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):
Cosmos (2015): Andrzej Zulawski‘s first film in 15 years—and the last before his death in 2016—is a metaphysical farce about a law school flunkout vacationing in a strange house. Based on a novel by Witold Gombrowicz.
Tickled (2016): Investigating a “competitive tickling” video, a journalist finds himself harassed by cyberbullies. Reviewers have called this documentary “strange,” “offbeat,” and yes, “weird.” Tickled official site.
SCREENINGS – (Tribeca Screening Room, New York City, Jun. 17):
“In the Bight”: Ben Finer is offering a free screening of his latest 28-minute short, a moody, weird horror about two eight-year-olds who make macabre discoveries while playing in the woods. There are two screenings, at 7:00 and 8:00 PM, so you still have time to make a midnight movie (see below) afterwards. The screening room is at 375 Greenwich St. Tribeca Film Center.
SCREENINGS – (Nitehawk Cinema, New York City, Jun. 17-18):
Cemetery of Splendor (2015): A medium helps a woman explore the troubled dreams of a soldier with sleeping sickness in Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s latest mystical drama. Anxiously awaited by “Joe”‘s fans, this release contains behind-the-scenes footage and deleted scenes. Buy Cemetery of Splendor.
“Nikkatsu Diamond Guys: Vol. 2”: A collection of obscure yakuza comedies produced by Nikkatsu in the early 1960s: Tokyo Mighty Guy, Danger Paws and Murder Unincorporated. Unincorporated is the one that caught our attention: from what we can gather from the few fans who caught it, it features assassins named “Joe of Spades” and “Al Capone III” (who uses an exploding slingshot) and features bizarrely-staged killings Seijun Suzuki might have approved of. Buy “Nikkatsu Diamond Guys: Vol. 2”.
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.
SCREENINGS – (IFC Center, New York City, Jun 10 & 11 at midnight):
El Topo (1970): Read the Certified Weird entry! IFC has already screened their restored print of Alejandro Jodorowsky‘s surreal Biblical spaghetti western a couple of times this summer; this could be your only chance to see this weird classic on the big screen. El Topo at IFC Center.
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, CA, Jun 11, 13-14):
The Devils (1971): Due to a new print in circulation, screenings of Ken Russell‘s hysterical arthouse nunsploitation classic no longer qualify as “rare.” But the question remains: where the hell is the DVD/Blu-ray? The Devils at Cinefamily.
Dead 7 (2016): In a post-apocalyptic world, a cowboy, a samurai, a mime, and four others team up to fight zombies. In one of the Sharknado producers trademark gimmicks, the SyFy channel hired ex-members of the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and other boy bands to play the heroes. Buy Dead 7.
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953): Read the Certified Weird entry! Dress us up in bock beer suds! It’s fantabulous to see Dr. Seuss’s surreal musical finally on Blu-ray—we do wish it was in an elaborate Criterion edition rather than this bare-bones Mill Creek release, but beggars can’t be choosers. Buy The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T [Blu-ray].
Jacob’s Ladder (1990): Read the Certified Weird entry! Among major studios, Paramount has become the standard-bearer for free online content; now they’ve put up the Certified Weird psychological thriller about a Vietnam vet seeing demons (and worse) on the streets of New York. Watch Jacob’s Ladder free on YouTube.
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):
Another [AKA Mark of the Witch] (2014): An adopted girl discovers unpleasant truths about her heritage after her aunt attempts suicide at her 18th birthday party. It’s described as an homage to Suspiria; no idea why the name change from (to?) Mark of the Witch, or why it’s taken two years to find a release despite generally positive reviews. Mark of the Witch official site.
The Fits (2016): An unexplained epidemic of falling down, passing out and vomiting affects girls on an African-American dance team. Films about teenage girls who suffer unexplained mass fits of hysteria are spreading inexplicably through the cinemas; the novelty here is the inner city setting (one expects this sort of behavior from white girls). The Fits official site.
