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.

The Last Circus (2010): Read Gregory J. Smalley’s festival review. An upgraded Blu-ray edition of Alex de la Iglesia‘s violent clown allegory that includes a new commentary track from author Shelagh Rowan-Legg and other odds and ends. Buy The Last Circus.

Performance (1970): Read the Canonically Weird entry! The Criterion Collection gets their hands on the Mick Jagger-fronted psychedelic cult movie; includes multiple new documentary features on the film. In 4K+Blu-ray or solo Blu editions. Buy Performance.

Rats! (2025): Read Giles Edwards’ festival capsule. Absurd, anarchic comedy about a teenage graffiti artist in a neighborhood of “perverts.” Now in limited theatrical release. Rats! official site.

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!

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

Discussed in this episode:

ame pippin Studio: Masaaki Yuasa has formed a new animation studio. Collaborators/partners include Asmik Ace (Tekkonkinkreet, “Paranoia Agent”), Aniplex (“Demon Slayer”), and CoMix Wave Films (Your Name.). We’re hopeful this team will produce some weird stuff. Variety has the details.

The Ice Tower [La Tour de Glace] (2025): A teenage runaway lands at a film set for an adaptation of “The Snow Queen.” From fairy tale specialist Lucile Hadzihalilovic, starring Marion Cotillard and Gaspar Noé as the in-film director, it just debuted at the Berlin Film Festival, with future distribution plans unknown at this time. The Ice Tower at Berlin Film Festival.

Kizumonogatari – Koyomi Vamp (2024): Read Giles Edwards’ Apocrypha Candidate review. This vampiric anime feature gets a very special limited edition release exclusively from Crunchyroll, including a Blu-ray, the soundtrack CD, and a booklet with art from the film.  Buy Kizumonogatari – Koyomi Vamp.

Love Me (2024): Read Gregory J. Smalley’s review. The experimental sci-fi romance with big-name stars comes to VOD this week. Rent or buy Love Me.

Slamdance: Sundance’s smaller, punkier cousin has gone mainly online in recent years, a trend that’s only likely to accelerate when Sundance relocates from Park City, UT to a larger city in 2027. (In fact, Slamdance itself has already pulled up stakes and physically moved to L.A., which may help its overall visibility in the circuit.)  Slamdance is probably the largest festival for microbudget cinema, which means we can frequently find weirder offerings willing to take more chances than their pricier brethren, but with the downside that wider distribution is far from a certainty (and is, in fact, a rare proposition). Here are two films we’ll be keeping an eye on:

• In the Mouth – An agoraphobic man and his mysterious roommate can’t leave the house because of a giant doppelganger head in the front yard.
• Universe 25 – A postman seeks to deliver a lost letter allegedly sent by an angel from the future.

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

No guest currently scheduled for next week’s Pod 366, although that could change. In any event, Greg and Giles will discuss the week’s weird news and releases. In written reviews,Giles Edwards plans to deliver the scoop on the two Slamdance features mentioned above, and possibly more from the festival; Shane Wilson covers the reader-suggested beat with an inquest into the Whoopi Goldberg/animatronic dinosaur buddy-cop flop Theodore Rex; new contributor Enar Clarke checks in with a report on the 1965 Italian rarity The Possessed; and Gregory J. Smalley takes a belated look at Flying Lotus’ weirdofest Kuso (2017). Onward and weirdward!

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

Quick links/Discussed in this episode:

Better Man (2024): A musical biopic of British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, where the subject is portrayed by a CGI chimp. This arrived too late in 2024 for us to cover it, maybe we will give it a chance now that it’s out on VOD (although be warned, it’s currently at premium pricing). Buy or rent Better Man.

Felidae (1994): Read El Rob Hubbard’s review. A neo-noir enacted by a cast of animated cats. The description is ambiguous, but this item appears to be a 4K Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile, not a 4K UHD disc. Buy Felidae.

Galaxy of Terror (1981): Read Shane Wilson’s review. An alien preys on astronauts fears, including the common fear of being raped to death by a giant space worm and kind of liking it. Now on 4K UHD. Buy Galaxy of Terror.

King Lear (1987): Jean-Luc Godard‘s version of Shakespeare’s play is, naturally, about a post-apocalyptic descendant of the Bard attempting to reconstruct his ancestor’s film, with the help of Pretty in Pink‘s Molly Ringwald. In our reader-suggested queue and now out on DVD and Blu-ray (for the first time?) from the Criterion Collection. Buy King Lear.

