Skinned Goats and Film Reel
April 14, 2009 11:50 AM Subscribe
I'm on a search to find a movie that can live up to The Holy Mountain by Alejandro Jodorowsky. Please recommend trippy, surreal, psychedelic cult movies.
I'm having trouble finding these films because I'm not looking for what "cult movies" are traditionally defined as. No zombies, no horny female prisoners, no giant bugs, nothing that could be shown on MST3K.
We've been calling them Fucked-Up Movies, for the lack of a better term. They blow your mind. They creep you out. As soon as you finish one, you want to inflict it on someone else. You can't stop quoting them. They're visually stunning, and have enough philosophical, intellectual, and spiritual depth to invite viewing after viewing.
Holy Mountain, as mentioned, is the epitome of Fucked-Up Movies. I honestly don't think I'm ever going to find another movie I love as much as Holy Mountain, but I know there's more out there for me to find.
I've seen most of Jodorowsky's work (El Topo is a close runner-up to Holy Mountain, Fando y Lis was crazy surreal and I'm still confused by it, La Cravate was adorable early work). I'm still looking for Santa Sangre, and I'm not sure if Rainbow Thief will be disappointing.
I watched Zardoz, a retro-futuristic parable laced with sex and violence and almost-naked Sean Connery, based on the recommendation of Hipster Musings. I also stole the term "Fucked Up Movies" from her. Zardoz totally changed my life, and gave me hope that Holy Mountain hasn't ruined all other movies for me forever.
Clerkdogs recommended Space is the Place, a trippy 1970s Sun Ra vehicle about liberating the Black race from Earth and into outer space, and I loved it.
Liquid Sky was chockablock with acid-trip neon visuals and certainly extremely weird, but it was also really eighties and terrible. Not perfect, but it's definitely a fucked up movie.
Head (the Monkees movie) is a lot more light-hearted than the rest of these, but undeniably drug-inspired and nonsensical.
I'm trying to stay away from too much gore, but Salò or the 120 Days of Sodom seems to be plenty fucked up, with politics switched in for spirituality. Still trying to muster up the stomach for it.
I also probably haven't seen as much Lynch and Cronenberg as I should, so recommendations for specific movies in their filmographies is welcome.
There's got to be more out there; I'm sure you're all about to embarrass me with my lack of film knowledge. Please do.
I'm having trouble finding these films because I'm not looking for what "cult movies" are traditionally defined as. No zombies, no horny female prisoners, no giant bugs, nothing that could be shown on MST3K.
We've been calling them Fucked-Up Movies, for the lack of a better term. They blow your mind. They creep you out. As soon as you finish one, you want to inflict it on someone else. You can't stop quoting them. They're visually stunning, and have enough philosophical, intellectual, and spiritual depth to invite viewing after viewing.
Holy Mountain, as mentioned, is the epitome of Fucked-Up Movies. I honestly don't think I'm ever going to find another movie I love as much as Holy Mountain, but I know there's more out there for me to find.
I've seen most of Jodorowsky's work (El Topo is a close runner-up to Holy Mountain, Fando y Lis was crazy surreal and I'm still confused by it, La Cravate was adorable early work). I'm still looking for Santa Sangre, and I'm not sure if Rainbow Thief will be disappointing.
I watched Zardoz, a retro-futuristic parable laced with sex and violence and almost-naked Sean Connery, based on the recommendation of Hipster Musings. I also stole the term "Fucked Up Movies" from her. Zardoz totally changed my life, and gave me hope that Holy Mountain hasn't ruined all other movies for me forever.
Clerkdogs recommended Space is the Place, a trippy 1970s Sun Ra vehicle about liberating the Black race from Earth and into outer space, and I loved it.
Liquid Sky was chockablock with acid-trip neon visuals and certainly extremely weird, but it was also really eighties and terrible. Not perfect, but it's definitely a fucked up movie.
Head (the Monkees movie) is a lot more light-hearted than the rest of these, but undeniably drug-inspired and nonsensical.
I'm trying to stay away from too much gore, but Salò or the 120 Days of Sodom seems to be plenty fucked up, with politics switched in for spirituality. Still trying to muster up the stomach for it.
I also probably haven't seen as much Lynch and Cronenberg as I should, so recommendations for specific movies in their filmographies is welcome.
There's got to be more out there; I'm sure you're all about to embarrass me with my lack of film knowledge. Please do.
Best answer: Fantastic Planet
Conspirators of Pleasure
There's lots of great Japanese flicks out there that you might enjoy. A couple of suggestions:
Tetsuo The Iron Man (Tetsuo II: Body Hammer is good as well, but I prefer the original)
Gozu and Visitor Q are some of Takashi Miike's more "out-there" movies.
Also, this thread may be of interest to you.
posted by Dr-Baa at 12:00 PM on April 14, 2009
Conspirators of Pleasure
There's lots of great Japanese flicks out there that you might enjoy. A couple of suggestions:
Tetsuo The Iron Man (Tetsuo II: Body Hammer is good as well, but I prefer the original)
Gozu and Visitor Q are some of Takashi Miike's more "out-there" movies.
