This list is part of a new feature where we ask established directors and critics to list what they feel are their top 10 “weird” movies. There are no constraints on what the author can pick. This list was composed by Sir Tijn Po, director of Coming Soon.
When people ask me if I believe in god, I always ask them to define the word “god” first, since without that definition my answer is meaningless; if by “god” they mean a bearded male sadist then my answer is “no”, if by “god” they mean “an abstract power larger than myself” then my answer is “yes”.
Similarly, when asked by 366weirdmovies.com to provide a list of my 10 favorite weird movies of all time, I would first like to explain my definition of “weird”, without which my list strikes me as irrelevant.
I assume that, unlike the vast majority of English-users, the founders of 366weirdmovies.com don’t see “weird” as a pejorative, otherwise they wouldn’t be spending so much time promoting “weird” films. I, too, don’t see “weird” as a negative; to me the word describes those areas of life which don’t quite fit into the rational, or conventionally emotional, yet effect us in powerful, and often pleasant, ways.
Some attribute this phenomenon to the sub-conscious, where, if you dig deep enough, all is supposedly explainable, etc. Fair enough. But I don’t feel the need to dig that deep. I think our rational faculties are only one portion of our governing structure and there is another, often contradictory, portion which simply enjoys, and oftentimes even craves, the irrational. No explanation needed. No need to dig into the subconscious to make it rational. We simply have it, even though we can’t explain it. Just like non-reproductive fetishes, etc. They make no sense, but they’re there.
Thus, to me “weird” movies, or “weird” anything for anything for that matter, are those which describe, or stimulate, the irrational within us.
So my 10 favorite “weird” films of all time (which aren’t necessarily my 10 favorite films of all time, since my rational favorites are not included here) are:
- Sir Tijn Po’s COMING SOON (the portions that I didn’t write, and still keep me up at night.)
- Jan Svankmajer‘s CONSPIRATORS OF PLEASURE.
- Pier Paolo Pasolini’s THEOREMA.
- Walon Green’s THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS.
- Frederico Fellini’s SATYRICON.
- Stanley Kubrick‘s A CLOCKWORK ORANGE.
- Tom Shadyac’s ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE.
- The first two thirds of Spike Jonze‘s BEING JOHN MALKOVICH.
- Many portions of Larry Charles’ BORAT.
- Shimon Shemtov’s RATEVET (little known short film).
and Dwayne Carey-Hill’s FUTURAMA (I didn’t love the film, but it reminds me of the perfect FUTURAMA T.V. series. Thanks to S.G. for the heads-up!!!)
With warm wishes and many congratulations on your new website,
Sir Tijn Po (http://www.sirtijnpo.com/)
Thanks, Sir Tijn Po, for the thoughtful contribution, especially the introductory comments re: the appeal of the weird, which I wholeheartedly endorse. Many of the movies you mentioned have already been penciled into the list of 366. I expect at least one to be reviewed in the upcoming months. The Secret Life of Plants, a long out of print documentary based on the 1970s bestseller about pyschic plants and featuring a soundtrack by Stevie Wonder, was unknown to me, so thanks for the tip. And Ace Ventura and Borat were surprises, but that’s one reason I wanted to query others on their choices: to find surprises.