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

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

Bikini Moon (2017): When a documentary crew takes a personal interest in their subject—a delusional female African American war vet—both ethical and perceptual boundaries start to blur. Logline: “a documentary about a fairy tale”; as far as we can tell, playing NYC (and smaller late-season film festivals) only. Bikini Moon official site.

MFKZ (2017): In “Dead Meat City,” Angelino starts seeing strange creatures—alien invaders?—after a motorcycle accident. U.S. distributor GKids renamed this French feature from it’s festival title, Mutafukaz, for obvious reasons; two-night-only screenings (Oct. 11 & 16) across the U.S. (check official site for locations). GKids MFKZ official site.

FILM FESTIVALS –Festival of Disruption (Los Angeles, CA, Oct. 13-14):

As much a music festival and symposium as a film festival, this curious assembly was curated by none other than David Lynch. Highlights of particular interest to us include a Q&A with Lynch, a screening of Wild at Heart (1990), chamber music’s Dover Quartet playing the music of “Twin Peaks,” and a “Peaks” virtual reality game. Also with bands, lectures, and seminars on Lynch’s beloved Transcendental Meditation. Surely a worthy way for Los Angelinos to spend a weird weekend.

Festival of Disruption home page.

IN DEVELOPMENT (post-production):

1000 Kings (2019?): An upcoming surrealist feature film debut from Georgian director Bidzina Kanchavel. All we have to go on is this mysterious synopsis—“in an artificial world of colors and shapes a beehive society strives for light”—and some intriguing stills of a robed woman with spheres hovering over her head. If you want to see them, check out their Facebook page.

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

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

• Austin, TX, 10/17 – The Boxer’s Omen [Mo] (1983). At the Alamo Drafthouse (South Lamar).
• Bloomington, IN, 10/13 – Eden and After (1970) (free, but ticketed). At Indiana University Cinema.
• Chicago, IL, 10/13 (midnight) – Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell (1968). The first film in the “Music Box of Horrors” 24-hr horror movie marathon (other titles available at link). At the Music Box Theater.
• Columbus, OH, 10/12-10/14 – Vertigo (1958). At Gateway Film Center.
• Denver, CO, 10/14 – Nosferatu (1922), with live score by Saskatoon. At the Alamo Drafthouse.
• Louisville, KY, 10/13 – The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953). At the Speed Art Museum.
• Nashville, TN, 10/12 & 10/15 – Evil Dead II (1987). At the Belcourt Theater.
• Nashville, TN, 10/13-14 – Carnival of Souls (1962). At the Belcourt Theater.
• New York City, NY, 10/12 – Marquis (1989). At Spectacle Theater.
• New York City, NY, 10/12-13 (midnights) – Blue Velvet (1986). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 10/12-13 (midnights) – The Holy Mountain (1973). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 10/12-14, 10/16 – Suspiria (1977). At IFC Center.
• Oakland, CA, 10/13 – Suspiria (1977). At the New Parkway Theater.
• Pittsburgh, PA, 10/12-15, 10/17-18 – Suspiria (1977). At Row House Cinema.
• Pittsburgh, PA, 10/13 (midnight) – Cube (1997). At Row House Cinema.
• Sitges, Spain, 10/13 – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Part of the Sitges Film Festival.

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 Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

Longing (2017): A middle-aged bachelor receives a phone call telling him he has unknowingly been a father since college, and he searches for information about his son. Basically an Israeli arthouse drama, but reviewers describe a couple of dream sequences that may make it worth a look for weirdophiles. Longing Cineuropa entry.

FILM FESTIVALS – New York Film Festival (New York City, NY, Sep.28 – Oct 14):

We’re a little late in reporting on the NYFF. There are not a lot of debuts here, and a number of films overlap with Sitges (covered in a bit more detail below). Notable weird-ish U.S. premieres include Giorgos Lanthimos‘ period piece, The Favourite, and Jean-Luc Godard’s The Image Book. 

New York Film Festival home page.

