Mona Lisa 4K 1986

Of all the Neil Jordan films I’ve seen, this is the one I liked the most. The direction is so mature—it’s hard to believe this is only his third film. It has stood the test of time and holds up today without a trace of that “stale, dated feel” that hasn’t touched it in 23 years. And although nimble-fingered colleagues have borrowed quite a bit from the Maestro, the power and essence of the original are still palpable today.

Heartless monster pimps, a business built on young bodies, its mafia-like owners, and the poor girls caught in their snares—all of this would be clichéd were it not for the magnificent ensemble cast, the superb cinematography, and the musical score, which create a unique atmosphere of a contrasting London from a bygone century. Of course, there is also love here and plenty of reasons to smile, which breathe life into the theme and give it the flavor of real life.

What else could you ask for from a movie? Especially when it features such stars as Bob Hoskins, Michael Caine, Kathy Tyson, Clark Peters, and Robbie Coltrane, and Sammy Davis Jr. launched his successful film career with this role.