Also, this thread may be of interest to you.
posted by Dr-Baa at 12:00 PM on April 14, 2009
Get thee some Peter Greenaway movies.
posted by paperzach at 12:00 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by paperzach at 12:00 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The short films Un chien andalou and L'age d'or (both by Bunuel, the former a collaboration with Dali) are some early gold standards.
This isn't a film, but the animated TV show "Xavier: Renegade Angel" is extremely bizarre and mind-bending, often incorporating strong elements of "mise en abyme" (iterations and recursions).
posted by Falconetti at 12:00 PM on April 14, 2009
This isn't a film, but the animated TV show "Xavier: Renegade Angel" is extremely bizarre and mind-bending, often incorporating strong elements of "mise en abyme" (iterations and recursions).
posted by Falconetti at 12:00 PM on April 14, 2009
The Color of Pomegranates.
Cremaster 3.
I don't think either are available through...conventional sources, but that doesn't have to be a problem.
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 12:00 PM on April 14, 2009
Cremaster 3.
I don't think either are available through...conventional sources, but that doesn't have to be a problem.
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 12:00 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: One of the traits that makes The Holy Mountain what it is is the expense. It's not often that a director who's that wacky gets that much money from someone (John Lennon and Yoko Ono, in Jodorowsky's case) to do whatever he wants.
That said, I suggest Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly, David Lynch's Inland Empire, and Tarsem's self-financed film The Fall.
posted by Prospero at 12:01 PM on April 14, 2009
That said, I suggest Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly, David Lynch's Inland Empire, and Tarsem's self-financed film The Fall.
posted by Prospero at 12:01 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: Any of José Mojica Marins' films would probably be right up your alley. I would say that At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul is his best (and is also one of the best titles for a movie ever) but some of his other films such as Awakening of the Beast are weirder and and more experimental.
posted by burnmp3s at 12:03 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by burnmp3s at 12:03 PM on April 14, 2009
Oh yeah, there's a movie I saw a few years ago called "Songs from the Second Story" that I've been meaning to see again. It's surreal, somber, and hilarious in turns.
posted by Dr-Baa at 12:05 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Dr-Baa at 12:05 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
Dunno if I've got your definition right, but Schizopolis certainly isn't *not* fucked up.
posted by nat at 12:05 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by nat at 12:05 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
There are many good suggestions in this thread. I would also add:
Werckmeister Harmonies - B&W, Hungarian, trippy themes, GIANT WHALE.
Alice - stop-motion animation, Czech, very dark and grungy, gross rabbit teeth.
Videodrome - Cronenberg, very uncomfortable, Debbie Harry, STOMACH VAGINAS
Jacob's Ladder - Tim Robbins, unsettling horror, absolute mindfuck, FACELESS DEMONS.
posted by alzi at 12:13 PM on April 14, 2009
Werckmeister Harmonies - B&W, Hungarian, trippy themes, GIANT WHALE.
Alice - stop-motion animation, Czech, very dark and grungy, gross rabbit teeth.
Videodrome - Cronenberg, very uncomfortable, Debbie Harry, STOMACH VAGINAS
Jacob's Ladder - Tim Robbins, unsettling horror, absolute mindfuck, FACELESS DEMONS.
posted by alzi at 12:13 PM on April 14, 2009
Found this today: The AV Club's 24 Great Films Too Painful To Watch Twice.
Might be right what you're looking for.
posted by willmize at 12:15 PM on April 14, 2009
Might be right what you're looking for.
posted by willmize at 12:15 PM on April 14, 2009
Oh--and if you liked Zardoz, take a look at Exorcist II: The Heretic, which has the same writer and director. I didn't think much of it--granted, I've only seen it once--but it's certainly about as tripped-out as Zardoz. And Martin Scorsese notably said that he thought it to be better than the original film in the series (see second paragraph in the linked section of the page for the quote), so who am I to argue?
posted by Prospero at 12:15 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by Prospero at 12:15 PM on April 14, 2009
Oooh! Oooh! Southland Tales! Don't even try to figure out what it's about before you watch it -- it's better if you let it surprise you.
And you should definitely track down Santo Sangre -- I think ranks with Holy Mountain as Jodorowsky's best. Might even be a little bit better.
posted by ourobouros at 12:16 PM on April 14, 2009
And you should definitely track down Santo Sangre -- I think ranks with Holy Mountain as Jodorowsky's best. Might even be a little bit better.
posted by ourobouros at 12:16 PM on April 14, 2009
Crispin Glover's What Is It? and/or It is Fine! Everything is Fine. Think you need to happen to see those when he does his film screening tours, though.
There are a couple of DVDs of Kenneth Anger's short films that are plenty effed up.
Color of Pomegranates was already mentioned; I concur. Also check out Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors and Ashik Kerib by the same director.
posted by medeine at 12:19 PM on April 14, 2009
There are a couple of DVDs of Kenneth Anger's short films that are plenty effed up.
