Suggest a Weird Movie!
Know a weird movie? Something strange that glued you to the screen with awe, amazement or reverence, while your more mundane minded friends left the room (or theater) in boredom, confusion or disgust? A movie whose omission from a list of the 366 weirdest movies of all time would offend you on a personal level? Something even I haven’t heard of or considered? There are potentially thousands of forgotten films, critically dismissed films, foreign or independent films that never got a proper release, or misplaced oddities hiding out there that may deserve a place at the table. One man can’t be expected to track them all down. Here is the place to mention those treasured curios that no one else seems to have even heard of. Nominate a movie in the suggestion box and I’ll move it up on my review queue, or at the very least, explain why I’m not going to review it.
If you can’t wait for one of our staff to review your movie, why not review it yourself and submit it to us via the contact form? We can’t swear we’ll publish every submission we receive, but we want reader participation and we are fairly liberal.
To prevent spam, commenting require registration. We will not share your email with third parties. All serious suggestions will receive a response, as well as all most non-serious ones.

April 9th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I see you don’t have “naked lunch”. That was the first the popped in my mind :-)
April 9th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I suggest a review of “The Reflecting Skin.”
April 10th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Thanks for the suggestion, Rui! I will stock up on Bug Powder and give Naked Lunch another look. The soundtrack by Ornette Coleman and Howard Shore is definitelty worth checking out, too.
I am screening the odd little indie film Elevator Movie next, and I have a few more capsules to do, but Cronenberg’s film goes right into queue behind those.
April 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
“Bani,” I am shocked to discover that The Reflecting Skin is not available on DVD! I usually rely on Netflix for review copies, but that’s not always possible. I will have to look for a VHS copy. But it’s a film I’ve been meaning to see for a long time, and I definitely want to give it a review! I’ll get on it soon (after Naked Lunch), but there might be a delay in the review appearing.
It’s actually quite similar in concept to Tideland, which I just reviewed.
April 11th, 2009 at 7:37 am
Hi, a very interesting site. As a citizen of Ukraine I would like to suggest for reviewing a movie based on the Ukrainian folklore and a Nikolay Gogol’s text titled “Viy”. The movie’s original title is the same “Viy” (1967), but in the USA it was distributed as “Spirit of Evil”. Please do not mix it up with “Viy” lately produced in Russia.
I would suggest one more movie produced in the former USSR, actually in Kiev,Ukraine. Its Russian title “Черная курица или жители подземелья” (The Black Hen, or Living Underground)
Director: Viktor Gres
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128120
It’s a wonderful fairytale. But I’m afraid it is not available in the USA. One of most favourite film of my childhood.
Natalia
April 11th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Natalia, I have put Viy (1967) into my review queue right behind Naked Lunch and The Reflecting Skin. Netflix indicates that there is a “very long wait” for this title. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it.
I think Soviet-era films are a potential goldmine for film lovers here in the West. Russians (and Ukrainians) have a natural sense of fantasy and surrealism. There must be hundreds of titles that have never been translated into English and officially released here. I understand there may be rights issues, since the Soviet Union owned all those films. I’ll see what I can dig up on The Black Hen, or Living Underground.
April 19th, 2009 at 9:53 am
I’ve recently seen a movie which slightly, by a very distant association reminded me Antonioni’s “Zabriskie Point”. The movie is “Wristcutters: A Love Story” (2006) with Tom Waits. Though being rather sad by its plot but it is ephemerally light. I think you may cover it here.
April 20th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Natalia, thanks for pointing out Wristcutters. Somehow I never heard about this movie when it came out, although I love Tom Waits both as an actor and a singer. I’m putting it in queue right behind Naked Lunch (review coming this week), The Reflecting Skin, and Viy.
April 24th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Hello. I’d like to suggest two of my favourite films. One is The Wicker Man, the 1973 version directed by Robin Hardy, not the horrible remake from 2006. Maybe it’s not weird enough, but it sure isn’t a conventional film either.
The other suggestion is David Lynch’s classic Eraserhead.
Cheers
April 24th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Thanks for the suggestions, Filipe. I believe The Wicker Man (1973) would probably qualify as a great weird movie; the atmosphere and feel are totally unique. I haven’t seen it in ten or twenty years, but I still remember certain scenes as if I saw them yesterday. I’ll give it another look. And I’ve been waiting for someone to suggest Eraserhead. There was no need to review it on my own; I knew someone would request it sooner or later.
My review queue now looks like this: The Reflecting Skin (review should be ready on Monday), Viy (still waiting to receive a copy), Wristcutters: A Love Story, The Wicker Man, and Eraserhead.
April 24th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Great! Looking forward to your reviews. You’re doing a terrific work with this site by the way. My friend Rui, who suggested Naked Lunch, pointed me here and I’ve been reading avidly since.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I suggest my own surreal short film (it was my first film actually, I’m still proud of it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyhXBdjNiKg
or my new Antifilm II
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8369/hektalagonia13fin7d00.gif
May 18th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I’d like to suggest the then West German movie “Das Wirtshaus I’m Spessart” (1960) (The Haunted Castle USA) based on the popular German fairy tale/legend. Director: Kurt Hoffmann.
The story is about the ghosts of the robbers from “Wirtshaus I’m Spessart”. In my youth it was very popular and it was nominated Grand Prix at Moscow International Film Festival and won Silver Prize (1959-1967).
May 19th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Haewatein, sorry for taking so long to reply, but please keep making films! I think your work fits better with Alfred’s “Fringe Cinema” than the main site (although feel free to notify us again when you’ve completed a feature). I gave him your info, but he has a very big backlog of stuff to review, as do I.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Irene, I would love to give Das Spukschloß im Spessart [The Haunted Castle] (1960) a chance, but I can’t find a copy of it. It seems it has never been released on video in North America, and the only versions available are in German on Region 2 DVDs (which will not play in most North American DVD players). I keep a list of untranslated foreign movies that I hope will someday get a release, and I will put this one on it. In the meanwhile, feel free to make another suggestion.
May 25th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Here are a couple weird ones. Lair of the white Snake. I was allowed to watch this movie at a very young age, and with that viewing I also watched my innocence slowly slip from my grasp. Barberella is a truly psychedelic experience of the third kind, and a classic that I have seen at least four times is Lost Highway…. Funny how secrets travel.
Enjoy, and thanks for the list
Nico
May 26th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Thanks Nico, those are good ones, all worthy of being included on the list. I will place Lair of the White Worm in my review queue, right behind Eraserhead. (And look for a mention of director Ken Russell in the “artsploitation” article that will be posted later today). Check back later for Barbarella and Lost Highway (feel free to re-suggest them if I don’t get to them quick enough).
May 27th, 2009 at 3:27 am
I suggest “Begotten” by E. Merhige. GOD disembowels himself. It’s very surreal.
May 27th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Jeff, thanks for Begotten. Somehow when I compiled my initial list of titles to investigate, it got left off by accident. That’s why your suggestions are so helpful. I will place it in the review queue behind Eraserhead and Lair of the White Worm.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:17 am
My new suggestion is Nostalghia (1983) by the late legendary Russian director and script writer Andrei Tarkovsky. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086022/
The movie I’m suggesting is definitely a cult one and should be available in the USA as it was made outside the Soviet Union. Oleg Yankovskiy, a legend of the Russian cinematography was acting in the movie. O. Yankovskiy has recently passed away (@0 May, 2009).
June 1st, 2009 at 9:38 am
Excellent suggestion! It’s one I haven’t seen yet. I’ll add it in the queue behind Eraserhead (coming this week, I promise), Lair of the White Worm and Begotten.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:25 am
Thank you. I’ll be waiting.
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Stay
June 3rd, 2009 at 7:49 am
Melissa, I am sure you mean Stay (2005) with Ewan McGregor. (There are several movies named Stay, but this one looks like the right candidate). Thanks, I actually had not heard of this one and it looks perfectly suited for the list. It goes in queue behind Lair of the White Worm, Begotten and Nostalghia.
June 3rd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
The quirky Asia Times columnist Spengler last year wrote on Luis Bunuel’s The Milky Way. I think you might like it. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie is Bunuel’s best known movie, but I thought this one better.
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Thanks, Andrew. As you might have guessed, I’ll be getting to almost all of Buñuel’s work sooner or later. The Milky Way (1969) looks to be as good a place as any to start with this difficult director. So, the rapidly growing review queue now looks like this: Lair of the White Worm (review in progress), Begotten, Nostalghia, Stay, and The Milky Way. And I’ll likely mix one or two of my own choices into that list, as well.
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:57 pm
The queue is getting huge but I’ll risk suggesting another one. “C’est Arrivé Près de Chez Vous”. I’ve just checked IMDB and the english title is “Man Bites Dog”.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:51 am
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is one of the strangest movies I’ve seen in a long time. Tim Curry steals the title for the strangest role with a whole cast of crazy characters to back him up. Definitely a weird one!
June 4th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Felipe: OK, I will add Man Bites Dog. I didn’t like it when it came out, but I’ll give it another chance. It definitely deserves evaluation on a site devoted to weird movies.
Evan: You’re right, I must consider The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s one I had overlooked.
So, the ever-growing queue looks like this: Lair of the White Worm (under construction), Begotten, Nostalghia, Stay, The Milky Way, Man Bites Dog, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. That should keep me busy for a while!
June 10th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
I’d like to recommend two movies.
The first is actually not available on DVD and the VHS copies are going for around $100 so you’ll have to find it for rent somewhere and if you happen to live near Madison, WI I know where you can get it. The title is A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings (Un senor muy viejo con unas alas enormes) and it is directed by Fernando Birr. I believe it is the only adaptation of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez story worth seeing.
The other is available on dvd and it’s title is Cure directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
June 10th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Richard L.: Since you seem to be offering me a choice, I will review Cure and put A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings on the backburner until I make it to Madison, WI, or otherwise discover a source.
In other news, I’ll review Stay before Begotten or Nostalghia, because I didn’t realize the other two were both out of print. I think I can locate reasonably priced copies of both, though.
June 17th, 2009 at 4:59 am
Great site. Not a single Japanese movie on your list yet? How about “Funky Forest”? That one’s right at the top of the weirdest ones I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen Jodorowsky’s films.
If you like actually good weird movies from Japan: “Princess Raccoon” and the animated film “Mind Game”.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Charles: good observation. It is kind of… weird… that there hasn’t been a Japanese movie featured here yet. It’s just luck of the draw, really; I think the Japanese may land as many as 20-30 movies on the list by the end.
By the way, we not only like good weird movies, we prefer them.
I’ll put Funky Forest into the queue. I am still searching for an affordable review copy of Begotten, but I did acquire a VHS copy of Nostalghia. So I will likely review Nostalghia first, followed (hopefully) by the elusive Begotten, with The Milky Way, Man Bites Dog, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Funky Forest to follow.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
I’m happy to learn that at least a VHS copy of Nostalghia is available for reviewing it here.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:47 am
Loved the Reflecting Skin.
If you love the strange I highly recommend:
Dr. Caligari (1998 version)
Heavenly Creatures
Freaks (1932)
Leolo
La Ardilla Roja (The Red Squirrel)
Baxter (1989 Beware of the dog who thinks)
Anything by John Waters
and anything by David Lynch of course… Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive, Elephant Man, Twin Peaks are my personal faves.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:50 am
Speaking of Japanese movies…
Audition (1999 by Takashi Miike)
June 18th, 2009 at 2:52 am
The Cook the Thief His Wife and Her Lover (1989)
ok I’ll stop now. xoxo
June 18th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Cassandra, no need to stop now, I love the enthusiasm for these movies! I have plans to review most of the movies you mentioned here; most of them will make the list. (You do know we already reviewed Eraserhead, right?) The suggestions which were new to me were Dr. Caligari, La Ardilla Roja, and Baxter. So, just for you, I’ll add Dr. Caligari to my review list.
I obtained a rental copy of Begotten, review will be posted next week. After that it’s Nostlaghia, The Milky Way, Man Bites Dog, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Funky Forest and Dr. Caligari.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:24 am
366, thanks so much! I Love this site. *Cheers* to your reviews.
Ok, one more… If you are interested in a strange Japanese musical, The Happiness of the Katakuris. Normally I’m unable to sit through a musical, but this one is special!
June 20th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
my suggestion NEKRomantik
June 21st, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I’ve avoided Nekromantik for years; it seems like one of those movies whose sole purpose is to disturb. But I agree that it deserves a look, at least. I will add it to the end of the review queue.
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:10 pm
I would love it if you could review Synecdoche, New York. It is one of the strangest and most attractive films I have ever seen.
July 4th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
I suggest A Clockwork Orange
July 5th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Zeldon: I mentioned Synecdoche back in the Weird Horizon column for 3/19/09, so it’s already “pre-approved.” It’s always interesting to see what Charlie Kaufman will come up with.
Richard: Yep, A Clockwork Orange is a classic in the field, I was expecting it to be mentioned soon!
Updated review queue: The Milky Way (hopefully I’m finished with this one tomorrow); Man Bites Dog; The Rocky Horror Picture Show; Cure; Funky Forest; Dr. Caligari; Nekromantic; Synecdoche, New York; and A Clockwork Orange. Whew!
July 6th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Sorry, you’ve missed Stalker recommended by Alfred Eaker
July 3rd in his commentary of Nostalghia. :)
July 6th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I think Alfred should have to go through normal channels and suggest Stalker on this official suggestion thread, just like anyone else. But I will add it to the end of the queue behind A Clockwork Orange nonetheless. I have to get to most, if not all, of Tarkovsky eventually anyway.
July 10th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Here are the ones I would nominate:
“UHF” (1989) – Weird Al’s movie must be on the list.
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005)
“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971)
“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” (2005)
“Toys” (1992)
“Coneheads” (1993)
“Little Shop of Horrors” (1986)
“Lilo & Stitch” (2002)
July 10th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Vooshvazool, of those you listed, I may get around to the original Willy Wonka (I’m not much of a fan of the remake), and I’ve heard promising things about Hitchhikers Guide. A few of those other movies could get capsule reviews.
However, I am interested in finally seeing UHF after having heard so much about it over the years, so that’s the one I’ll add to my review queue.
Updated review queue: Synecdoche, New York; Man Bites Dog; The Rocky Horror Picture Show; Cure; Funky Forest; Dr. Caligari; Nekromantic; A Clockwork Orange; Stalker; and UHF. I plan to publish reviews of both Synecdoche and Man Bites Dog next week.
