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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!