Color of Pomegranates was already mentioned; I concur. Also check out Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors and Ashik Kerib by the same director.
posted by medeine at 12:19 PM on April 14, 2009
A lot of good stuff in this thread. Songs from the Second Floor is one of my personal favorites.
You might be interested in Guy Maddin's films. Careful and Tales from the Gimli Hospital are two that I particularly like, but he is prolific and could keep you busy for a while.
posted by Mender at 12:28 PM on April 14, 2009
You might be interested in Guy Maddin's films. Careful and Tales from the Gimli Hospital are two that I particularly like, but he is prolific and could keep you busy for a while.
posted by Mender at 12:28 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: If it's surreal dreamlike plots (along with breezy, hilarious dialog and awkwardly funny situations) that you want, you can't go wrong with Lois Buñuel. His later work is much more focused on "Fucked-up" narrative than visuals, however. I can't recommend "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" strongly enough. "Diary of a Chambermaid" and "Belle du Jour" are also bracing in this respect, but a little slower, and not as out-and-out absurd. Anyway, Buñuel was a huge influence on Jodorowsky.
For pure visual Fuck-up-ness, try Jan Svankmajer. He combines stop motion animation with live actors, and is highly influenced by the surrealists (with a biting Eastern European edge). His adaptation of Alice in Wonderland (called simply Alice in the English translation) is great, and deeply Fucked-up.
Finally, people have already pointed you to one of the great seminal works for this kind of film: Dali and Buñuel's Chien Andalou. The other major work that you can't miss is Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast.
posted by mr_roboto at 12:30 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
For pure visual Fuck-up-ness, try Jan Svankmajer. He combines stop motion animation with live actors, and is highly influenced by the surrealists (with a biting Eastern European edge). His adaptation of Alice in Wonderland (called simply Alice in the English translation) is great, and deeply Fucked-up.
Finally, people have already pointed you to one of the great seminal works for this kind of film: Dali and Buñuel's Chien Andalou. The other major work that you can't miss is Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast.
posted by mr_roboto at 12:30 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
Requiem for a Dream might qualify.
You actually watched Holy Mountian more than once?
posted by chairface at 12:37 PM on April 14, 2009
You actually watched Holy Mountian more than once?
posted by chairface at 12:37 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: La Vallée with Pink Floyd soundtrack "Obscured by Clouds".1972 Barbet Schroeder.
Performance 1970 Nicholas Roig.
The Beast aka La Bete 1975 Walerian Borowczyk.
posted by adamvasco at 12:41 PM on April 14, 2009
Performance 1970 Nicholas Roig.
The Beast aka La Bete 1975 Walerian Borowczyk.
posted by adamvasco at 12:41 PM on April 14, 2009
Oh! One more post--take a look at some early Robert Altman. Specifically, check out Images and 3 Women.
posted by Prospero at 12:42 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by Prospero at 12:42 PM on April 14, 2009
Seconding Schizopolis. It's not inherently psychedelic, but the plot is kind of a mindfuck. The intro even references this. You'll be quoting the made up languages and watching this several times I bet.
posted by schyler523 at 12:44 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by schyler523 at 12:44 PM on April 14, 2009
Response by poster: You actually watched Holy Mountian more than once?
I can't count how many times I've seen it. Hence the need for something new.
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:46 PM on April 14, 2009
I can't count how many times I've seen it. Hence the need for something new.
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:46 PM on April 14, 2009
Expanding on the recommendation for Lynch's Inland Empire, you may as well catch Mulholland Dr, Lost Highway, and Eraserhead. Also, his short films(particularly The Grandmother and The Alphabet) can be really out there(also Darkened Room, for the mood/dialogue, but not visuals). Slightly more coherent, but arguably still fucked up are Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart.
These last two of his are hard, potentially impossible, to find, but if you can(torrent or whatever), you should: Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted and Rabbits.
Another director you might want to check out is Takashi Miike. I recommend Visitor Q, Audition, and Gozu.
posted by owtytrof at 1:00 PM on April 14, 2009
These last two of his are hard, potentially impossible, to find, but if you can(torrent or whatever), you should: Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted and Rabbits.
Another director you might want to check out is Takashi Miike. I recommend Visitor Q, Audition, and Gozu.
posted by owtytrof at 1:00 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: Brothers Quay:
The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer
Rehearsals For Extinct Anatomies
Instituta Benjamenta (This is an extract. Movie features Borg Queen)
Look for That Unnameable Little Broom and Street of Crocodiles in particular. The latter is on YouTube but only as an exercise in putting a different soundtrack on, which I think is insulting and stupid ("Like, this would make a totally bitchin' Tool video!" Bastards.)
Peter Greenaway:
Water Wrackets
The Falls (Excerpt. There are 92 stories altogether)
Prospero's Books
Also look for A Walk Through H, Vertical Features Remake. Greenaway went off a bit after 1982, though I like some of his later movies a lot.