July 14th, 2009 at 2:03 am
Bad Boy Bubby I think is a weird movie, black++ comedy
July 14th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Una, I’ve only heard of Bad Boy Bubby but from the IMDB description it looks promising and right up our alley. So I’ll add it.
Updated queue: Synecdoche, New York (this week); The Rocky Horror Picture Show; Cure; Funky Forest; Dr. Caligari; Nekromantic; A Clockwork Orange; Stalker; UHF; Bad Boy Bubby.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:28 am
Hi. Don’t forget Delicatessen. :)
July 16th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Filipe: I will add Delicatessen to the end of the list. Next week should see me do Cure, at least.
July 18th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
you may consider adding crooked rot to the “shorts” section. and i’m sure david firth’s full length animated film should be considered when it’s finished. it will probably take a few years, though.
http://www.fat-pie.com/crookedrot.htm
July 18th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Cameron, you touch on an excellent point. Short films have been getting “short shrift” around here, and there are multiple reasons we should pay more attention to them. I would like to spotlight at least one short a week–it’s just been a time issue. If anyone out there with writing skills and/or filmmaking experience would like to apply for a position as “shorts editor,” give us a shout. In the meantime I will try to squeeze more shorts in, including “Crooked Rot.”
July 18th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
here’s another one to consider. there are a lot of good short films from future shorts, but most of them are more comedic than weird.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7HMz1WKkso&feature=related
also, i thought pi by darren aronofsky was a really stange film. it may not make the list, but it deserves a shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ1sZSCz47w
thank you.
July 18th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
sorry, i have one last comment. i found jodorowsky’s the holy mountain (1973) to be more strange than el topo. (el topo, to me seemed more violent and disturbing.) it’s just a matter of opinion, but i wasn’t sure whether or not you had seen them both.
by the way, i love this site. the time you take to review each film is greatly appreciated.
July 19th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Cameron: I’ll add Pi to the review queue, it was one I planned to review eventually anyway.
Don’t worry about The Holy Mountain, it will definitely be reviewed in the future. I’ll let you hang until then about my opinion on Holy Mountain vs. El Topo.
Thanks for the appreciation–readers like you are greatly appreciated as well. You guys give this site a reason to exist.
The queue now looks like this: Cure (next week), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (fingers crossed, next week as well), Funky Forest, Dr. Caligari (I didn’t realize this was out of print–I need to find a copy), Nekromantic, A Clockwork Orange, Stalker, UHF, Bad Boy Bubby, Delicatessen, Pi.
July 19th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I have a similar reason for loving bad movies as your description of enjoying their weird surprises. Although I term my reason slack-jawed awe. In any event, I’ll pile on a few movies too:
Cat Soup (anime short film, at some point it used to be on youtube broken up into three 10-minute pieces, if this is useful info to you)
Angel’s egg (anime film, fairly slow, but I like it. Even though I couldn’t explain it)
Cowards bend the knee (some more Guy Maddin. Though I suppose one could reach a point after a couple of his movies of becoming “inured” to his oddness. But I did like this more than Careful and The saddest music in the world)
The ninth configuration (a tiny bit like One flew over the cuckoo’s nest so maybe not that weird but, if maybe a century from now you’re having a lull in suggestions…)
In my skin (While I found this movie at times soothing, like a lava lamp, it does have bits which could make people sit up and notice. Besides, I’d be interested to read a review of it from where you seem to be approaching movies from.)
save the green planet (Korean movie, which bounces around a couple of genres and could be construed as weird, even though it might lose impact due to its running time. At the least, it has the second-best rendition of Somewhere over the rainbow in)
Nine lives of tomas katz (erm… stuff. Well I liked it.)
July 19th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Godfrey:
Anyone that knows me knows I love “bad” movies as well. A good number of “so-bad-it’s-good/weird” movies should eventually make their way onto the list (joining The Horrors of Spider Island, among others).
I only add one suggestion at a time to the review queue (or else I’d be here forever). I’ll put Angel’s Egg (1985) at the end of the queue. I haven’t done any anime yet, so it will be a nice new genre to explore. Did you know there was a live action Japanese film with the same title from 2006? I can’t tell if they are based on the same source material or just accidentally share a title.
The others… some I’ve heard of and plan to get to, some I haven’t. Check back later and we’ll see if I get to them.
P.S. I have to wonder if your handle isn’t a combination of Godfrey Ho and Bruno Mattei…
July 20th, 2009 at 5:05 am
I’d recommend the film Institute Benjamenta, a film by the Brothers Quay, who were responsible for many weird MTV shorts in the ’90s.
I’m not sure it’s a great film, because I’m not sure what it’s about, or if it moves past the filmmaker’s surrealism. (The film seems to contain at one point an indictment of organized religion, but it is almost as obtuse as Greaser’s Palace, another film you might want to check out.) However, it is the first film I though of when you mentioned in your Eraserhead review that very few films have followed its stylistic lead.
Some of the sequences in this odd black and white film are filled with powerful, eerie imagery. There is an astounding sequence where the character played by Alice Krige (a weird movie staple) stares in horror at her own face in a mirror. The high contrast of the black and white film causes her visage to disappear into on screen texture (like that “can you see the dalmatian” picture psychology classes love so much).
Might be out of print, but a worthy addition to your site.
July 20th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Rob/Mofo,
Institute Benjamenta is definitely on my list to check out (I’ve never seen it, but I have seen the Quay brothers shorts–awesome!). As you correctly guessed, it’s out of print. I’ll add it to the end of my review queue and hope I can find a copy. Greaser’s Palace is also one I need to review; I didn’t like it that much the first time I saw it years ago, but my opinions often change with age.
July 20th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
These are the ones that I would suggest:
- Pan’s Labyrinth
- Science of Sleep- very weird movie but oddly engrossing
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Mirrormask- kid’s movie but kinda weird and creepy
- Any Tim Burton movie- Nightmare Before Christmas, Big Fish, Beetlejuice, etc
- The Fifth Element
- Alice (1988)- based on Alice in Wonderland
- Any Evil Dead movie
- Sin City
- Hellraiser movies
- Nightmare on Elm Street movies
- Not sure if this was added but i’ll say it anyways-
Re-cycle
I think there are many more i’m forgetting but i’ll add them later.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Anna:
I’ll take the first one off your list, Pan’s Labyrinth, and put it in the review queue. I planned to get to this very beautiful movie sometime in the future.
As for the others you mention, I will definitely get to Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine, Alice, Evil Dead 2, and Sin City eventually, as well as considering multiple films from Tim Burton. I hadn’t thought of MirrorMask but I’ll have to consider it; we need more weird kids’ movies around here. The Fifth Element, Hellraiser, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Re-cycle are all on the outer edges of my radar screen, but any of them could see a capsule review someday.
July 21st, 2009 at 2:26 am
Here are a few more suggestions for the weird list:
-Bad boy bubby (sick, weird and twisted)
-Ex Drummer
-Happyness
-The Ordeal (Belgian Movie, like deliverance on acid!)
-A scanner Darkly
-The chumb scrubber
-Thumbsucker
Enjoy the weirdness
July 21st, 2009 at 2:39 am
oh yeah i forgot lost highway by david lynch…… now that is weird.
July 21st, 2009 at 10:38 am
Denny, I’ll add Ex Drummer to my immediate review list. Thanks for bringing that one up, I had missed it.
As for your other titles: someone else already suggested Bubby, and I’ll be reviewing it down the line. Assuming “Happyness” is Happiness (1998) by Todd Solondz (not the Will Smith movie The Pursuit of Happyness), it could get a look. The Ordeal [AKA Calvaire] could well make the list, even though I’m not sure it’s a great film. I’ve been meaning to check out Scanner since it came out. I had never heard of Chumbscrubber (2005) or Thumbsucker (2005), so thanks for those leads. No worries about Lost Highway–all of Lynch’s movies should eventually appear here (even The Straight Story).
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:47 pm
i know you’re really busy, so i don’t expect you to add this to the list. but if you ever run out of movies to watch waking life (2001) is one of the strangest films i’ve ever viewed. i believe it was the first to use rotoscoping on digital film. there have been two made since, (a scanner darkly and waltz with bashir,) but neither of them are remotely as bizarre.
i also agree with science of sleep and happiness. whenever you get around to them i don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:21 am
Don’t worry about me being busy, Cameron. I set myself the task of selecting 366 movies. I’ve officially certified 28 so far, which leaves me with 338 open slots to fill. So I’ll add Waking Life. Of course, it looks like months until I’ll get to it.
I’m set to review: A Clockwork Orange, Funky Forest, Dr. Caligari, Nekromantic, Stalker, UHF, Bad Boy Bubby, Delicatessen, Pi, Angel’s Egg, Institute Benjamenta, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ex Drummer, and Waking Life.
I’ll be throwing in selections of my own every now and then along with doing the suggested reviews. I hope there will be some surprises there for you guys.
July 25th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Some very strange Japanese movies include “Survive style 5+” “Visitor Q” “Dumplings” “Gokudô kyôfu dai-gekijô: Gozu” “Ichi the Killer (English title)Koroshiya ichi” “The Bird People in China” and I see you have “Funky Forest” in your review list :P
Not Japanese
“eXistenZ” sci-fi thriller odd
And one last old kids movie “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” slow starter but i enjoyed its odd fantasy.
My all time weird movie Pick shall be “Little Otik(english title)Otesánek” This will fit your weird movie list 100% i’m sure!
July 25th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Thanks for the Japanese movie tips, Yamota. I’ll add the first title you mention, Survive style 5+, to the end of the review list. All of the other titles you mention should all get a look sometime. Little Otik will definitely get a review down the line, along with the rest of Jan Svankmejer’s work.
July 25th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
The Dark Backward with Judd Nelson and Bill Paxton is weird!
July 25th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Nickholas,
So I’ve heard… and I believe it. I’ll add The Dark Backward to the end of my review list.
August 4th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Anna, cheers for mentioning Alice (1988). I love the animation and its quiet, odd, simple way.
Pan’s Labyrinth- beautiful, and incredibly disturbing! That dychotomy reminds me of The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover.
August 9th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
i found another short for you, 366. david lynch’s the grandmother, (1970,) seems to be right up your alley.
August 10th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Cameron:
Handling the shorts presents a problem: can a short film be strong enough to bump a full-length feature off the list? Sometimes they probably can, but I didn’t think “The Heart of the World” deserved to, despite its excellence. But I think I can review entire collections of shorts as if they were movies, so I will put The Short Films of David Lynch (which contains “The Grandmother”) into my review queue.
In all seriousness, I could use a “shorts editor”–contact me if your intrigued by the proposition, Cameron.
The review queue now looks like this: Dr. Caligari, Nekromantic, Stalker, UHF, Delicatessen, Pi, Angel’s Egg, Institute Benjamenta, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ex Drummer, Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, and The Short Films of David Lynch (with a few surprises along the way).
August 19th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Hi
I haven’t seen in your list “Santa Sangre” by Alejandro Jodorowsky (1989). It’s so weird it totally freaked me out, can’t be missed!
Very nice site!
August 19th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Hi Ylenia,
I plan to review all of Jodorowsky’s films eventually… I will make Santa Sangre the second one. Jodorowsky’s films went out of print for a long time due to rights disputes, and Fando y Lis, El Topo and The Holy Mountain just recently showed up in the U.S.—but not Santa Sangre (which was briefly on DVD but sold out quickly). Fortunately, my local rare video source says they have a copy.
The updated review queue: Dr. Caligari (to be reviewed next week), Nekromantic, UHF, Delicatessen, Pi, Angel’s Egg, Institute Benjamenta, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ex Drummer, Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, and Santa Sangre. I took Stalker off because the review should be posted later today!
August 26th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I always thought the film “Dead man” was a little strange and dark. the soundtrack was great, it was shot in black and white, and it had some odd moments. It starred johnny depp which really doesn’t impress me, but a good watch regardless.
August 27th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Good suggestion, spalding. Dead Man is a pretty strange western. I think you shouldn’t be put off by Johnny Depp, though. I was very skeptical when he first came onto the scene but he won me over with great offbeat roles like this, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (though come to think of it he hasn’t done anything special lately; maybe Alice in Wonderland will change that).
The new review queue: Nekromantic (rare: I’m looking for a copy), UHF (scheduled for next week), Delicatessen (also hopefully next week), Pi, Angel’s Egg, Institute Benjamenta, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ex Drummer, Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, and Dead Man.
August 29th, 2009 at 3:55 am
Okay, I am sorry if I merely missed you mentioning these, but anyway:
Mathew Barney’s Cremaster Cycle or drawing Restraint 9 (yes, the one with Bjork)
David Lynch’s Inland Empire, a 3 hour visceral nightmare
Altered States, which features some interesting visuals and an equally engaging plot
Guy Maddin’s Brand Upon the Brain
Pi (The movie that got me into mind bending films way back in middle school)
Betty Boop’s Snow White features a REALLY bizarre dance sequence to St. Jame’s Infirmary Blues; you can check it out on youtube.
The anime Paprika
Scanners
Crash (the Cronenberg film)
Suspiria
Blackula (campy weird)
Blue Velvet
There are also a number of newer avant-garde films that have gotten some attention at Cannes recently; check out the films Antichrist and Enter the Void. If those do not qualify as weird, what does??
August 29th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Oh dear I almost forgot…THE BEAVER TRILOGY! It has sean Penn and Crispin Glover both reenacting the life of a cross dressing Olivia Newton John impersonator. It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever seen.
August 29th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Ayla,
Very good suggestions and I can’t blame you for not reading the entire thread… it’s gotten pretty long.
I’d like to do Cremaster and the other Matthew Barney movies. The problem is that the director refuses to release any of his films on DVD and takes swift legal action against bootleggers. If he doesn’t want his films seen, I’m not going to go against his wishes and promote them. (I think he’s being an idiot, by the way). Hopefully he’ll come around.
I will put Inland Empire on my review list (it’s been suggested before). A review of Pi will be coming soon. I also mentioned the films from the 2009 Cannes festival in an earlier article.
Also, The Beaver Trilogy sounds interesting. I hadn’t heard of it before, and that’s want this page is all about (for me).
That Betty Boop segment is another cool idea.