FILM FESTIVALS – Sitges Film Festival (Sitges, Spain, Oct. 4 – 14):

Although Sitges always offers an excellent slate of fantastic films, they’re more into quantity than exclusivity. We’ve seen many of the choicest offerings— France’s All the Gods in the Sky; Jim Hosking‘s An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn; Quentin Dupieux ‘s Keep an Eye Out; the documentary Blue Velvet Revisited; Cam, Gaspar Noé‘s LSD orgy Climax; the surreal soccer flick Diamantino and Italian arthouse weirdness Happy as Lazzaro (both also at the New York Film Festival this week); the anthology The Field Guide to Evil; Agnieszka Smoczynska‘s amneisac Fugue; Guy Maddin and Evan Johnson Vertigo tribute, The Green Fog; Peter Strickland’s fashion horror In Fabric; the Czech stop-motion Laika; the black metal doc Lords of Chaos; Luz; Mandy; the telepathy horror Murder Me, Monster; Masaaki Yuasa‘s Night is Short, Walk on Girl; Nina Paley‘s sacrilegious animation Seder-Masochism; Top Knot Detective, the 2017 mockumentary about a fake Japanese TV show; Under the Silver Lake; and the Suspiria remake—debuting at other film festivals (and some have even already had theatrical releases). This makes Sitges a kind of “best of” 2018 festival. Among the many revivals are screenings of the restored versions of 2001: A Space Odyssey on Oct. 13th and Hour of the Wolf  on Oct. 6. Skipping those, here are a couple of notable films and long shots we noticed:

• 10 Years Thailand – Four Thai directors, including Apichatpong Weerasethakul, imagine the future in this omnibus film screening on 10/8.
  
• Luciferina – A novice nun learns the secret behind her psychic powers. Oct. 10.

Sitges Film Festival home page.

IN DEVELOPMENT:

“Pan’s Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun” (Jul 2019): Not a movie but a novelization of the Certified Weird classic, co-authored by Guillermo del Toro and fantasy author Cornelia Funke and illustrated by Allen Williams. Del Toro’s active participation ensures it will be canonical. Announced at the Bookseller.

BOOKS:

“True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking”: Three-time Certified Weird director Don Coscarelli reflects on his 30+ years as an independent filmmaker. Coscarelli is touring heavily to promote the book, often in conjunction with screenings of his cult films Phantasm or Bubba Ho-Tep, so be on the lookout for a book signing in your town (and check our repertory screenings list below). Buy “True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking.”

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

Housewife (2017): A housewife with a disturbed past gets sucked into a cult called “the Umbrella of Love & Mind.” The sophomore film from Turkish horror upstart Can Evrenol, folks are using the “w word” to describe it. DVD or VOD. Buy Housewife.

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

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

• Chicago, IL, 10/8 – Bubba Ho-Tep (2002), with Don Coscarelli film discussion and book signing. At the Music Box Theater.
• Dallas, TX, 10/6 – Evil Dead II (1987). At the Texas Theater.
• Denver, CO, 10/10 – Phantasm (1979), with Don Coscarelli film discussion and book signing (book purchase required for screening). At the Alamo Drafthouse.
• Denver, CO, 10/10 –Pan’s Labyrinth (2006). At the Alamo Drafthouse.
• Los Angeles, CA, 10/6-10/7, 10/9 – Zéro de conduite (1933), with shorts “Taris” (1931) and “A Propos de Nice” (1930). At the Nuart.
• Nashville, TN, 10/5-10/6 (midnights) – Evil Dead II (1987). At the Belcourt Theater.
• New York City, NY, 10/5-10/6 (midnights) – The Holy Mountain (1973). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 10/5-10/9 – Suspiria (1977). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 10/5-10/10 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 10/6 (midnight) – Marquis (1989). At Spectacle Theater.
• New York City, NY, 10/8 & 10/10 – Suspiria (1977). At the Metrograph.
• Pittsburgh, PA, 10/6 (midnight) – House [Hausu] (1977). At Row House Cinema.
• Yonkers, NY, 10/6 – Phantasm (1979), with Don Coscarelli film discussion and book signing (book purchase required for screening). At the Alamo Drafthouse.

