Films that are so unhinged you're not sure whether they are disasters or masterpieces (or both)

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1. http://www.patoche.org/carax/polax/polax.jpg

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:27 (eighteen years ago) link

2. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:30 (eighteen years ago) link

2. I watched about half an hour of Maniac Nurses Find Ecstasy the other day before my brain exploded.

― I Am Sexless and I Am Foul (noodle vague), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:30 (eighteen years ago) link

4. http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0793910471.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:31 (eighteen years ago) link

5. Dont Touch the White Woman!

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:33 (eighteen years ago) link

(narrative based films particularly, though i'm sure there are a whole host of experimental films that fit in here)

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:33 (eighteen years ago) link

6.http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/83/182783.jpg

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:34 (eighteen years ago) link

i'm too lazy to find a picture, but i nominate ganja and hess.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:34 (eighteen years ago) link

2. http://www.paulverhoeven.net/images/showgirls_poster.jpg

― don't start a RYE-OTT! (plsmith), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:34 (eighteen years ago) link

xpost 2=9

― don't start a RYE-OTT! (plsmith), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:35 (eighteen years ago) link

10. Watch the K Foundation Burn a Million Quid

Rather enjoyable, considering the content.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:36 (eighteen years ago) link

10?http://www.videovista.net/reviews/may05/pitfall.jpg

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:36 (eighteen years ago) link

http://davidlynch.ifrance.com/eraser/eraser15g.jpg

― StanM (StanM), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:37 (eighteen years ago) link

(that was 11. Eraserhead)

― StanM (StanM), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:38 (eighteen years ago) link

12.
http://www.alyon.org/generale/theatre/cinema/affiches_cinema/p/pet-pon/phantasm.jpg

― melton mowbray (adr), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:40 (eighteen years ago) link

ON. THE. MONEY.

― I Am Sexless and I Am Foul (noodle vague), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:44 (eighteen years ago) link

i need to see that one again!

― Yawn (Wintermute), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:58 (eighteen years ago) link

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y109/fez_/possession-1.jpg

― Yawn (Wintermute), Monday, 2 January 2006 17:58 (eighteen years ago) link

liquid sky

― geoff (gcannon), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:00 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/cover/874/MYRA.jpg

― emil.y (emil.y), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:00 (eighteen years ago) link

16.

http://www.sillimancollege.org/downloads/SilliflicksMovieList/images/367f.jpg

― Yawn (Wintermute), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:01 (eighteen years ago) link

Stan i don't think anyone thinks Eraserhead is a disaster, do they?

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:05 (eighteen years ago) link

17. http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00005OA7J.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:07 (eighteen years ago) link

jed_ : loads of people don't get it, and those are the people who tend to say it's a disaster (second comment). Those are also the people who react violently when someone says "Mulholland Drive" or "Lost Highway" because they don't get those either though, so it's probably their problem.

Some people I know even thought I was sick because I like Cronenberg's Crash. I think I just need new friends. :-)

― StanM (StanM), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:18 (eighteen years ago) link

(Ishtar was a masterpiece in comparison)

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:20 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, you're right. Please ignore Eraserhead. Nobody intelligent thinks this is a disaster.

― StanM (StanM), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:23 (eighteen years ago) link

18. Terry Southern's The Magic Christian (1969).
19. Peter Medak's The Ruling Class (1972; Peter O'Toole thinks he's Jesus until shrinks intervene and make him think he's Jack the Ripper instead, upon which his aristocratic family finally approve of him).
20. Richard Rush's The Stunt Man (1980; another fillum where P. O'Toole thinks he's God). Ned would like as is filmed in Coronado.
21. Leave Her To Heaven (1946; pre-Sirkish piece where Gene Tierney goes psycho).

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:24 (eighteen years ago) link

I've never liked Eraserhead that much. It's not a disaster, but it's kinda boring and the symbolism is often tedious.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 2 January 2006 18:32 (eighteen years ago) link

Sounds like Lynch all over.

22. Weird Science (seriously, have you watched it recently? It's pretty loopy).
23 Any John Waters film starring Divine.

― chap who would dare to work for the man (chap), Monday, 2 January 2006 19:38 (eighteen years ago) link

24. home alone 2: lost in new york (beat gus van sant to the punch by about a decade: let's take a classic film and film it over again shot for shot, only let's make it ten times worse!)
25. where the buffalo roam (bill murray as hunter thompson! genius idea, too bad no one bothered to write a script)
26. weekend (plays now like the most pretentious john waters movie ever)

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 05:26 (eighteen years ago) link

27. JFK

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 05:32 (eighteen years ago) link

23 Any John Waters film starring Divine.

I was thinking of Female Trouble specifically, but yeah you're basically OTM there.

― Andrew (enneff), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 05:33 (eighteen years ago) link

Pola X is so over the top.

L'Humanite. Maybe Twentynine Palms is in this category too, I haven't seen it.