Here’s the updated review queue: Nekromantic (still looking for a copy), UHF (scheduled for next week), Delicatessen (scheduled for next week), Pi, Angel’s Egg, Institute Benjamenta, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ex Drummer, Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, and Inland Empire.
August 29th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Yeah, Beaver Trilogy is a little obscure; you can get it by contacting the director directly, but I assure you it’s worth it.
Thank you for reading my suggestions! :)
August 29th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Also, I’m working on a blog about a similar topic so you can look there for more suggestions :)
http://twistedcelluloid.tumblr.com/
August 29th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Ayla, good luck, and don’t steal too many of my readers. ;) I’m pleased to see that you started with the Surrealists.
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:37 am
Check out a movie called Monday by Sabu
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Folkwin, Monday (2000), a Japanese yakuza black comedy/fantasy, looks worth checking out. I will add it to the end of my review queue, but it may be difficult to find. I haven’t gone searching for it, but I notice people on IMDB wondering how to get it (and wondering whether it has English subs).
September 7th, 2009 at 12:46 am
It does exist with english subs because I watched it. I got it from a friend who bought it in Hong Kong.. Not only weird but also a good movie, really worth watching.
September 7th, 2009 at 9:02 am
I’m a little surprised that neither of the Dr. Phibes movies made the list yet. In the first, a telepathically communicating Vincent Price (Phibes) and his utterly silent assistant inflict Old Testament-style revenge on the doctors that couldn’t save Phibes’s wife. In the second, the same characters (although the assistant has changed appearance) work their grisly way through a pack of thieves that have invaded the doctor’s sanctuary and have stolen something precious to him.
September 7th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Folkwin: I don’t doubt that an English subbed copy of Monday exists; the question is, can I find one? The only release I found for sale on the web was a Spanish/Portuguese sub. I sent an email to the major HK web retailer asking about availability.
If I can’t find a copy, that doesn’t mean I will forget it entirely. I keep a list of foreign films that need an English language release, and keep an eye out for them. Someday I will track them all down and find out their status.
This conversation reminds me about Angel’s Egg, the 1985 anime I agreed to review. My research is leading me to believe that this film may not be available on any video format (even used). Anchor Bay was supposed to release it in 2001, but the deal fell through; they said they could not acquire the rights. Since Godfrey Mattei, the reader who suggested this film, also left some backup choices, I am going to keep an eye on Angel’s Egg but provisionally I am going to review Cowards Bend the Knee in its place.
September 7th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
MCD: Good choice, I will add The Abominable Dr. Phibes to the end of my review queue.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:22 am
I can’t seem to find it on your website, so sorry if I’ve missed it, but…
BARTON FINK
this surrealistic masterpiece by the Coen Brothers won an unprecedented 3 awards at Cannes, picking up the best actor for John Turturro in the title role, best director for Joel Coen, and the palme d’or itself.
It’s filled with themes of good and evil, and the role of the artist, all set against the backdrop of Hollywood in 1941.
September 10th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Bruno maybe not for the more conservative as there are some really over the top moments but if you are not easily shocked then Bruno is a must watch!
September 10th, 2009 at 10:56 am
What? (diary of forbidden dreams) by Polanski…One of my all time favourite, an underrated adsurd classic.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Deacon Lowdown: Barton Fink is definitely going on the List. I love this movie and have the DVD sitting on my “to be reviewed” shelf as we speak. I’ll put it in the review queue and it may end up jumping in front of something else.
Thailand Sims: I almost saw Bruno in theaters, but there was always something else playing that was higher priority for me. Based on Borat (although Sir Tjin Po thinks it’s weird), I don’t think it will be appropriate as a weird movie, but it’s possible I will catch it on video and review it in capsule form down the line.
Celtic Frost: What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams) is an excellent suggestion. It’s a forgotten Polanski film (even I had forgotten it). I’ll add it to the review queue.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Thanks! I love what you’re doing with this site, by the way. I’m kind of a film buff, but I’ve never heard of most of these. It’s always good to expand your borders.
Another suggestion would be “Man with a Movie Camera”, a Russian silent film.
It’s hard to describe exactly what the movie is (slice of life documentary meets art piece is the closest I can get), but it is certainly unusual and available to watch instantly on Netflix.
I should admit that I haven’t seen all of this movie myself. I’m tried to get into silent film, but I’m sticking to more conventional movies until I get used to the medium. Still, I’ve never seen anything like this movie.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Deacon, thanks for the kind words. Believe it or not, I have seen people complain that the choices here are too obvious. This reader suggestion box has helped introduce me to strange films I had never heard of before, which is exactly what I was hoping for.
I need to view Man with a Camera sometime (it’s one of those film school staples). But, I don’t know when I will get around to it. Stick around and feel free to suggest it again later.
September 10th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I actually have a question about what you’d regard as ‘weird’:
Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, for example, is filled with characters and images that are bizarre and fantastic, especially to western viewers unfamiliar with Japanese folklore. From a narrative standpoint, though, Spirited Away is very conventional, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
what I mean is, are you looking more for films that play with narrative structure, or films with fantastic or surreal elements? or both?
that said, I’d definitely like to recommend Spirited Away. I don’t know if it’s any less amazing if you’ve grown up with Japanese folklore and mythology, but as an American, I was on the edge of my seat.
September 11th, 2009 at 7:44 am
The one film no-one (I think) has mentioned is John Frankenheimer’s 1966 film Seconds starring Rock Hudson. A great mindbender of a story with some innovatiive fish-eye lens camerawork by James Wong Howe.
Others that spring to mind include:
Dead & Buried (1981)
Bin-jip (3-Iron) (2004)
Teshigahara’s Woman in the Dunes (1964) & The face of Another (1966)
Donald Cammell’s Performance (1970) & Demon Seed (1977)
It’s All About Love (2003)
Intacto (2001)
Celine & Julie Go Boating (1974)
Henry Fool (1997)
Primer (2004)
Putney Swope (1969)
Lemming (2005)
Den Brynsomme mannen (The Bothersome Man) (2006)
Will that do ?
Nick
September 11th, 2009 at 7:53 am
I almost forgot:
Maya Deren’s Meshes of the Afternoon
Nick
September 11th, 2009 at 9:06 am
And these lot:
Tampopo (1985)
The Cell (2000)
The Deaths of Ian Stone (2007)
The Broken (2009)
The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982)
The Jacket (2005)
The Keep (1983)
The Medusa Touch (1978)
The Ninth Configuration (1980)
September 11th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Deacon: I deliberately leave the word “weird” undefined, especially for purposes of the “Suggestions” feature. That’s largely because I’m interested in finding out what you perceive as “weird.”
That said, the answer to your question, from my perspective, is definitely “both.” And Spirited Away is definitely a film that’s on my radar screen. I’ll get to it eventually, but feel free to suggest it again after I’ve reviewed your last request (one at a time, please, or I’d be more swamped with requests than I already am!)
Nick: Wow, that’s a long list of obscure titles! We haven’t done Meshes of the Afternoon (although someone will get to it), but Alfred did review Deren’s At Land. Out of your list, I am going to review Intacto (2001) within the month, for the very simple reason that it is available to me free on my cable system (via the Sundance Channel’s “On Demand” offerings).
September 11th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Excellent! I thought it would be something like that, I just wanted to make sure.
I’ll certainly stop suggesting things until you’ve reviewed Barton Fink (you have a lot on your hands!), but I’d just like to put this one movie down in writing so I don’t forget to suggest it later:
After Last Season
I haven’t been able to see it, as it isn’t out on DVD and only played in 4 theaters, but the trailer is one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen. it was so strange, Some people thought it was a hoax, or a viral advertisement, but the movie was released in theaters. If it ever does come out on DVD, you might want to check it out.
September 12th, 2009 at 12:15 am
Love the website. You have lots of movies that I am going to check out.
Check these out:
Meatball Machine
Tetsuo (Iron Man)
Blood Dolls
Nekromantik
Night of the Lepus
Psyclops
Phantom of the Paradise
Slither
And on a lighter note:
Flight of the Navigator
Never-Ending Story
Dark Crystal
September 12th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Keith, thanks for the compliment. I will add your first choice, Meatball Machine (2005), to my review queue. You may be pleased to hear that a review of Nekromantik is scheduled soon (I found a reasonable VHS copy and it should be on it’s way to 366 headquarters as we speak).
Updating the (massive) reader review queue: Nekromantik, Cowards Bend the Knee (substituted for the unavailable Angel’s Egg), Institute Benjamenta, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ex Drummer, Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Intacto, and Meatball Machine.
September 12th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
This sounds really exciting! good luck with Inland Empire, someone I know once described it as three and a half hours of pain. Thing is, I think he meant it as a compliment.
By the way, is that Cesare from The Carnival of Dr. Caligari as your avatar?
September 12th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Yes–but it’s the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (typo, I’m sure).
September 22nd, 2009 at 9:27 am
There is a fairly obscure horror/scifi movie called “Xtro” that is worth a look. It involves alien abduction and other weird goingson and has some memorable images.
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:27 am
Hi Bani, welcome back! Xtro is an excellent suggestion, I’ve heard a lot of good things about it. The fact that Bond girl Maryam D’Abo appears nude in it has nothing at all to do with my eagerness to review this film.
Updating the review queue: Nekromantik (should have a review for this up next week), Cowards Bend the Knee (substituted for the unavailable Angel’s Egg), Institute Benjamenta, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ex Drummer, Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Intacto (it’s cutting in line—look for a review tomorrow), Meatball Machine, and Xtro.
I hope to get in a rhythm of knocking one of these out a week, two on a good week.
October 8th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
I think that “Manos: The Hands Of Fate” Should be listed here. That movie was outright wierd! I loved it!
October 8th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Kevin, I will add Manos to the end of the review queue. I don’t know if it will make the List of the best weird movies or not—it’s one of those “special” movies—but it is weird, no doubt, and deserves to be covered. Thanks for the suggestion!
October 9th, 2009 at 5:15 am
Great site.
A few suggestions to consider for the list. My goal has been to find the most bizarre, weird, disturbing film that I can. While certainly disturbing and weird are two different things I have stumbled across some head scratchers along the way. Or extremely campy to the effect they are “weird.”
In no particular order…
Basket Case – campy weird
[REC] – brilliantly shot and odd occurances with an almost absurd conclusion. Very claustrophobic as well.
Santa Sangre – the film that introduced me to Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Videodrome – another Cronenberg classic
Visitor Q – not particularly good, not particularly coherent, pretty much a bunch of odd junk thrown into one movie. Several indelible scenes of oddity thrown in by Miike.
American Gothic – campy weird. Rod Steiger and Yvonne DeCarlo do an excellent job as Ma and Pa and their 40 year old children who act like little kids.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – a musical number by dolphins, Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich…need I say more?
Funny Games – because of the way it breaks the fourth wall, several times.
If any of these movies were already mentioned above, I apologize.
October 9th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Tom, no need to apologize for not reading the entire thread—it’s become a bit of a chore. I will place Basket Case in my review queue. If nothing else, Henelotter’s films don’t feel like anyone else’s, and he deserves representation here.
As for your other suggestions: Santa Sangre is already in the review queue. Videodrome and Visitor Q will definitely score reviews. Others have mentioned Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and it’s definitely a possible review. The other three films are interesting, but not on my radar screen at this time.
Updating the reader suggested review queue: Cowards Bend the Knee (substituted for the unavailable Angel’s Egg), Greasers Palace (substituted for Institute Benjamenta), Pan’s Labyrinth, Ex Drummer, Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Meatball Machine, Xtro, and Basket Case.
October 18th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Jisatsu sâkuru ( Suicide Club )- 2001
Noriko no shokutaku ( Noriko’s Dinner Table )- 2005
Taxidermia – 2006
Martyrs – 2008
Sam gang yi ( Three Extremes ) – 2004
Vinyan – 2008
Spider – 2002
The Fall – 2006
Repo! The Genetic Opera – 2008
October 18th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Andrei, as I typically do, I will take the first movie on your list–Suicide Club—and put it in queue. Although Noriko’s Dinner Table looks slightly more interesting, I gather it’s sort of an unofficial sequel to Suicide Club, so I feel I should screen the earlier film first. As for the others in your list, I will mention we’d like to review Repo! The Genetic Opera before year’s end, so keep your eyes peeled for it.
Check out this week’s What’s in the Pipeline for the updated reader-suggested review queue.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
I recommend O Lucky Man with Malcolm McDowell and Four Rooms is pretty weird film.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
N.: All of the Lindsay Anderson/Malcolm McDowell collaborations will get considered, and I will happily add O Lucky Man to the review queue.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:28 am
harmony korine’s new film, “trash humpers” looks very promising. it may not make it, because “gummo” is already on the list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPl-O0Z5hys
October 20th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
This site will have to cover any new Korine movie. Thanks for pointing it out. I’ll put it at the end of the list, and it will hopefully be on DVD by the time I get there (at the rate I’m going, it may be out of print already by the time I get to it!)
October 21st, 2009 at 5:54 am
I like Dead Man in your queue.
The one’s I didn’t see that come to mind are Takashi Miike’s Gozu and Ichi the Killer.
I think Stalker is probably my favorite weird movie… Extremely philosophical and subliminally spiritual story about Russian(?) guys who leave an extremely sepia tinted world to go to a mysterious, full color, cordoned off zone that seems to have a judgemental consciousness of its own.
The weirdest is Tetsuo: the Iron Man. It’s very gory and has a lot of cheap but very effective special effects. Basically its a mystery/horror turned love story about a guy who starts growing machine parts all over his body at an exponential rate. It’s gruesome at parts and pretty much leaves the statement or philosophical pretext at the door. It just kind of is what it is.
October 21st, 2009 at 10:00 am
John,
Miike is a giant in this field and we’ll get to all his films eventually (we’ve already covered the minor entry One Missed Call). I will add Gozu to the queue. (Tetsuo will also see a review down the line).
I like Stalker a lot too: visually beautiful, and Tarkovsky is the master at using open-ended symbolism that allows the viewer to draw his own meaning from the film. But I realize it isn’t for everyone, thanks to the slow pace.
The reader review queue now looks like this: Cowards Bend the Knee (next week), Greaser’s Palace, Pan’s Labyrinth, Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Meatball Machine, Xtro, Basket Case, Suicide Club, O Lucky Man!, Trash Humpers (assuming it’s released on DVD), and Gozu.
October 22nd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I’d like to suggest “Tales of Ordinary Madness (Storie di ordinaria follia)” with Ben Gazzari and Ornella Muti. Director:Marco Ferreri.