FREE MOVIES ON TUBITV:

Giorgio Moroder presents Metropolis (1927/1984): Read our review. A divisive, restored and re-tinted version of Fritz Lang‘s seminal urban dystopia, with a cheesy New Wave pop score from then-popular acts like Loverboy, Billy Squier and Pat Benetar. Once the best-looking version of the film available, it’s now a curiosity of cinema history.  Watch Giorgio Moroder presents Metropolis free on Tubi.tv.

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

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

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

FILM FESTIVALS – Beyond Fest (Los Angeles, 9/26-10/9):

LA’s Beyond Fest features revivals of classic genre fare (which we’ve listed in our “repertory screenings” section) mixed in with recent hits from other festivals like Anna and the Apocalypse, Jim Hosking‘s An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn, and Luz. Best of all, many screenings are free. Although they rarely land debuts, this year they do have one item of some interest:

• Best F(r)iends Vol. 2 – Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero reunite for a followup to The Room; Vol. 2 is said to be weirder than last year’s Vol. 1 (which we confess we still haven’t seen). The world debut is tonight, Friday 9/28, at 7:30 PST, so it’s probably too late to get out there, but we’ll continue keeping an eye out for it.
  

Beyond Fest homepage.

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

The Baby (1973): Read our review. This drive-in style item about an adult baby kept as a pet is more popular with audiences then it was with us; thus, Arrow Video’s super-deluxe Blu-ray special edition with a commentary track and numerous featurettes. Buy The Baby.

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977): Read our review. Trust the unpredictable John Boorman to make a truly absurd and deranged sequel to the original horror classic; Shout! Factory gives it a super-duper 2 Blu-ray release, with director’s and theatrical cuts each getting their own commentary tracks (from Boorman and “The Projection Booth”‘s Mike White, respectively). Buy Exorcist II: The Heretic.

Molly (2017): A pit-fighting gang hunts a girl with mysterious powers in a post-apocalytptic world. Probably a stretch for “weird,” but it’s piling up “good-considering-the-budget” reviews, and we have to admit we’re intrigued. It skipped theaters for a DVD/Blu-ray/VOD debut. Buy Molly.

Scarlet Diva (2000): Asia (daughter of Dario) Argento directs and stars as herself in this tawdry, self-indulgent, but “weirdly fascinating” (The New York Times) biopic about a lonely Italian actresses and her druggy sex life. There’s no longer any doubt that the rapist producer in the film is Harvey Weinstein, making this Blu-ray (with two Argento commentary tracks, from 2002 and 2018) a timely item. Buy Scarlet Diva.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994): Reboot/remake/rehash of the 1974 horror classic, but with Leatherface now a transvestite, and Illuminati connections. It has a poor reputation even among horror-comedy fans, but one Amazon reviewer does say it’s “soo damned weird that I find myself watching it every so often and enjoying it every time.” New to Blu-ray. Buy Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.

Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995): Black, black comedy about an obnoxious, bullied 7th grade girl. It’s in our reader-suggested review queue, and now on Blu-ray, too. Buy Welcome to the Dollhouse.

PODCASTS:

“What’s the Frequency?”: A fully-voiced “psychedelic noir” AM-radio-style audio drama set in 1940s Los Angeles, with new episodes once or twice a month. Creator James Oliva is a fan of ours, so we’re returning the favor. We recommend listening at podchaser, but you have lots of options to catch it. “What’s the Frequency? blog (with links and transcripts).

