A recap, in case you haven’t been here in over a year: last year we completed the official List of the 366 Canonically Weird Movies. Rather than shutting down, we began a second list of 366 Apocryphally Weird Movies, to catch the runners-up and the new movies that will inevitably be made after the List closed. Your input and suggestions are now desired—and maybe you can win a prize in the bargain.
Here’s how this round works. Just nominate a movie not currently on the list for Apocryphally Weird status in the comments below. You can see what’s already on the complete Canonical list in the sidebar to the left on desktops, or at the very bottom of your screen on mobile devices. Serious entries only; we will disregard any nominations for Pokemon Detective Pikachu, Transformers, or the like. Ideally, your choice should be available for us to screen on home video; we may make exceptions to that rule on a case-by-case basis.
We’ll take nominations and contest entries up until February 29 (Leap Day—the weirdest day of the year). We’ll gather all the nominees and create a tournament bracket from them, for our irregularly held March Mad Movie Madness competition. The winner of that contest will be officially named as Apocrypha.
You may nominate a movie even if you aren’t eligible for the contest or don’t wish to receive the prize; just mention you’re not in it for the swag when you announce your choice.
Contest eligibility rules: You must make a nomination by commenting on this post and informing us of your desire to be in the contest. Due to the adult nature of the prize, you must be over 18 years of age to enter. To receive the Blu-ray, you must supply us with a mailing address in the United States. (Don’t publish your address in your comment! We’ll contact the winner through email). 366 contributors are not eligible to win the prize, but may nominate a movie for the competition. We’ll stop accepting entries this Saturday, Feb. 29, at midnight EST. The winner will be chosen randomly from all eligible comments. If the winner does not respond to our request for a mailing address within 48 hours we’ll email a runner-up, and so forth, until the prize is given away.
As for the prize: It’s a fresh Blu-ray copy of the newly-released nihilist teen drama We (2018). Film International says “We holds viewers’ attention” but goes on to warn “Sometimes, however, it is hard to watch.” The box cover explains, “During one hot summer, a group of suburban teens hang out and play increasingly depraved games to break the listless monotony. Their descent from innocence to ruthless predators involve arson, prostitution, pornography, assault and blackmail. This controversial and explicit coming-of-age tale is imbued with sex, nihilism and amorality and is reminiscent of the films of Hamony Korine, Larry Clark and Lars von Trier.” Contains explicit scenes. (Note: the cover to the right is the safe-for-work version; the Blu-ray the winner actually receives features rear nudity. You can see it and read more about the film at distributor Artsploitation Films’ slightly NSFW We page).
Now let’s get started!
Once again, I’m going to go with “The Spirit”: though I wouldn’t call that piece of cinema a good movie, I have to admit—it’s certainly unusual. Frank Miller decided to adapt Will Eisner classic comic as a bizarre mix of noir, slapstick, supernatural mumbo-jumbo, and, well, borderline-misogyny. The effect, although flawed, is undoubtedly weird and deserves a place on the List.
(I’m not eligible to receive the prize.)
Thanks Motyka! If you keep nominating The Spirit it just may make it one of these days.
I’d like to nominate Relaxer, which was one of the best weird movies I’ve seen in quite a while. And I’d like to be entered into the contest.
Relaxer is in the field and you’re in the contest.
I’d like to nominate “Anguish” and be in the contest. Actually bought a copy based on this site’s review and am glad I did…will watch it again someday. Has any other movie taken the “film within a film” concept this far? (I’m talking sustained dual reflecting narratives, not something like “The Forbidden Room” (also good, but not the same).)
Has “The Starfighters” ever been nominated? It’s a “Mystery Science Theater” movie, and like “Manos,” its weirdness comes from a totally original style of incompetence. It “stars” Bob Dornan, who later became an arch-conservative congressman, and features seemingly hours of footage of planes refueling for no apparent reason. It’s fun to try to figure out why the hell it was made, and for what audience. Maybe, like “Creeping Terror,” it’s just too boring to qualify.
Sam and Anguish are in.
Ed, you can nominate The Starfighters if you like, but I won’t be casting my vote for it! I assume you want to be in the contest?
1973’s “Baba Yaga”. A film adaptation that mixes Guido Crepax erotic comics and Slavic folklore into a surreal piece of
dreamy borderline exploitation cinema.
It’s beautiful, too chic to be horror, too overtly sexy to be arthouse, and definitely weird.
Baba Yaga has its fans here. Don’t forget to indicate if you’re in the contest or not.
I am just here for the weird, no swag needed 🙂
Glad to hear “Baba Yaga” has its fans 🙂
I nominate “The Adolescence of Utena”, AKA Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie, as I will continue to do until it makes the list for its exceptional stylized imagery and bonkers third act twist.
I don’t know if there’s already a page for its Apocrypha status already being written and thus making my selection redundant, as it won the Weirdest Film of the year award, but The Lighthouse hasn’t left my head ever since I watched it at the beginning of the month. It’s a purely deranged piece of cinema that wonderfully suggests rather than flat-out states its supernatural phenomena, bringing into question just how much we see on film is real or the lunatic hallucinations of two people driving each other mad. It’s one of the closest interpretations of a nightmare I’ve ever seen, and it mounts its terrors all while delivering something as crass as a fart joke, solely so the viewer can never get settled into the madness and is driven into the same depths of fear our wickies face.
This time I am eligible for the contest (and if The Lighthouse IS getting full-blown coverage regardless of this occasion, let me know if I can replace my nomination).
