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Discussed in this episode:
I Can See You (2008): Read the Canonically Weird review! The “psychedelic campfire tale” arrives on Blu-ray for the first time; includes the short 3D film “The Viewer” and three other shorts (plus a music video) from director Graham Reznick. Buy I Can See You.
Only the River Flows (2023): A Chinese policeman questions whether they have the right suspect in a murder, as he struggles with nightmares that suggest madness. More than one critic described it as “enigmatic”; now on Blu-ray. Buy Only the River Flows.
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass (2024): The Quay Brothers return with their first feature film in two decades, an adaptation of the same source material as Wojciech Has‘ The Hourglass Sanatorium done in the style of Street of Crocodiles. Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass official U.S. distributor page.
The Toxic Avenger (2023): Peter Dinklage (that’s right) takes the lead role in this remake of Troma’s scuzzball hit. In theaters everywhere. The Toxic Avenger official site.
Venice International Film Festival, Aug 27 – Sep. 6: Venice is always worth a peek. This year, Werner Herzog receives an honorary Golden Lion (presented to him by no less than Francis Ford Coppola) as a prelude to what looks like a fairly weird slate. The big item for our eyes is Yorgos Lanthimos‘ Bugonia, a remake of Save the Green Planet! that’s getting great early reviews (but no reports of major weirdness, sadly). Also getting buzz (from us): Mike Figgis’ behind-the-scenes feature about the making of Megalopolis, Megadoc. The “looks interesting” category features three foreign films (two with uncertain distribution prospects): an Azerbaijani film whose title translates as Sermon to the Void, which appears to be a desert quest set during the end of the world; a new animated fantasy from Mamoru Hosoda called Scarlet; and an experimental avant-garde Italian adaptation of the Orpheus legend (Orfeo). Plus, in the not-weird-but-we’ll-be-watching-anyway category: Guillermo del Toro‘s take on Frankenstein. Venice International Film Festival official website.
Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001): Discussion begins. A salaryman romances a village woman who has a river inside her. Shôhei Imamura‘s final movie is a weird romantic comedy focused on female sexuality. A Blu-ray came out in 2023; not sure why there’s a follow-up release so quickly. Buy Warm Water Under a Red Bridge.
WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:
No guest (definitively) scheduled for next week’s Pod 366, but Greg and Giles will return with a look at the week’s weird news and releases. In written content, Shane Wilson considers whether We Are the Strange (2007) lives up to its name, Enar Clarke reviews four (!) Something Weird roughies in one post, Giles Edwards investigates a Dream Hacker (2025), and Gregory J. Smalley plans to report on The Toxic Avenger remake. Onward and weirdward!