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 at the official site links.
IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):
Crumbs (2015): Ethiopian (yes, Ethiopian) post-apocalyptic black comedy about a deformed man who must defeat Santa Claus (yes, Santa Claus) to find a UFO…How cool is it that this completely surreal low-budget Ethiopian movie found distribution in the U.S.? Crumbs official site.
Heart of a Dog (2015): Avant-garde musician Laurie Anderson’s first feature film is an experimental film essay which includes pieces on her dog and the Tibetan Buddhist afterlife. Starting its limited release in New York (obviously) before heading off on a tour of America’s big cities and college towns. Heart of a Dog official site.
Tokyo Tribe (2014): Shion Sono’s latest (well, one of his latest) is described as a “yakuza-street gang-hip hop-musical epic.” It’s listed as a limited release on October 23, but no one will say where—we’re guessing NYC only. Tokyo Tribe‘s U.S. distributor site.
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, Sun. Oct. 25):
Blood Diner (1987): Read the Certified Weird entry! A very rare screening of Jackie Kong‘s bizarre, excessive and inept tribute to Blood Feast, presented as part of the series “Ladies of the 80s: A Decade of Horror Directed by Women.” In a double feature with Spookies. “Ladies of the 80s: A Decade of Horror Directed by Women” at Cinefamily.
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, Wed. Oct. 28):
Begotten (1991): Read the Certified Weird entry! Speaking of rare screenings, this is the first time in many years we’ve heard of this experimental “existential snuff film” showing up on the big screen (or the small screen, for that matter). Creator E. Elias Merhige will be there, and they’ll show his follow-up short, “Din of Celestial Birds,” as a bonus. Weird Los Angelinos (are there any other kind?) are urged to attend! Part of the “Spectrefest” series. Spectrefest 2015 at Cinefamily.
IN DEVELOPMENT:
Aimy in a Cage (es. 2015): A family puts a headstrong and creative young girl through a procedure to “civilize” her, while ignoring a deadly virus that is sweeping across the world. High Pope of Oddness Crispin Glover gives this budget indie the imprimatur of weirdness. We list this as “in development,” despite the fact that the film is completed, because there is no word on any sort of release or distribution yet. Aimy in a Cage Facebook page.
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
Kwaidan (1964): Read the Certified Weird entry! Criterion’s long-awaited Blu-ray of the Japanese expressionist ghost story classic comes with an unexpected bonus: the new restoration includes 22 minutes of additional footage “never before released in the U.S.” Buy Kwaidan [Blu-ray]
BOOKS:
“Gilliamesque: A Pre-posthumous Memoir” (2015): Four-time (and counting?) Certified Weird director Terry Gilliam tells his life story, with original drawings and rare photos. A coffee table book for cool people. Buy “Gilliamesque: A Pre-posthumous Memoir”
FREE MOVIES ON SNAGFILM:
My Breakfast with Blassie (1983): Andy Kaufman’s sly parody of My Dinner with Andre, where he discusses life, his career as an intergender wrestling champion, and hand washing with boorish pro wrestler Fred Blassie over breakfast at Sambo’s. Blassie, of course, is the man who coined the phrase “pencil-necked geek.” Watch My Breakfast with Blassie free on SnagFilms.
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.
Technically the director of Crumbs is Spanish, but still, as a South African, it’s good to see a bit of creative cinema come out of Africa. And if the trailer’s anything to go by, it makes some wonderful use of the green backdrop.
Thanks BlueYonder, you are correct—Crumbs is listed as a Spanish/Ethiopian co-production, with a Spanish director. Not quite as cool as a completely indigenous Ethiopian cult movie, but still pretty damn cool.