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, Saturday, June 4):
The Cassandra Cat (1963): A rare, experimental children’s film from the Czech New Wave about a magical sunglasses-wearing cat. Screening with a selection of shorts dubbed the “Meow Mix” for an evening the crazy cat lady in your life will not want to miss. Also at Cinefamily this week: the restored version of the psychedelic Japanese ero goru cartoon The Belladonna of Sadness continues to screen on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, and an encore performance of White Magic’s live score to the Certified Weird silent witchcraft classic Häxan. The Cassandra Cat at Cinefamily.
SCREENINGS – (Videology Bar & Cinema, New York City, Saturday, June 4):
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010): Read the Certified Weird entry! We knew from the moment we saw this tale of a slacker teen caught in a video game quest to win the heart of the girl that it would be playing at midnights at hip NYC bars within five years. This show marks Videology’s record-setting fifth week in a row screening a Certified Weird film at midnight, a streak that will be broken with next week’s feature, Young Frankenstein (we’d still go see it). Scott Pilgrim vs. the World at Videology.
FILM FESTIVALS – Fantastic Film Showcase (Washington, DC, Jun. 2-5):
There are no weird films making their debut at this relatively new festival, but a goodly number of the stranger movies on the circuit show up here, making this a great bet for weird Washington locals. Here are the movies we noted: Lucile Hadzihalilovic‘s Evolution (screening passed), Jim Hosking‘s grotesque and polarizing feature debut The Greasy Strangler (tonight at 11:00), the omnipresent Belladonna of Sadness (tonight and Saturday at 11:30), Danny Perez‘s trippy Antibirth (Saturday at 9:30), and a special screening of the Certified Weird rock opera Phantom of the Paradise (Saturday at midnight). Finally, it’s not weird per se, but we’d be seriously tempted by the late night showings of 1966’s camp wonder, Batman: The Movie (tonight and Saturday at 11:45). And, although it’s not part of the festival proper, we’d be remiss if we did not note the screening of alien jazz star Sun Ra’s Afrofuturist masterpiece Space is the Place on Monday, the day after the festival officially ends, at host AFI Silver Theaters. It would make the perfect festival nightcap. (or, catch Sun Ra’s encore on Thursday night).
Petit Vampire (2017?): The animated story of a 300-year old 10-year old vampire who decides to go to elementary school. Yeah, we know it doesn’t sound very weird, but it is from Joann Sfar (based on his hit French graphic novel), and his stuff thus far has been offbeat, to say the least. Screen International has details and an intriguing image.
NEW ON DVD:
City of Women (1980): A horny Marcello Mastroianni follows an attractive woman off a train and finds himself at a feminist convention in an all-female city. We would prefer someone other than bargain-arthouse-releaser Cohen Media got the rights to re-release this long out-of-print lesser-known Fellini film—but dare we hope for a proper Fellini’s Cassanova release, from anyone? Buy City of Women.
Horse Money (2014): Read our capsule review. The flashback-and-fantasy-ridden tale of an old man with dementia wandering the halls of an institution, Horse Money is a genuinely weird movie, though one that may require a knowledge of the Cape Verdean Portuguese immigrant experience to truly appreciate. Buy Horse Money.
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
City of Women (1980): See description in DVD above. No offense meant by our prior remarks, Cohen Media, better you release a Fellini Blu-ray than no one at all! Buy City of Women [Blu-ray].
Horse Money (2014): See description in DVD above. Both the DVD and the Blu-ray include a bonus short from director Pedro Costa. Buy Horse Money [Blu-ray].
“366 Weird Movies’ Certified Weirdness”: OK, there’s no actual link, but we are mentioned, and it’s something users here may find interesting and/or useful. Moviefan777 at criterion.com made a list of every Certified Weird film that’s received a release from the Criterion Collection (including those included in Eclipse box sets). For some, he includes his own selection for weirdest image and a note as to whether it’s “family friendly” or not. Nice work. “366 Weird Movies’ Certified Weirdness” at criterion.com.
FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:
Hitler’s Folly (2016): Bill Plympton‘s new historical mockumentary about an alternate history in which Hitler followed his childhood dream, embraced his duck fetish and became a Walt Disney-style animation mogul. It’s free, but Plympton is asking for voluntary donations so that he can continue to make “these wacky, weird, bizarre films that Hollywood would never want to produce.” That’s a charity we can get behind. Watch Hitler’s Folly at plymptoons.com.
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 (WIDE RELEASE):
Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016): Alice returns to the magical land of Underland [sic] in another Disney adventure based on the beloved classic characters created by Linda Woolverton. Alfred Eaker is sworn to review this. Alice Through the Looking Glass official site.
IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):
Blue Velvet (1986): Read the Certified Weird entry! Did we mention that Blue Velvet is being re-released to commemorate its 30th anniversary? Because Blue Velvet is being re-released to commemorate its 30th anniversary. The NYC screening at the Film Forum is passed, but Los Angelinos can catch it at Cinefamily all this week. There will be more screenings as surely as the robins return in spring, but the only one we are currently aware of is June 4-6 at the Hollywood Theater in Portland, Oregon. No official re-release site. Blue Velvet at Cinefamily.
SCREENINGS – (Film Society of Lincoln Center, New York City, May 27 & 28):
SCREENINGS – (Videology Bar & Cinema, New York City, May 27 at midnight):
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970): Read the Certified Weird entry. OK, now we’re sure the programmers at Videology are cruising this site for midnight movie ideas, since this daringly surreal Czech New Wave puberty allegory marks the fourth weekend in a row they’ve chosen a Certified Weird movie to play at their saloon during the witching hour. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders at Videology Bar & Cinema.
IN DEVELOPMENT (announced):
What Have You Done to Solange?: At Cannes, Nicolas Winding Refn announced plans to produce (not direct) remakes of three sleeper genre films: the 1972 giallo What Have You Done to Solange?, William Lustig’s 1988 sorta-cult film Maniac Cop, and Vincent Price‘s classic historical horror Witchfinder General (which, unlike the other two, seems like it would be hard to improve upon). Not sure how we feel about any of these, or whether they might end up being weird, but there is potential there. Deadline breaks the news.
IN DEVELOPMENT (pre-production):
Insects (est. 2018): Jan Svankmajer has turned to crowdfunding to complete his latest feature, Insects, an expansion of a 1970 short about an amateur acting troupe putting on a play about insects. The sad, if understandable, news is that the 82-year-old Svankmajer has announced that he intends for this to be his final film. So far over $74,000 of the $150,000 flexible-funding goal has been reached, with a month renaming. Some of the incentive rewards are intriguing, including downloads of five Svankmajer films (in addition to Insects) for $50 ($150 gets you five new limited-edition Blu-rays). Insects at Indiegogo.
NEW ON DVD:
“Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection, 1917-1923”: 32 remastered silent shorts from clown Keaton, including several we’ve written about here: the manic “The Play House,” “Frozen North,” and “One Week.” Kino spreads the presentation across five discs, with a supplemental booklet and rare footage (including a never-before-released alternate version of “The Blacksmith”) among the extra features. Buy “Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection 1917-1923”.
The Chase (1946): It starts as a film noir about a chauffeur who takes his wife’s boss to Cuba, and then is accused of her murder; the third act takes it in a fantastic, surreal direction. If that synopsis alone isn’t enough to convince you to pick up this disc, then how about the fact that the film is championed by none other than 366 saint Guy Maddin, who provides the audio commentary track? Buy The Chase.
Millennium Actress (2001): Satoshi Kon‘s animated drama revolves around the memories of a dying actress. Thanks to Paramount Vault for making this available.
