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):
Cranium Intel (2016): The President orders a man killed after he discovers that the St. Louis Arch is a gateway to “the real Planet >X<” [sic]. From Aeneas Middleton, the director of experimental shorts with titles like “VINVELLA -The Secret Daughter of Louis XV” and “Defusion 4: Bio-Cell System”; he’s already announced two sequels (!) to this, his first feature. Cranium Intel official site.
Welcome to Happiness (2015): A man moves into an apartment with a small door through which people seeking happiness go to find redemption, but he’s not allowed to enter it himself. Looks like a spiritually upbeat indie version of Being John Malkovich. Welcome to Happiness official site.
SCREENINGS – (Videology Bar & Cinema, New York City, Sat., May 21 @ Midnight):
Don’t Look Now (1973): Read the Certified Weird entry! The programmers at Videology sure have 366 tastes, screening Certified Weird films week after week. Nicolas Roeg‘s psychological horror about parental grief is this week’s entry. Don’t Look Now at Videology Bar & Cinema.
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, Sun., May 22):
Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922): Read the Certified Weird review! One of the coolest trends in modern moviegoing is seeing silent movies projected with new live scores. We’re not familiar with the L.A. band “White Magic,” but if they dig Haxan they’re cool with us. Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages at Cinefamily.
IN DEVELOPMENT (pre-production, est. Oct 2016):
“Polia and Blastema, a metaphysical fable”: Begotten‘s E. Elias Merhige returns to film after being out of commission for nearly a decade due to health issues. This new short film is a hypnotic myth with abstract visuals about two aliens who unite to form a utopian city. A 4-minute version is completed, but Mehrige wants to expand it to 25 minutes. The Kickstarter campaign is fully funded at $15,000, but a note explains that “Elias is now exploring the creative possibilities that lie above the $15,000 goal; every dollar goes into the production of the film!” $19 gets you a download of the four minute version and a screening link for the finished film. Thanks to Morgan Hoyle-Combs for bringing this one to our attention! “Polia and Blastema” Kickstarter page.
IN DEVELOPMENT (pre-production):
“Lullaby”: Cult writer Chuck Palahniuk (“Fight Club”) wants to adapt his very personal (it’s inspired by the trial of his father’s murderer) novel “Lullaby” into a short film. The plot revolves around the publication of a children’s song that has the power to kill, and the producers promise “necrophilia, gender-bending, and no-way-would-this-make-it-to-comfortable-TV satire.” At this writing the project has earned over $96,000 of its $250,000 goal, with 27 days to go. “Lullaby” Kickstarter page.
NEW ON DVD:
Candy (1968): A beautiful, naive blonde (yummy Swede Ewa Aulin) has escapades with a series of strange men (among them Ringo Starr as a Mexican gardener and Marlon Brando as a guru) in this softcore version of “Candide.” This all-star adaptation of Terry Southern’s scandalous satirical porn novel had been out-of-print for years; Kino Lorber brings it back with a new interviews with screenwriter Buck Henry and film critic Kim Morgan as extras. Buy Candy
“Cop Rock” (1990): “Hill Street Blues” goes Broadway in this notorious flop TV series with singing and dancing cops. In today’s more irony-minded pop culture landscape this might have been a hit; no one who saw the pilot live will ever forget the jaw-dropping climax where the jury panel turns into a gospel choir to render their verdict: “He’s Guilty!” Buy “Cop Rock”
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
Candy (1968): See description in DVD above. Buy Candy [Blu-ray]
Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971): Dustin Hoffman stars as a singer-songwriter undergoing an existential crisis, complete with hallucinations and paranoia about a mysterious public detractor. Impressionistic rather than realistic: as Hoffman says in to his psychiatrist in the film, “Why should I come back to reality? What’s it ever done for me?” Buy Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? [Blu-ray]
FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:
Frankie in Blunderland (2011): Read El Rob Hubbard’s “List Candidate” review. Loser Frankie drifts through a surreal, low-budget LA looking for his missing wife. This underground feature is still technically a List Candidate, so if you watch it, please tell us what you think. Recommended for adults only due to full-frontal fairy nudity. Watch Frankie in Blunderland 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.