A friend and I are going to be watching a sh!t ton of art films without the influence of drugs (which we dont do) just for the WTF factor
We are already planning to watch:
El Topo
Holy Mountain
Santa Sangre
Trash Humpers
Eraserhead
Tetsuo: The Iron Man
Pinnochio 964
Rubber's Love
Waking Life
Any others?
I've already seen House, Fantastic Planet, and The Wall
Thanks in advance
You've already got Eraserhead -- which is my favourite of Lynch's -- but, if you haven't already, check out some of his other films as well.
Mulholland Drive
Lost Highway
Inland Empire
And don't forget the films of David Cronenberg. His weirdest ones are...
Videodrome
Naked Lunch
eXistenZ
Spider
And here's some miscellaneous surreal films...
The Meaning of Life (1983)
Repo Man (1984)
Brazil (1985)
Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Dead Man (1995)
Gummo (1997)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
And, finally, some foreign films:
House (1977)
Ichi the Killer (2001)
Paprika (2006)
Thanks! I've been planning to see many of the films you listed. I've seen House (I have the Criterion DVD) and I love it! I have Ichi The Killer so I'll have to watch it. Also is Gozu any good?
shareI highly recommend Gozu for surrealism and simply due to how bizarre it is. I think when Takeshi Miike made Gozu he was in the midst of a huge rush of creativity so he just threw all of his ideas on the screen regardless of how they meshed together.
It's a bit of a messy film but it was meant to be that way and its a joy to watch as a result. Some of the set-pieces in it (which I won't spoil) are insane. If you like either surreal films, or Miike's other films you'll probably love Gozu.
Argento's films have a lot of surreal imagery. I think Suspiria and Inferno are his best.
I don't think Fellini has been mentioned 8 1/2 and Satiyricon are mildly surreal and way out there respectively.
Bill Morrison's films present archive footage which has been distorted and bleached by time. You're never quite sure what you're seeing the effect can be very unsettling. Look for The Bells or Decasia clips online to see what I mean. Guy Maadin's films have a similar quality. I like The Saddest Music in the World and The Forbidden Room. Von Trier's Europa has a similar vibe.
Post Tenebras Lux is startlingly filmed with moments of intense strangeness
We English have a healthy vein of surreal culture, from Alice in Wonderland through the Goons, Beatles, Monty Python. I can recommend Sir Henry at Rawlison End, Herostratus, Tommy and The Devils, Sleepwalker Under the Skin, the Man Who Fell to Earth and Performance, , A Field in England, Berberian Sound Studio and Duke of Burgundy. Repo Man has been mentioned, but Alex Cox also made the brilliant Borges adaption Death and the Compass and Tarantino inspiring crazy cowboy caper Straight to Hell. A recent favourite is Aaaaaaah! and it's great!
Tarkovsky's "Mirror" is beautiful and subtly strange, as are most of his films.
Celine and Julie Go Boating, You, The Living, Jan Swankmajer's films, the Cremator, Possession, Only Dwarves Started Small, The Saragossa Manuscript, The Beast,the Lobster, Orphee and Holy Motors all fly the flag for Europe
Enjoy!
Un Chien Andalou
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