October 22nd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Great suggestion Natalia! I’ve heard lots of good things about this film based on the legendary drunk poet Charles Bukowski. I will put it in queue.
October 25th, 2009 at 4:35 am
You need to watch The Wayward Cloud by Tsai Ming-Liang. Its a f***ing wacked out sex filled musical centered around a drought and a low budget porn star.
October 25th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Thanks ulysses, that’s exactly the kind of suggestion we need here. I was unaware of the movie until you mentioned it. Consider it added into the review queue.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Just found this site and am filling my Netflix Queue!!!!!!
Thank you so much for this collection because these are the films I love.
Just a few suggestions:
Kwaidan (visually stunning)
Salo (hard to watch but should easily make the list)
Also, someone suggested the film ‘Primer’. The greatest time travel film I’ve ever seen.
Keep up the great work.
- Doug
October 26th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Thanks for the compliment Doug! I will definitely put Kwaidan in the queue. On the other hand, I will continue to dodge Salo until someone forces the issue, though I know I will have to get to it someday! P.S. I like your handle.
October 28th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Hello! I’m a big fan of weird movies and I’m so happy to have found your site. If you get a chance, you might consider reviewing a little gem called “Six-String Samurai”. It’s great – the lead character is a Buddy Holly look-alike and guitar player who is also a ninja. It’s cheesy, but not quite as cheesy as it sounds. :-)
October 28th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Gray: I will definitely put Six-String Samurai (1998) in my review queue. I feel privileged to have been one of the few who saw it in theaters before it became a minor cult hit on video. This post-apocalyptic fantasy featuring a samurai Buddy Holly traveling to Las Vegas to challenge Elvis is clearly right up our alley; we’ll see if it’s as much fun as I remember!
October 30th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
How About Lost Highway,Andy Warhol’s Trash,Mondo Trasho,Prospero’s Books,Gummo,Julien Donkey Boy,Delicatessen,Mondo Cane, Andy Warhol’s Flesh,Andy Warhol’s Heat,I am Curious Yellow,Chelsea Girls,Fire Walk with me, Ratfink a Boo Boo,Flesh Gordon,Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,Cannibal Holocaust,I spit on your Grave,I Drink Your Blood,Dellamorte Dellamore….I have a longer list but here are the best ones I have in mind now
October 30th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
El Topo
October 31st, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Nice list, Duane. I will put Trash in queue. I’m not sure it’s weird enough to make the List, but all the Warhol/Morrisey collaborations deserve coverage here, and Trash’s as good a place to start as any.
I will point out we’ve already certified Gummo, Delicatessen, and El Topo as great weird movies. The others on your list will probably all be covered (a few are favorites of mine), with the exception of Cannibal Holocaust and I Spit on Your Grave. I’ve never seen either, but from all the descriptions I’ve read they sound more like extreme exploitation films than “weird” movies.
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Here is a little pick for you :
First i will re-insist on Altered State, that was suggested to you earlier but you seemed to miss it out. Its great : i am a sucker for movies about drugs and disrupting reality but this one is really a stand alone kinda thing. Youd kick yourself for missing it !
Secondly i suggest Primer, a low budget but mindblowingly scripted movie about time travel. The best, if not the only good time travel movie ive ever seen. I watched it because i didnt like Donny Darko and the said “Donnie Darko for grown up” and man there is little relation between dem both but its a definite must see (it seats beside Antichrist and Festen in my podium of the best movies…)
And last, you could give a go at Bruce LaBruce absolutely strange work, mixing the oddest gay porn with intricated political intrigues and trashy statements about social relations.
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
oh yeah and a couple more :
Versus, japanese zombi samurai with guns. Didnt really liked it at first, but watched it a second time last week and the cinematography itself is actually worth the experiment lol.
and
I Stand Alone – i might have seen it somewhere in your list but just in case that could be worth reminding you about it. I must say it is probably about as much exploitation movie as cannibal holocaust, but in a more 90′ way, a.k.a. less guts flying around and more human misery !
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Lol ok a very last one !
Detroit Metal City.
Adapted from an anime adapted from a manga, its just… quite something.
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Bertrand,
Since you insist, I’ll put Altered States in the queue. I agree that it definitely has to be covered, along with the rest of Ken Russell’s work.
As for the rest of your list, Primer looks interesting (and if you like time-travel movies, you also might want to check out the Spanish Los Cronocrimes [TimeCrimes]—not weird, but a good, serious little science fiction movie. It is supposed to be remade by David Cronenberg in 2011).
I wasn’t aware of the director Bruce LaBruce: he’s pretty far underground. I’ll have to keep an eye out for his works. Versus sounds like something we could do down the line. I don’t know if we’ll get to I Stand Alone right away but we might do something else from Gaspar Noé. Detroit Metal City looks a little farther afield, but it’s certainly a possibility. Thanks for the suggestions!
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Memento, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Requiem For A Dream, The Fountain, The Cell, What Dreams May Come, 12 Monkeys, Big Fish.. There is just a few that I dont recall seeing on the list. All worthy of a watch, and all take a part in bringing forward unconventional movie experiences.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Those are all worthy nominees, Andrew. I think you put it well: “unconventional movie experiences.” I will add Memento to the queue. I’ve never seen it: some people say it’s weird, some people think it merely has an unconventional narrative structure, but I need to evaluate it for myself.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I’ve heard the meremaid singing. The Pirate and the Crystal Ball
November 4th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Where the toys come from
November 4th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Vincent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxQcBKUPm8o
and Frankenweenie
November 4th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Wow, Maxwell, there are some movies I’ve never heard of there. Good job! There are two movies called I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing, one from 1984 and one from 2008; I guess you mean the 1984 version but I can’t find much info on the other. I couldn’t find anything called The Pirate and the Crystal Ball on IMDB. Where the Toys Come From is a 1980s Disney movie, but I think I’ll take a pass on it because I’m interested in seeing Vincent and Frankenweenie. These two famous early Tim Burton shorts are on the Nightmare Before Christmas DVD, so I can check out all three movies at once.
November 4th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
[youtube link] here is The Pirate and the Crystal ball, gets weirder.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
You don’t seem to mention many of David Lynch’s movies, nor many of Kubrick’s…
Plus ‘Johnny got his gun’, ‘Freaks’…
November 4th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
I forgot Roman Polanski’s ‘The Tenant’
November 5th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Probably hard to get hold of but :
Adam and tree (1970, Yougoslavia)
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163847424616&index=1
November 5th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Maxwell Stewart: sorry, I can’t link to copyrighted material. But looking at that page it appears that “The Pirate and the Crystal Ball” is a segment from a longer movie called Be Glad For the Song Has No Ending, which seems to be a collection of psychedelic music videos from The Incredible String Band. Thanks for bringing that to my notice.
Chris: with 366 movies to cover I didn’t want to do all of Lynch and Kubrick right away. There are currently two David Lynch movies in the reader-suggested review queue, though. I am going to take your suggestion of Johnny Got His Gun and put it in my review queue; in fact, I may leapfrog it ahead of the others because the DVD was released in 2009 and fits in with the “year end” theme we’re working on.
Bertrand: I’ve never heard of “Adam and Tree” and I can’t find anything similar on the IMDB. If you know the title in the original language, that would help my search. The link you supplied goes to a notice for Sweet Movie, another film I will have to cover eventually.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
An extra weird movie from Michel Gondry
The Science of Sleep
http://www.reelzchannel.com/trailer-clips/15196/the-science-of-sleep-trailer
A young man with an overactive imagination has a hard time separating reality from his vivid fantasy world. Great movie, but definitely wierd.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Kristin: Yes, Science of Sleep is an excellent choice. and very much in demand with our readers. I will put it in my review queue. But do realize that the queue is incredibly long at this point!
November 11th, 2009 at 1:22 am
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; incredibly weird movie with incredibly weird music and an unexpectedly weird role for Jim Carrey.
November 11th, 2009 at 11:57 am
JMan: Yep, Eternal Sunshine deserves a shot. I will put it in queue.
November 16th, 2009 at 5:58 am
I’m always searching for the most surreal interesting weird movies
- Gothic (1986)
- Casshern (2004)
- Quick Gun Murugan (2009) (might only be out in theaters in India currently)
- Antichrist (2009)
- Forbidden Zone(1982)
- Street Trash (1987)
- Bebe’s Kids (1992)
- Haxan (1922)
- Death Becomes Her (1992)
- The Fall (2006)
- Waltz with Bashir (2008)
- The Dark Backward (1991)
- Trapped in the Closet Vol. 1-12 (2005) &
- Trapped in the Closet Vol. 13-22 (2005)
- Freaks (1932)
- Freaked (1993)
- Satyricon (1969)
- The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)
I could think of more if I kept going but this was kind-of stream of consciousness, I own most of these, if you want more or have any questions or anything contact me via the e-mail I signed up with, great list thus far by the way, turned me on to a few I haven’t heard of, thanks!
November 16th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
DamienB: I will put Gothic in queue. I came very close to reviewing it earlier in the year, but for some reason never got around to it. Of the other movies you can be almost certain Antichrist will be reviewed here after it makes its DVD debut in January. The Dark Backward is already in the review queue. Waltz with Bashir, Forbidden Zone, Haxan, Freaks, and Satyricon will definitely be covered. Quick Gun Murugan looks interesting, and Bollywood is definitely a blind spot for me.
Trapped in the Closet also looks very interesting: an anti-homophoibia music video movie made by shamed R&B star R. Kelly! Titles of threads on the IMDB page are intriguing: “I CAN’T BELIEVE PEOPLE LIKE THIS MOVIE! WHAT THE ‘F’ IS WRONG WITH YOU?,” “Is this meant to be hilarious?,” and a simple “What?” Thanks for pointing this one out.
Here’s the current reader-suggested review queue: Greaser’s Palace (substituted for Institute Benjamenta), Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Meatball Machine, Xtro, Basket Case, Suicide Club, O Lucky Man!, Trash Humpers (when/if released), Gozu, Tales of Ordinary Madness, The Wayward Cloud, Kwaidan, Six-String Samurai, Andy Warhol’s Trash, Altered States, Memento, Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie, Johnny Got His Gun, The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Gothic.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
I would like to suggest “The Attic Expeditions” I love it every time I watch it; and it has always struck me as strange. :) Also “May”
November 17th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Thanks Holly: I will add The Attic Expeditions to the review queue. I am constantly amazed by how you guys come up with movies I’ve never heard of before. It really helps me out!
November 18th, 2009 at 3:06 am
I also second AFTER LAST SEASON… if the filmmaker ever gets copies to Netflix.
I also recommend the films of Wodejich Has, who directed THE SARAGOSSA MANUSCRIPT (available on Netflix). Harder to find, but even stranger are THE HOURGLASS SANITORIUM (AKA THE SANDGLASS), based on a work by Bruno Schulz, and BALTHAZAR KOBER.
And speaking of weird — there’s gotta be room for the work of Andrezj Zulawski – his work is finally getting quality releases on R1 DVD.
November 18th, 2009 at 4:04 am
Got another one that I think is not mentioned here:
Getting Any? (Minna Yatteruka!) from Takeshi Kitano.
About a guy that thinks he can get some by buying a car ending with him turning into the flyman being lured by a huge bowl of poop and squatted with a giant fly squatter.
Thanks for making this list! I’m a fan of weird movies.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
LRob: How in the heck did I miss After Last Season? Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I will keep an eye out for a DVD release and try to review it before the end of the year. I’m still on the lookout for something worthy of the title, “Weirdest Movie of 2009.”
Folkwin: I’ll put Getting Any? in the queue. I think it should be easier to find than Monday.
November 19th, 2009 at 1:26 am
And what about Being John Malkovich. Not a japanese one this time;)
This movie definately deserves a review. Can’t believe it has not been mentioned before.
November 19th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
I got a review request by email (from none other than Graham Reznick, director of the recently reviewed I Can See You), so I am adding it the the queue: Nic Roeg’s Performance (1970), featuring Mick Jagger.
Folkwin: Normally I would not want to stake two suggestions from the same person in a row, but since Graham snuck in ahead of you, I’ll add Being John Malkovich. I admit, I’m surprised no one else made it their top choice either!
November 20th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
I would suggest “The Apple” as one of the worst, and possibly the weirdest movies of the 80’s. It is losely based on the story of Adam and Eve, only with sex, drugs, and rock n roll….AND it is a musical to boot.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Tony, I have wanted to check out The Apple for what seems like forever. I will put it in queue.
November 21st, 2009 at 1:32 am
Southland Tales… it more than qualifies, I think.
Of the Zulawski – POSSESSION is usually referred to as his weirdest film, but there’s also THE DEVIL and ON THE SILVER GLOBE, and his first feature THE THIRD PART OF THE NIGHT.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:50 am
LRob: sure, Southland Tales is appropriate. I’ll add it to the queue. Since we’re planning to get to The Box soon, it would complete the work of Richard Kelly. We will definitely look at Zulawski down the road.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Arizona Dream The weirdest movie ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 24th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Me: I’ll add Arizona Dream to the queue. It’s definitely something I’ve been interested in seeing for a while now. It still needs a Region 1 DVD release but it’s available in a few other formats.
Here’s the update on that review queue: Greaser’s Palace (substituted for Institute Benjamenta), Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Meatball Machine, Xtro, Basket Case, Suicide Club, O Lucky Man!, Trash Humpers (when/if released), Gozu, Tales of Ordinary Madness, The Wayward Cloud, Kwaidan, Six-String Samurai, Andy Warhol’s Trash, Altered States, Memento, Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie, The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gothic, The Attic Expeditions, After Last Season, Getting Any?, Performance, Being John Malkovich, The Apple, Southland Tales, and Arizona Dream.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Spider (2002) A mentally-disturbed man takes residence in a halfway house. His mind gradually slips back into the realm created by his illness, where he replays a key part of his childhood.
Director: David Cronenberg
Cast: Ralph Fiennes,Miranda Richardson,etc.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Good suggestion, sule, I’ll add Spider to the review queue. You can see how long that list has gotten, though, so you’ll have to be patient. We’ll get around to it, I promise.
November 25th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I’m glad to see that the list is constantly growing and I would like to suggest a few more movies for you. The first would be ‘Songs From The Second Floor.’ Next would be Robert Altman’s ‘Images’ as well as Roeg’s ‘Bad Timing’ both of which were released by Criterion. And I’d like to throw in Todd Hayne’s ‘Safe’ in as well.
