even today, while many silent films have disappeared from popular consciousness, silent horror films still maintain a widespread audience.  Whether…

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With one of the world’s most unique environments and ecosystems, is it any wonder that Australia is full of strange and mythical creatures?  While they may not be as famous as their European or Asian counterparts, Australia has their fare share of cryptids, creatures from folklore, and mythological beasts.  Many are derived from Aboriginal culture…

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Some of the most overlooked personalities in the film industry are the men and women who sit in the director’s chair.  While most of the public is content with engaging themselves with the off-screen antics of actors and actresses, it is often the directors who outshine their fellow artists in terms of eccentricities and sheer…

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Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States of America, was one of the most intriguing figures of his era.  Writer of the Declaration of Independence, he played a crucial role in early American history.  As president, he was involved with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  A man…

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In today’s society, it can be difficult for new directors to make a name for themselves.  With film schools pumping thousands of graduates every year, getting recognition as a promising new talent is essential to survive in the film industry.  Here is a list of ten directors who are relatively new to the game but…

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While many may think that French cinema is dry, boring, and stale, those initiated into the country’s movie industry know that France has one of the world’s richest crime film heritages.  French cinema is brimming with tales of enigmatic heroes, daring heists, and malevolent criminals.  Inspired by Hollywood detective stories and film noir, French crime…

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