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WEIRD HORIZON FOR THE WEEK OF 9/21/2018

Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs and Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

Trailers of new release movies are generally available at the official site links.

FILM FESTIVALS – Fantastic Fest (Austin, TX, 9/20-9/27):

The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX may be America’s coolest movie theater. Their brand has grown so big that now they have franchised Drafthouses, and even distribute their own (generally weird) movies. One of the Alamo’s hippest projects is Fantastic Fest, going into its thirteenth year. As per usual, there is a fantastic slate of weird movies and some neato revivals here; this year, they are adding satellite screenings of select features in their Denver, Brooklyn and San Francisco locations. Coming at the tail end of the film festival season, much of the movies are retreads, but the Drafthouse folks always find a way to save some surprise debuts. reported on Cam, Chained for Life, Luz, One Cut of the Dead, Under the Silver Lake and Violence Voyager for his coverage. We noted Gaspar Noé‘s LSD orgy Climax, ‘s “romantic comedy” An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn, s fashion horror In Fabric, and ‘s long-awaited The Man Who Killed Don Quixote at earlier festivals. Here are the new-to-us films we’ll be tracking:

  • All the Gods in the Sky – A man waits for aliens to come and save him and his disabled sister. Screening Sep. 23 & 25.
  • Angel – An Argentine teen turns into a violent criminal, but sees his crimes as fantasy sequences. Sep. 25.
  • Between WorldsMandy isn’t ‘s only strange and over-the-top role of the year; there’s also this one, where he must defend himself from the ghost of his wife, who’s jealous of his new relationship with a medium. See it Sep. 25.
  • Blood Lake (1987) – A slasher movie made by a cast of Oklahoman amateurs during summer vacation at a lake, it’s supposedly . Sep 23, with the director in attendance.
  • Deadwax – This story about a possessed record that drives people mad was shown on Shudder in 15 minute episodes; it’s presented as a full movie here. From (who will be at the screening on Sep 23), so you know it will be weird.
  • Dog – French black comedy about a man who thinks he’s turning into a dog. Sep. 21 & 24.
  • Fugue‘s followup to her Certified Weird The Lure is about a woman with total memory loss. Don’t forget to check it out on Sep 21 or 27.
  • Keep an Eye Out returns with a comedy set during an all-night interrogation. Sep. 27.
  • Ladyworld – Eight teenage girls are trapped in a house by an earthquake in a surreal distaff take on “Lord of the Flies.” Sep. 24.
  • Laika – Stop-motion Czech musical positing that a dog the Soviets shot into space in 1957 actually landed on an alien planet. Sep. 26.
  • Lords of Chaos – The true story of the infamous Norwegian black metal band Mayhem, but with dream sequences. Screens Sep. 27.
  • Madame Yankelova’s Fine Literature Club – An aging temptress is ordered to bring one final date to her feminist cannibal club, but starts to fall for her prey. Sep. 24.
  • May the Devil Take You – The Devil comes to claim the father of an estranged daughter in this Indonesian horror. Sep. 23 & 25.
  • Murder Me, Monster – The chief suspect in a series of decapitations claims he’s in telepathic contact with the monster who is the real killer. Sep. 23 & 26.
  • Starfish – Things go from bad to worse for young Aubrey when her best friend dies, and then the apocalypse arrives soon after. On Sep. 27.
  • Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart – Surreal microbudget drama based on Bergman’s Autumn Sonata, and recommended to connoisseurs of the “strange and unusual.” Sep. 25.
  • When the Trees Fall – Ukrainian tale of young lovers and a life of crime, with bursts of magical realism. Sep-23-24.
  • White Fire (1984) – Oddity about a gang of diamond smugglers after a massive jewel that burns anyone who touches it. The Sep 20 screening may be the first time anyone’s seen it in 34 years.
  • The Wolf House [La Casa Lobo] – Disturbing stop-motion feature about a girl who’s punished by being forced to spend 100 nights alone in a cabin in the woods.

Fantastic Fest home page.

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

Cabin Boy (1994): A “fancy lad” takes a job as a cabin boy on a fishing ship. This absurdist comedy from Chris Elliot (of the David Letterman show) went way over the heads of 1994 audiences and flopped like a mackerel, but it’s gained a cult following sense. Now on DVD and Blu-ray with many extras including a commentary track from Elliot and director Adam Resnick. Buy Cabin Boy.