November 25th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Hi Richard, it’s nice to see you back. I’m still hoping to come across a copy of An Old Man with Enormous Wings; I’m keeping it on my list of obscure titles to track down one day. Songs From The Second Floor sounds great and it’s readily available, so I’ll add it into queue.
November 25th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
I just found your site and I’m surprised that I haven’t seen any references to Singapore Sling. If I’ve missed it, I apologize, but that might be my favorite “weird” movie. It’s a Greek tribute to the American noir style of filmmaking, but all within the context of this universe where a mother and daughter live in a rotting mansion where they’ve trapped the stereotypical noir film detective and forced him to live out their endless obsessions. The dining scenes alone are grotesque and hilarious, and the whole film is beautifully shot and exceptionally well acted. Great, underrated film.
November 25th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
I don’t know if this has been suggested or not, but “Alice” or “Neco z Alenky” by Czechoslovakian director Jan Svankmajer is pretty damn weird. It’s his take on “Alice in Wonderland”, which is another semi weird film you might think about adding. It’s probably one of the most visually disturbing/surrealistic film’s I’ve ever seen and it has a pretty strong cult following.
A few others
-Mullholland Drive
-Vanilla Sky
-Memento
-Blue Velvet
-Waking Life
-A Scanner Darkly
-Welcome to the Dollhouse(disturbing as hell, if you don’t add it to the list you should at least watch it, it will totally mess with your brain)
-Ghost World
-Videodrome
-The original Stepford Wives(mondo creepy)
-Scanners
-The hand that Rocks the Cradle
-Manhunter
-Carrie
-Audition
-Freaks
-Suspiria
-Peeping Tom
-The Vanishing(ridiculously weird)
-Black Sunday
-The Game
-Diabolique
-The Black Cat
-Single White Female
-The Tenant
-Cat People
-The Changeling(1980)
-Black Christmas
-Vertigo
-The Meaning of Life
-Alice Sweet Alice (!!!!!!)
-Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the original)
-Shallow Grave
Woo. That was a longer list then I was expecting to make… sorry, I watch allot of movies…
November 25th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
hey, sorry, but “Requiem for a Dream” and “Trainspotting” are also worth watching on the weird scale…
November 25th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
oh, an Cube
November 26th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
You guys are really piling it on. Keep ‘em coming!
Brad: I will add Singapore Sling into the review list. Thank you, this was one I was not aware of.
Leslie Rae: I will add your first choice, Alice (Neco z Alenky) to the review queue. (I like this movie a lot and it’s one that I had in mind when starting the site, I just haven’t got to it yet). You listed too many others for me to comment on every one, but I will mention that Waking Life and Memento are already in the review queue, and we will definitely get to some of those others.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Hey, just watched Lost Highway and it made me recall a movie called “Dark Country”.
Definitely not as odd as Lost Highway but, still has an interesting twist.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Hi Holly: Dark Country looks interesting, especially because it’s a 2009 release that escaped our notice. I will put it in queue.
November 29th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Necromania 2009
November 29th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Hi dclxvi, the only “Necromania” I know of is the one by Ed Wood from 1971. If that’s the one you mean, I can take a look at it because it is certainly an oddity. If you mean another movie with that title you will have to point me in the right direction.
November 30th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Napoleon Dynamite
Also, Ingmar Bergman made a bunch of weird movies:
Hour of The Wolf
Persona
Cries and whispers
The Silence
The Passion of Anna
Through a glass darkly
Autumn Sonata
Hour of the Wolf is the weirdest Bergman film, so if you have to pick just one to review, do that one.
December 1st, 2009 at 9:20 am
Hi George:
Although I usually take someone’s first suggestion by default, in this case I’m going to skip over Napoleon Dynamite, which I’m not so sure about, and go straight to Hour of the Wolf, which is definitely something I planned to cover. The rest of the Bergman films will probably get covered too eventually—just wait a couple of years!
December 12th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I didn’t see Mirror Mask mentioned anywhere here….Did I miss it,or did you?
December 12th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Melissa,
Someone suggested MirrorMask but I took another of their suggestions instead. This time I will put MirrorMask in queue.
That makes the queue look like this: Greaser’s Palace (substituted for Institute Benjamenta), Waking Life, Survive Style 5+, The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Meatball Machine, Xtro, Basket Case, Suicide Club, O Lucky Man!, Trash Humpers (when/if released), Gozu, Tales of Ordinary Madness, The Wayward Cloud, Kwaidan, Six-String Samurai, Andy Warhol’s Trash, Altered States, Memento, Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie, The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gothic, The Attic Expeditions, After Last Season, Getting Any?, Performance, Being John Malkovich, The Apple, Southland Tales, Arizona Dream, Spider (2002), Songs From The Second Floor, Singapore Sling, Alice [Neco z Alenky], Dark Country, Necromania (1971, Ed Wood), Hour of the Wolf, and MirrorMask. I promise we will start knocking these out come January!
December 14th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
I noticed someone suggested Jan Svankmajer’s ALICE, a great one! His film LITTLE OTIK is also excellent. I have two horror film suggestions, POSSESSION (1981 – with Sam Neill and Isabelle Adjani) and IN MY SKIN (2002).
December 15th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Goregirl: We love Svankmejer and eventually will get to all his stuff. It’s interesting that you should mention In My Skin—check out these pages next week and you may find that wish fulfilled. In the meantime I’ll add Possession to the review queue; that’s one that simply has to be covered.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Oh man, I love this website. A couple suggestions…
* Suspiria – in a weird way, this is like Carnival of Souls in that I think the end product is a lot weirder than the filmmaker (Dario Argento!) meant it to be. There are a lot of weird Italian horror movies that end up seeming kind of surreal (Pieces, The Beyond, Zombi 2) but Suspiria is the really notable one. (Someone else already mentioned this above but I’m not seeing it in your impressive queue.)
* Brain Damage – This movie has Bill Pullman, Bill Paxton and Bud Court and was directed by a long time Twilight Zone writer.
* Strange Behavior (alt. title is “Dead Kids”) – not quite as crazy as “Phantasm” but this movie definitely reminded me of that. Lots of weird little surrealisms and a plot that feels like a dream.
* The Limits of Control – Jim Jarmusch movie, which might be every bit as weird as “Dead Man”, though it’s definitely more subtle.
Also, it’s not a movie, but “The Kingdom” by Lars Von Trier is a mini-series that gets pretty weird in spots, especially all spots featuring master weirdo Udo Kier.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Nate, thanks for the love. I will add Suspiria into queue. We will also try to get to Limits of Control before year’s end (but no promises!) Your observation is correct that the Italians make some damn weird exploitation/horror movies, and we’ll certainly cover a lot of them in the upcoming year. As for “The Kingdom,” I think we may well cover some weird TV shows/mini-series along the way; it’s just that there’s so much ground to cover that TV got a little lost. Shows like “The Singing Detective,” “Twin Peaks” and “The Prisoner,” among others, are right up our alley. Thanks for the suggestions!
December 19th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Hi there! I’d like to suggest a claymation animation “Mary and Max” by Adam Benjamin Elliot. I watched it yesterday and since then cannot forget its characters. I cannot say that it is much weird or else. But it tells a very touchy and strange story of the pay-pal friendship between a lonely little girl Mary living in Australia and a lonely and sick adult man living in New York. Still I think it deserves to be reviewed here.
December 19th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Irene, for you we will put Mary and Max in queue. You’ve led us in the right direction before!
December 21st, 2009 at 6:41 pm
This may have already been suggested, but the movie Wild Zero is pretty great and pretty weird. Japanese garage band Guitar Wolf defends earth from an alien/zombie invasion.
December 21st, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Nope, Evan, you are the first to suggest Wild Zero, but it looks perfect for us! I’ll be happy to add it into the review queue.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:05 am
Hey, Rev. I am glad to see “Dead Man” is in your queue. I don’t ever pick a favorite film (how could I?), but I often put together a top 5. “Dead Man” is phenomenal film, and I put it right up there with “Return of the Living Dead” and “Seven Samurai.”
You may not like it, but I think the film is tops.
January 3rd, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Mofo, I suspect Dead Man will make the List—but I haven’t seen it since it was first released. I recall being impressed by it at the time. It’s similar to Jamursch’s latest, The Limits of Control, which I didn’t like, however.
["Rev" is a nickname I'm known under on an Internet message board, by the way.]
January 4th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Hi, Happy New Year and new discoveries:)
At least myself have recently found a Russian “audacious and provocative debut film” titled “4″. The movie is directed by Ilya Khrjanovsky.
It seems to me this movie is right in your alley. The http://www.auteurs.com site compares it to such great films as L’Âge d’Or, Faust, The Night of the Hunter, Eraserhead, El Topo,An Andalusian Dog, Closely Watched Trains and some others.
http://www.theauteurs.com/films/49?launch_fb_connect=1
Doesn’t it sound provocative and fascinating to write a review?
Here it is on imdb with a lot of useers’s reviews! The movie’s script has been written by a Russian non-conformist and underground in Soviet times, quite a scandalous postmodern author Vladimir Sorokin:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Sorokin
Bearing in mind the length of the list I will be patently waiting for its turn. But I think you will be rewarded when watching it!
January 4th, 2010 at 8:49 am
For some reason the imdb link has not shown up! I’m repeating it:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445161/
January 4th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Irene, that looks very worthwhile. I note that the IMDB voters have tagged it as “dada,” “postmodern,” “avant garde,” “Surrealism,” and “experimental,” which suggests to me that no one really has a clue what it’s about at all! And it is available in the U.S. I will add it to the queue.
January 9th, 2010 at 2:07 am
As a Canadian, I think I need to mention “Nothing”. The Canadian Movie about Nothing.
Very very funny, and weird. If you can help it, try not to catch a trailer or any type of info… much more fun that way.
January 9th, 2010 at 5:27 am
I have to reccommend “The Peanut Butter Solution”… I saw it as a child and was freaked out and I’ve seen it recently and it’s just as wierd… check it out!
January 9th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Albert: thanks, I had not heard of Nothing (2003), I promise I will not look at a trailer or read a review before watching!
James: I will look for a copy of The Peanut Butter Solution. I’ve heard of this movie but I don’t think it ever got a DVD release. Fortunately I still have a VHS player.
Consider both of them placed in the review queue!
January 12th, 2010 at 12:33 am
um…I just glanced over the list and did not see “Ninja Scroll”. This is an animated film. I do apologize, but I do not know the name of the producer off the top of my head. I think it’s Yosiaki, but dont hold me to it. :P This movie had me sitting wih my jaw dropped the whole time. I truly enjoyed it and i hope you do too! Oh! Also “House of a Thousand Courpses” and “The Devils Rejects”…awsome.
“Natural born Killers”-let me just toss that bad boy right in there!
If those are listed then I apologize!! :)
Thank you for your efforts in spreading the strange!!
*RebO***
January 12th, 2010 at 12:40 am
Oops! “Fear and Loathing in LasVegas” I am a Hunter S. Thompson fan and think this moie is just the bees knees! Thank you for your time! Im really done now! :D
January 12th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Train Spotting
Human Traffic
It’s All Gone Pete Tong
Spun
January 12th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Hi Rebekah, I see you weren’t really done after all. That’s OK, I love the enthusiasm!
I will put Ninja Scroll into the review queue for you. as for your other choices, sorry, but we’ve already rejected House of 1,000 Corpses, though it is unquestionably weird and worth a look. Natural Born Killers and Fear and Loathing will definitely see a review at some point.
January 14th, 2010 at 11:43 am
This site is fantastic. You’ve attracted an awesome group of followers who have greatly expanded my film knowledge. By way of illustration, I had come up with only two films, both very main-stream, that I found “weird” but worth viewing: 1) Last Tango in Paris; and, 2) Pulp Fiction.
Thank you very much for this site.
January 14th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Thank you, blue! And I appreciate the shout out to the “followers”, who don’t get the credit they deserve.
I am not sure if you’re officially suggesting we review Last Tango in Paris or Pulp Fiction, but I think by exploring the site you’ll see we’re focusing on a much weirder plane! We could conceivably cover something like Pulp Fiction, because it’s probably of some interest to people who cruise this site, but it certainly wouldn’t make the List.
January 15th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Hey there!
Fist of all, thanks for making this awesome site! It rocks:D
Don’t have a movie to suggest at the moment, but I do have a really cool site that helped me find many of my favorites :)
It’s http://www.oddfilms.com
Please consider to post it among your other links, it’s a really good site with cool categories like f.ex “Amnesia movies” and “Substance Abuse movies”!
Thanks for your time and take care!
January 17th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
How in the world could you not have a suggestion? Just pick any of the hundreds of movies oddfilms has covered that we haven’t.
We won’t post a link to oddfilms because they don’t have a links page of their own to link to us. Usually, links are reciprocal.
January 18th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Phil F. wrote, on another post: “I was looking through your site and did a search. I noticed that ‘Perfume: The Story of a Murderer’ by Tom Tykwer never showed up. Dunno if it’s 366 material, but it’s one of the weirdest films I’ve ever seen. Highly recommended.”
Phil, we will certainly give Perfume a shot.
To update the review queue:
Survive Style 5+ (looking for a copy), The Dark Backward, The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Meatball Machine, Xtro, Basket Case, Suicide Club, O Lucky Man!, Trash Humpers (when/if released), Gozu, Tales of Ordinary Madness, The Wayward Cloud, Kwaidan, Six-String Samurai, Andy Warhol’s Trash, Altered States, Memento, Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie, The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gothic, The Attic Expeditions, After Last Season, Getting Any?, Performance, Being John Malkovich, The Apple, Southland Tales, Arizona Dream, Spider (2002), Songs From The Second Floor, Singapore Sling, Alice [Neco z Alenky], Necromania (1971, Ed Wood), Hour of the Wolf, MirrorMask, Possession, Suspiria, Mary and Max, Wild Zero, 4, Nothing (2003), The Peanut Butter Solution, Ninja Scroll, and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.
