Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs, and on more distant horizons…

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

Queen of Earth (2015): A wealthy woman under stress retires to the countryside with an old friend, where her mental condition continues to deteriorate. From Impolex‘s Alex Ross Perry, this has earned a few cautious comparisons to Repulsion, Persona, and other female-identity disorder films. Queen of Earth at IFC films.

Windsor Drive (2015): A Hollywood actor with a dead girlfriend has a mental breakdown. Directed by Natalie Bible’ (the extra ‘ is an affectation, not a typo, making for dopey-looking constructions like “Natalie Bible”s newest film,” but we won’t hold that against the movie). Windsor Drive official site.

SCREENINGS – (New York City, weekend of Aug 28-30):

Various: We came across a blog that NYC area weird movie fans are going to want to bookmark. Midnight Grind’s purpose is simple and to the point: it provides a weekly list of midnight movie screenings in the NY metro area. Not all of the films are weird (or even cult movies), but there are enough outre offerings in the Big Apple that everyone should be able to find something strange to entertain them late nights. This weekend’s highlights are Blue Velvet at the IFC and (naturally) The Rocky Horror Picture Show (multiple locations). We may have to link to these guys weekly. Midnight Grind.

SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, Saturday Aug. 29):

3 Women (1977): Read the Certified Weird entry! Cinefamily screens Robert Altman‘s dream about two (well, three) delusional women in the Mojave desert as part of their irregular “Women of Cinefamily” series. 3 Women at Cinefamily.

SCREENINGS – (AFI Silver Theater, Silver Springs, MD, Sunday Aug. 30):

Blue Velvet (1986): Read the Certified Weird entry! David Lynch‘s perverse classic caps off AFI’s summer series of “totally awesome” 1980s classics. In dreams, I walk with you… Blue Velvet at AFI Silver Theater.

FILM FESTIVALS – Cambridge Film Festival (Cambridge, UK, Sep. 3-13):

The Cambridge festival, which is overshadowed by the Venice International Film Festival on the continent, nevertheless has a nice mix of relatively big American movies (Dope and Irrational Man), smaller experimental films, and classy revivals (the films of silent master Victor Sjöström are one of the features this year).

• Begotten – A very rare 16mm screening of the bizarre, Certified Weird creation fable, with a new live improvised soundtrack, accompanied by two seldom-seen shorts from Derek Jarman. This magnificent event is part of a series called “Dark Pictures” and it happens on Fri., Sep 4.
• By Our Selves – Experimental film by Andrew Kotting retracing the steps of a forest journey by the 19th century poet John Clare, followed by a straw bear. Sep. 5.
• Children of the Night [AKA Limbo] – Movie about a colony of child vampires being indoctrinated into believing they are a master race. UK premiere on Sep 7th.
• Hellions – Bruce McDonald (Pontypool) Halloween-themed horror about a pregnant girl terrorized by childlike monsters; reportedly surreal visuals. Screens Sep. 3.
• The Reflecting Skin – Another screening of a Certified Weird classic; director Philip Ridley will be on hand to discuss this childhood death fantasy on Sep. 8.
• Schmitke – Mildly absurd/surreal Czech film about a wind turbine engineer entering a strange forest. The UK premiere is Sep 4th and it screens again on the 7th.
• Splendor Solis – Daniel Fawcett (half of the team behind Savage Witches) has composed a feature length experimental twin-screen film out of footage he has collected for the past 17 years. Screens Sep. 11. More information at the Underground Film Studio.

Cambridge Film Festival Home Page.

IN DEVELOPMENT:

Forever Phibes (est. Halloween 2016): Not a whole lot of information here, but the “official” Dr. Phibes blog has announced a new Phibes movie, to star Malcolm McDowell as the deadly deco doctor. More info if/when it becomes available. Press release at the Official Dr. Phibes blog.

NEW ON BLU-RAY:

Angel Heart (1987): Read our review. We don’t consider it one of the weirdest of all time, but Alan Parker‘s voodoo neo-noir is atmospheric as Hell. Buy Angel Heart [Blu-ray].

The Doors (1991): Val Kilmer stars as Jim Morrison, who takes acid, spouts poetry, converses with his Native American spirit guide, and occasionally records rock n’ roll hits. This psychedelic feature was the beginning of Oliver Stone‘s brief “weird” period that climaxed with 1994’s Natural Born Killers. Buy The Doors [Blu-ray].

Jacob’s Ladder (1990): Read the Certified Weird entry! Jacob’s Ladder has been out on Blu-ray before and there are no special features advertised, except for a digital HD copy of the film. Buy Jacob’s Ladder [Blu-ray].

The Last Dragon (1985): A young Harlem kung fu expert searches for a master to teach him “the glow,” but finds songstress Vanity instead, in this martial arts/comedy/musical with breakdancing bits. Perhaps more “goofy” than weird, but this 1980s cult film is out of the ordinary and high in cheesy nostalgia value.  Buy The Last Dragon [Blu-ray].

Vampire Hunter D (1985): In a post-apocalyptic world, a girl recruits the mysterious “D” to save her from a vampire’s curse.  An influential fantasy anime with a cult following. Buy Vampire Hunter D [Blu-ray].

