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Quick links/Discussed in this episode:

Barbarella remake? (202?): Discussion begins. Reported as in development: a Barbarella remake starring hot commodity Sidney Sweeney, directed by Edgar Wright. We won’t deny Sweeney would look great in the costumes, but overall we remain skeptical. Deadline broke the story.

Coma (2022): Discussion begins. A sequestered 18-year-old girl loses her grip on reality as she watches a YouTuber named “Patricia Coma.” A weird-looking one with animation and Barbie doll sequences, from the busy Bertrand Bonello (who also has the promising Beast in U.S. theaters). Coma official site.

The Hyperboreans (2024): Discussion begins. A psychologist hires stop-motion animators Joaquín Cociña and Cristobal Leon to film a script taken from the minds of one of her (schizophrenic?) patients.  We know little about this, but there is a Nazi twist… debuting this week at Cannes Director’s Fortnight, hopefully it will be picked up in the U.S.  The Hyperboreans distributor site.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988): Discussion begins. Read Gregory J. Smalley’s review. The kampy kult komedy (please don’t make that into an acronym) gets a 4K upgrade from Shout! Factory; extra features appear to all be recycled from the previous Special Edition Blu-ray (and some go back to the original DVD release). Buy Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

Megalopolis (2024?): Discussion begins. Megalopolis continues its epic journey to screen with the release of a more substantial “teaser” trailer (hot on the heels of the short teaser scene we talked about last week). There’s also another spicy article about the production, this time from The Guardian. Anticipation builds.

Sentinel (202?): Discussion begins. Phil Tippett wants to make one more stop-motion feature before he dies… and he promises this one won’t take 30 years like Mad God. It’s a deathdream story a la “An Occurrence at Owl Bridge Creek” set in WWI. Currently in the early stages of development, he’ll be fundraising at Cannes. Variety gets the scoop.

NEPOTISM CORNER:

Released this week: Giles Edwards narrates Gregory J. Smalley‘s script of a Pete Trbovich production of “Looking for Duke,” a story set in the surreal Dead Oaks Mall extended universe!

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

No guest is currently scheduled for next week’s Pod 366 (although you never know), but Greg and Giles will definitely be back to discuss the week’s weird news and releases. In written reviews, Shane Wilson takes a second look at Shiver of the Vampires, Giles Edwards investigates Jobe’z World (2018), and Gregory J. Smalley will venture to the theater to see I Saw the TV Glow (which seems like a safer bet than catching it on TV).

Onward and weirdward!

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Quick links/Discussed in this episode:

Alpha (202?): Discussion begins. Titane‘s Julia Ducournau has a new movie in the works—but we know virtually nothing about it, as the plot is being kept under wraps. The producers describe it as “a new page in Julia Ducournau’s corpus that is both very consistent with the previous ones and entirely new in its tone,” which is… promising? Variety has the sparse details.

Altered Perceptions (2023): Discussion begins. Assuring us that it was written by a neuropsychologist, the synopsis of this lgbtq film describes a pandemic that causes males to hallucinate and a Trumpian senator’s conspiracy to scapegoat gays for the crisis. After two weeks in theaters, it’s on DVD and Blu-ray (no special features advertised). Also with VOD options. Buy Altered Perceptions.

Daaaaalì! (2024): Discussion begins. When we heard absurdist prankster Quentin Dupieux would be making a biopic about Salvador Dali, it quickly became one of the most anticipated titles in these parts. The good news is that it has been officially picked up for U.S. distribution by Music Box, with a theatrical release “later this year.” Announced by Variety.

It’s Such a Beautiful Day + “Me”: Don Hertzfeldt is touring his 2011 Canonically Weird, psychedelic animation about the life and death of a stickman throughout the year in major cities throughout North America, along with a new 20-minute musical animation, “ME.” A handful of venues are screening the equally enticing “World of Tomorrow” trilogy instead. More dates are being added. Check and see if it’s coming to your city at bitterfilms official site.

Katernica (2023): Discussion begins. Characters become trapped inside a cursed play in this British microbudget feature that’s heading straight to Blu-ray and VOD. The trailer gives off weird underground horror vibes. Buy or rent Katernica.