January 20th, 2010 at 8:28 am
Well, let me see:
* Danger Diabolik
* Vampyros Lesbos
* Two Undercover Angels
* Succubus (well anything by Jess Franco WEIRD)
* The Holy Mountain
* Zardoz
* Head (with The Monkees)
* The Castle of Fu Manchu
* Renegade
* Beetlejuice
* Meet the Feebles
* Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
* The American Astronaut
* Brazil
Are a few that come to mind that I dont seem to see on your site
January 20th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Some good suggestions, Jules. Since I usually just take the first movie anyone suggests if it’s appropriate for the site, I’ll add Danger: Diabolik into the review queue. It looks like a lot of fun, and I’ve never seen it. As for your other suggestions: I’m sure we’ll cover something from Jess Franco at some point. The Holy Mountain, Zardoz, Head, Meet the Feebles, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Brazil will definitely be covered eventually. The others are maybes.
January 21st, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Santa Sangre (already in your queue)
Svankmayer’s Faust
Jan Svankmayer’s Faust
(Really any svankmayer movie will do)
The Cell
The Cell
KOYAANISQATSI
KOYAANISQATSI
Uzumaki
Uzumaki
The Fall
The Fall
Yellow Submarine
Yellow Submarine
January 21st, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Very good choices all. Funkadelic. I’ll add Faust into queue (and you’re right, all Svankmejer’s work is worth covering. Alice is already in queue as well).
January 21st, 2010 at 9:35 pm
Why no Fantastic Planet?
An animated short for you
Rabbit
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Funkadelic, the answer to why no _____ is almost always the same. With 366 movies to pick and only 45 certified so far, there’s still plenty of room! Fantastic Planet won’t be forgotten…
As for Rabbit, you may notice I deleted your link. You should check the front page tomorrow to see why…
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Greetings,
what about Old Boy?? Really good south korean movie!
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:31 pm
nevermind, seems like you’ve already got it…. then what about Grimm Love or Sublime..??!!
January 23rd, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Glad you liked Rabbit. Here’s another short for you:
The Additional Capabilities of the Snout
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Spiderpig: I will put Sublime in queue.
Funkadelic: you’re not the first person to suggest the animated shorts of Ivan Maximov to us, so we’ll probably feature a short of his down the road.
January 24th, 2010 at 12:28 am
ok, one more for ya’ then:
MUTO
January 24th, 2010 at 6:35 am
Heres two surely are wierd one is Sick Girl and the other is Battle Royal
January 24th, 2010 at 6:56 am
Also may i add another its called Midnight Meat Train , it has vinny jones in it.
January 24th, 2010 at 6:57 am
im a sinner his name is spelt Vinnie Jones
January 24th, 2010 at 7:17 am
maybe i should have made a list haha . im sure the moderator could but heres another The Bad Luitenant with Harvey Kietel Not Nicholas cages version this is wierd and sick
January 24th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Funkadelic: you are on our wavelength with the shorts, that MUTO piece was one we had saved for the future!
Wee1man: I’m no so sure about Sick Girl (looks “sick” rather than weird). I’ll put Battle Royale in queue instead. Midnight Meat Train probably isn’t weird enough to get covered here, but Bad Lieutenant should get a shot for it’s one weird scene (Harvey Keitel’s monologue) and generally odd tone.
By the way, here’s the current review queue: Survive Style 5+ (looking for a copy), The Dark Backward (next week), The Short Films of David Lynch, Santa Sangre, Dead Man, Inland Empire, Monday (assuming I can find an English language version), The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Barton Fink, What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams), Meatball Machine, Xtro, Basket Case, Suicide Club, O Lucky Man!, Trash Humpers (when/if released), Gozu, Tales of Ordinary Madness, The Wayward Cloud, Kwaidan, Six-String Samurai, Andy Warhol’s Trash, Altered States, Memento, Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie, The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gothic, The Attic Expeditions, After Last Season, Getting Any?, Performance, Being John Malkovich, The Apple, Southland Tales, Arizona Dream, Spider (2002), Songs From The Second Floor, Singapore Sling, Alice [Neco z Alenky], Necromania (1971, Ed Wood), Hour of the Wolf, MirrorMask, Possession, Suspiria, Mary and Max, Wild Zero, 4, Nothing (2003), The Peanut Butter Solution, Ninja Scroll, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Danger: Diabolik, Faust, Sublime, and Battle Royale.
January 24th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Did you have this one?
I Met the Walrus
January 24th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Funky: no, but I’ve heard of it.
January 25th, 2010 at 3:24 am
How about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? There are some pretty strange parts in that one as his memories are being erased
January 25th, 2010 at 3:34 am
Perhaps HWY, by Jim Morrison. It is very slow to develope, but certainly one of the strangest films I have seen.
January 25th, 2010 at 3:35 am
What about The Wall by Pink Floyd?
January 25th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Leshii: we’re already set to cover Eternal Sunshine, look for a review in the coming weeks. Jim Morrison’s HWY would probably be a great one, as a novelty if nothing else, but it’s never had a legitimate release and probably never will. I’ll keep it in mind though. I have been expecting someone to nominate The Wall for a long time; that’s the one I’ll place into the review queue. It should be interesting to re-evaluate this movie that I loved as a teenager again as an adult.
January 26th, 2010 at 9:41 am
I know it may not be a lofty or artistic movie, however “Escanaba In Da Moonlight” is defiantly weird. Written and directed by Jeff Daniels (yeah i know the guy from Dumb and Dumber) the movie is filled with Native American spirits that posses park rangers and moose testicle smoothies that increase hunting prowess. It probably wont make the list but it’s at least worth a review and an honorable mention.
January 26th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Wycuff: sure, why not? There are all kinds if different way to be weird; a lot of the movies that will get picked aren’t lofty or artistic! I’ll place Escanaba In Da Moonlight in queue.
January 26th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
366, more Shorts for your consideration (if you don’t already have them):
HOW WINGS ARE ATTACHED TO THE BACKS OF ANGELS
Bendito Machine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=CA&hl=en&v=iDHfx9nde14“>Orgesticulanismus
“Behold, I am Funkadelic. I am not of your world.” Funkadelic, 1970
January 26th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Funkadelic, you are seriously scooping us on these shorts!
January 26th, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Scooped as in you had them slated for the future posts or as in you didn’t have them already?
January 26th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Some of each. But it’s no problem, your enthusiasm is a joy to behold!
January 26th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
how about a couple weird “bad” movies?
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LRIypcaIX4
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHVRxzvkJao
January 26th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Sweet. I just found out it was available to stream on NetFlix. So you won’t have any trouble finding it.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Oh and thanks for the site! Its been fodder for entertainment for a few of my friends and I for the past year.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Funkadelic: Both those films are on our radar. I will put Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter in queue. We’ll also cover Dr. T. someday for sure, though personally I wouldn’t call it a “bad” movie.
Wycuff: Thanks! Has it been a year already?
January 26th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Fair Warning, though it’s weird, J.C. Vampire Hunter really is BAD.
A more deserving entry in your queue is Dark City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSpowoKqSzc
January 27th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Don’t worry, Funkadelic, Dark City will get its shot before all is said and done. I have seen that and know its got a chance to make the List, but I’m curious about JC Vampire Hunter after hearing about it for so many years.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
I can’t help the enthusiasm in discovering this site. It fits my taste like an iridescent, window-to-another-world glove with elongated fingers.
Another short:Imagenes mentales de un hombre perdiendo la razon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxI9vjBPHxY
Features: Anyone suggested In The Mouth Of Madness yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PFcOeM_Usk
Weird story arc more than surreal visuals. Always love leaving a movie that makes you question reality.
January 27th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Thank you for your compliment, Funkadelic. I almost feel that I should give you your own column!
No, no one has mentioned In the Mouth of Madness yet; it’s on the outer limits of our radar screen, though.
January 27th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
A couple older Japanese movies that BOTH deserve consideration:
Sho o suteyo machi e deyou (Throw Away Your Books,Go Out Into The Streets)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep6ultxRbj4
Bara no sôretsu (Funeral Parade Of Roses)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plmc-NzO00I
January 27th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Soon you will have 366 movies of your own listed!
January 28th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
In an unusual move, I decided to reward Funkadelic for his numerous contributions to this thread by giving him his own post. It’s a little experiment, and I’m hoping this doesn’t set a precedent where everyone wants their own thread…
January 28th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Hi!
I would like to suggest a weird one that me and my friends like to watch. The movie seemed to be an old post-apocalyptic James Bond just because Sean Connery is the main character of the film and he has a gun with him. The name of the film is ZARDOZ. And it has a 70’s peace and love esthetic with clear coulours. Well this movie is great!
January 29th, 2010 at 8:33 am
I don’t know if there’s already some of these in your reviews but anyway:
- Breaking Point (1975) – Bo Vibenius going weird & x-rated, as stated on the poster, it’s a “pornografisk thriller”.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072736/
- Asparagus (1979) – A short animated film featuring psychedelic asparaguses …
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140821/
- 1001 Nights (1998) – it’s a short based on the drawings of Yoshitaka Amano. It’s basically an animated painting.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193688/
- Cat Soup (2001) – A short half-an-hour anime by Tatsuo Sato. Featuring two cats, god and a lot of weird and disturbing events.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385586/
- Brain Dead (1990) – Not to be confused with the film by Peter Jackson. This one has a weird, nightmarish mood all over it.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099173/
- Death Machine (1994) – Sci-Fi Horror with Brad Dourif as the bad guy. So over-the-top it’s weird-ish.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109575/
- Persona (1966) – By Ingmar Bergman. Confusing and schizophrenic.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060827/
- Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice (1972) – First movie of the Hanzo trilogy. Hanzo is a japanese detective who uses his “attribute” to make female witnesses talk…
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068650/
- Bernie (1996) – This is cult. The story of a simpleton (Albert Dupontel) discovering the world outside his orphanage.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115658/
- Die Reise ins Glück (AKA A Journey Into Bliss) (2004) – Can’t really describe this movie… It’s made by Wenzel Storch, who’s at the forefront of German psychedelism. It features talking animals among other things :)
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420116/
- Shock Corridor (1963) – Cult director Sam Fuller tells the story of a journalist investigating a murder inside a mental house.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057495/
- Alphaville (1965) – Well, it’s Godard, making orwellian sci-fi.. so it’s definitely weird…
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058898/
- Garden of Love (2003) – When “so-bad-it’s-good”, “german-filmmaker”, “straight-to-dvd” and “gore” are in the same sentence, you know it’s going to be a fun ride :)
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0355473/
- Häxan (1922) – It’s a documentary about witchcraft.There’s two versions of it: the original silent and a version with narration by William S. Burrough and a soundtrack by french jazz musician Jean-Luc Ponty.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0013257/
- Din of Celestial Birds (2006) – A short film by E. Elias Merhige (Begotten). It’s about “the evolution of consciousness”. Intense.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0872250/
- Freaked (1993) – Apparently only released a few years ago. This flick is not the typical 90s slapstick comedy.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109838/
- Industrial Symphony No. 1 (1989) – David Lynch’s lesser known work. It’s a musical (orchestrated by Badalamenti, of course). I think there’s nothing more to say: Lynch, musical, Badalamenti…
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099844/
- Kondom des Grauens (AKA Killer Condom) (1996) – Well… It’s about a gay german inspector investigating the curious case of a condom killer in New-York (where they all speak German).
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116791/
- Meet the Applegates (1990) – The american dream lived by a mutant family… Weird…
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100129/
- Les Yeux sans Visage (1959) – Franju’s tale of a plastic surgeon trying to find a new face for his disfigured wife. I found it kinda creepy.
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053459/
- Ink (2009) – Low budget fantasy movie about a bunch of good guys creating dreams and the bad guys creating nightmares…
-> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1071804/
i think i’ll stop here … :)
January 29th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Felix: I have been waiting for someone to suggest Zardoz. I’ll put it in queue and I look forward to reviewing it!
Barry: We have already reviewed Les Yeux sans Visage and Ink (both made the List, in fact). There are some great suggestions on your list, some that were new to me and some that were already on our radar. As far as taking one of the suggestions for the queue, I’d love to see Breaking Point, but I’m not sure it’s available anywhere. So, going to the next suggestion, I see that there is a compilation called The Films of Suzan Pitt that includes “Asparagus,” so I’ll put that in the queue.
January 29th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
I’d like to recommend Santa Sangre. I saw it a very, very long time ago, but still have vivid memories of parts of it… Set in a mexican circus–main character is the son of the trapeze artist & the strongman (who is cheating w/the tattooed lady). Childhood trauma ensues. There is a bizarre/disturbing ‘funeral’ procession sequence when the circus elephant dies. Check it out.
January 30th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Nina Barron (who just happens to be an old and dear friend), Sante Sangre is already in our review queue! I agree that it’s right up our alley, though. Feel free to suggest something else!
January 30th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
While I don’t think any of these qualify as weird by my standards, I love the following Jim Jarmusch flicks: Stranger than Paradise, Down by Law (Tom Waits!!), and Night on Earth.
Also, Toto le Héros is wonderful & has a cool Charles Trenet song on the soundtrack. Some might consider it strange, but not necessarily weird.
I was glad to see both Delicatessen & The City of Lost Children on your list already–I love them both quite a bit, especially Delicatessen.
Ummm… if you have some spare time, check out Gustafer Yellowgold’s Wide Wild World. It’s songs & video for kids, but the songs are actually good & the DVD is pretty interesting/somewhat strange. It was a very pleasant surprise for me after getting it for my then 2-3 year old.
Good to hear back from you & I’m glad I checked out your site, it’s very cool. Take care!!
January 31st, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Nina, I agree, those Jarmusch films aren’t weird, just offbeat. Dead Man and his latest (Limits of Control) are the two I can think of where he’s mined really weird territory.
I may take you up on Gustafer Yellowgold somehow; keep checking the site!
EDIT: Now that I reread the post, I see you did suggest one we are very interested in: Toto the Hero [Toto le Héros]. I’m going to add that one to the queue!