Also early Derek Jarman.
posted by Grangousier at 1:05 PM on April 14, 2009
The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer
Rehearsals For Extinct Anatomies
Instituta Benjamenta (This is an extract. Movie features Borg Queen)
Look for That Unnameable Little Broom and Street of Crocodiles in particular. The latter is on YouTube but only as an exercise in putting a different soundtrack on, which I think is insulting and stupid ("Like, this would make a totally bitchin' Tool video!" Bastards.)
Peter Greenaway:
Water Wrackets
The Falls (Excerpt. There are 92 stories altogether)
Prospero's Books
Also look for A Walk Through H, Vertical Features Remake. Greenaway went off a bit after 1982, though I like some of his later movies a lot.
Also early Derek Jarman.
posted by Grangousier at 1:05 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: Nobody's mentioned Begotten yet? I don't know if it quite gets where it's going, but Merhige sure tries like hell to create a cinematic experience that is unlike anything else you've ever experienced.
posted by Shepherd at 1:06 PM on April 14, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Shepherd at 1:06 PM on April 14, 2009 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Track 29 is without a doubt one of the most fucked-up films I have ever seen, in a benign, slow-moving, what-the-hell-is-really-going-on-here kind of way. Plus, Gary Oldham.
Bliss is by turns trippy, unsettling, nostalgic, and uplifting.
Tetsuo the Iron Man is trippy and fucked up in a not-at-all benign way. More like in-your-face (or on your face, to be exact) crazy.
Songs from the Second Floor is a bit slow and I wouldn't call it trippy, but it is definitely surreal in an Eastern-European post-industrial bureaucratic-hell kind of way.
I will also second the suggestion of Jan Švankmajer , particularly Alice and Little Otik.
posted by googly at 1:10 PM on April 14, 2009
Bliss is by turns trippy, unsettling, nostalgic, and uplifting.
Tetsuo the Iron Man is trippy and fucked up in a not-at-all benign way. More like in-your-face (or on your face, to be exact) crazy.
Songs from the Second Floor is a bit slow and I wouldn't call it trippy, but it is definitely surreal in an Eastern-European post-industrial bureaucratic-hell kind of way.
I will also second the suggestion of Jan Švankmajer , particularly Alice and Little Otik.
posted by googly at 1:10 PM on April 14, 2009
nthing Peter Greenaway. His early films are plenty strange (A Zed and Two Noughts stands out for me) and his later films get a little more mainstream. The Cremaster Cycle by Matthew Barney is a good call too.
posted by pombe at 1:17 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by pombe at 1:17 PM on April 14, 2009
Magnolia the frog rain movie 1999 Paul Thomas Anderson.
posted by adamvasco at 1:26 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by adamvasco at 1:26 PM on April 14, 2009
googly: "ck 29 is without a doubt one of the most fucked-up films I have ever seen"
Most of Nicolas Roeg's work is eligible. I liked Insignificance.
posted by Joe Beese at 1:40 PM on April 14, 2009
Most of Nicolas Roeg's work is eligible. I liked Insignificance.
posted by Joe Beese at 1:40 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: The American Astronaut.
Dr. Caligari (no, not the cabinet of Dr. Caligari)
Meet the Hollowheads
John Waters early films are definitely fucked up, and incredibly quotable.
None of these can beat "The Holy Mountain", but they're all fantastically fucked. Good luck on your quest.
posted by mattybonez at 1:42 PM on April 14, 2009
Dr. Caligari (no, not the cabinet of Dr. Caligari)
Meet the Hollowheads
John Waters early films are definitely fucked up, and incredibly quotable.
None of these can beat "The Holy Mountain", but they're all fantastically fucked. Good luck on your quest.
posted by mattybonez at 1:42 PM on April 14, 2009
Nthing any:
Cronenberg
Lynch
Švankmajer
Bunuel
Roeg
Gilliam
And Raising you:
Ptushko's Ruslan and Ludmila.
The greatest film adapted from Pushkin involving a princess being kidnapped by a midget wizard with a mile-long beard.
posted by lilnemo at 1:44 PM on April 14, 2009
Cronenberg
Lynch
Švankmajer
Bunuel
Roeg
Gilliam
And Raising you:
Ptushko's Ruslan and Ludmila.
The greatest film adapted from Pushkin involving a princess being kidnapped by a midget wizard with a mile-long beard.
posted by lilnemo at 1:44 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: I have Francisco Arrabal's I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse waiting for me at home. One of these days I will watch it, but I have heard nothing but messed-up things about it so far.
You might want to check out Jodorowsky's other Panic Movement colleague, Roland Topor. He wrote Fantastic Planet, which Dr-Baa recommends above, and the novel that Polanksi's The Tenant is based on.
Santa Sangre did not disappoint, and I saw it after El Topo and Holy Mountain. I would say that Rainbow Thief is more accessible, but in a good way, in that you can ease your non-Jodorowsky-watching friends into his work. Or you can just show them the others and watch their eyes pop).
posted by gargoyle93 at 1:45 PM on April 14, 2009
You might want to check out Jodorowsky's other Panic Movement colleague, Roland Topor. He wrote Fantastic Planet, which Dr-Baa recommends above, and the novel that Polanksi's The Tenant is based on.
