A 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):
The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence): More people are sewn together to make a longer centipede. If early notices are to be believed, this sequel is a dumbed-down, grossed-up version of the original. Is that even possible? Also available on demand beginning Oct 12. The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) official site.
NEW ON DVD:
“Alfred Hitchcock: Essentials Collection”: Universal Studios owns the rights to 14 Hitchcock films, including most of the master’s greatest pictures. Here’s a truly essential collection of 5 masterpieces. None of them will knock you out with their surreality, but in descending order of weirdness we’d rank them The Birds (1963), Vertigo (1958), Psycho (1960), and Rear Window (1954)/North by Northwest (1959) (tie). All are must sees, though. Buy “Alfred Hitchcock: The Essentials Collection”
Amer (2009): Read our capsule review. This hypersexualized giallo tribute is a welcome addition to the home video ranks. Buy Amer
I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006): Read the Certified Weird entry! It’s about time that Chan-wook Park‘s film about love in a mental asylum—which probably ranks as the strangest romantic comedy ever made—gets a real region 1 release. A big thumbs up to Pathfinder Pictures for doing the right thing (finally!) Buy I’m a Cyborg, but That’s OK
The Juche Idea (2010): One of director Jim Finn’s award winning “utopian comedies,” Idea paints a portrait of the absurdity of North Korea though a series of short films made by a fictional South Korean director brought across the border to to the North to help modernize the propaganda machine of Kim Jong Il. We never thought something this smart, satirical, topical and off-the-wall would ever get a real DVD release. Buy The Juche Idea
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
Amer (2009): See description in DVD above. Buy Amer [Blu-ray]
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): Tim Burton‘s alternate version of Roald Dahl’s scary kiddie classic about a dictatorial candy magnate ( Johnny Depp, natch) who exploits children’s moral weaknesses and has them killed in bizarre, ironic ways isn’t as classic as the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder and his orange dwarf slaves, but it has its fans (we’re not among them, but whatever). Buy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory [Blu-ray]
Dead-Alive [AKA Brain Dead] (1992): Peter Jackson saw the rampaging undead and absurd gore in Evil Dead II, thought to himself, “I can top that,” and did, in this crazy film featuring kung fu priests and zombies sliced up with a lawnmower. The pinnacle of the gut-spewing genre, it’s never been surpassed (although every year three or four low-budget filmmakers predictably try). Buy Dead Alive [Blu-ray]
Interstella 5555 (2003): The plot is something about aliens who are kidnapped, have their memories wiped, and are forced to become a house band. It’s really an extended music video by the band Daft Punk, with retro Japanimation done in an 80s style by Kazuhisa Takenôchi. Fair warning: customers are complaining that the video quality on this Blu release is no better—or maybe even worse—than the DVD version. Buy Daft Punk: Interstella 5555 [Blu-ray]
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985): The adventures of man-child Pee Wee Herman, who meets Elvira, Twisted Sister and Godzilla as he crosses the country trying to recover his stolen bicycle, are almost surreal in their childish extravagance. An early success for Tim Burton. Buy Pee-wee’s Big Adventure [Blu-ray]
Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975): Torture porn, before the genre existed—except that this almost literal translation of the Marquis de Sade’s most pornographic work was made by Pier Paolo Pasolini, considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. So respected was Pasolini that the Criterion Collection gave this hymn to coprophagia the deluxe treatment, and has now upgraded the depravity to hi-def. Buy Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]
NEW ON VIDEO ON DEMAND:
Melancholia (2011): Lars von Trier‘s latest is apocalyptic sci-fi; a planet (called Melancholia) is set to collide with Earth on a woman’s wedding day. Kirsten Dunst walked away from the Cannes with Best Actress honors; Charlotte Gainsbourg, Keifer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling and John Hurt round out the fine cast. In a tactic the smaller studios are increasingly using, for obscure marketing reasons we can’t explain, this is being released on demand a week before it appears in theaters. Rent Melancholia (Pre-Theatrical)
FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921): The wild, slanted sets Caligari uses to tell its tale of murder and madness still amaze modern viewers. A perfect way to get a jumpstart on the Halloween season. Watch The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari free on YouTube.
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.