366 Weird Movies may earn commissions from purchases made through product links.
Discussed in this episode:
The 10th Victim (1965): Read Shane Wilson’s review. Ursula Andress and Marcello Mastroianni fall in love while pitted against each other in a future reality show where contestants compete to assassinate their rivals. Kino Lorber re-releases it with a new commentary track from a pair of film historians. Buy The 10th Victim.
The Mansion of Madness [AKA Dr. Tarr’s Torture Dungeon] (1972): Read Enar Clarke’s Apocrypha Candidate review. This horror-tinged Surrealist Poe adaptation, originally released in the US under the hilariously inappropriate title Dr. Tarr’s Torture Dungeon, is by a disciple of Alejandro Jodorowsky and has not been recently available on home video until this welcome Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome. Buy The Mansion of Madness.
Myth of Man (2025): A dialogue-free, steampunk-influenced mythological fantasia from Jamin Winans. This is a true independent release with no studio backing—on VOD or a self-published Blu-ray.Buy Myth of Man.
The Twilight World (202?): At 82 years old, Werner Herzog will attempt his first animated film: an adaptation of his own novel about a Japanese WWII veteran who refuses to believe the war is over. Michael “Tekkonkreet” Arias assists on the “dreamlike and expressionistic” screenplay. Read more at Variety.
WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE: No guest scheduled for next week’s Pod 366, but Greg and Giles will return with their look at the week’s upcoming news and new releases. In written reviews, Shane Wilson slips into In Fabric, Gregory J. Smalley finally gets around to the long-overlooked Tommy, Enar Clarke reports on the “lost” Giulio Questi film Arcana, and Giles Edwards investigates The Myth of Man (see above). Onward and weirdward!
366 Weird Movies may earn commissions from purchases made through product links.
Discussed in this episode:
Ash (2025): An astronaut wakes up on a spaceship to find her crew dead, and wonders if she can trust the man who arrives claiming to be a rescuer. Some psychedelic scenes highlight this sophomore feature from Flying Lotus. No official site located.
Harlequin (1980): Read Giles Edwards’ review. The “mystical oddity” gets a physical media upgrade from Indicator. Blu-ray and 4K UHD editions are sold separately. Buy Harlequin.
WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE: No guest officially scheduled for next week’s Pod 366, but Giles and Greg will return with a look at the week’s weird news and releases. In written reviews, Shane Wilson handles one that Came from the Reader-Suggested Queue with the Christian puppeteer documentary Hands of God (2005), Giles Edwards tracks down another reader suggestion in the impressively-titled Oh Dad, Poor Dad (Momma’s Hung You In the Closet & I’m Feeling So Sad) (1961), Enar Clarke enters The Mountains of Madness (1972), and Gregory J. Smalley plans to catch (and report on) cosmic sci-fi/horror Ash (above). Onward and weirdward!
El (1953): The Luis Buñuel melodrama about a love triangle between a young beau, a beautiful woman, and her jealous older husband gets a restoration and theatrical rerelease from Janus Films (which means a Criterion Collection disc will soon follow). Buñuel’s 1950s Mexican films tend to have less surrealism than his early or late periods, but are still of interest. El at Janus Films.
The Golden Fern (1963): A black and white folktale about a soldier who finds a magical fern and a love triangle between him, a fairy, and a general’s daughter. Deaf Crocodile’s promotional material describes it as in the vein of The Saragossa Manuscript and Cocteau‘s Beauty and the Beast, and it was lensed by the cinematographer who would go on to shoot Marketa Lazarova. Buy The Golden Fern.
The Hungry Snake Woman (1968): The Snake Queen promises an ambitious young man riches and turns him into Dracula (?), and then the Snake Woman (a different entity than the Snake Queen) offers him a way out of the deal if he can stab the Snake Queen with a magic pin during sex. World Blu-ray premiere of this Indonesian B-movie distributor Mondo Macabro describes as “one of the wildest and craziest Indonesian horror films ever made.” Buy The Hungry Snake Woman.
Kin-Dza-Dza! (1986): Read the Canonically Weird review! This is not a new release from Deaf Crocodile, but one of a series of reissues that improve readability of the labels and a supply a sturdier Scanavo case. Buy Kin-Dza-Dza!.
The Outcasts (1982): An Irish peasant woman is accused of witchcraft after consorting with a mystical fiddler in the woods. Previously unreleased on home video in the US, this Irish folk horror from the writer of Blood on Satan’s Claw is described as poetic and surreal. Buy The Outcasts.
Next week, Street Trash (2024) director Ryan Kruger and star Cameron Mitchell join Greg and Giles on the pod (and we’ll also round-up the week’s weird news and releases). In written reviews, Shane Wilson freaks out over the bad taste comedy Live Freaky! Die Freaky! (2006), Enar Clarke tempts fate with the surreal rarity Fata Morgana (1966), Giles Edwards inhales some starfish-secreted drugs and takes a look at a Lowlife (2012); and Gregory J. Smalley watches the Japanese movie that explores his two favorite pastimes, Love & Crime (1969). Onward and weirdward!
366 Weird Movies may earn commissions from purchases made through product links.
Quick links/Discussed in this episode:
Akira (1988): Read the Canonically Weird entry! The seminal anime classic has been released in many versions over the years; this is the 4K UHD steelbook. Buy Akira.