Santa Sangre did not disappoint, and I saw it after El Topo and Holy Mountain. I would say that Rainbow Thief is more accessible, but in a good way, in that you can ease your non-Jodorowsky-watching friends into his work. Or you can just show them the others and watch their eyes pop).
posted by gargoyle93 at 1:45 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: Oh, you absolutely gotta check out the original hippie-dippie, druggy, sexed-up 1973 Wicker Man.
posted by thinkpiece at 2:00 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by thinkpiece at 2:00 PM on April 14, 2009
Three Women by Robert Altman
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover by Peter Greenaway
posted by hermitosis at 2:03 PM on April 14, 2009
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover by Peter Greenaway
posted by hermitosis at 2:03 PM on April 14, 2009
Man Bites Dog, directed by someone who creampied Bill Gates.
posted by mds35 at 2:10 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by mds35 at 2:10 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: It's hard to find, but Wax, or the Discovery of Television Among the Bees is completely insane and one of my favorite films ever. It's about and narrated by a (schizophrenic?) beekeeper who also writes missile guidance software, and features a cameo from William Burroughs.
posted by contraption at 2:23 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by contraption at 2:23 PM on April 14, 2009
Straight to Hell by Alex Cox is a film that I am still quoting something like 20 years later....
Miike and Greenaway are both good -- in fact, most of these suggestions are good. I may need to rearrange my weekend plans.....
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:38 PM on April 14, 2009
Miike and Greenaway are both good -- in fact, most of these suggestions are good. I may need to rearrange my weekend plans.....
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:38 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: No one ever mentions Even Dwarves Start Small in these threads. That's the most "WTF?!" movie I've ever seen
posted by phrakture at 3:42 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by phrakture at 3:42 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
Speaking as someone who loved Fando y Lis:
nthing Svankjmeyer (I *hated* Alice - it creeped me out too much)
Seconding Kenneth Anger. There appear to be significant chunks available online on google video, as well.
posted by Weighted Companion Cube at 4:38 PM on April 14, 2009
nthing Svankjmeyer (I *hated* Alice - it creeped me out too much)
Seconding Kenneth Anger. There appear to be significant chunks available online on google video, as well.
posted by Weighted Companion Cube at 4:38 PM on April 14, 2009
Ken Russel's
Altered States
with a screenplay by the ever-purple Paddy Chayefsky.
The last reel of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey
Bunuel's
Un Chien Andalou and L'age D'or
David Cronenberg
For STD terror: Shivers (1975) and Rabid (1977, RIP Marilyn Chambers)
For New Age Psychology horror: The Brood (1979)
Dour Psychedelic Carpathian folk-tale:
Sergei Parajanov's Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1964)
Scariest children's movie ever:
Charles Laughton's Night of the Hunter,
with screenplay by James Agee.
posted by doncoyote at 4:41 PM on April 14, 2009
Altered States
with a screenplay by the ever-purple Paddy Chayefsky.
The last reel of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey
Bunuel's
Un Chien Andalou and L'age D'or
David Cronenberg
For STD terror: Shivers (1975) and Rabid (1977, RIP Marilyn Chambers)
For New Age Psychology horror: The Brood (1979)
Dour Psychedelic Carpathian folk-tale:
Sergei Parajanov's Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1964)
Scariest children's movie ever:
Charles Laughton's Night of the Hunter,
with screenplay by James Agee.
posted by doncoyote at 4:41 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: I'm at work, so I can't link to anything (IMDB, Amazon, etc are blocked) but this is an area of interest for me as well.
2nding Peter Greenaway, A Zed and 2 Noughts (ZOO) is one of my favorites.
The Passion of Darkly Noon with Brendan Frasier, Viggo Mortenson, and Ashley Judd. No really.
The Reflecting Skin (same guy who made Darkly Noon, I think)
Tideland by Terry Gilliam
2nding Sweet Movie, that thing will mes swith your head.
Robert Downey SR is the Grand Poobah of mind bending cinema. Putney Swope is a classic, and Greasers Palace is hysterical. Look for a 6 year old Robert Downey Jr as the son of the woman who keeps getting shot.
Viva la Muerte by Arrabal (he was part of the Panic movement along with Jodorowsky).
If you want something flashy and trashy and just plain bad, try The Apple (1980) aka Star Rock. It's so amazingly dreadful, you will laugh until you cry.
Of course Fellini's Satyricon is a good bet as well.
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:44 PM on April 14, 2009
2nding Peter Greenaway, A Zed and 2 Noughts (ZOO) is one of my favorites.
The Passion of Darkly Noon with Brendan Frasier, Viggo Mortenson, and Ashley Judd. No really.
The Reflecting Skin (same guy who made Darkly Noon, I think)
Tideland by Terry Gilliam
2nding Sweet Movie, that thing will mes swith your head.