Megalopolis (2024): Discussion begins. Last week, the first teaser clip dropped for Francis Ford Coppola‘s rumoredly bonkers satire Megalopolis, which suggests that Adam Driver may be able to stop time. Anticipation builds. Last week we were also blessed with a meaty interview with Coppola in Vanity Fair where he talks about this passion project.

She Is Conann (2023): Discussion begins. It’s Conann the Barbarian as you’ve never seen her before: in a time-tripping lesbian epic! Through with it’s theatrical run, Bertrand Mandico‘s latest lands on Blu-ray, with almost 90 minutes of Mandico short films as bonus content. Also on VOD (without the shorts). Buy or rent She Is Conann.

Time of the Heathen (1961): Discussion begins. After the bomb drops, a Bible-carrying drifter finds himself framed for murder. This post-apocalyptic obscurity was discovered and restored by the reliable Arbelos Films, who claim it “culminates in one of cinema’s most memorable, psychedelic, and unclassifiable endings.” It will have a short run at finer American art-house theaters through the summer before presumably showing up on Blu-ray down the line. Time of the Heathen official site.

“Unrecorded Night”: Discussion begins. Netflix continues to disrespect David Lynch, as Lynch producer Sabrina Sutherland publicly reports that the streamer passed not only on the animated series “Snootworld” (as we previously discussed) but also on a live-action series titled “Unrecorded Night.” More tidbits from Sabrina: Lynch has more ideas to continue the “Twin Peaks” saga, but no firm plans to work on them (or on anything film related, though he continues to paint and make music). Film Stage collects the evidence.

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

No guest planned for next week’s Pod 366, unless you include the return of Giles Edwards to discuss the week’s weird news and release. In written reviews, Shane Wilson drains another that Came from the Reader-Suggested Queue with the odd Polish fable Johnny Aquarius (1993); Giles Edwards gets up to some Hanky Panky (2023); and Gregory J. Smalley sees if he can learn anything new from the doc Dario Argento Panico (2023). Onward and weirdward!

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

Quick links/Discussed in this episode:

Altered Perceptions (2023): Assuring us that it was written by a neuropsychologist, the synopsis of this lgbtq film describes a pandemic that causes males to hallucinate and a Trumpian senator’s conspiracy to scapegoat gays for the crisis. Anton Bitel’s review calls the story “unbelievable to the point of surrealism” and name-drops Neil Breen. On VOD now, with a DVD release (with author’s commentary!) coming in a couple weeks. (Its campaign for the 2024 Oscars sadly fell short of the goal.) Altered Perceptions official site.

The Demoniacs (1974): Read Gregory J. Smalley’s review. Jean Rollin turns to “beach Gothic” for his sixth horror feature, re-released on Blu-ray or 4K UHD, in limited editions that include two alternate cuts, new interviews, and an 80-page booklet. Buy The Demoniacs.

Goodbye Uncle Tom (1971): Read the Canonically Weird review! Prosperi and Jacopetti’s slavery mockumentary is a mix of scholarship and balls-out exploitation; it’s out for the first time in a 4K UHD limited edition, with a separate Blu-ray and a soundtrack CD and a huge collection of extra features ported over from previous releases. Buy Goodbye Uncle Tom.

I Am Cuba (1964): Experimental agitprop from Cuba with hallucinogenic moments and stunning monochrome camerawork. The Criterion Collection releases this new title (which we would have assumed had been in the collection forever) on 4K UHD and Blu-ray (in one package). Buy I Am Cuba.

“The Kingdom Trilogy” (1994, 1997, 2022): All three seasons of Lars von Trier‘s Twin Peaks-inspired Danish TV series about a haunted hospital, now on Blu-ray. Buy “The Kingdom Trilogy.”

Nostalghia (1983): Read the Canonically Weird entry! After a successful restoration, Tarkovsky‘s slow, melancholy, and divisive meditation on exile appears on 4K UHD courtesy of Kino Lorber. Buy Nostalghia.

The Nude Vampire (1970): Another Rollin limited release on Blu-ray and 4K UHD, this time of one of his earliest (and most insanely plotted) vampire films. Buy The Nude Vampire.