Trouble Every Day (I think it's pretty great)..

― dar1a g (daria g), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 06:55 (eighteen years ago) link

ihttp://www.forbiddenzonethemovie.com/images/ForbiddenZoneArt_home5.jpg

― John Justen (johnjusten), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 07:04 (eighteen years ago) link

oh fucking hell.

28.
http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/83/229983_thumb.jpg

― John Justen (johnjusten), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 07:06 (eighteen years ago) link

holy shit the stunt man!! haven't thought of that in years, i had a friend who was ob SESSED with that movie. he had posters of it all over his apt, got these promo stills off ebay and had them up in his bathroom. he was all into the film's ahem subtle thematic intricacies or whatever but i didn't think there was anything subtle or unshouted about it at all.

― geoff (gcannon), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 07:34 (eighteen years ago) link

I was gonna vote for Liquid Sky too.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 07:45 (eighteen years ago) link

Trouble Every Day was utter crap! L'Humanite was a rather idiosyncratic flick, but not what I'd call "unhinged". Ditto for Eyes Wide Shut.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 08:14 (eighteen years ago) link

OK, on a different hinge...

Babe: Pig in the City.

The original babe being a 'nice' film based around the premise that Pigs are actually more intelligent and trainable than dogs, but they don't get used as such as they're typecast into roles such as 'being eaten' and suchlike.

The sequel being 'ack! the studio wants another film! Someone! Anyone! Ideas! Let's use all of them!"

Is it good? Is it terrible?

yes.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:01 (eighteen years ago) link

i remember quite a few critics saying babe: pig in the city was a work of genius! never saw either of them.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:04 (eighteen years ago) link

29. Moulin Rouge
To this day I'm still not sure whether I like this or not.

― Stone Monkey (Stone Monkey), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:10 (eighteen years ago) link

Babe: Pig In The City features a scene where a bunch of monkeys run amok through an elegant ballroom and is therefore one of the pinnacles of cinematic achievement.

― James Ward (jamesmichaelward), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:36 (eighteen years ago) link

30.
http://www.unzeit.de/poster/Gothic/Gothic_72.jpg

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:37 (eighteen years ago) link

dai1a g OTM - Tuomas i think you're wrong on both counts. "Trouble Every Day" is pretty damn great. also, L'Humanité not unhinged? Unhinged seems completely the right word for it! that film is crazy. (and wonderful). Eyes Wide Shut is mental too fwiw though i can see why you would disagree on that one.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 14:04 (eighteen years ago) link

I dunno, "unhinged" makes me think me think something that's of-the-wall either stylistically (like Fear and Loathing) or in it's content (like Do Not Touch the White Woman!). L'Humanité is a slow-tempo, realistic movie that features a rather eccentric main character, I didn't think it was crazy, more like extremely solemn. As for Trouble Every Day, can you people explain what you saw in it? Because to me it was only a boring, pretentious vampire flick for the art house crowd. It was even a bigger disappointment because I loved Beau travail - that film was artsy and slow too, but at least it had some content.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 14:13 (eighteen years ago) link

it was only a boring, pretentious vampire flick pretty much sums up what i liked about it (don't get me wrong it's no Beau Travail, which is exquisite. but TED is much loopier. to be honest i can't go into much detail because it's been so long since i saw it - maybe my opinion wouldn't stand up. your description of L'Humanité as a slow-tempo, realistic movie really did make me laugh, though are you sure you watched it closely? I loved Tony Raynes' Sight and Sound review where he describes it as a film that dares to go as far beyond realism as The Matrix.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 14:29 (eighteen years ago) link

ihttp://images.myphotoalbum.com/r/ri/rix/rixp/rixpi/rixpix/albums/album15/Morricone_Exorcist_II_The_Heretic_and_yes_its_real.sized.gif

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 14:49 (eighteen years ago) link

ihttp://images.myphotoalbum.com/r/ri/rix/rixp/rixpi/rixpix/albums/album15/Morricone_Exorcist_II_The_Heretic_and_yes_its_real.sized.gif

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 14:50 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.trashcity.org/BLITZ/BLIT0094.JPG

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 14:51 (eighteen years ago) link

Babe: Pig in the City is great, better than the original, it's alot more like Delicatessen and City of Lost Children than it like any other children's movies.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 14:53 (eighteen years ago) link

your description of L'Humanité as a slow-tempo, realistic movie really did make me laugh, though are you sure you watched it closely? I loved Tony Raynes' Sight and Sound review where he describes it as a film that dares to go as far beyond realism as The Matrix.

