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Aberrance (2023): Discussion begins. A man and his wife relocate to a remote cabin; is she there willingly? A rare horror film from Mongolia which the first-time director dedicates, promisingly, to Darren Aronofsky. Playing classier art-houses this fall. No official site located.

Barney adaptation (202?): Discussion begins. Mattel executives swear their upcoming Barney movie will not be “odd.”  This is not a surprise, except for the fact that a lower-ranked executive had previously gone on the record with the New Yorker as excitedly saying that the treatment would be “surrealistic.” Variety covers the simmering controversy.

Don’t Look Now (1973): Discussion begins. Read the canonically weird entry! The Criterion Collection’s 4K UHD upgrade parade continues with Nicolas Roeg‘s classic grief-stricken art-horror. Buy Don’t Look Now.

Night of the Demons (1988): Discussion begins. Read Gregory J. Smalley’s review. A 4K UHD released of the campy 80s Halloween-set horror flick; the two immediate sequels are also being released this week, but only the original gets the 4K treatment. Buy Night of the Demons.

Once Within a Time (2023): Discussion begins. Godfrey Reggio turns away from documentary film into completely abstract, Surrealist experimental film, or what the director describes as a “bardic fairy tale.” With a new original score by Philip Glass, this will tour select cinemas in November (see homepage for schedule). Our preview should be forthcoming soon. Once Within a Time official home page.

NEPOTISM CORNER:

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

Pod 366 will return next week! (No guest lined up, though.) In written reviews, Shane Wilson rounds out his coverage of movies that Came from the Reader-Suggested Queue with Sphere (1998); Giles Edwards analyzes The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982); and Gregory J. Smalley previews the spectacular Once Within a Time (see above). Onward and weirdward!

366 Weird Movies may earn commissions from purchases made through product links.

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Quick links/Discussed in this episode:

The Doom Generation (1995): Discussion begins. Read Gregory J. Smalley’s review. The “remixed and remastered” version of Gregg Araki‘s nihilist teen comedy that toured the country this spring and summer. Buy The Doom Generation.

The Fifth Element (1997): Discussion begins. Read Gregory J. Smalley’s review. The cult sci-fi classic in a 4K UHD + Blu-ray steelbook. Buy The Fifth Element.

Give Me Pity (2022): Discussion begins. Read Gregory J. Smalley’s review. A one-woman disco nightmare on Blu-ray. Buy Give Me Pity.

Natural Born Killers (1994): Discussion begins. Read the Canonically Weird entry! You know it, you know if you want it in 4K. Buy Natural Born Killers.

Sympathy for the Devil (2023): Discussion begins. Read Giles Edwards’ review. One of Nicolas Cage‘s three+ movies of 2023; perhaps his most unhinged performance of the year. Buy Sympathy for the Devil.

“Terminal Degeneration: The Films of Jon Moritsugu”: Discussion begins. A three-Blu set from American Genre Film Archives containing all of Moritsugu’s short punk features (with a few of his underground shorts): My Degeneration, Hippy Porn, Terminal USA, Mod F*ck Explosion, Fame Whore, Scumrock, and Pig Death Machine. Buy “Terminal Degeneration: The Films of Jon Moritsugu.”

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): Discussion begins. Read the Canonically Weird entry for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! If you must own Tim Burton‘s vastly inferior and unnecessary remake, at least get it in a double feature with the real thing. Buy Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar” (2023): Discussion begins. The first of four Wes Anderson adaptations of Roald Dahl short stories for Netflix, “Sugar” is about a man who can use X-ray vision and precognition to cheat at gambling. Up now; the next three, “The Swan,” “The Rat Catcher,” and “Poison,” will probably be streaming by the time you’re reading this. “The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar” on Netflix.

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

No guest on next week’s Pod 366; we’ll just cover the weekly Gregory J. Smalley plans on catching up on those Anderson/Dahl shorts (see above), while Shane Wilson sees if Cast a Deadly Spell (1991) has the necessary weird magic. Onward and weirdward!

366 Weird Movies may earn commissions from purchases made through product links.

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The Last Dragon (1985): Discussion begins. Karate kid Leroy fights the Shogun of Harlem for the hand of Vanity. This exceedingly silly, oh-so-80s cult film in out 4K, so you can see “the Glow” in hi-def. Buy Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon.

Toronto International Film Festival: Discussion begins. The festival is over, but many of these films will be getting distribution in the coming weeks and months. Here are six titles we think show promise:

• La Chimera – A film from Alice Rohrwatcher (Happy as Lazzaro) following a group of Etruscan tomb raiders; could be arty-weird
• Dicks – The Musical – This vulgar, absurd queer musical won the audience award in the “Midnight” section and will be in theaters next week from A24.
  
• Dream Scenario – Nicolas Cage stars as a nondescript professor who shows up in strangers’ dreams; also from A24 and on screens in November.
  