She Loved Blossoms More (later 2024): An amazing surreal still and news that reliably weird distributor Yellow Veil is onboard lead us to believe that this upcoming science fiction drama that ends in a “psychedelic hellscape” may be worth our attention. It’s set to debut at Tribeca in June. Variety broke the news.

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

On next week’s Pod 366, Terri “Goregirl” McSorley will join Giles Edwards to interview Fang director Richard Burgin (and discuss the week’s releases). In written reviews, Shane Wilson gets on Nicolas Roeg‘s Track 29 (1988); Rafael Moreira enters The Grass Labyrinth (in the first of hopefully many Shuji Terayama reviews to come); El Rob Hubbard enjoys those Prague Nights; and Gregory J. Smalley tries to answer a Riddle of Fire (2024). Onward and weirdward!

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Quick links/Discussed in this episode:

Cannes Film Festival (May 14-May 25): Discussion begins. Normally, Cannes is not a major event on the weird movie calendar, although there are usually one or two titles of interest debuting there. That changes this year, with a record number of strange films from major talents on tap:

• • C’est Pas Moi [It’s Not Me] – A surprise entry from the eccentric Leos Carax, it’s an experimental autobiographical essay film under an hour in length.
  • Kinds of Kindness – The debut of Yorgos Lanthimos‘ anticipated triptych film will play in competition.
  • Le Deuxième acte [The Second Act] – Quentin Dupieux‘s latest absurd comedy, starring Léa Seydoux as a woman introducing her reluctant boyfriend to her father, will open the festival (although it’s not in competition).
  • Megalopolis – While it has been previewed already, this is the first chance for the public to see Francis Ford Coppola‘s reportedly batshit all-star dystopian satire. It’s sure to be one of the Festival’s main talking points.
  • Rumours – Guy Maddin (and protege Evan Johnson) get their biggest stars yet—Cate Blanchett and Alicia Vikander—-in a movie about a G7 conference (unusually contemporary subject matter for cinematic antiquarian Maddin).
  • The Shrouds – Vincent Cassel stars as a businessman who runs a service allowing grieving families to watch the bodies of their loved ones decompose on closed circuit television in David Cronenberg‘s latest (and potentially last) film.
  • The Surfer – Described as a psychological thriller, little is known about the plot of Lorcan Finnegan‘s Midnight entry, except that it’s set in Australia, involves surfing, and stars Nicolas Cage.

Cannes Film Festival official homepage.

Hanky Panky (2024): Discussion begins. The logline explains why we chose to spotlight this low-budget comedy: “A man and a talking napkin save the world from an evil top-hat, and also learn to love.” Straight to VOD for 4/20 weekend. Hanky Panky official site.

Hundreds of Beavers (2023): Discussion begins. Read El Rob Hubbard’s Apocrypha Candidate review. Hundreds of Beavers comes to a wider audience this week with its video-on-demand debut; we promise, we won’t be talking this one up again until it hits Blu-ray. Rent (or buy) Hundreds of Beavers on VOD.

The Invisible Fight (2023): Discussion begins. Read Giles Edwards’ Apocrypha Candidate review. Kung fu monks (Orthodox Christian monks, that is) populate Rainer Sarnet‘s potentially cult comedy, now on Blu-ray. Buy The Invisible Fight.

Werckmeister Harmonies (2000): Discussion begins. Read the Canonically Weird entry! The Canonized slowcore classic finally finds its expected home in the Criterion Collection’s empire, on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD, or streaming; Bela Tarr‘s first film, Family Nest (1979), is included as a hefty bonus feature on the physical media releases. Buy Werckmeister Harmonies.

WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:

Next week’s Pod 366 guest will be Acidemic‘s Erich Kuersten, who will join us to discuss the week’s new releases. In written reviews, Shane Wilson finally writes a review that makes Perfect Sense (2011) comprehensible; Rafael Moreira does not avoid the Pitfall of Hiroshi Teshigahara‘s 1962 existential thriller; Giles Edwards sinks his teeth into the low-budget lycanthropy of Fang (2022); and Gregory J. Smalley investigates Oldrich Lipský‘s Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians (1981). Onward and weirdward!