Robert Downey SR is the Grand Poobah of mind bending cinema. Putney Swope is a classic, and Greasers Palace is hysterical. Look for a 6 year old Robert Downey Jr as the son of the woman who keeps getting shot.
Viva la Muerte by Arrabal (he was part of the Panic movement along with Jodorowsky).
If you want something flashy and trashy and just plain bad, try The Apple (1980) aka Star Rock. It's so amazingly dreadful, you will laugh until you cry.
Of course Fellini's Satyricon is a good bet as well.
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:44 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: O Lucky Man! (If you're Netflixing it, be warned that the movie is on two discs)
Punishment Park
Week End
Mr. Freedom
posted by Bigfoot Mandala at 4:45 PM on April 14, 2009
Punishment Park
Week End
Mr. Freedom
posted by Bigfoot Mandala at 4:45 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: Great list so far, here's a few more.
Some oldies:
Blow Up by Antonioni (personal all time top 10) only meets the criteria if you think really hard about what you're seeing.
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie by Bunuel
La Grande Bouffe REALLY fucked up
Is it possible for a RFU movie to be funny? Try The Magic Christian with Peter Sellars and Ringo Starr. A mess, but some scenes just won't go away.
The Fourth Man By Paul Verhoeven, made before his descent into Hollywood Hell.
The Fountain (What can I say? I liked it. and not an oldie)
The Man Who Fell to Earth w/ David Bowie.
Okay. I'll stop. What an awesome question.
posted by Carmody'sPrize at 5:07 PM on April 14, 2009
Some oldies:
Blow Up by Antonioni (personal all time top 10) only meets the criteria if you think really hard about what you're seeing.
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie by Bunuel
La Grande Bouffe REALLY fucked up
Is it possible for a RFU movie to be funny? Try The Magic Christian with Peter Sellars and Ringo Starr. A mess, but some scenes just won't go away.
The Fourth Man By Paul Verhoeven, made before his descent into Hollywood Hell.
The Fountain (What can I say? I liked it. and not an oldie)
The Man Who Fell to Earth w/ David Bowie.
Okay. I'll stop. What an awesome question.
posted by Carmody'sPrize at 5:07 PM on April 14, 2009
I just thought of a few more, these are more "thinky" movies, but strange none the less:
"The Ruling Class" with Peter O'Toole.
"Onibaba"
Julie Taymor's "Titus" is still one of the most visually amazing movies I have ever seen.
"Koyaanisqatsi" and "Baraka" are just visuals and music. I personally favor Baraka.
"The Sentinel" (the 70s movie with Christina Raines) is one of those movies that I yelled out "THAT IS SO MESSED UP!" more than once. Not gory, just... messed up.
"The Ninth Configuration" by William Peter Blatty is amazing, and has the best line about the demise of a bag of Fritos ever.
"The Demon Seed" has Julie Christie being imprisoned by a house that wants to rape her.
"Death Bed: the Bed that Eats" is AMAZINGLY bad but there are parts that really creeped me out while I was laughing. I couldn't believe it when I heard Patton Oswalt doing a comedy routine about it.
posted by evilcupcakes at 5:30 PM on April 14, 2009
"The Ruling Class" with Peter O'Toole.
"Onibaba"
Julie Taymor's "Titus" is still one of the most visually amazing movies I have ever seen.
"Koyaanisqatsi" and "Baraka" are just visuals and music. I personally favor Baraka.
"The Sentinel" (the 70s movie with Christina Raines) is one of those movies that I yelled out "THAT IS SO MESSED UP!" more than once. Not gory, just... messed up.
"The Ninth Configuration" by William Peter Blatty is amazing, and has the best line about the demise of a bag of Fritos ever.
"The Demon Seed" has Julie Christie being imprisoned by a house that wants to rape her.
"Death Bed: the Bed that Eats" is AMAZINGLY bad but there are parts that really creeped me out while I was laughing. I couldn't believe it when I heard Patton Oswalt doing a comedy routine about it.
posted by evilcupcakes at 5:30 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: Alucarda - Another of the Panic Theater films, directed by Juan Lopez Moctezuma. Nuns and Satan: Two great tastes that taste great together.
The Ruling Class - Peter O'Toole as the insane heir to a lordship. Similar vibe to O Lucky Man and If..., though certainly slower. It does boast a guy in a gorilla suit, which always helps.
The Kingdom - Lars Von Trier's whacked out, supernatural soap opera at a hospital (avoid the American Stephen King remake)
Jigoku - Over-the-top Japanese vision of hell from 1960.
You should also check out Dario Argento's weirder movies, like Suspiria and Phenomena.
I agree that Santa Sangre is Jodorowsky's best movie--a real shame it's not on US DVD. Seek it out...the VHS is around.
posted by Kafkaesque at 5:46 PM on April 14, 2009
The Ruling Class - Peter O'Toole as the insane heir to a lordship. Similar vibe to O Lucky Man and If..., though certainly slower. It does boast a guy in a gorilla suit, which always helps.