The Empire (2024): Commandant Van der Weyden and his sidekick Charpentier are back (although they may have a smaller role to play) in this sci-fi spoof about warring tribes of aliens in human form. This film is likely aimed squarely at fans of Bruno Dumont‘s curious brand of Gallic absurdity. The Empire at Kino Lorber.
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024): Shula discovers her uncle’s dead body lying by the side of the road, then reluctantly joins in the funeral arrangements. A24’s marketing material describes this Zambian movie as ” surreal and vibrant” (although in our experience marketing departments can play awfully loose with the word “surreal”). On Becoming a Guinea Fowl at A24.
The Visitor (2024): A man unzips himself from a suitcase and travels to stay with a family, seducing each of them in turn. Yep, it’s the Teorema plot again, but this time done as an (admittedly arty) gay porno by provocateur Bruce LaBruce. It’s getting surprisingly wide distribution across the US. The Visitor official site.
WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:
Next week’s Pod 366 guest will be Cory Santilli of the recent agoraphobic black comedy In the Mouth (which just received the honorable mention for best Breakout Feature at Slamdance). In written reviews, Shane Wilson heads to the reader-suggested queue for the 2010 Indian rap meta-movie Gandu, Enar Clarke heads to the reader-suggested queue for 1978’s surreal Spanish sex film The Coming of Sin, Giles Edwards heads to the reader-suggested queue for the 1990 cult comedy Joe vs. the Volcano, and Gregory J. Smalley plans to buck the reader-suggested trend by reporting on Matthew Rankin‘s all-new Farsi language Winnipeg tale Universal Language (which readers would soon suggest if we don’t get to it soon). Onward and weirdward!
366 Weird Movies may earn commissions from purchases made through product links.
Discussed in this episode:
Disembodied (1998): A mad scientist checks into a hotel and sets up a lab to turn people into slime before eating them. Sounds like a cheesy horror premise but there’s more to it than that: it’s a serious, if direct-to-video, artsploitation effort by director William Kersten, who’s also a stop-motion animator and classical music composer. Buy Disembodied.
Furious (1984): A kung fu master battles supernatural baddies to save the world. With a new age band, a rendition of the McKenzie Brothers “Great White North” theme, and a strange “go home” scene, this oddity appears to be a lost absurd comedy more than a so bad it’s weird discovery. Buy Furious.
Gwen and the Book of Sand (1985): A teenage girl and a 173-year-old nomad quest to save a kidnapped boy in the endless desert of the future. Lost post-apocalyptic French animation resurrected by the weirdos at Deaf Crocodile. Buy Gwen and the Book of Sand from Deaf Crocodile.
Hukkle (2002): A series of bizarre vignettes set in a remote rural Hungarian community where murder is afoot. György Pálfi‘s first feature is nearly dialogue-free (but hiccup-full) and has never been released on Blu-ray before this newly restored Dekanalog release. It includes a pair of Pálfi short films. Buy Hukkle.
The Ice Tower wins Silver Bear for for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: As stated in the title, Lucile Hadzihalilovic‘s “Snow Queen”-based fairy tale starring Marion Cotillard won a special award for “Artistic Contribution” (which means, essentially, that while not winning one of the three major prizes, the jury felt obliged to recognize it for its art direction and production design). Also, the film has been acquired for U.S. distribution by Yellow Veil. We’re getting excited for this one. Berlin Film Festival winners at Deadline.
Jacker (1993)/Jacker 2: Descent to Hell (1996): The original is a no-budget direct-to-video tale of a serial killer/carjacker; the more interesting-sounding sequel has the title character returning from a budget-conscious surreal Hell to possess others. From DTV revivalists Saturn’s Core. Buy Jacker/Jacker 2: Descent to Hell.
Street Trash (2024): Read Giles Edwards’ review. The socially-conscious but still gross South African remake of the underground classick about melting the homeless comes to Blu-ray. Buy Street Trash.
NEPOTISM CORNER:
Alex Kittle has been keeping busy with weird-movie based artwork, providing the image for Little White Lies’ commemorative essay on Wild at Heart (which you can check out here) and illustrations for Marya E. Gates’ new book on female directors, “Cinema Her Way.” Alex also hosts (or co-hosts) two upcoming events at the Brattle Theater in Boston: three days of True Tales of Wonder Women! from March 7-9, and a seminar on Agnes Varda’s Vagabond on March 18. Unfortunately, no weird movies in the slate, but don’t let that stop your estrogen binge.
WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:
As mentioned in the podcast, we will (probably) have no guest on next week’s Pod 366, but Greg and Giles will return with a look at what’s weird for the week. In written content, Sunday sees the big announcement for 2024’s Weirdcademy Award winners (so this weekend is your last chance to vote for shorts or features). We’ll also have Giles Edwards‘ report on Slamdance 2025 shorts (and possibly something else from Giles); Shane Wilson stays late to cover another assignment that Came from the Reader-Suggested Queue as he reports on the time-traveling teenagers of Detention (2011); and Gregory J. Smalley takes a second look at Alejandro Jodorowsky‘s surreal debut, Fando y Lis (1968). Onward and weirdward!
Celebrating the cinematically surreal, bizarre, cult, oddball, fantastique, strange, psychedelic, and the just plain WEIRD!
