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Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs and Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…
Trailers of new release movies are generally available at the official site links.
NEW ON NETFLIX:
“Midnight Gospel” (2020): Comedian Duncan Trussell reimagines his podcast as the story of multiverse-hopping alien Clancy, with the conversations animated in a psychedelic style by “Adventure Time”‘s Pendleton Ward. Netflix’s latest venture into adult animation is getting rave reviews, and sounds very weird. “Midnight Gospel” at Netflix.
FILM FESTIVALS – South by Southwest (Online: Amazon, 4/27-5/6):
The canceled South by Southwest festival went ahead with their plans to host an online version. The bad news is that most filmmakers opted out; only four narrative features are participating, and none of them are weird. A couple of shorts, however, might be worth checking out:
- “Blocks” – An “existential comedy” about a woman vomiting blocks
- “The Voice in Your Head” – A “surreal comedy” about the voice in an office worker’s head.
This will be free for all with an Amazon account (a separate Amazon Prime subscription not needed). Full list of streaming titles here. Here’s the streaming link to bookmark for the 4/27 release.
IN DEVELOPMENT (completed):
We Are Little Zombies (2019): Four Japanese orphans form a rock band. U.S. Distributor Oscilloscope says it will be released stateside “sometime in 2020” and dropped a cool little initial trailer yesterday. We Are Little Zombies official site (in English, with a link to the expansive Japanese home page).
NEW ON HOME VIDEO:
Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson (2019): Read Giles Edwards’ festival review. Out on Blu-ray this week, though dedicated fans may want to wait for the June box set, which includes this along with all of Adamson’s movies. Buy Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson
Carnival Magic (1983): An animal trainer plots to ruin the career of his sideshow rival, a mind reader, by getting rid of his talking chimp. Severin Films is releasing this ultra-rare (ignoring the MST3K version), unintentionally surreal Al Adamson kiddie flick as a standalone ahead of their big Adamson box set. Also includes Adamson’s last film, Lost. On DVD or Blu-ray. Buy Carnival Magic
The Cremator (1969): Read the Canonically Weird entry! Criterion inaugurates this character study of a very odd mortician/Nazi collaborator into their Collection, with director Juraj Herz‘s short film debut “The Junk Shop” among the numerous extras. DVD or Blu-ray. Buy The Cremator
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951): The Flying Dutchman (James Mason) is doomed to sail the seas until he finds a woman willing to die for him; will femme fatale nightclub singer Pandora (Ava Gardner) be the one? Cohen Media Group releases Albert Lewin’s strange film—Surrealist Man Ray was on set as a photographer—in a new 4K restoration on Blu-ray, with the adventure programmer The Living Idol (1957, co-directed by Lewin and Santa Claus‘ René Cardona) as a bonus feature. Buy Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967): Read Alfred Eaker’s review. Warner Archives releases a 2-disc Blu-ray of John Huston‘s story of repressed sexuality at an army base; it includes the full color version released to theaters along with the gold-tinted cut Huston preferred. Also on VOD (we’re assuming in theatrical color only). Buy Reflections in a Golden Eye
Secret Ceremony (1968): A prostitute (Elizabeth Taylor) who’s lost her daughter and an orphan girl (Mia Farrow) start a strange relationship that’s complicated by the arrival of the girl’s stepfather (Robert Mitchum). Joseph Losey’s eerie psychological thriller is in our reader-suggested queue, and now on DVD or Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. Buy Secret Ceremony
Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time, Vol. 1: Midnight Madness (2020): Read our review. If you need a primer on cult films (not all of which are weird), or just want to see some cool guests like John Waters, Jeff Goldblum, and Pam Grier yakking about their faves, this is for you. Rent Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time, Vol 1: Midnight Madness
Why Don’t You Just Die! (2018): Read Giles Edwards’ review and listen to his interview with director Kirill Sokolov. Arrow releases this ultraviolent Russian black comedy on Blu-ray only. Buy Why Don’t You Just Die!
FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:
Welcome to the Rubber Room (2017): A poetry venue is closing; aliens may offer a solution. Another rarely-seen freebie from Trent Harris (Rubin & Ed, The Beaver Trilogy). A pandemic special, available for a limited time.
https://youtu.be/tyeloeC9Wl8
WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE: Although there’s still a little time left to vote, it looks like our weekly weird Netflix party showing will be Under the Skin. Please tune in tomorrow, Saturday April 25, at 10:30 PM EST for that screening (we’ll drop the exact link 15 minutes beforehand).
Hark Triton, because next week, Giles Edwards presents the by-your-command re-review of The Lighthouse (2019). El Rob Hubbard chips in to let you know about the underground feature Small Talk (2016), a contemporary satirical riff on “Alice in Wonderland.” And Gregory J. Smalley dives into the reader-suggested review queue for a look at James Ivory’s early surrealist (!) movie, Savages (1972), about a primitive tribe of “mud people” who follow a croquet ball and turn into civilized dandies. There’s also potential for us to throw a surprise featurette or review in there, so check back every day (every hour would probably be better). Onward and weirdward!
What are you looking forward to? If you have any weird movie leads that we have overlooked, feel free to leave them in the COMMENTS section.