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Quick links/Discussed in this episode:
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (2023/1979): Read Pete Trbovich’s review of the theatrical cut. This is editor Thomas Negovan’s complete reimagining of the disastrous Caligula, using mostly (only?) footage that was shot for the original production but either unused or cut out by Bob Guccione. This release includes the theatrical cut for comparison purposes (we would have been disappointed if it didn’t). Buy Caligula: The Ultimate Cut.
Cuckoo (2024): Read Giles Edwards’ Apocrypha Candidate review. Tilman Singer‘s Bavarian-set ecological horror shows up on VOD this week (at premium pricing) for purchase or rental. Buy or rent Cuckoo.
A Different Man (2024): Yearning to be an actor, disfigured man undergoes a procedure to “fix” his appearance, but then finds himself playing second fiddle to a charismatic thespian with neurofibromatosis. This dark comedy/psychological thriller reunites Aaron Schimberg and Adam Pearson in a movie deemed quality enough for A24 to pick up. A Different Man official site.
Fang (2022): Read Giles Edwards’ review. The Blu-ray of this horror/drama about a mentally ill man who thinks he is turning into a rat includes a director’s commentary, and is currently only available from the director’s personal site. Buy Fang.
Fantastic Fest (Austin, TX, Sep. 19-26):
Fantastic Fest generally marks the end of the festival season for us, usually debuting a few late-bloomers that missed earlier festivals and traditionally reviving a strange forgotten B-movie or two. This year, we noticed one movie that’s already scheduled for limited release—A Different Man (see above)—and a number of movies we’d first heard of elsewhere: Harmony Korine‘s Baby Invasion, Apocrypha Candidate Chainsaws Were Singing, sci-fi Daniela Forever, the restored 2008 fantasy The Fall, Megalopolis (one week ahead of its wide release), the surrealistic family drama She Loved Blossoms More, and Matthew Rankin‘s Universal Language. Here are the new-to-us entries we’ll be keeping an eye out for:
- The Birthday (2004) – Corey Feldman (!) stars in this overlooked indie about a man who sneaks into a birthday party where a cult is also making preparations for the end of the world.
- Disembodied (1998) – A trippy, gritty shot-on-video body horror about a woman who turns New Yorkers into slime.
- Dragon Dilation – Bertrand Mandico is back with an experiment in split-screens, adapting both “Petrouchka” and “The Divine Comedy” (not clear if its simultaneously or sequentially).
- Plastic Guns – A criminal profiler misidentifies an innocent man as a serial killer in this French black comedy with dance numbers.
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004): Read the Canonically Weird entry! Shows begin next Thursday and run through October 3, alternating subbed and dubbed versions. Find a theater near you at GKids Howl’s Moving Castle page.
WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE:
Next week’s guests on Pod 366 will be Greg DeLiso and Addison Binek of Psycho Ape Part II: The Wrath of Kong. In other video content, Pete Trbovich returns with a Weird View Crew look at the A.I.-themed sci-fi horror Demon Seed (1977)1. Lovers or the written word can check in here for the following trio of reviews: Shane Wilson wants a refund for I Bought a Vampire Motorcyle (1990); Giles Edwards takes in the ultraviolent puppet show Abruptio (2023); and Gregory J. Smalley explores The Animal Kingdom (2023). Onward and weirdward!
- This posting has been delayed due to an automated copyright claim from YouTube (ironically, flagged by AI). ↩︎