“Obayashi ’80s: The Onomichi Trilogy & Kadokawa Years”: A special screening from Feb 7 to 14 at NYC’s Japan society of six unknown-to-us 1980s films from Nobuhiko Obayashi (Hausu): School in the Crosshairs (1981); I Are You, You Am Me (Exchange Students) (1982); The Little Girl Who Conquered Time (1983); The Island Closest to Heaven (1984); and His Motorbike, Her Island (1986). Four of these (School, Girl, Heaven, Motorbike) will be released later this year on Blu-ray from Cult Epics. School in the Crosshairs, described as “A psychotronic fantasy forged into a young girl’s destiny to defend the planet” and “a cosmic overload of extraterrestrial fascists, preternatural powers and Obayashi’s uniquely adroit filmmaking abilities” sounds like the most promising of the batch from our weird perspective. “Obayashi ’80s: The Onomichi Trilogy & Kadokawa Years” at Japan Society.

Pinocchio 964 (1991): Read Kat Doherty’s review. If this once ultra-obscure underground Japanese film about a sex-slave cyborg is arriving on 4K UHD, then everything will on the format soon. Buy Pinocchio 964.

The Slaughter Brothers Dime Circus (2025?): A crowdfunding effort. Per the description, it’s a “dark horror story set in a dilapidated carnival which transforms into a surreal world of horror, fantasy, and retribution.” This was originally a theatrical performance, then a radio play; the feature film is to be directed by Richard “Fangs” Burgin. It’s about 70% funded at this writing, with just over two weeks left to go. The Slaughter Brothers Dime Circus Indiegogo campaign.

Universal Language (2024): Matthew Rankin returns, bringing us a Canadian-set comedy where the cast inexplicably speaks Persian, inspired as much in the style of Roy Andersson as Guy Maddin. We have been anxiously awaiting this particular release, although we’ll have to wait until it radiates into the flyover states after debuting in New York and California this week. Universal Language American distributor page.

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

No guest scheduled for next week’s Pod 366; Giles and Greg should be back to run down the week’s weird news and releases. In written reviews, Shane Wilson recommends the strange anti-Nazi musical Strangers in Paradise (1984); Giles Edwards accepts a readers’ suggestion to check out his boy Nic Cage in the supernatural horror outing Longlegs (2024); and Gregory J. Smalley braves what may be one of the microbudgetest microbudget movies of all time, the seagull alternative reality flick Ed And Rooster’s Great Adventure (2025). Onward and weirdward!

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

Quick links/Discussed in this episode:

Sundance Film Festival: Normally, we would preview this festival before it started, but this year we lost track and waited until it was over to start our coverage. That’s probably a better procedure anyway, as we can now read the early returns and get a better sense of what’s meaningfully weird at what remains America’s most significant indie movie festival. Here’s a bunch of premieres we’ll be looking for in the coming year:

• By Design – Juliette Lewis turns into a chair (seriously, that’s the plot). From Amanda Kramer, so you know it’s weird.
• Dead Lover – A gravedigger reanimates her dream man in what is described as a campy and gonzo spin on Frankenstein with some cult movie potential.
• OBEX – A man travels into a video game to save his abducted dog. From Albert Birney, so you know it’s weird.
• Rabbit Trap – Two musicians record a mystical sound which drives them mad in this Welsh folk horror.
• The Thing with Feathers – A grieving father is haunted by a giant talking crow.

Punch-Drunk Love (2002): Read the reader recommendation. Paul Thomas Anderson‘s “off kilter” romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler gets an upgrade to 4K UHD from the Criterion Collection. Buy Punch-Drunk Love.

The Sacrifice (1986): Read Alfred Eaker’s review. Andrei Tarkovsky‘s final film (he was dying of cancer as he filmed it) is a typically austere and challenging spiritual tale of a man who wishes to sacrifice himself to save his family from an apocalypse. This is the 4K UHD release of a previous Blu-ray (also included). Buy The Sacrifice.

“Twin Peaks: From Z to A”: Probably the ultimate Twin Peaks collection (although all of this material has been available in various previous editions). Includes all three TV seasons and Fire Walk with Me, a 4K UHD of the pilot and the notorious “Gotta Light?” episode from Season 3, along with 20+ hours of (all previously released) bonus material. Buy “Twin Peaks: From Z to A”.