Damsel (2018): A cowboy () journeys across the frontier, miniature horse in tow, to join his strong-willed bride-to-be (). This somewhat bizarre Western died quietly at the box office and now is out in bare-bones DVD or VOD (no Blu-ray, sorry). Buy Damsel.

Horrors of Malformed Men (1969): An escaped mental patient assumes the identity of his own doppelganger and winds up on a mad doctor’s island. devised this macabre tale by merging several stories, now restored and out in a deluxe edition from Arrow Video (the Criterion Collection of schlock film). Buy Horrors of Malformed Men.

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). We won’t list all the screenings of this audience-participation classic separately. You can use this page to find a screening near you.

What are you looking forward to? If you have any weird movie leads that I have overlooked, feel free to leave them in the COMMENTS section.

WEIRD HORIZON FOR THE WEEK OF 9/14/2018

Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs and Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

Trailers of new release movies are generally available at the official site links.

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

Don’t Leave Home (2018): An Irish woman contacts a painter priest whose models disappear. Maybe a longshot for “weird,” but early reviewers have used words like “dreamy” and “elliptical.” Cranked Up Films Facebook page.

Mandy (2018): Read Giles Edwards’ Fantasia report and interview with director Panos Cosmatos. The psychedelic revenge story starring as—get this—a crazy lumberjack finally gets its limited release. Weirdos will be lined up around the block. Mandy official site.

Slice (2018): Chance the Rapper debuts as Chance the Actor, playing a werewolf pizza delivery guy. Jacob Knight of “birth. movies. death.” called it “genuinely weird” in a review that compares it to Repo Man. Slice official site.

IN DEVELOPMENT:

“Wakey Wakey?” (201?): The trailer (?) below was dropped onto YouTube without further comment. It would seem to be an announcement for a new installment of and ‘s puppet nightmare “Don’t Hug Me, I’m Scared.” Or perhaps a feature film, or a Netflix series. We will see…

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

Brain Dead (1991): Read our review. This very strange B-movie about a hallucinating brain surgeon was made by ‘s studio, and forced  to change the name of his zombie film from Braindead to Dead Alive in the U.S. to avoid confusion. Now out on Blu-ray for the first time from Shout! Factory. Also streaming on Amazon Prime. Buy Brain Dead.

Slice (2018): See description in “limited release” above. If you can’t catch the werewolf pizza boy rapper in theaters, it’s being released simultaneously for rental or purchase on video-on-demand. Buy or rent Slice.

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). We won’t list all the screenings of this audience-participation classic separately. You can use this page to find a screening near you.

What are you looking forward to? If you have any weird movie leads that I have overlooked, feel free to leave them in the COMMENTS section.

WEIRD HORIZON FOR THE WEEK OF 9/7/2018

Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs and Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

Trailers of new release movies are generally available at the official site links.

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

I Am Not a Witch (2017): A Zambian girl is accused of witchcraft and sent to a witches camp. Critics praised its “light surrealism.” I Am Not a Witch official site.

FILM FESTIVALS – Toronto International Film Festival (Toronto, Canada, 9/6-9/16):

In the past few years, TIFF has risen from a scrappy underdog to an awards-season kingmaker.As their profile has risen, the number of smaller, scrappier, weirder films debuting here has fallen. Still, the slate is so massive there’s bound to be something strange showing up there. Some we’ve already heard of, like Gaspar Noé‘s LSD-in-the-punchbowl feature Climax. Here’s a few new ones we’ll be keeping an eye out for:

  • “Accidence” – a ten-minute “Hitchcockian” mystery short from and collaborators and Galen Johnson. Screens as part of the “Short Cuts Programme 08” on Sep. 11, 12 & 16.
  • Angel – Dreamlike movie from  about a vacationing Belgian cyclist falls in love with a Senegalese prostitute. Sep. 11, 13, or 15.
  • “Blue” – A new dreamy short from . In the “Wavelengths One: Earth, Wind & Fire” short program, tonight, Sep. 7 only.
  • Diamantino – A Portuguese soccer star adopts an African lesbian immigrant, while his twin sisters are conducting secret genetic experiments, in this bonkers-sounding comedy. September 15 & 16, in the “Midnight Madness” category.
  • Fausto – Non-narrative experiment described as an “avant-garde ghost story.” Screening Sep. 9, 11, 15.
  • Freaks – A girl leaves her house while her father is asleep and discovers a strange and unsettling world, with the help of a sinister ice cream man (). Sep. 8, 10, or 16.
  • The Great Darkened Days – A Quebecois actor finds himself stranded in a cruel Fascist version of the USA. Sep 10, 12, 16.
  • The Image Book‘s latest visual essay. See it Sep. 13, 15 or 16.
  • In Fabric‘s latest is a surreal horror about a haunted dress. Plays Sep 14-16 in the “Midnight Madness” category.
  • Jessica Forever – A woman adopts violent misfit orphans in a dystopian world in this directorial début programmers describe as “at-times bizarre film that is utterly fearless in the risks it takes.” See it Sep. 12 (with a Q&A), 13 or 16.
  • Jinpa – A Tibetan delivery driver meets a man bent on avenging his father’s death in a story that “blur[s] the boundaries between reality and dreams.” Screening Sep. 11, 13-14.
  • Long Day’s Journey Into Night – Experimental sophomore drama from ; if I’m reading this right, the second half of the film retells the first half—in a single take, in 3D. Find out Sep. 11, 13 or 15.

Toronto International Film Festival home page.

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

Deep Red [Profondo Rosso] (1975): Read our review of the film. Dario Argento‘s warm-up for Suspiria (1977) is an engaging giallo in its own right; newly restored by Arrow Video for Blu-ray with a wealth of extra features, both new and recycled from previous releases. Buy Deep Red.

Hereditary (2018): Read Ryan Aarset’s review. “Like a coffin descending into a fresh grave, Hereditary sinks into a subconscious nightmare that feels extremely real.” Now available on DVD, Blu-ray or VOD (or 4K). Buy Hereditary.

SYMPOSIUMS (Los Angeles, CA, 9/13):

“Live from Miskatonic: Don Coscarelli in Conversation”: A three-hour conversation with three-time Certified Weird director (who has a new memoir coming out in October), sponsored by the (no kidding) Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies. Hosted at the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles. Live from Miskatonic: Don Coscarelli.

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). We won’t list all the screenings of this audience-participation classic separately. You can use this page to find a screening near you.

Multiple cities: 9/10 – Perfect Blue (1997) (dubbed). Check the GKids site for locations near you.

What are you looking forward to? If you have any weird movie leads that I have overlooked, feel free to leave them in the COMMENTS section.

WEIRD HORIZON FOR THE WEEK OF 8/31/2018

Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs and Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

Trailers of new release movies are generally available at the official site links.

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

Let the Corpses Tan (2017): Gold thieves engage in a shootout with cops in and ‘s latest, this time a tribute to Italian poliziotteschi films. It doesn’t look as strange as their previous giallo-inspired work, but at least one mainstream reviewer found it “profoundly weird.” Look for a screening on Let the Corpses Tan‘s official site.

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

All You Can Eat Buddha (2017): A mysterious man performs miracles at a tropical resort in this low-key film described as a “trippy and complex cinematic experience.” Looks like it will be skipping theatrical and physical media altogether and only be available on VOD. Buy or rent All You Can Eat Buddha.

Mind Game (2004): Killed by a yakuza, a nerd goes to a psychedelic afterlife. Thanks to readers, this one arrives pre-approved for the List of the 366 Weirdest Movies. Buy the DVD/Blu-ray combo pack or watch it on VOD while waiting for our review. Buy Mind Game.

“Mohsen Makhmalbaf: The Poetic Trilogy”: Gabbeh (1996) is a magical realist fable about a woman who materializes from a Persian rug; The Silence (1998) is about a blind boy who tunes instruments; and The Gardener is a “surreal documentary” about the Baha’i faith. Arrow Academy continues to put out extremely obscure movies with mildly weird-sounding synopses in expensive editions. Buy “Mohsen Makhmalbaf: The Poetic Trilogy”.

Straight To Hell (1987): reportedly wrote this spaghetti western/bank heist script in three days after a musical tour of Nicaragua he was promoting fell apart. Featuring a crazy cast of Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, Jim Jarmusch, Courtney Love, Grace Jones, the Pogues, and (!) Buy Straight to Hell.