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

Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs, and on more distant horizons…

NEW ON DVD:

La Grande Bouffe (1973): See description in Blu-ray below. Buy La Grande Bouffe [DVD/Blu-ray combo].

Strangerland (2015): A family’s two children disappear into the Australian wilderness (yes, the same one that swallowed the kids from Walkabout and Picnic at Hanging Rock). Despite Nicole Kidman‘s star power this one passed unnoticed at the box office, and left the few audiences that saw it nonplussed at its odd occurrences and lack of explanations. Buy Strangerland.

NEW ON BLU-RAY:

La Grande Bouffe (1973): Read the Certified Weird entry!  Arrow Video stuffs this DVD/Blu combo release so full of extras, you could just die. Buy La Grande Bouffe [DVD/Blu-ray combo].

Strangerland (2015): See description in DVD above. Buy Strangerland [Blu-ray].

Troma’s War (1998): Troma‘s typically bad taste take on the action genre, as the citizens of Tromaville take on an army of terrorists.  Troma’s proudly el-cheapo 1980s films don’t seem to merit the hi-def Blu-ray treatment, but who am I to argue with a paying customer? Buy Troma’s War [Blu-ray].

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

Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs, and on more distant horizons…

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

IN DEVELOPMENT:

The Day the Clown Cried (1972/releases 2025): Jerry Lewis’ unreleased 1972 movie about a German clown thrown into a Nazi concentration camp for making fun of Hitler is legendary. First, the film was tied up in litigation with the producer; then, screenings of the rough cut suggested that the movie was not the Academy Award caliber prestige piece Lewis had thought he was creating, but rather embarrassing kitsch of horrifying, offensive proportions. Until now, Lewis has kept the film in his private vault, unseen by anyone, but he recently donated a copy to the Library of Congress with the proviso that it not be screened for ten years (when Lewis will be 99 and presumably either dead or too senile to care about the critics’ reaction). We’ll just have to keep the site going until then (and we may have to hold slot #366 open just in case…) The Playlist reports the news.

The Trap (est. 2017): Harmony Korine‘s latest will be a revenge thriller (a la Tarantino?) starring Benicio Del Toro and Robert Pattinson (still searching for the role that will make people forget Twilight) as downscale Miami gangsters. It sounds like a further turn towards the mainstream after Spring Breakers, but Korine does promise “complete sensory bombardment” (though not “complete weirdness”). We’ll keep our eye on it. Korine gave an update on Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast (incidentally, this is the only time I’ve heard Korine speak where he’s not “in character”). Harmony Korine on WTF podcast (The Trap mention occurs at about 1:09 in).

NEW ON DVD:

Horror House on Highway 6 (2014): Students searching for a horror house hole up in the bomb shelter of a mad scientist awaiting the second coming of Elvis. This is a sequel to the 1985 film Horror House on Highway Five. Buy Horror House On Highway 6.

Patch Town (2014): The story of what happens to those “Cabbage Patch” dolls when they grow up; they become factory workers, creating more dolls for their cruel overlords in an endless cycle of toy exploitation. The Dissolve warns that “anybody unable to get on its weirdo wavelength may grow fatigued by the film’s many flights of fancy“; we suspect our readers are just the sort to get on its weirdo wavelength. Buy Patch Town.

FREE MOVIES ON SHOUT TV:

Bushido Man (2013): Read our capsule review. A martial arts master eats meals based on the diet of his next opponent so he can better understand and defeat them; the fights are good, the plot is nonexistent, the comedy is silly, and there are detectable levels of weirdness. Watch Bushido Man free on Shout TV.

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

Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs, and on more distant horizons…

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

The Falling (2014): An unexplained plague of fainting spells strikes at a British girls’ school in the 1960s. Picnic at Hanging Rock fans are sure to swoon at this one. The Falling Facebook page.

Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet (2014): This anthology of animations inspired by the popular works of the Lebanese poet is noteworthy because of the talents involved: Tomm Moore, Joann Sfar, Nina Paley, and Bill Plympton are among the animators handling a segment. The framing device involves a political prisoner who dispenses wisdom in the form of poems. Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet official site.

SCREENINGS – (AFI Silver Theater, Baltimore, MD, Sat. Aug 8):

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension (1984) or Evil Dead II (1987): It’s pick your sweet, sweet poison night at AFI’s “Best of Totally Awesome: Great Films of the 1980s” series. Since their playing in opposite theaters at 11:30 PM and midnight,  you can either watch Buckaroo battle Dr. Lizardo and the Lectroid aliens, or watch Ash fight the reanimated dead and cabin fever, but not both. In either case, you can take in Terry Gilliam’s insane time travel trip 12 Monkeys at 9 PM beforehand. All three titles will be playing at various times throughout the following week, along with other totally awesome 80s cult movies like Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (and, for you 90s kids, Fight Club). Oh, to be young and in Baltimore in the summer! “Best of Totally Awesome: Great Films of the 1980s” list at the AFI website.

SCREENINGS – (Egyptian Theater, Los Angeles, CA, Tues. Aug 11):

Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival (2015): Lucifer declares war on Heaven, using the power of song as his chosen weapon. The second installment in a series (read our review of the first) from the team behind Repo: The Genetic Opera. Tuesday’s World Premiere is sold out, but they’ll be touring the U.S. (with live musical acts and circus entertainment) through late summer/early fall.  Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival official site.

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