Speaking of the queue: Survive Style 5+ (looking for a copy, may get bumped due to no region 1 release); The Dark Backward (next week–this time, I swear!); The Short Films of David Lynch; Santa Sangre; Dead Man; Inland Empire; Monday (assuming I can find an English language version); The Abominable Dr. Phibes; Barton Fink; What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams); Meatball Machine; Xtro; Basket Case; Suicide Club; O Lucky Man!; Trash Humpers (when/if released); Gozu; Tales of Ordinary Madness; The Wayward Cloud; Kwaidan; Six-String Samurai; Andy Warhol’s Trash; Altered States; Memento; Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie; The Science of Sleep; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (possibly jumping in line to come out next week); Gothic; The Attic Expeditions; After Last Season; Getting Any?; Performance; Being John Malkovich; The Apple; Southland Tales; Arizona Dream; Spider (2002); Songs From The Second Floor; Singapore Sling; Alice [Neco z Alenky]; Necromania (1971, Ed Wood); Hour of the Wolf; MirrorMask; Possession; Suspiria; Mary and Max; Wild Zero; 4; Nothing (2003); The Peanut Butter Solution; Ninja Scroll; Perfume: The Story of a Murderer; Danger: Diabolik; Faust; Sublime; Battle Royale; Pink Floyd: The Wall;Escanaba In Da Moonlight; Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter; Zardoz; The Films of Suzan Pitt; and Toto the Hero [Toto le Héros].
February 1st, 2010 at 11:09 pm
Yes, Dead Man does get pretty weird. I haven’t yet seen Limits of Control, but it’s on my list to see. I’m a big Jarmusch fan. I, unfortunately, don’t have too much time for movies lately, which is a big shame.
Storytelling (Todd Solondz) has some odd, strange & disburing parts, but overall, not exactly weird. (I love Welcome to the Dollhouse, which is not weird, but one of my favorites.)
Any documentaries on the list? Brother’s Keeper and Crumb are 2 good ones, and each have some elements that are varying combinations of weird, unsettling, disturbing, sad, haunting.
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:29 pm
No documentaries so far. It’s a hard category to qualify as “weird.” Crumb is a good possibility for a doc, though.
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Might I suggest you take a look at “Paprika”, the most recent Satoshi Kon animated feature? Very trippy and also a good watch.
February 4th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
definitely, the Holy Mountain by Alejandro Jodorovsky
February 4th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Marrisey: yes, you may suggest Paprika! In fact, you’re not the first. I’ll put it in the queue.
Vee: Yes, definitely The Holy Mountain (and again, you’re not the first!). I’ll put it in queue as well.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Oh and if you consider weird short films, then this worth seeing and feeling:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv8EHo4ulEQ
“Inside” by Phillip Hirsch, 2006. it’s just 6 minutes long, but is awesome! the message is so vague it makes my skin all goosebumps..
February 4th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Yes, Vee, we cover short films. See our “Saturday Shorts” archive. Our only issue with them is that we try to feature only shorts where we know the copyright holder approves of it being posted on YouTube or similar services.
February 7th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Updating the current reader-suggested review queue:
Visitor Q (substituted for the currently unavailable in the US Survive Style 5+); The Short Films of David Lynch; Santa Sangre; Dead Man (next week); Inland Empire; Monday (assuming I can find an English language version); The Abominable Dr. Phibes; Barton Fink; What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams); Meatball Machine; Xtro; Basket Case; Suicide Club; O Lucky Man!; Trash Humpers (when/if released); Gozu; Tales of Ordinary Madness; The Wayward Cloud; Kwaidan; Six-String Samurai; Andy Warhol’s Trash; Altered States; Memento; Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie; The Science of Sleep; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (jumping in line to come out next week!); Gothic; The Attic Expeditions; After Last Season; Getting Any?; Performance; Being John Malkovich; The Apple; Southland Tales; Arizona Dream; Spider (2002); Songs From The Second Floor; Singapore Sling; Alice [Neco z Alenky]; Necromania (1971, Ed Wood); Hour of the Wolf; MirrorMask; Possession; Suspiria; Mary and Max; Wild Zero; 4; Nothing (2003); The Peanut Butter Solution; Ninja Scroll; Perfume: The Story of a Murderer; Danger: Diabolik; Faust; Sublime; Battle Royale; Pink Floyd: The Wall;Escanaba In Da Moonlight; Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter; Zardoz; The Films of Suzan Pitt; Toto the Hero [Toto le Héros]; Paprika; and The Holy Mountain.
February 8th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Not seeing Brazil on the list struck me as a terrible injustice to weirdness and Terry Gilliam. It wasnt the first really strange movie I’ve seen but it left me with the desire to seek out more of it’s kind :)
February 8th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
You’re right, Kass, I will put Brazil in queue to rectify the situation. In the meantime we’ve already covered quite a bit of Terry Gilliam, who is a favorite round these parts.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
“The Casserole Masters” may be the single weirdest film I’ve ever seen.
If you haven’t considered it, you should.
http://casserolemasters.blip.tv/
February 8th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Roger… um… yeah, that looks weird. It’s not exactly a feature film, but I guess in the digital age we’d better catch up to online-only releases. Though I’m not fond of watching movies online, I’d be willing to give it a look down the line. In the meantime, anyone can watch the film by following the link you provided (looks like a legitimate online release).
February 9th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
What about the Jim Henson movies Dark Crystal and Labyrinth? Those were overflowing with weirdness.
February 10th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Tripp: I will put Dark Crystal, which I haven’t seen, into the queue. As for Labyrinth, which I have seen, I wouldn’t say it was “overflowing” with weirdness, but it was weird for a kid’s movie. It’s odd enough to warrant a capsule review, which I will get to someday.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Try anything made by Shuji Terayama… One of the weirdest (and one of my favorite) directors of all time:
-Sho o suteyo machi e deyou (Throw Your Books, Rally in the Streets, 1971)
-Den-en ni shisu (Pastoral: To Die in the Country, 1974)
-Meikyu-tan (Labyrinth Tale, 1975)
-Les Fruits de la Passion (1981)
-Kusa-meikyu (Grass Labyrinth, 1983) – no wonder there are two movies with “labyrinth” in title. Terayama’s surreal & avant-garde works are quite labyrinthian…
-Saraba Hakobune (Farewell to the Ark, 1984) – inspired by 100 Years of Solitude, and I enjoyed it more than the book.
Some random (but not less important!) suggestions:
- Short movies of Patrick Bokanowski and his feature length L’Ange (1982)
- Dogura Magura (1988) by Toshio Matsumoto (beside this one, his short movies are almost the essence of weirdness, even when they don’t seem like one)
- Mécanix (2003), by Rémy M. Larochelle
- Izo (2004) by Takashi Miike (I see Gozu has already been mentioned, but I think Izo’s even weirder…)
- Nuit Noire (2005), by Olivier Smolders
- The PianoTuner of EarthQuakes (2005), or any of those quirky little stop-motion animations by the Quay Brothers
…and I’ll stop here.
Cheers! :)
February 10th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
I have not seen the movie ‘The Nines” listed yet. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810988/ Also, the movie ‘Nothing”. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298482/
Both I thought to be at least worthy of a look for the list.
February 10th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
NGboo: thoise are some very refined and obscure suggestions–just what we were hoping for! Terayama’s Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets was something we hoped to eventually review, but never thought anyone would suggest, so thank you. I’ll put it into the queue. As for the rest of your suggestions, I’m sure you’ll see many of them tackled before we hit #366, so stay tuned!
Urushial: Nothing (2003) is already in our long reader-suggested review queue, but you are the first to suggest The Nines. Consider it added as well!
February 14th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
- Shozin Fukui’s cyberpunk horrors – 964 Pinnochio (1991) & Rubber’s Lover (1996)… Too bad these are the only feature lengths he made.
- 4 (Chetyre, 2005), by Ilya Khrjanovsky – brutal criticism of Russian modern society, with 4 as leitmotif (why four – don’t ask).
- La dernière voix (2002), Ascension (2002)& La belle bête (2006), by underrated Karim Hussain. I still haven’t watched his debut Subconscious Cruelty (1999), but I guess, according to the comments I’ve read, it’s quite weird as well.
- short animations by Raoul Servais – Sirene (1968), Harpya (1979), Papillons de nuit (1997) & Atraksion (2001) are the ones I watched. Great & surreal.
- Black Moon (1975), by Louis Malle – almost indescribable & strange fairy-tale (kind of).
- The Company of Wolves (1984), by Neil Jordan – an inspiring & nightmarish version of Little Red Riding Hood.
- Fade (2000), by Eugenio Mira – like Jeunet, Caro & Lynch combined.
- Fellini – Satyricon (1969) – it’s strange how nobody mentioned it already.
- Firecracker (2005), by Steve Balderson – the weirdest “based on true events” movie I’ve ever seen.
- Giorgino (1994), by Laurent Boutonnat – it has very unique aura.
- Hannah House (2002), by Chad & Max Smith – a wicked arthouse horror.
- Hotel (2004), by Jessica Hausner – with a thick, “Lynchian” atmosphere.
- The Juniper Tree (1990), by Nietzchka Keene – as the tagline says, “A Twisted Tale of Witchcraft and Mysticism”.
- Neji-Shiki (1998), by Teruo Ishi – it’s translated as Screwed – ‘nuf said.
- Rampo Jigoku (2005), by various directors, inspired by short stories of Edogawa Rampo.
- Rhinoceros Eyes (2003), by Aaron Woodley, David Cronenberg’s nephew, who’s weird as uncle, but in a different way.
- Sanatorium Pod Klepsydra (1973), by Wojciech Has – an unforgettable dreamlike trip.
- Sayat Nova (1968), by Sergei Parajanov – beautiful & poetic.
- Valerie A Týden Divů (1970), by Jaromil Jireš – a very surreal story about coming of age.
- Yume Jû-Ya (2006), by various directors – based upon Natsume Sôseki’s collection of short stories that revive his dreams.
Next time, I’ll list some anime suggestions. :)
February 14th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
NGboo: I will put 964 Pinocchio in queue. Remember, let someone else have a turn before you put in your next anime suggestions! I don’t like to take back-to-back nominations. Fortunately for you Urushial snuck in with The Nines after you made your last list.
Comments on some of the rest of your list: the Russian 4 is already in queue. I think The Company of Wolves is a very underrated and almost forgotten little gem; we’ll get to it. I myself am a little surprised no one had suggested any Fellini yet, but that’s OK; it gives us something to put near the end of the List. Those other suggestions are all fantastic leads, many of them new to me.
Updating the review queue: Visitor Q (substituted for the currently unavailable in the US Survive Style 5+); The Short Films of David Lynch (next week); Santa Sangre; Inland Empire (next week); Monday (assuming I can find an English language version); The Abominable Dr. Phibes; Barton Fink; What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams); Meatball Machine; Xtro; Basket Case; Suicide Club; O Lucky Man!; Trash Humpers (when/if released); Gozu; Tales of Ordinary Madness; The Wayward Cloud; Kwaidan; Six-String Samurai; Andy Warhol’s Trash; Altered States; Memento; Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie; The Science of Sleep; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (jumping in line to come out next week!); Gothic; The Attic Expeditions; After Last Season; Getting Any?; Performance; Being John Malkovich; The Apple; Southland Tales; Arizona Dream; Spider (2002); Songs From The Second Floor; Singapore Sling; Alice [Neco z Alenky]; Necromania (1971, Ed Wood); Hour of the Wolf; MirrorMask; Possession; Suspiria; Mary and Max; Wild Zero; 4; Nothing (2003); The Peanut Butter Solution; Ninja Scroll; Perfume: The Story of a Murderer; Danger: Diabolik; Faust; Sublime; Battle Royale; Pink Floyd: The Wall;Escanaba In Da Moonlight; Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter; Zardoz; The Films of Suzan Pitt; Toto the Hero [Toto le Héros]; Paprika; The Holy Mountain; Brazil; The Casserole Masters; Dark Crystal; Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets; The Nines; and 964 Pinocchio.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
The Pillow Book (1996) very bizarre film
Peter Jackson’s Meet the Feebles, Dead Alive, Bad taste…
Jacob’s Ladder (1990) is a another weird one
February 14th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
La Planete Sauvage (1977)
February 15th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Hi Lili,
Peter Greenaway’s The Pillow Book (1996)is an excellent suggestion, I’ll put it in the queue. Peter Jackson’s early works will definitely be covered at some point, as will La Planete Sauvage [Fantastic Planet].
You may be happy to know that we already certified Jacob’s Ladder (read our review) as one of the 366 Best Weird Films of all time.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Hi, i just wanted to recommend some Jan Svankmajer Films
he’s a surrealist animator from the czech republic
he has a ton of shorts
but his movies
lunacy
Alice(a remake of Alice in wonderland)
and
little otik
should all be appreciated for the beauty and strangeness of them
February 15th, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Nice, I just thought of Enki Bilal’s Inmortal (2004)
February 15th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Suggestions are coming fast and furious!
First, via email I received this suggestion: “…one recent film I just bought & loved (with a trippy and hilariously excellent concept) is FINAL FLESH. Awesomely clever and surreal. ‘the deal is this: Vernon Chatman located a company, a pornography-production company, that uses its stable of professional humpers to turn any script that you send them into a dirty movie. They will say, aloud, whatever you wrote in your script. So Vernon did that; he sent them some scripts….’” OK, that oddity goes into the queue.
Newtonian Vibes: we already have Alice in queue, but we need to cover all of Svankmajer, so I will add Lunacy [Sílení] as well.
Lili: Inmortel looks interesting, I will add it too…
February 18th, 2010 at 9:44 am
Hi, nice list! These will keep me busy for a long time!
I have a few suggestions to make (They do not seem to be on your list… yet!) :
From japan :
– most movies from Shinya Tsukamoto (I can’t belive nobody mentioned him yet!), starting with Tetsuo 1 & 2, Haze, Gemini, Tokyo Fist…
– some of Sabu’s movies (someone mentioned “Monday”, you should also take a look at “postman blues” or “Drive”)
– some of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s movies : you rejected “cure”, however you might want to check “Kairo” and “charisma”
– “Marebito”
From Europe :
– someone suggested “Immortal”, I’ll add the other Bilal’s movies “Tykho moon” and “Bunker Palace Hotel”
– “Who killed Jessie?” (“Kdo chce zabít Jessii?”) strange concept : a mix between a live movie and a comic book
– “Last year in Marienbad” (“L’année dernière à Marienbad”) by Alain Resnais : really weird narrative structure
– “Drowning by numbers”
That’s all I can think of for the moment…
Have fun!
February 18th, 2010 at 10:55 am
four movies for your consideration. Not over the top weird but recommended because they have decent production values and good to great acting.
Dead Ringers (1988) David Cronenberg
Videodrome (1983) David Cronenberg
The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982) Peter Greenaway
Drowning by Numbers (1988) Peter Greenaway
Cube (1997) Vincenzo Natali
February 18th, 2010 at 10:55 am
Five!