Well, I guess it's unrealistic if you define the standard Hollywood cinema as "realistic". Sure, the mood is far off your ordinary blockbuster, but I wouldn't still call it unhinged.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:10 (eighteen years ago) link

no Tuomas, that's not my definition of realism and nor is it Raynes', he's saying that L"Humaité is as far fetched, as UNREALISTIC, as "The Matrix" (i assume he chose that film because it came out the same year as the Dumont film but they do both question what is "reality" and what isn't albeit in very different ways). maybe your definiton of "slow moving realism" can encompass a scene where a detective rubs his face against his interogatee's for a good 2 or 3 minutes then gives him a long kiss on the mouth? or when he levitates a metre into the air while standing completely still on his allotment? the fact that the WTF!? moments happen after long periods of near inaction don't make them less "unhinged" but more. it's a much more extreme film than a superficially "crazy" one like Fear and Loathing...

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:53 (eighteen years ago) link

something that's of-the-wall either stylistically (like Fear and Loathing)

There's nothing off the wall stylisitically about this movie -- the style is very concrete and consistent. the content is off the wall.

― Jimmy Mod (I myself am lethal at 100 -110dB) (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:56 (eighteen years ago) link

anyway....

32. http://fabinoche.free.fr/afficheusmauvaissang2.jpeg

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:01 (eighteen years ago) link

JD OTM re WTBR (#25)

― truck-patch pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:41 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.impawards.com/1973/posters/lost_horizon_ver3.jpg

(the thoroughly perplexing 1973 remake, not the Capra oroginal)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 18:18 (eighteen years ago) link

Performance fits this pretty well.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 21:12 (eighteen years ago) link

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4c/Jacob

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 21:14 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.emptyworld.info/images/film/film_miracle_mile.jpg

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 21:18 (eighteen years ago) link

i'd mention schizopolis if it wasn't clearly a masterpiece (or at least i think it is).

― spastic heritage (spastic heritage), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 01:49 (eighteen years ago) link

It's easily his best film...

― Jimmy Mod (I myself am lethal at 100 -110dB) (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 01:51 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.screenselect.co.uk/images/products/5/21285-large.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 02:05 (eighteen years ago) link

i think it's soderbergh's best too, but i'm guessing that everyone didn't start quoting it (mostly "generic greeting!") after one viewing like i did.

― spastic heritage (spastic heritage), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 02:08 (eighteen years ago) link

http://i.imdb.com/Icons/poster_under_licence.gif

― Rotgutt (Rotgutt), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 02:11 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.sean-connery.net/pelis/zardoz/cartelzardoz.jpg

― Rotgutt (Rotgutt), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 02:13 (eighteen years ago) link

John Boorman owns this thread, Excalibur could be on here too.

― Rotgutt (Rotgutt), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 02:15 (eighteen years ago) link

or when he levitates a metre into the air while standing completely still on his allotment?

Hmm, it's been six years since I saw L'Humanité, I don't remember any levitation. Should probably rewatch it. Anyway, the impression it gave me then was that of extreme mundaneness crossed with some eccentric characters (and I though it's greatness was exactly in the sort poesy of the mundane), not of particular surrealism.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 07:47 (eighteen years ago) link

Yawn totally on it with possession. i'm still not sure how i feel about that movie.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 10:07 (eighteen years ago) link

Seriously, did ANYONE love/get Eyes Wide Shut?

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 12:54 (eighteen years ago) link

haven't seen it in a while but I loved it

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 12:55 (eighteen years ago) link

oh, yeah. seriously

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 12:55 (eighteen years ago) link

three months pass...

ew, are you fuckin' kidding?! Even looking at the dvd cover upthread gave me the heebie-geebies. God, I was just about to have lunch too. Are there two more sexless actors in Hollywood than those two?
And may I suggest 'Get Crazy' for masterpiece/disaster.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Friday, 14 April 2006 04:38 (eighteen years ago) link

http://shopping.yahoo.com/video/images/muze/dvd/sm/85/145285.jpg

Even Dwarfs Start Small. Werner Herzog. I mean, the chap's average output is hardly run of the mill, but this EDSS is so off the wall it's on the other side of the room. Dwarfs can be quite unnerving anyway, but when they're destryoing stuff and laughing maniacly for 5 minutes while watching a camel take a shit, it goes beyong unnerving and enters the realm of horrific. The box says it's a surreal masterpiece, and I suppose it is, but did it have to be THAT weird? I can generally tell whether I think a film's brilliant or rubbish, but with this one, I really can't. Which makes it brilliant, I guess.

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Friday, 14 April 2006 06:43 (eighteen years ago) link

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/80/184280.jpg

I highly reccomend these movies. Such a laughable attempt. Not really boring, becuase they are so laughable.

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Friday, 14 April 2006 06:50 (eighteen years ago) link

Putney Swope!
Bamboozled is confirmed shit but it has the seeds of like 20 masterpieces, maddening.

I agree stuff like Fear and Loathing are pretty cut and dry. I used to think Natural Born Killers was on the cusp of this 'genre'; I watched it once and thought it was just a broad tacky temper tantrum of a film. The 2nd time I thought the same thing except I liked it instead of disliked it. Nothing much to figure out though.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Friday, 14 April 2006 06:59 (eighteen years ago) link

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