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):
Cranium Intel (2016): The President orders a man killed after he discovers that the St. Louis Arch is a gateway to “the real Planet >X<” [sic]. From Aeneas Middleton, the director of experimental shorts with titles like “VINVELLA -The Secret Daughter of Louis XV” and “Defusion 4: Bio-Cell System”; he’s already announced two sequels (!) to this, his first feature. Cranium Intel official site.
Welcome to Happiness (2015): A man moves into an apartment with a small door through which people seeking happiness go to find redemption, but he’s not allowed to enter it himself. Looks like a spiritually upbeat indie version of Being John Malkovich. Welcome to Happiness official site.
SCREENINGS – (Videology Bar & Cinema, New York City, Sat., May 21 @ Midnight):
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, Sun., May 22):
Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922): Read the Certified Weird review! One of the coolest trends in modern moviegoing is seeing silent movies projected with new live scores. We’re not familiar with the L.A. band “White Magic,” but if they dig Haxan they’re cool with us. Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages at Cinefamily.
IN DEVELOPMENT (pre-production, est. Oct 2016):
“Polia and Blastema, a metaphysical fable”: Begotten‘s E. Elias Merhige returns to film after being out of commission for nearly a decade due to health issues. This new short film is a hypnotic myth with abstract visuals about two aliens who unite to form a utopian city. A 4-minute version is completed, but Mehrige wants to expand it to 25 minutes. The Kickstarter campaign is fully funded at $15,000, but a note explains that “Elias is now exploring the creative possibilities that lie above the $15,000 goal; every dollar goes into the production of the film!” $19 gets you a download of the four minute version and a screening link for the finished film. Thanks to Morgan Hoyle-Combs for bringing this one to our attention! “Polia and Blastema” Kickstarter page.
IN DEVELOPMENT (pre-production):
“Lullaby”: Cult writer Chuck Palahniuk (“Fight Club”) wants to adapt his very personal (it’s inspired by the trial of his father’s murderer) novel “Lullaby” into a short film. The plot revolves around the publication of a children’s song that has the power to kill, and the producers promise “necrophilia, gender-bending, and no-way-would-this-make-it-to-comfortable-TV satire.” At this writing the project has earned over $96,000 of its $250,000 goal, with 27 days to go. “Lullaby” Kickstarter page.
NEW ON DVD:
Candy (1968): A beautiful, naive blonde (yummy Swede Ewa Aulin) has escapades with a series of strange men (among them Ringo Starr as a Mexican gardener and Marlon Brando as a guru) in this softcore version of “Candide.” This all-star adaptation of Terry Southern’s scandalous satirical porn novel had been out-of-print for years; Kino Lorber brings it back with a new interviews with screenwriter Buck Henry and film critic Kim Morgan as extras. Buy Candy.
“Cop Rock” (1990): “Hill Street Blues” goes Broadway in this notorious flop TV series with singing and dancing cops. In today’s more irony-minded pop culture landscape this might have been a hit; no one who saw the pilot live will ever forget the jaw-dropping climax where the jury panel turns into a gospel choir to render their verdict: “He’s Guilty!” Buy “Cop Rock”.
Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971): Dustin Hoffman stars as a singer-songwriter undergoing an existential crisis, complete with hallucinations and paranoia about a mysterious public detractor. Impressionistic rather than realistic: as Hoffman says in to his psychiatrist in the film, “Why should I come back to reality? What’s it ever done for me?” Buy Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? [Blu-ray].
FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:
Frankie in Blunderland (2011): Read El Rob Hubbard’s “List Candidate” review. Loser Frankie drifts through a surreal, low-budget LA looking for his missing wife. This underground feature is still technically a List Candidate, so if you watch it, please tell us what you think. Recommended for adults only due to full-frontal fairy nudity. Watch Frankie in Blunderland free on YouTube.
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.
Celebrating the cinematically surreal, bizarre, cult, oddball, fantastique, strange, psychedelic, and the just plain WEIRD!
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