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

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

• Bloomington, IN, 9/28 – Hour of the Wolf [Vargtimmen] (1968). At Indiana University Cinema.
• Bloomington, IN, 9/29 – Liquid Sky (1982) (“free, but ticketed”). At Indiana University Cinema.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/28 – Liquid Sky (1982), followed by a panel discussion with director Slava Tsukerman and other crew. At the Egyptian Theater.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/29 – Akira (1988). At the Egyptian Theater.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/29 – Dead Ringers (1988). At the Egyptian Theater.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/30 – Bubba Ho-Tep (2002), followed by a panel discussion with director Don Coscarelli and other crew. At the Egyptian Theater.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/30 – The Fly (1986) with Naked Lunch (1991) (double feature), with a panel discussion with director David Cronenberg and other crew between films. Sold out, standby only. At the Egyptian Theater.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/30 – Akira (1988) (dubbed). At the Egyptian Theater.
• Los Angeles, CA, 10/1 – Existenz (1999) with Videodrome (1983) (double feature), with a panel discussion with director David Cronenberg and other crew between films. Sold out, standby only. At the Egyptian Theater.
• New York City, NY, 9/28-10/3 – Suspiria (1977). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/28-9/29 (midnights) – The Holy Mountain (1973). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/28-9/29 (midnights) – Barbarella (1968). At Nitehawk Theater.
• New York City, 9/29 – Altered States (1980). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/29 (midnight) – Meet the Feebles (1989). At Spectacle Theater.
• New York City, NY, 9/30-10/4 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 10/1 – Repulsion (1965). At Videology Bar & Cinema.
• Pittsburgh, PA, 9/29 (midnight) – Pink Floyd the Wall (1982). At Row House Cinema.
• Silver Spring, MD, 10/4 – Phantasm (1979). At AFI Silver Theater.

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 Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

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

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

The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX may be America’s coolest movie theater. Their brand has grown so big that now they have franchised Drafthouses, and even distribute their own (generally weird) movies. One of the Alamo’s hippest projects is Fantastic Fest, going into its thirteenth year. As per usual, there is a fantastic slate of weird movies and some neato revivals here; this year, they are adding satellite screenings of select features in their Denver, Brooklyn and San Francisco locations. Coming at the tail end of the film festival season, much of the movies are retreads, but the Drafthouse folks always find a way to save some surprise debuts. Giles Edwards reported on Cam, Chained for Life, Luz, One Cut of the Dead, Under the Silver Lake and Violence Voyager for his Fantasia Festival 2018 coverage. We noted Gaspar Noé‘s LSD orgy Climax, Jim Hosking‘s “romantic comedy” An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn, Peter Strickland’s fashion horror In Fabric, and Terry Gilliam‘s long-awaited The Man Who Killed Don Quixote at earlier festivals. Here are the new-to-us films we’ll be tracking:

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

Fantastic Fest home page.

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

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

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

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

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

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

• Bloomington, IN, 9/23 – Persona (1966). At Indiana University Cinema.
• Chicago, IL, 9/24 & 9/27 – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). At Music Box Theater.
• Denver, CO, 9/23 – Suspiria (1977). At Alamo Drafthouse.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/21 (midnight) – Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001). At the Nuart Theater.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/23 – Lisztomania (1975). At the Aero Theater.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/27 – The Wicker Man (1973). At the Egyptian Theater.
• New York City, NY, 9/21-9/22 – Daisies [Sedmikrásky] (1966). At Film Society of Lincoln Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/21-9/27 – Suspiria (1977). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/22 & 9/25 – Suspiria (1977). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/24-9/27 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Metrograph.
• Pittsburgh, PA, 9/21-9/27 – Akira (1988). At Row House Cinema.
• Pittsburgh, PA, 9/21-9/27 – Perfect Blue (1997). At Row House Cinema.
• San Francisco, CA, 9/22-9/23 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Roxie.
• Vancouver, BC, Canada, 9/24 – Perfect Blue (1997) with Night Is Short, Walk on Girl (2017) (double feature). At the Rio Theater.
• Yonkers, NY, 9/25 – After Hours (1985). At the Alamo Drafthouse.

