After yesterday's barbecue, I scurried back to my apartment to watch which a movie called the Tenant that Andrew had been raving about lately. What started as a seemingly docile film that might have strayed a little into the paranormal turned into one of the weirdest films I've seen in my life.
Which, of course, got me thinking... "Lauren, why do you watch so many weird movies?" and "Can these movies be compiled into a top-ten list for your blog?" ... The answers are "Because!" and "Yes"! Read on...
The Tenant (Le Locataire) -- 1976 -- 7.8 on IMDB
"A quiet and inconspicuous man (Trelkovsky) rents an apartment in France where the previous tenant committed suicide."
Think your neighbours drive you crazy? Watch this movie and see the real depths of insanity that bad neighbours can provoke. Bonus: an Egyptian cult and a prominent director who cross-dresses.
What Is It? -- 2005 -- 6.5 on IMDB
"Being the adventures of a young man whose principle interests are snails, salt, a pipe, and how to get home. As tormented by an hubristic, racist inner psyche."
Many snails are killed. Anton LaVey plays organ. The Manson Family sings songs. A man in black-face insists that he is Michael Jackson. The weird scale has been tipped.
Cannibal Ferox -- 1981 -- 4.9 on IMDB
"Three friends out to disprove cannibalism meet two men on the run who tortured and enslaved a cannibal tribe to find emeralds, and now the tribe is out for revenge."
Let's just say they don't disprove cannibalism...
Little Otik (Otesánek) -- 2000 -- 7.3 on IMDB
"When a couple learn that they cannot have children, the husband finds a piece of root in the backyard and shapes it into a child. His wife takes the root as her baby and pretends that it's real. When the root takes life they have gained a child; but its appetite becomes a problem...
STOP-MOTION TREE BABY THAT EATS PEOPLE.
Gokudô kyôfu dai-gekijô: Gozu -- 2003 -- 7.0 on IMDB
"The fate of two brothers follows a twisted path filled with violence, mother's milk, strange locals, and ultimately the disappearance of one brother's corpse."
The synopsis does not give any indication of how insane this movie becomes. The last scene in the film made me laugh and scarred me for laugh simultaneously. FYI: Gozu means "Cow Head".
El Topo (The Mole) -- 1970 -- 7.4 on IMDB
"See the naked young Franciscans whipped with cactus. See the bandit leader disemboweled. See the priest ride into the sunset with a midget and her newborn baby. What it all means isn't exactly clear, but you won't forget it."
The director of this film officiated at Marilyn Manson and Dita Von Teese's wedding. Cool guy.
L'Âge d'or (The Golden Age) -- 1930 -- 7.7 on IMDB
"A man and a woman are passionately in love with one another, but their attempts to consummate that passion are constantly thwarted, by their families, the Church and bourgeois society."
Salvador Dali + Luis Buñuel = fun. Plus, you've probably already seen Un Chien Andalou.
Palindromes -- 2004 -- 6.9 on IMDB
"Aviva is thirteen, awkward and sensitive. Her mother Joyce is warm and loving, as is her father, Steve, a regular guy who does have a fierce temper from time to time. The film revolves around her family, friends and neighbors."
What they neglect to say is that Aviva is played by a different actor in every scene. Including the large black woman pictured.
Polyester -- 1981 -- 6.6 on IMDB
"A suburban housewife's world falls apart when her pornographer husband admits he's serially unfaithful to her, her daughter gets pregnant, and her son is suspected of being the foot-fetishist who's been breaking local women's feet."
If you were lucky enough to see this in theatres, you received a scratch and sniff card that you were instructed to use at key points in the movie. Gross!
The Grandmother -- 1970 -- 7.3 on IMDB
" A young boy plants some strange seeds and they grow into a grandmother."
All of David Lynch's short films are deeply disturbing. This one especially, as it manages to be sad as well as creepy.
...So who wants to have a movie-night with me?
Friday, August 15, 2008
Too weird to live, and too rare to die
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7 comments:
I haven't seen Little Otik but the same director made a film called Alice that might be right up your weird alley. I've been trying to track it down to watch again but haven't had any luck. It's basically a retelling of Alice in Wonderland using stop-motion photography and some bizarre props (e.g. a taxidermy white rabbit whose sawdust filling keeps spilling out).
Yes! Alice! They have it at Video Difference. I've seen it a few times, now, and am still disturbed by the rabbit, and, for some reason, the narrative (close up of little girl's mouth saying "said Alice" and so forth).
You really are the Queen of Weird Flicks. I don't think I could stomach half of those movies, because my appetite for weird movies is nowhere near as strong as yours.
I love you. Amazing, amazing post. "Gozu" rules/destroys my world.
Wow, havn't seen or heard of any of them. But yay for using a Fear and Loathing quote to lead it off.
Adam
JB: I think you'd like Polyester... John Waters = hilarious as all heck.
Josh: We still need to watch Night Watch! And a million other things! And can I borrow Holy Mountain from you?
Adam: At least you have seen Elvira--Mistress of the Dark. And... how much for the ape?
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