Do you people know of any movies which contain the same kind of "surreal" and "twisted" environments as in The Cell? You know.. like distorted reality, and nightmare-like imagery?
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Two words: Inland Empire.
One of David Lynch's best films.
If you like Kubrick then I would reccomend "Eyes Wide Shut", its a very mysterious film.
One film that always stands out to me is "Don't Look Now" (1973). The ending is just wonderful.
Also check out a film called "Fur" with Robert Downey Jr.
The original poster has recieved some great replies, but I think it's really hard to come up with comparible movies to The Cell. I personally can't think of any movies that are as unnervingly surreal as the cell. The scenes were so much like something I might dream (I have really bizarre dreams). I think that is why the movie disturbed me so . . .and why I love to watch it.
However, I have seen similar disturbing imagery in music videos like several of Bjorks, and M. Manson. I don't know. When it comes to weirdness, The Cell is a real stand-out.
No good deed goes unpunished
When I first saw this a while back I automatically thought of Matthew Barney's Cremaster Cycle series. I don't know if you can find a dvd of them but it has the same imagery and baroque style. They are listed in imdb also.
http://www.cremaster.net/
Ceres77 - You are so right. I looked at clips of Cremaster, and the imagery is very like that in The Cell. Viewing these clips left me with the same eerie feeling, a feeling like someone had glimpsed into my bizarre dreams. I am so disappointed that so little of Cremaster is available on dvd - for under $10,000.oo that is. But I may have to order that 30 minute video.
Also, I viewed some clips of the films of Brothers Quay. Very reminescent of the scene in The Cell when J.LO. walks into the room of victim dolls. Also, when the FBI find the basement with all the altered dolls.
I'm going to have to look into some of these surrealistic filmmakers. I feel like a whole world is being opened up to me. Please leave us more suggestions.
No good deed goes unpunished
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"The Science of Sleep", and to a lesser degree; "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". There isn't necessarily nightmare imagery in either of these, but you also listed 'distorted reality' as an interest. Someone who posted earlier mentioned "Hellbound" (Hellraiser 2). Now THAT is nightmare imagery. It takes place mostly in Clive Barker's vision of hell. It has a very cool dream-like quality to it, only TERRIFYING! If you can't get enough of The Cell, you'll dig it, I'm sure. Though I can't stand Tom Cruise, "Legend" has a lot of cool dream imagery, as well.
Gandalf: "Do not be eager to deal out death and judgement. Even the Wise cannot see all ends".
Jacob's Ladder
Doppelherz (Marilyn Manson Directed Short Film)
Kairo
Gozu
Tetsuo, the Iron Man
Tetsuo II: Body Hammer
Nightmare Detective
Gemini
Rampo Noir
Silent Hill
Begotten
Suspect Zero
Gothika (Mediocore Movie Though)
Darren Aronofsky Films
Franz Kafka Novels
"Be it a rock or a grain of sand, in water they sink as the same." Lee Woo-jin (Oldboy)
Dreamscape 1984 was (I think) the first to make a movie like this (going into other peoples heads). It was really pretty good. Young Dennis Quaid plays a psychic who has the ability to go into people's dreams. The Cell reminded me a lot of this movie.
Hey! I’m just a small town Sim in a big PC, holding my WebKinz & playing e-Dolz. OKAY?!
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Brazil.
There's plenty of surreal oddity in the film... specifically the dream sequences. A bit of it might be silly, but those sequences are awesomely weird. xD
Mirrormask is good, too, but it's pretty light hearted.
And don't forget Pink Floyd's The Wall.
If you want some crazy surreal animated flicks, try Cat Soup, Paprika, Dead Leaves, and Akira.
Those are pretty key for the weird, surrealistic factor.
There's also a great little film that mixes spot motion animation with live action. It's Jan Svankmajer's 'Alice'... and it's pretty damn revolutionary if you ask me. And damn weird. Very surreal and very darkly weird.
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I'm stunned it took four pages for someone to mention Dreamscape. The Cell was basically a remake, imo.
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Mirrormask, Dark City
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Hellraiser: Inferno
The Naked Lunch
Ok I don't remember the name of it but I'll say what I remember. It was on a premium channel so it was unedited. There was absolutely NO talking in it. The picture was brown during some parts of the movie I think. There was a colored man in a pond with no clothes on and there was a colored woman in a pond with no clothes on. I think there might have been a party scene too but I don't remember. But I do know there was NO talking throughout the whole movie. Unless there was talking at the end. I turned it off before it was over. But I watched a lot of it and what I did see had no talking in it. It was VERY bizarre. Does this sound familiar to anyone? It wasn't an old movie. It was at least from the '90's.
share-"Titus."
-"Un Chien Andalou," and for that matter, anything by Luis Buñuel, and any film Salvador Dali had a hand in the production of, such as Hitchcock's Spellbound.
-"Suspiria." Can't forget Suspiria.
-"What Is It?"
-Movies based off of Clive Barker's fiction.
-Films by Takashi Miike.
...and I've noticed no one has put any Cronenberg other than Naked Lunch.
The majority of his films contain nightmarish images/themes of distorted reality at some point.
I don't think Eraserhead was listed, either, in spite of how obvious it is.
Begotten was mentioned, so I'm satisfied there.