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 Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

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

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

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

IN DEVELOPMENT:

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

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

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

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

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

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

• Dallas, TX, 9/19 – Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010). At the Texas Theater.
• Denver, CO, 9/15 – Fight Club (1999). At the Alamo Drafthouse.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/14 (midnight) – Akira (1988). At the Nuart.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/16 – CzechMate: In Search of Jiri Menzel. A seven hour, chapterless documentary on the Czech New Wave which, because of its imposing length, will probably only be screened this once in the U.S. At UCLA Film & Television Archive.
• Louisville, KY, 7/14 – Persona (1966). At the Speed Art Museum.
• New York City, NY, 9/14-9/20 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/14-9/15 (midnights) – A Clockwork Orange (1971). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/14-9/15 (midnights) – El Topo (1970). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/14-9/15 (midnights) – Suspiria (1977). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/15 (midnight), 9/17 & 9/20 – Akira (1988). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/18 – Altered States (1980). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/18 – Meet the Feebles (1989). At Spectacle Theater.
• San Francisco, CA, 9/14 & 9/17 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Roxie.
• San Francisco, CA, 9/15 – The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Metropolis (1927), and Nosferatu (1922), plus shorts from Buster Keaton and Felix the Cat, with live scores by Club Foot Orchestra. At the Castro Theater as part of the Silent Film Festival.
• Tuscon, AZ, 9/19 – Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). At the Loft.

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 Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

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

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

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

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

Toronto International Film Festival home page.

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

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

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

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

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

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

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

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

• Austin, TX, 9/11 – Death Bed: The Bed That Eats (1977). At the Alamo Drafthouse (South Lamar).
• Boston, MA, 9/7 (midnight) – Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971). At the Coolidge Corner Theater.
• Chicago, IL, 9/7-9/8, 9/12 – Persona (1966). At the Gene Siskel Film Center.
• Columbus, OH, 9/12 – Der Samurai (2014). At Gateway Film Center.
• Dallas, TX, 9/7, 9/9 – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). At the Texas Theater.
• Dallas, TX, 9/13 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Texas Theater.
• New York City, NY, 9/7-9/8 (midnights) – A Clockwork Orange (1971). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/7-9/13 – Suspiria (1977). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/7-9/13 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/7, 9/11-912 – Akira (1988). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/8 – Funeral Parade of Roses [Bara no sôretsu] (1969) with Dialogue with Che (1968) (double feature). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/8 – WR: Mysteries of the Organism (1971) with Last Summer Won’t Happen (1968) (double feature). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/8-9/9 – Belle de Jour (1967). At the Nitehawk Cinema.
• New York City, NY, 9/9 – Daisies [Sedmikrásky] (1966) with Kusama’s Self-Obliteration (1968). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/12 – Stalker (1979), with new live score by the Reel Orchestrette. At the Nitehawk Cinema.
• Portland, OR, 9/8 – Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971). At the NW Film Center.
• San Francisco, CA, 9/7-9/8, 9/11 – Perfect Blue (1997). At the Roxie.

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 Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

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

NEW ON HOME VIDEO:

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

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

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

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

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

CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:

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

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

• Chicago, IL, 8/31 & 9/1 (midnights) – Mind Game (2004). At the Music Box Theater.
• Dallas, TX, 8/31-9/2, 9/6 – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). At the Texas Theater.
• Denver, CO, 8/31 – Yellow Submarine (1968). At the Alamo Drafthouse.
• Denver, CO, 8/31-9/6 – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). At the Alamo Drafthouse.
• Los Angeles, CA, 8/31 – Yellow Submarine (1968). At the Aero.
• Los Angeles, CA, 9/1 – Pink Floyd the Wall (1982). At the Aero.
• Nashville, TN, 9/3-9/6 – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). At the Belcourt.
• New York City, NY, 8/31 – 9/6 – Suspiria (1977). At IFC Center.
• New York City, NY, 9/1 & 9/3 – Possession (1981). At the Metrograph.
• New York City, NY, 9/1 (midnight) – Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). At Videology Bar & Cinema.
• New York City, NY, 9/1 (midnight) & 9/5 – Meet the Feebles (1989). At Spectacle Theater.
• Tuscon, AZ, 8/31-9/3 – Howl’s Moving Castle (2004). At the Loft.
• Vancouver, BC, Canada, 9/2 – Fantastic Planet [La Planète Sauvage] (1973). At the Rio.

FREE MOVIES ON TUBI.TV:

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

NEPOTISM CORNER:

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

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