The Tree of Life (2011): Read the Certified Weird entry! The Criterion Collection gets their mitts on ‘s surrealistic family drama, with an additional 50 minutes of footage (!) and new interviews. So much stuff, it requires two Blu-rays or three DVDs to fit it all on. Buy The Tree of Life.

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). We won’t list all the screenings of this audience-participation classic separately. You can use this page to find a screening near you.

Multiple cities: 9/6 – Perfect Blue (1997) (subtitled). Check the GKids site for locations near you.

FREE MOVIES ON TUBI.TV:

The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976): Read the Certified Weird review! stars as the titular character, an alien searching for water for his dying planet who gets distracted by Earthly pleasures. Watch The Man Who Fell to Earth free on Tubi.tv.

NEPOTISM CORNER:

“Women Make Movies, Vol. 1”: Alex Kittle wrote and illustrated this ‘zine about female filmmakers, from Lois Weber to Ava DuVernay. Hand-stitched and signed, for a mere $8 U.S. No weird filmmakers occupy this volume (unless the Wachowskis count), but Alex promises and will show up in Volume 2. Buy “Women Make Movies, Vol. 1“.

What are you looking forward to? If you have any weird movie leads that I have overlooked, feel free to leave them in the COMMENTS section.

WEIRD HORIZON FOR THE WEEK OF 8/24/2018

Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs and Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

Trailers of new release movies are generally available at the official site links.

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl (2017): Our own called it “stuffed to the gills with both narrative and visual humor. (And wonderment. And surrealism. And drinking).” GKids put this out in a Fathom Live screening last week (which we neglected to mention), but now it’s in a regular limited release. Find locations and showtimes at The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl official site.

The Wild Boys [Les garcons sauavges] (2017): Five boys (all played by girls) are exiled to an island due to crimes they commit while under the influence of a mystical being called TREVOR. A French reader nominated this for review last year, but, weird as it sounds, given its limited limited release schedule we’ll probably have to wait until it gets to home video to check it out. The Wild Boys page at Cineuropa.

FILM FESTIVALS – Venice International Film Festival (Venice, IT, 8/29-9/8):

The world’s oldest film festival, Venice is still one of the most prestigious movie events of the year, although it has been losing ground in late years as many producers who miss the chance to debut at Cannes choose to premiere at the better-attended Toronto Film Festival instead. Like Cannes, its tastes tend towards the vino e formaggio crowd, but they always scoop Toronto for some adventurous high-profile debuts, as seen in our list below:

  • The Favourite – turns his attention to a period piece set in England in the 18th century; we suspect he will find some way to weird up the hoary history. Screening 8/20-8/31.
  • Last Year at Marienbad (1961)- A special screening of the Certified Weird classic about two people who may, or may not, have met lats year at Marienbad. See it 9/5 or 9/6.
  • Suspiria – This witchy horror is the rare remake (of a Certified Weird classic, no less) that has us intrigued. Screens 9/1 and9/2.
  • The Tree of Life (extended cut) – ‘s 3+ hour directr’s cut of his insanely ambitious (and Certified Weird) feature can  be seen on 9/6 or 9/7.
  • Zan [Killing] – turns his lens on a period piece, setting his latest in 19th century Japan and focusing on the adventures of a ronin and a peasant girl; if the treatment isn’t at least a little weird, it will be a huge departure for Tsukamoto. Screening 9/6-9/8.

Venice International Film Festival home page.

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

The Tingler (1959): Read the Certified Weird entry! Cinema’s first acid freakout, plus a monster that lives in the human spine, plus Vincent Price, on Blu-ray for the first time! (Percepto not included). Buy The Tingler.

Wild at Heart (1990): Read the Certified Weird entry! Shout! Factory upgrades ‘s “weird on top” road trip to Blu-ray, with a new interview with original novelist Barry Gifford added to features recycled from older DVD releases. Buy Wild at Heart.

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). We won’t list all the screenings of this audience-participation classic separately. You can use this page to find a screening near you.

FREE MOVIES ON TUBI.TV:

Cube Zero (2004): Read our review. You’ve seen the other two, now find out how the series ends in its B-moviest installment. Watch Cube Zero free on Tubi.tv.

What are you looking forward to? If you have any weird movie leads that I have overlooked, feel free to leave them in the COMMENTS section.