The Kingdom - Lars Von Trier's whacked out, supernatural soap opera at a hospital (avoid the American Stephen King remake)
Jigoku - Over-the-top Japanese vision of hell from 1960.
You should also check out Dario Argento's weirder movies, like Suspiria and Phenomena.
I agree that Santa Sangre is Jodorowsky's best movie--a real shame it's not on US DVD. Seek it out...the VHS is around.
posted by Kafkaesque at 5:46 PM on April 14, 2009
Forbidden Zone -- "a new fantasy musical comedy" -- Danny Elfman's first scored movie. In which he plays Satan. Along with the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. And Herve Villechaize. It's . . . *sniff* it's beautiful. It starts out with a blackface gag, unfortunately, but hold tight. The movie is pure Max Fleischer madness with '30s-by-'80s art design.
posted by Countess Elena at 5:50 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by Countess Elena at 5:50 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: Hey guys, what going on in this thread?
Gummo.
Julien Donkey-Boy.
posted by Dmenet at 6:39 PM on April 14, 2009
Gummo.
Julien Donkey-Boy.
posted by Dmenet at 6:39 PM on April 14, 2009
La cité des enfants perdus
2nding Tideland
Bonus WTF-ness: Peter Jackson's Meet the Feebles
Or just take Ketamine while watching Holy Mountain again. (Seriously, don't do that)
posted by yoHighness at 6:55 PM on April 14, 2009
2nding Tideland
Bonus WTF-ness: Peter Jackson's Meet the Feebles
Or just take Ketamine while watching Holy Mountain again. (Seriously, don't do that)
posted by yoHighness at 6:55 PM on April 14, 2009
On seeing the Harmony Korine above... Drawing Restraint 9, the film by Bjork's husband is seriously fucked up.
posted by yoHighness at 6:57 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by yoHighness at 6:57 PM on April 14, 2009
Stranger Than Fiction This is a real gem. I'll stop now.
posted by yoHighness at 7:00 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by yoHighness at 7:00 PM on April 14, 2009
Best answer: I got beat to 'Greaser's Palace,' so have a little 5000 Fingers of Dr. T instead.
posted by Kinbote at 8:30 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Kinbote at 8:30 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
A different pace, but I think Tarkovsky may qualify. Try Solaris or Stalker perhaps.
Maya Deren's Meshes of the Afternoon.
The anime series Serial Experiments Lain should fit the bill. Also Paranoia Agent.
Check out movie-map.com - e.g. Holy Mountain
posted by MetaMonkey at 9:04 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
Maya Deren's Meshes of the Afternoon.
The anime series Serial Experiments Lain should fit the bill. Also Paranoia Agent.
Check out movie-map.com - e.g. Holy Mountain
posted by MetaMonkey at 9:04 PM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Ooh, 5000 fingers of Dr T still freaks me out. I adore Songs from the Second floor but I don't think it's quite as tripped out a flavour as you're looking for here.
For psychadelic nonsense I'd recommend Frank Zappas: 2000 Motels, or
For surreal histories there's Ken Russell's The Devils, crazy sets and set pieces.
BTW, Salo is fucked-up but not in the way you'd expect. The narrative is fairly simple. It's just very stark and deeply, deeply unpleasant, it remains disturbing even though I saw it years ago. I got much more from the book.
posted by freya_lamb at 2:29 AM on April 15, 2009
For psychadelic nonsense I'd recommend Frank Zappas: 2000 Motels, or
For surreal histories there's Ken Russell's The Devils, crazy sets and set pieces.
BTW, Salo is fucked-up but not in the way you'd expect. The narrative is fairly simple. It's just very stark and deeply, deeply unpleasant, it remains disturbing even though I saw it years ago. I got much more from the book.
posted by freya_lamb at 2:29 AM on April 15, 2009
P.s. Yes, yes, yes to Jan Svankmayer. Faust, and especially Alice.
posted by freya_lamb at 2:34 AM on April 15, 2009
posted by freya_lamb at 2:34 AM on April 15, 2009
Best answer: I have to recommend Andrzej Zulawski's Possession from 1981. I've seen some pretty unhinged movies in my time and this one is up there with the best of them. A portrait of a marriage falling apart that wanders off into some very strange territory indeed: Isabelle Adjani giving birth to a tentacled creature with which she subsequently has an affair, to name but one. (She won the Best Actress Award at Cannes for the role, too. As far as I know, such accolades are rarely given to films involving tentacles.)
The version originally released in the US was considerably truncated so look out for the full original version. I don't know exactly which bits were cut but I assume it'd be the good stuff.
As you can see from the imdb page, the artwork on some copies of the movie make it look like a pretty generic euro-horror flick. Do not pay any attention to these covers; the movie itself is unique and insane. I saw it on the big screen a few years ago introduced by the critic Mark Kermode who described the film as clearly being the work of a deranged mind. I concur.
posted by Del Chimney at 5:25 AM on April 15, 2009
The version originally released in the US was considerably truncated so look out for the full original version. I don't know exactly which bits were cut but I assume it'd be the good stuff.
