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 on the official site links.
IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):
WarX2 (2014): A documentary arguing that a spate of suicides of U.S. servicemen can be attributed to the influence of evil spirits, possibly directed by foreign terrorists. Interviews with the world’s top witchdoctors support the thesis. Playing in Houston and Katy, TX. WarX2 official site.
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, CA, Fri. June 26 [midnight]):
Brain Dead (1990): Not to be confused with Peter Jackson‘s Dead-Alive (released in 1990 as Brain Dead overseas), this mindbender stars Bill Pullman (not to be confused with Bill Paxton) as a neurosurgeon solicited by Bill Paxton (not to be confused with Bill Pullman) to try to extract information from the brain of a former employee who’s gone insane. Confused yet? Director Adam Simon will be present for this screening. Cinefamily is hoping this overlooked gem will become a new midnight classic. Brain Dead at Cinefamily.
SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, CA, Sun. June 28 & Tue. June 30):
Human Highway (1982): The apocalyptic comedy done by folk rocker Neil Young on a lark, featuring insurance fraud, flying saucers, and DEVO. Young has been sending this director’s cut out on the festival circuit throughout 2014 and 2015, which we hope means a first-time-ever DVD will appear soon. Human Highway at Cinefamily.
IN DEVELOPMENT:
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (est. 2016): It looks like Terry Gilliam will finally make his Don Quixote project, thanks to a deal with Amazon that will also see him producing an exclusive miniseries for their Prime streaming platform. The film was to star Jack O’Connell and John Hurt as the leads; this was announced, of course, before Hurt was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. IndieWire’s The Playlist announced the news (along with many other outlets).
NEW ON DVD:
The Fisher King (1991): A depressed ex-shock jock gets a chance at personal redemption when he meets a homeless man who believes he is a knight-errant seeking the Holy Grail. This drama from 366-fave Terry Gilliam is perhaps not as weird as some of his others but contains a few wonderful fantasy scenes. Buy The Fisher King [Criterion Collection 2-DVD].
Horsehead (2014): French horror about a woman who explores her nightmares through lucid dreaming. Via Artsploitation Films, who declare it depicts a “psycho-sexual world of nightmares.” Buy Horsehead.
Meet Me There (2014): A girl who can’t remember her childhood visits her childhood home in small-town Oklahoma, and weirdness ensues. This low-budget indie horror got decent reviews from the few outlets that covered it; it’s biggest draw is pro-wrestler “Goldust” as a creepy preacher. Buy Meet Me There.
The Thing With Two Heads (1972): A racist brain surgeon (Ray Milland) has his head (accidentally) transplanted onto the body of a black death row inmate (Rosey Grier), who then tries to prove his innocence while whitey on his shoulder complains. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” claimed the trailer in 1972. Buy The Thing With Two Heads.
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
The Fisher King (1991): See description in DVD above. Two discs of DVD content fits onto one Blu-ray, and it’s cheaper, too. Buy The Fisher King [Criterion Collection Blu-ray].
Horsehead (2014): See description in DVD above. Buy Horsehead [Blu-ray].
Meet Me There (2014): See description in DVD above. Buy Meet Me There [Blu-ray].
Sugar Hill (1974): Read Brandon Engel’s guest review. Blaxploitation zombies: ’nuff said. Buy Sugar Hill [Blu-ray].
The Thing With Two Heads (1972): See description in DVD above. Buy The Thing With Two Heads [Blu-ray].
FREE MOVIES ON SHOUTTV:
Wonderwall (1968): Read our review. Go back to a simpler time, when a nutty old professor spying on a beautiful bisexual hippie model through the hole in his apartment wall was considered groovy, not creepy. Watch Wonderwall free on Shout TV.
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.
Excited Gilliam will finally get to make his Don Quixote project, but saddened at the news of Mr. Hurts’ diagnosis.