February 18th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
Caribou gorn: I am surprised no one suggested Tetsuo yet myself. I will put that one in queue.
A correction on Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cure: I didn’t reject it for the List outright. I put it in the “Borderline” category because I may circle back to it and give it another chance later. It’s a bit like the Baseball Hall of Fame: legends make it in on the first ballot, while some other very good players may have to wait their turn, but they get in eventually.
Mighty Utar: I will put Dead Ringers in queue. I haven;t seen it since it first came out and I need to evaluate it (almost anything by Cronenberg is of interest to us). Several of those others you mentioned have a very good chance to make it, as well…
February 19th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Your baseball comparison doesn’t really speak to me (not american, sorry ;-) ) but I see what you mean : I understand why “Cure” can be seen as “borderline weird”, after all it is still a detective story.. That’s why I suggested “Kairo” which I think is more weird (people becoming stains on a wall???)!
I remembered a few other movies that I think you should consider :
– “Dark at noon” (L’oeil qui ment) by Raoul Ruiz (other Ruiz movies might have a chance also) – definitely strange!
– “Creatures” (Les créatures) Agnès Varda – everyone in the movie is a chess piece
– “The element of crime” Lars Von Trier (most of his movies could get in the list! “Epidemic”, “Europa” etc…)
– “The tune” Bill Plympton (or maybe “Mutant aliens”?)
February 19th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Caribou: sorry about the baseball analogy, but you get the drift. Films that are “borderline” could make the List someday, they just weren’t good enough to unequivocally make it on the first pass. I will put Kairo [AKA Pulse] into queue. As for von Trier, his latest, Antichrist, is going to make the List (just waiting for the video release to make it official). And we really need to get around to reviewing some Bill Plympton.
February 21st, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Updating the queue: Santa Sangre; Monday (assuming I can find an English language version); The Abominable Dr. Phibes; Barton Fink; What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams); Meatball Machine; Xtro; Basket Case; Suicide Club; O Lucky Man!; Trash Humpers (when/if released); Gozu; Tales of Ordinary Madness; The Wayward Cloud; Kwaidan; Six-String Samurai; Andy Warhol’s Trash; Altered States; Memento; Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie; The Science of Sleep; Gothic (jumping in line to come out next week!); The Attic Expeditions; After Last Season; Getting Any?; Performance; Being John Malkovich; The Apple; Southland Tales; Arizona Dream; Spider (2002); Songs From The Second Floor; Singapore Sling; Alice [Neco z Alenky]; Necromania (1971, Ed Wood); Hour of the Wolf; MirrorMask; Possession; Suspiria; Mary and Max; Wild Zero; 4; Nothing (2003); The Peanut Butter Solution; Ninja Scroll; Perfume: The Story of a Murderer; Danger: Diabolik; Faust; Sublime; Battle Royale; Pink Floyd: The Wall; Escanaba In Da Moonlight; Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter; Zardoz; The Films of Suzan Pitt; Toto the Hero [Toto le Héros]; Paprika; The Holy Mountain; Brazil; The Casserole Masters; Dark Crystal; Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets; The Nines; 964 Pinocchio; The Pillow Book; Final Flesh; Lunacy [Sílení]; Inmortel; Tetsuo; Dead Ringers; and Kairo [AKA Pulse].
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:11 pm
The Guatemalan Handshake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnTsMHTOcQU
“In the confusion following a massive power outage, an awkward demolition derby driver vanishes, setting in motion a series of events affecting his pregnant girlfriend, his helplessly car-less father, a pack of wild boy scouts, a lactose intolerant roller rink employee, an elderly woman in search of her lost dog, and his best friend – a ten-year-old girl named Turkeylegs.
Pieces of the mystery begin to come together as Turkeylegs sets out to find her missing friend. Cars drive circles in the dirt, a woman attends her own funeral, the sun rises sideways and an orange vehicle trades hands again and again. Everything eventually culminates in a massive demolition derby that throws all of the characters into different directions.”
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Funky,
Sure, I will put The Guatemalan Handshake into queue. Sounds weird, and I hadn’t heard of it before.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:31 am
- Püha Tõnu kiusamine (a.k.a. The Temptation of St. Tony, 2009), by Veiko Õunpuu – a beautiful (and weird, of course) Estonian gem, that combines the art of Tarkovsky, Bunuel, Lynch, Kubrick & Bergman (more than) successfully, without being a copycat.
And, as I promised, some anime & Japanese experimental animation suggestions:
- Kanashimi no Beradona (Belladona of Sadness, 1973) – artistic, psychodelic & a little bit perverse…
- Deddo Rîbusu (Dead Leaves, 2004) – fast, loud, wicked & filled with ultimate animated weirdos
- Genius Party (2007) & Genius Party Beyond (2008) – anthologies of shorts by Studio 4°C (well, most of their works fit in some strange categories…)
- short animations of Kōji Yamamura (Inaka Isha, for example, is a great adaptation of Kafka’s short story A Country Doctor)
- Memorîzu (Memories, 1995) – sci-fi weridness
- Shôjo Tsubaki (Midori, 1992) – carnies!
- Kujira No Chouyaku (Glassy Ocean, 1998) – a beautiful & contemplative fantasy
- Neo Tokyo (Meikyû Monogatari, 1986) – it’s translated as Labyrinth Tales, as well…
I see Oshii’s masterpiece, Tenshi no Tamago (Angel’s Egg), is already suggested, but I have to mention it again. :)
February 27th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Hi again NGBoo!
Re: The Temptation of St. Tony. I have already mentioned it, and since it’s something we plan to cover anyway I won’t use it as your suggestion.
Looking at your list of anime suggestions, I find that Dead Leaves (2004) is readily available, so that the one I’ll put in queue.
Angel’s Egg is in our list of movies we hope will be re-released someday. I couldn’t find a legitimate release of the movie, used copies were being sold for exorbitant prices, and versions with English subs were rare. I even asked a specialty retailer for help in locating a copy and he came up blank. So, we will keep an eye on it and hope it gets released someday…
February 28th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
“Frownland” and “The American Astronaut” come to mind.
February 28th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Rob,
How odd that you should mention Frownland. Just last week, Eric was discussing movies from his recent viewings he might review and this was a name that came up. You may have lucked out with your suggestion by asking for something that was coming up soon anyway! We’ll put it in the queue.
February 28th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Great. What about the “Cremaster” films, “Taxidermia”, “I Stand Alone”, “Little Otik” and “Satan’s Brew”.
February 28th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Just found your site a few days ago, and now I can’t stay away! You already have most of my personal favorites (eg. films by Lynch, Cronenberg, Greenaway.. so many others too!). My only suggestion right now is ‘The Seventh Seal’ – it’s on a lot of critics’ lists as one of the greatest movies of all time, but it’s also wonderfully weird, I think :-)
February 28th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Oh, I just realized that Matthew Barney and Little Otik was mentioned before. “Repo Man” and a very new one called “Dogtooth” are two more.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:51 pm
If any film is worthy of being on the list, it would be “Taxidermia”. Extremely weird AND good. I mentioned it earlier, but I’d just like to put it at the front of my suggestion list.
If you can find a film called “Crime Wave” by John Paizs, you should check it out. He also has a short film called “Springtime in Greenland” which might fit the bill. Both are extremely hard to find though. Another film called “Crime Wave” by the Coen Brothers AND Sam Raimi might even be good enough for the list.
“Death of the Tinman” is another awesome short film (which you can find online). You might already have it on the list though, I haven’t looked at the short film section of this site yet.
Another personal favourite of mine is “The Honeymoon Killers”. It’s Bonnie and Clyde if it were shot by John Waters and David Lynch.
And don’t forget about “Even Dwarfs Started Small”.
Excuse this comment barrage, I just find this site to be a such a great resource for those with an interest in the bizarre.
March 1st, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Nightingail: I would be thrilled to take a look at The Seventh Seal! We need more suggestions for classic older films.
Rob: I don’t like to take multiple requests from the same reader in a row (especially since people will often list a dozen or so picks at a time), but Nightingail slipped in before you, so I will take your suggestion of Taxidermia and put it in queue. It’s another one we were planning to get to soon anyway; in fact, I have it’s Region 1 DVD release date of March 23 circled on my calendar!
No need to apologize for the comment barrage, it’s people like you who keep us going! And I promise we won’t forget about Even Dwarfs Started Small.
March 6th, 2010 at 4:25 am
Primer! Check it out it is weird. Requiem for a Dream? koyaanistie or how ever you spell it would be a good candidate and what about The Wall the epic Wall?? Re-cycle and that other one about the forest that kills ppl they were weird.
March 6th, 2010 at 8:50 am
Snowcrash: Primer (2004) is a great suggestion, I’ll put it in the queue. The others you mention are all appropriate for review someday, and Pink Floyd: The Wall is already in the queue.
March 6th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
AN OLDER FILM CALLED “THE MANIAC”. B/W 1934 OR 30? THIS MOVIE IS SO WEIRD YOUR LAWN WILL DIE AS YOU WATCH IT. VERY CHEAP BUT GRABS YOU LIKE NO OTHER. I GIVE IT 4 STARS. I LOOKED THUR THE LIST AND DIDN’T SEE IT IN QUEUE.
March 7th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
BRUCE: Maniac (1934) is a great call! There’s nothing else in the world quite like this exploitative pre-Code oddity. We would have gotten around to it even if you hadn’t suggested it, but this will move it up on our priorities list.
Speaking of which, here’s an update of the reader-suggested queue: Santa Sangre (next week); The Abominable Dr. Phibes; What? (Diary of Forbidden Dreams); Meatball Machine; Xtro; Basket Case; Suicide Club; O Lucky Man!; Trash Humpers (when/if released); Gozu; Tales of Ordinary Madness; The Wayward Cloud; Kwaidan; Six-String Samurai; Andy Warhol’s Trash; Altered States; Memento; Nightmare Before Christmas/Vincent/Frankenweenie; The Science of Sleep; Gothic (jumping in line to come out next week!); The Attic Expeditions; After Last Season; Getting Any?; Performance; Being John Malkovich; The Apple; Southland Tales; Arizona Dream; Spider (2002); Songs From The Second Floor; Singapore Sling; Alice [Neco z Alenky]; Necromania (1971, Ed Wood); Hour of the Wolf; MirrorMask; Possession; Suspiria; Mary and Max; Wild Zero; 4; Nothing (2003); The Peanut Butter Solution; Ninja Scroll; Perfume: The Story of a Murderer; Danger: Diabolik; Faust; Sublime; Battle Royale; Pink Floyd: The Wall; Escanaba In Da Moonlight; Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter; Zardoz; The Films of Suzan Pitt; Toto the Hero [Toto le Héros]; Paprika; The Holy Mountain; Brazil; The Casserole Masters; Dark Crystal; Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets; The Nines; 964 Pinocchio; The Pillow Book; Final Flesh; Lunacy [Sílení]; Inmortel; Tetsuo; Dead Ringers; Kairo [AKA Pulse]; The Guatemalan Handshake; Dead Leaves; Frownland; The Seventh Seal; Taxidermia; Primer; and Maniac (1934). Be patient, we’re only a few months behind on these!
March 7th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
After looking through all these suggestions (which took ages) and my own collection of weird movies, i couldn’t see a suggestion for the japanese movie “Hausu” (1977). Very weird & amazing film.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076162/
Others which i didn’t see listed which should be considered:
Skidoo (1968) – a classic but hard to find.
B.J Lang Presents (aka The Manipulator)(1971) – just the most off the wall insane movie, a real stunning piece of weirdness.
Mumsy,Nanny,Sonny & Girly (1970) – hard to find.
Sonny Boy (1989).
One Way Pendulum (1964) – very bizarre but extremely rare.
Would list more but i can see you are inundated with suggestions.
March 7th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Hi Gerby,
We’ll try to think of a way to make the search to see what we’ve already mentioned easier! I have discovered many weird movies I never knew existed through this suggestion page, and I hope others have to.
I will put Hausu in queue. It was mentioned on director Graham Reznick’s list of his 10 favorite weird films, so you can see a micro-review of the movie there.
I would love to see Otto Preminger’s Skidoo sometime, but as you said it’s hard to find: it was never released on video to my knowledge. It did air on the TCM cable network a while back, leading to speculation that it might be released, but nothing happened. I’m not familiar with the other titles you list except Sonny Boy, which would merit a review. But discovering new leads is half the fun of this project.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:11 am
Have you viewed “A Boy and His Dog”? Not great, but definitely some weird ideas floating around there.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Kathryn,
I wouldn’t say A Boy and His Dog is not great… OK, it’s probably not great, but it is a very interesting film that younger readers may have missed! I’ll add it to the queue.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:49 am
ANOTHER ONE TO THINK ABOUT IS FRANK ZAPPA’S 200 MOTELS. A COMEDY WITH RINGO STARR AS “LARRY THE DWARF DRESSED UP TO LOOK LIKE FRANK ZAPPA”. FLOATING NUNS, CARTOONS ABOUT STEALING ITEMS OUT OF MOTELS, KEITH MOON, AND “CENTERVILLE A REAL NICE PLACE TO RAISE YOUR KIDS”! VERY FUNNY AND VERY WEIRD. TAKE A BREAK FROM YOUR “HEAVY” FILMS AND WATCH THIS ONE.- THANKS. A NOTE TO KATHRYN: A COMIC BOOK CAME OUT BY RICH CORBIN ON “A BOY AND HIS DOG”, VERY NICE, AND EASY TO GET AT MOST COMIC SHOPS OR ONLINE.
March 11th, 2010 at 11:22 am
BRUCE:
200 Motels is another great suggestion! I’ll put it in queue. We do need more “lighter” titles for a change of pace.
March 12th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Walkabout
The man who fell to earth
Eating Raoul
March 12th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Robert, I’m guessing you’re a Nic Roeg fan. The other two films you mentioned will definitely get coverage someday, but I hadn’t considered Walkabout (1971), so I’ll give that one a chance.
March 13th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
The suggestion of Paul Bartel’s “Eating Raoul” just made me remember his first film “Private Parts” (1972). That was a strange one! Dunno if it’s already been covered but it’s a goodie and a much more lighter title.
March 13th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Gerby: Sure, I’ll put Private Parts into the queue. Paul Bartel is a fascinating director, and I like him as an actor too. For a long time the movie was very hard to find, but I see it was reissued on DVD by Warner Brothers a while back!