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):
Entertainment (2015): A struggling comedian with a tragic combover tours the Southwest. We’re excited about this black comedy with surrealist touches and positive reviews. Entertainment official site.
SCREENINGS – (Film Society of Lincoln Center, New York City, Nov. 13-17):
“Action and Anarchy: The Films of Seijun Suzuki”: This retrospective of the remarkable career of experimental B-movie auteur Seijun Suzuki actually began last week, but kicks into high gear tonight with the classic deranged yakuza double feature of Tokyo Drifter and the Certified Weird Branded to Kill. Through Tuesday you can catch the arty trilogy comprised of Tsigoineruwaizen, Kagero-za and Yumeji, followed by Suzuki’s later works, the bizarre Branded spiritual sequel Pistol Opera and the fantasy musical Princess Raccoon. The series ends with a return to his 1960s exploitation work for Nikkatsu Studios with the lesbian-themed sleaze of Carmen from Kawachi and the gangster film Kanto Wanderer. “Action and Anarchy: The Films of Seijun Suzuki” at Film Society of Lincoln Center.
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, Nov. 13, 7:45 PT):
Daisies (1966): Read the Certified Weird entry! This screening of the subversive feminist/Surrealist Czech classic is presented by “Women of Cinefamily.” Women of Cinefamily present Daisies.
IN DEVELOPMENT:
Grindsploitation 2: The Lost Reels (est. 2016): Anthology of horror short-shorts “from twisted minds of filmmakers from across the globe.” Lloyd Kaufman lends a cameo to “UFO John vs. Space Zombies,” and “Heart Attack Theater”‘s Kelly Hughes offers the intriguingly titled “Don’t Kill Grandpa Until We Strangle the Babysitter.” We didn’t even know there was a Grindsploitation 1. Grindsploitation 2: The Lost Reels official home page.
NEW ON DVD:
Forbidden Zone (1980): Read the Certified Weird entry! After numerous delays, the Richard Elfman approved version of the Sixth Dimensional weirdo classic is finally released on DVD. Buy Forbidden Zone
Je T’Aime, Je T’aime (1968): Read Giles Edwards’ capsule review. Kino Lorber surprises with a fanfare-free release of Alain Resnais‘ overlooked, weirdly fractured time travel experiment. Buy Je T’aime, Je T’aime
Queen of Blood (2014): A vampire who sucks blood through her fingertips wanders through the woods. This slow-paced feature, which is heavily indebted to Jean Rollin, is a direct sequel to 2012’s Blood for Irina. Buy Queen of Blood
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
Forbidden Zone (1980): See description in DVD above. Buy Forbidden Zone [Blu-ray]
Je T’Aime, Je T’aime (1968): See description in DVD above. Buy Je T’aime, Je T’aime [Blu-ray]
Queen of Blood (2014): See description in DVD above. Buy Queen of Blood [Blu-ray]
YOU LINK US! YOU REALLY LINK US!:
Alfred Eaker‘s essay on Maya Deren‘s “At Land” was selected as supplemental reading for an A2-level film course.
FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:
The Second Coming: Brought To You In Low Definition (2014): A mealy-mouthed hippie comes to believe he is the second coming of Jesus. This microbudget feature was proudly shot on VHS and has a scene set inside the main character’s bowels. Director Andrew Savage claims Giuseppe Andrews, Adam Cooley, Harmony Korine and gross-out comedies as inspirations. Contains pixelated nudity, scatological humor, and vulgar language, but it’s not as tasteless as some of its inspirations. Watch The Second Coming: Brought To You In Low Definition for free.
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.