As you can see from the imdb page, the artwork on some copies of the movie make it look like a pretty generic euro-horror flick. Do not pay any attention to these covers; the movie itself is unique and insane. I saw it on the big screen a few years ago introduced by the critic Mark Kermode who described the film as clearly being the work of a deranged mind. I concur.
posted by Del Chimney at 5:25 AM on April 15, 2009
Best answer: Strange that there's no mention of Reflections of Evil or other Damon Packard lunacy. Might be tough to find tho...
posted by joecacti at 12:45 PM on April 15, 2009
posted by joecacti at 12:45 PM on April 15, 2009
Not sure if this qualifies, but its cameo scene in Bad Influence in an early nineties rave party pointed me to Alphaville. It's French, and I thought it was kind of hard to watch.
or by fucked up are we talking Terror of Tiny Town?
either way, I love the Lynch movies... pretty much all of them.
but I'm sure if you can find any of the movies produced by members of the Church of SubGenius, you'll be okay. There was one about firefighters that I ran across in the last few years. Sorry I can't remember the name off the top of my head.
posted by kookywon at 2:36 PM on April 15, 2009
or by fucked up are we talking Terror of Tiny Town?
either way, I love the Lynch movies... pretty much all of them.
but I'm sure if you can find any of the movies produced by members of the Church of SubGenius, you'll be okay. There was one about firefighters that I ran across in the last few years. Sorry I can't remember the name off the top of my head.
posted by kookywon at 2:36 PM on April 15, 2009
Its not a movie but if you like Lynch Twin Peaks is pretty essential. The ending isn't the most satisfying thing ever but there is this kind of slow-burn under the surface menace that is done well in this that is in some of his other work. It is also visually engrossing.
posted by zennoshinjou at 9:23 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by zennoshinjou at 9:23 AM on April 16, 2009
Response by poster: I'm so happy everyone got the gist of the kind of movie I was looking for! I've marked a lot of best answers; they all contain movies that I am definitely, without a doubt, going to track down sometime in the next year or so. I have so much to choose from it's overwhelming, and that's a glorious feeling.
I've seen Fantastic Planet, Tetsuo: Iron Man, Pink Flamingos, Ashik Kerib, part of The Kingdom series, and the much-recommended Alice (SAID THE WHITE RABBIT). I can vouch that these are all very good examples of what I was looking for.
Gargoyle93, you are my hero for recommending I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse. I found it at Video Central last night, and my mind was blown. It was beautiful. I'm guessing, by your trepidition in watching it, that you've heard descriptions of some of the more visceral scenes in the movie. I don't want to ruin them for anyone, but yes, there are some incredibly fucked up images in this movie; however, they're rather tastefully done. They're easy to view in the context of an artistic film; they don't have the hyperrealistic squirm inducing qualities of something like Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist where the horrible things are REALLY HAPPENING, but they also don't have that cheesy B-Movie lack of believability.
Fernando Arrabal is now one of my favorite directors, and I can't wait to see Viva La Muerte (which also features drawings by Roland Topor!).There will always be an untouchable part of my heart devoted to Jodorowky, but I'm glad to know I still have space for more directors.
This thread is a profound lesson to me that there's always more incredible things to explore in the world. If you think you've seen it all, you haven't. I'm looking at that realization as a gift to me from Metafilter, and I thank you all for it.
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:50 AM on April 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
I've seen Fantastic Planet, Tetsuo: Iron Man, Pink Flamingos, Ashik Kerib, part of The Kingdom series, and the much-recommended Alice (SAID THE WHITE RABBIT). I can vouch that these are all very good examples of what I was looking for.
Gargoyle93, you are my hero for recommending I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse. I found it at Video Central last night, and my mind was blown. It was beautiful. I'm guessing, by your trepidition in watching it, that you've heard descriptions of some of the more visceral scenes in the movie. I don't want to ruin them for anyone, but yes, there are some incredibly fucked up images in this movie; however, they're rather tastefully done. They're easy to view in the context of an artistic film; they don't have the hyperrealistic squirm inducing qualities of something like Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist where the horrible things are REALLY HAPPENING, but they also don't have that cheesy B-Movie lack of believability.
Fernando Arrabal is now one of my favorite directors, and I can't wait to see Viva La Muerte (which also features drawings by Roland Topor!).There will always be an untouchable part of my heart devoted to Jodorowky, but I'm glad to know I still have space for more directors.
This thread is a profound lesson to me that there's always more incredible things to explore in the world. If you think you've seen it all, you haven't. I'm looking at that realization as a gift to me from Metafilter, and I thank you all for it.
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:50 AM on April 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
I can't believe we got this far and nobody has recommended Mr. Freedom.
posted by eschatfische at 5:25 PM on April 22, 2009
posted by eschatfische at 5:25 PM on April 22, 2009
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posted by mkultra at 11:58 AM on April 14, 2009 [1 favorite]