I’ll keep carrying the torch for Big Man Japan (2007) and hope that maybe this will be its chance to get on the list or at least a review on the site! I’m from the land of red socialism to the north of you so I’m out of the contest.
The Adolescence of Utena, The Lighthouse, and Big Man Japan will all join the tournament. You’re in the contest, Hunter.
From now on, unless you specify you are in the contest, I assume you are not entered.
Horsehead. I think there’s a review, but no nomination. Definitely checks most weird boxes. Also, Death Warmed Up. Besides being one of the first of the New Zealand splatter films, it also has a surreal vibe. Probably due to the low budget. Eligible for the prize.
“Arrebato” (Rapture), by Iván Zulueta.
I’m not eligible for the contest.
I’d like to be in the contest and would like to nominate Greener Grass (2019). Saw it the other night after this site suggested it. I’ve seen a fair amount of weird movies. It was like one 2 hour long Adult Swim after hours short. It’s style of pitch perfect surreal humour was unlike any other weird movie that I’ve seen and was an absolute delight.
Horsehead, Arrebato and Greener Grass will be in the field. Edward and Jesse are the Blu-ray drawing.
I’d like to nominate Snowflake (2017) please. Such an entertaining movie. And I’d like to be entered in the contest. Thank you!
I’d like to nominate Freaked (1993)- a oft forgotten oddity of 90s trash that was pulled from a wide distribution due to being too ‘weird’.
Would also advocate (not sure if we’re allowed more than one recommendation) The Double Life of Veronique (1991) which is a dreamlike arthouse drama.
And finally (as I’m forcing myself to stop at 3) Requiem pour un Vampire (1971)- two lesbians who begin the film dressed as clowns wander in a trance through a graveyard before encountering campy vampires. Feel this might be the most suitable Jean Rollin’s film, a director I think has been neglected from a authoritative list of weird movies.
Forgot to add I’m not eligible for the contest. Sorry!
Snowfake and Phil are in.
John, only one nomination per entrant, please, so I’ll use Freaked (unless you want to change it).
I nominate DEATH AND THE COMPASS by Alex Cox. Because a Jorge Luis Borges story has to be on the list : labyrinths and crimes.
As John has used up his nomination, can I nominate “Requiem for a Vampire” on his behalf? And, indeed, on behalf of Jean Rollin fans everywhere? I agree with John that at least ONE of M. Rollin’s films needs to be on a definitive list of weird movies. Thank you! Not that I’m eligible for the contest, mind.
Death and the Compass and Requiem for a Vampire are in the field.
Can I nominate Tale of Tales (Matteo Garrone, 2015)
You can and did.
I would like to suggest Petey Wheatstraw. A movie were a man trained in the art of Kung fu and watermelon smashing is gunned down thanks to a comedy duo and is brought back to life on the condition Of marrying Satan’s daughter sounds like it’d be PERFECT as more than a capsule. Plus, an outsider like Rudy Ray Moore seems like a shoo-in for an apocrypha slot here (that or Disco Godfather, but I haven’t seen that one)
I am not eligible, nor terribly interested in the contest. Thank you 🙂
I won’t nominate The Ornithologist (O Ornitólogo) from the Portuguese director João Pedro Rodrigues this time because that movie was not popular enough with the voters. Instead I will go bigger and suggest Ari Aster’s Midsommar. Why? I can’t tell you that cause I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
I am also not eligible as I live in a country that birthed both F. W. Murnau and Uwe Boll.
i already submitted the name of portuguese director Joao Cesar Monteiro for the List, but it was too late – i guess the best entry would be “Memories of the yellow house” (although most of his films could be featuring in the new list)
(btw, i’m french, and not sure of the “correctness” of what i’m writing – may look weird – but i’m sure you’ll get the point)
One other name (which i’m baffled not to encounter in the List) is Patrick Bokanowski, with his film “L’Ange” – i’m sorry to say that the List (as great as it may be) is incomplete without that most beautiful, and weird, movie ! (of course, it may be deemed “experimental”, and that doesn’t seem to be the trend usually followed around here…) –
anyway, i’d like to thank you for the wonders gathered here (and a special thank for having revealed to me the japanese anime “night is short, walk on girl”, one of the most beautiful film i’ve ever seen !)
We’ll add Petey Wheatstraw and Midsommar to the field.
Karim, the main issue with Monteiro and Bokanowski is that they are both almost totally unknown here in the U.S.: their works are simply unavailable here in any format or service. They would take some digging to find viewable copies. I do see a L’Ange Blu-ray in print, though, so I will add it to the field.
Ok, i would be proud to have promoted “L’Ange” into the new list… (althought its chances are thin, if nobody can see it !) –
May i add : any film by Raul Ruiz (well, almost any film) – i think the only one that made it into the Canon was “The Hypothesis…”, but i dare say that “Three Lifes and only one Death” would fit into the Apocryphal ! (this one, fearuring Mastroianni, should be available in the usa…)
I nominate A Cure for Wellness, but not for the contest.
I nominate “1974 – Exorcismo Negro” (Dark Exorcism), from the brazilian master of horror, “Zé do Caixão” (Coffin Joe)
It looks like A Cure for Wellness and Exorcismo Negro will round out the field. Still 30 minutes left for another nomination/contest entry.
Thanks all for participating. The field is set and will be revealed later today. The contest winner has been determined and notified.