• Mademoiselle Kenopsia – Experimental movie from Denis Côté (Vic + Flo Saw a Bear) that appears to have only one character onscreen for 80 minutes—maybe.
• Mother, Couch – Grandma sits down on a couch and refuses to move in what we’re suspecting is a Buñuelian scenario.
• Riddle of Fire – We’ll let the programmers hype this one: “a neo-fairytale that evokes the sensation of tuning into a late-night broadcast of an obscure and wackadoo children’s film from another dimension.”

Toronto International Film Festival 2023 complete film list.

The Trial (1962): Discussion begins. Read the Canonically Weird entry! A new restoration of Orson Welles‘ surreal adaptation of Franz Kafka‘s novel is now available from Criterion, in either standalone Blu-ray or 4K UHD + Blu-ray. Buy The Trial.

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

Next week’s Pod 366 should have Joe Badon as our first returning guest (although at the time of this writing we have not confirmed a recording time yet—if it’s not next week, it will be in an episode soon after). In written reviews next week, Shane Wilson searches the reader-suggested queue and comes up with a gem in Vinyan (2008); Giles Edwards braves the avant-garde Caverna (2023); and Gregory J. Smalley explores one Jagged Mind (2023). Onward and weirdward!

366 Weird Movies may earn commissions from purchases made through product links.

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Quick links/Discussed in this episode:

“Andrejz Zulawaski: The Third Part of the Night/The Devil/On the Silver Globe“: Discussion begins. El Rob Hubbard’s review of The Third Part of the Night, The Devil, and On the Silver Globe. This limited edition three disc “Masters of Cinema” release is only available on Region B Blu-ray—at the present time, at least. Order Andrejz Zulawaski Masters of Cinema from Eureka.

Astrakan (2022): Discussion begins. Magical realist tale about an orphan uncovering secrets of his foster family. Playing in Los Angeles and releasing simultaneously on VOD. Astrakan official site.

Black Magic Rites [AKA The Reincarnation of Isabel] (1973): Discussion begins. A group of usually topless witches (or vampires) in a Gothic castle need virgin’s blood for a ritual. Obscure Eurosleaze in the tradition of Jess Franco, given a surprisingly reverent restored 4K Blu-ray by Indicator. Buy Black Magic Rites.

City of the Living Dead (1980): Discussion begins. Read Giles Edwards’ capsule review. Lucio Fulci‘s zombie “classic” (to some, though we are skeptics here) receives a lavish 3-disc set, a 4K restoration with a UHD, Blu-ray, and a Blu-ray’s worth of extras. Buy City of the Living Dead.

Cosmic Disco Detective Rene: The Secret Society for Slow Romance 2 (2023): Discussion begins. Listen to our interview with director Sujewa Ekanayale on Cosmic Disco Detective Rene: The Secret Society for Slow Romance 2. New York-set mystery/comedy that will be available for rental until 9/14 (future plans unknown). Rent Cosmic Disco Detective Rene: The Secret Society for Slow Romance 2 on Vimeo.

Infinity Pool (2023): Discussion begins. Read Gregory J. Smalley’s Apocrypha Candidate review. This 4K UHD of Brandon Cronenberg‘s exploration of human depravity contains about a minute of (likely inconsequential) extra footage, but also a lot of extras not on the Blu-ray release, including a Cronenberg commentary, and is in collectible steelbook format. Buy Infinity Pool (4K UHD).

Killer Condom (1996): Discussion begins. Read Shane Wilson’s review. This 3-disc edition of the queer horror comedy is a limited edition currently available at Vinegar Syndrome and a few select partners. Killer Condom at Vinegar Syndrome.

Perpetrator (2023): Discussion begins. A surrealistic feminist high school horror from Jennifer Reeder about a girl who harnesses her inner monster to chase down another monster. Features a performance by Alicia Silverstone as the creepy aunt. Perpetrator official site.

The Pied Piper (1986): Discussion begins. Jirí Barta‘s dark stop-motion retelling of the Pied Piper myth.  Fans of Jan Svankmajer should appreciate this one, which has been hard to find for some time but is rescued from obscurity by Deaf Crocodile. Buy The Pied Piper.

“Sex, Money and Power: The Films of Beth B”: Discussion begins. Beth B is a no-wave NYC filmmaker whose work is maybe more transgressive and experimental than properly “weird.” Twelve films (only two of which run over an hour) are spread over two discs.  Buy “Sex, Money and Power: The Films of Beth B.”

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

Canonically weird director Damon Packard will be next week’s special guest on Pod 366, in advance of a rare screening of his underground classic Reflections of Evil at the Los Feliz theater in Los Angeles on September 16. In written reviews, Shane Wilson drinks in the intoxicating Taoism Drunkard (1984), Giles Edwards looks at Enys Men (2022), and Gregory J. Smalley  checks out the allure of João Pedro Rodrigues‘ latest , Will-o’-the-Wisp (2022). Onward and weirdward!