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 on the official site links.
IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):
ABCs of Death 2 (2014): Sequel to the sporadically good, sporadically weird original; the second-string lineup of directors still includes a couple of fascinating names like Bill Plympton and Vincenzo Natali.It will be playing in cities with an Alamo Drafthouse franchise this week; others will have to check it out on demand
. ABCs of Death 2 official site.
Goodbye to Language [Adieu au Langage] (2014): The latest from Jean-Luc Godard, now in his mid 80s, is shot in 3D and features nude women, dogs, philosophical discourses, and experimental visuals. Late Godard tends to be “difficult” (and usually not much fun), and we would expect nothing less here. Goodbye to Language official site.
Horns (2013): An accused killer (Daniel Radcliffe) awakes one day to find horns growing from his head and people suddenly anxious to confess their secrets to him. One critic called the movie “the pointless kind of weird,” which we view as the pointless kind of criticism. Horns official site.
IN DEVELOPMENT (Indiegogo):
California Electric (est. 2015?): The summary says “a family of three have collective seizures and start to have visions of one another doing terrible things,” and the teaser trailer is simply a man having a 90 second seizure. The director promises “it’s very much in line with and inspired by the films of [366].” They’re trying to raise $55,000 by Dec. 20. California Electric at Indiegogo.
Dario Argento’s The Sandman (est. 2015?): Dario Argento‘s latest work (like his flop Dracula) hasn’t inspired much confidence, but never let it be said he gives up easily. Seeking complete creative control, he’s crowd-funding his latest horror project, the story of a serial killer named the Sandman whose favored weapon is a melon baller. To sweeten the deal, Iggy Pop is slated to portray the antagonist. Oh, and it’s a Christmas movie. One final note: at the minimum five dollar donation level, North Americans get a one-month subscription to Fandor—that’s a sweet deal. At this writing Argento has raised $108,000 of his $250,000 target, with nine days to go. Funding is flexible, so the project keeps whatever is pledged even if they don’t meet their goal. Dario Argento’s The Sandman at Indiegogo.
NEW ON DVD:
“The Complete Jacques Tati”: Read our review of Play Time. Deep-pocketed 366 readers (you exist, don’t you?) may be interested in the Criterion Collection’s 12-DVD compilation of the French clown’s six features and seven shorts, with the usual voluminous extras. Buy “The Complete Jacques Tati.”
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
“The Complete Jacques Tati”: See description in DVD above. Fits on 7 Blu-rays and currently is retailing for the same price as the bulkier DVD set. Buy “The Complete Jacques Tati” [Blu-ray]
.
The Devil’s Carnival (2012): Read our review. Darren Lynn Bousman‘s direct-to-DVD musical horror followup to Repo: The Genetic Opera fell under the radar, but it’s a worthwhile (if too short) treat for macabre cabaret fans. Buy The Devil’s Carnival [Blu-ray]
.
Nightbreed (Director’s Cut) (1990): This is a new director’s cut (not the infamous 160 minute “Cabal Cut” ) of Clive Barker’s 1990 cult horror about an encounter between a village of mutants and a serial killer. A limited edition Blu-ray that’s a bit too pricey for casual fans ($72 at this writing). Buy Nightbreed (Director’s Cut) [Limited Edition Blu-ray]
.
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.
Although Thesiger practically walks away with thespian honors, Boris Karloff excels in his greatest performance. Karloff initially objected to the monster’s dialogue, which is understandable in light of his mastery of silent pantomime that rivaled both