FREE ONLINE WEIRD MOVIES:

Warner Brothers quietly dumped released a slew of back catalog titles on ad-supported free YouTube streams this week. The most notable, for our purposes, are Canonically Weird titles True Stories (1986) (our review, viewing link) and The Science of Sleep (2006) (our review, viewing link). No idea how long these will be available, so enjoy while you can!

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

No guest is currently scheduled for next week’s Pod 366, but Giles Edwards and Gregory J. Smalley plan to return with a look at what’s weird in news and new releases. Of course, on Sunday the Weirdcademy Awards voting opens to everyone, so be sure to get your votes end (voting ends on March 1, the day before Hollywood’s Most Conventional Movie Awards airs.) In written reviews, Shane Wilson takes on one that Came from the Reader-Suggested Queue in Hanzo the Razor (1972), about a Tokugawa-era lawman with an unusual crime-fighting tool; Giles Edwards also dives into the queue for the 2007 English horror The Devil’s Chair; and Gregory J. Smalley gives another answer to the eternally-recurring question If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do? Onward and weirdward!

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

Discussed in this episode:

Terri “Goregirl” McSorely on X and BlueSky (for stills too explicit to be featured here)

Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens (1979): Read Alfred Eaker’s review. Russ Meyer‘s most explicit film follows the comic escapades of a small-town, sex-crazed woman (Kitten Nativdad); recently restored by Severin Films.  Buy Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens.

Cafe Flesh (1982): Read Terri McSorley’s review. The ultimate weirdo porn film from the team that would go on to make Dr. Caligari. Released in a limited edition of 2000 copies from Mondo Macabro, this sold out almost immediately, so you’ll have to search for a used copy (which may be difficult since major retailers like Amazon and Ebay won’t carry adult items).

Cannibal! the Musical (1993): Read Pete Trbovich’s review. First time on Blu-ray for the Trey Parker/Matt Stone dark comedy musical, with tons of extras including a full-length documentary. Buy Cannibal the Musical.

“Death Laughs Among Us: Films by John Schnall”: Animator Schnall went on to make videos for MTV and Saturday Night Live, but this collection focuses on his lesser-known and little-seen early underground work.  Buy “Death Laughs Among Us: Films by John Schnall”.

Ghost Cat Anzu (2024): Read Giles Edwards’ review. This Ghibli-esque anime is available to buy (only) on VOD (presumably a rental option will follow at some point); a physical media release is also coming in the first week of March. Buy Ghost Cat Anzu.

Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay (1971): Read Gregory J. Smalley’s review. Also an exclusive limited edition from Mondo Macabro, pre-orders for this dreamlike softcore lesbian fairytale have not yet sold out as of this writing. Buy Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay.

Hippo (2023): Read Giles Edwards’ review. The black and white black comedy arrives on Blu-ray, with a bonus short and behind-the-scenes footage. Buy Hippo.

Hundreds of Beavers (2022): Read the Apocryphally Weird entry! We hear this isn’t bad. Buy Hundreds of Beavers.

The Keep (1983): Read Shane Wilson’s review. No missing footage from Michael Mann’s notoriously slashed supernatural thriller, but a lot of extra features in this Vinegar Syndrome UHD/Blu release. Buy The Keep.

Kuso (2017): A series of surreal vignettes set in a post-apocalypse Los Angeles, from musician-turned-filmmaker Flying Lotus. This film shocked Sundance with its weirdness, but was not well-received by mainstream critics; it was previously available on an international DVD, but this is its first appearance on Blu-ray.  Buy Kuso.

Love Me (2024): Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun star as a bouy and a satellite (respectively) who meet after humanity’s extinction and fall in love. This film that Tasha Robinson of Polygon calls “a daringly weird debut” is now in theaters across the country, after debuting at Sundance last year. Love Me official site.

Supervixens (1975): Read Alfred Eaker’s review. Zany sexploitation that marked a return to bodacious form for Russ Meyer after a flirtation with the mainstream; Severin adds 3+ hours of bonus material. Buy Supervixens.

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

No guest scheduled for next week’s Pod 366, when Greg and Giles expect to cover the week’s weird movie news and releases. In written content, Shane Wilson returns to Once Within a Time (2023), Gregory J. Smalley plans to catch Love Me (see above), and we’ll release our (somewhat late) nominations for the 2024 Weirdcademy Awards. Onward and weirdward!