WTF is happening?!
From mainstream to obscure, from bizarro kiddie movies to pornographic atrocities (and tapping nearly every genre and era) this is a list of memorable movie and TV titles guaranteed to have viewers asking, "What the f...?!"
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- DirectorOliver ThompsonStarsKyle GallnerOlivia ThirlbyNick OffermanThere's a magical door in Woody's closet that allows those who go through it to erase mistakes from their past. When he finds out where it goes, his life will be changed forever.This low-budget indie was clearly a labor of love for everyone involved, including several A-list TV actors. Writer/director/composer Oliver Thompson throws viewers head-first into a bizarre, magical world for an uplifting story that plays well in repeat viewings, once the characters' motivations and interconnected relationships are fully realized.
Critics have strongly taken issue with the vagueries that pervade the climax -- but the entire point of the story is that the world is too complicated for anything to be simply explained.
Personally, I found the movie to be an unepected sucker-punch to the heart, which is why it got bumped to the top of the list. Things get really dark from here on in... - DirectorFrank HenenlotterStarsRick HearstGordon MacDonaldJennifer LowryOne morning, a young man wakes to find that a small, disgusting creature has attached itself to the base of his brain stem. The creature gives him a euphoric state of happiness but demands human victims in return.A talking slug-like parasite which feeds on human brains and excretes a hallucinogenic fluid escapes his captors and finds a new host in a 20-something New Yorker. This low-budget drug parable from the creator of "Basket Case" revels in its own absurdity and features horror host Zacherly as the voice of Aylmer. The director is best known for the "Basket Case" trilogy, but this is his masterpiece. Beware American VHS editions, which were heavily edited. Of course, that was over 30 years ago, so the uncut DVD and blu-ray transfers are now widely available.
- DirectorJim HensonStarsRichard SchaalHugh WebsterRex SevenoaksA man is trapped inside a mysterious cube.Before "The Muppets," Jim Henson made this intriguing puppet-free oddity about a man who wakes up in a room with no idea who he is, how he got there and no way to escape... though a variety of oddballs are able to freely come and go and play mindgames with him. This one is so strange and thought-provoking that it's garnered a small "Donnie Darko"-like cult following. The movie's been adapted several times as a stage play, and the "Cube" horror franchise owes it a huge debt of gratitude.
- StarsJeff AltmanCharlie CallasGabriel DellA teamup of some of DC Comics' greatest superheroes together, for 2 specials: a race to stop the united supervillains' plot to destroy the earth, then later a roast in tribute to all of the heroes hosted by Ed McMahon.Holy Star Wars Holiday Specials, Batman!
Adam West, Burt Ward and Frank Gorshin reprise their iconic roles in this pair of surreal TV specials featuring other characters from the DC Universe. The first finds the superheroes racing against the clock to find the Doomsday Machine; the second is a superhero roast hosted by Ed McMahon. Canned laughter is included. - DirectorGeorge BarryStarsDemene HallWilliam RussJulie RitterA bed possessed by a demon spirit consumes its users alive.Yup, a bed that literally eats everyone who lies upon it while a former victim narrates. The acting is terrible, the dubbing is worse, but the movie is so arty that it's somehow captivating. In the same league as "Manos: The Hands of Fate," this bizarre oddity was stolen and illegally released around the world when the director loaned the film to a distributor that was interested in releasing it on video. Decades later he found out about the bootleg exposure and officially issued it on DVD. Weird story, weird movie.
- DirectorPeter GreenawayStarsBrian DeaconEric DeaconAndréa FerréolTwin zoologists lose their wives in a car accident and become obsessed with decomposing animals.A pair of twin zookeepers become obsessed with death and decay following the deaths of their wives in a car accident. Peter Greenaway specializes in bizarre films, but this is one of the wildest! Be warned that there's time-lapse footage of actual dead animals decaying...
- DirectorTom SchillerStarsZach GalliganApollonia van RavensteinLauren TomAn artist fails a test and is required to direct traffic in New York City's Holland Tunnel. He winds up falling in love with a beautiful woman, after he takes a trip to the moon on a Lunar Cruiser.In a society inspired by Fritz Lang's "Metropolis," a young artist (Zach Galligan, "Gremlins") moves to New York to make a career for himself... but soon he's aboard a train chartered for the moon, which is where the elderly go to shop! Despite a cast that includes Dan Ackroyd, Bill Murray, Imogene Coca and Eddie Fisher, MGM shelved this insanely weird classic film homage and it still remains unreleased in the USA. Thank God for the internet and Turner Classic Movies!
- DirectorKen RussellStarsRoger DaltreySara KestelmanPaul NicholasComposer and pianist Franz Liszt (Roger Daltrey) attempts to overcome his hedonistic life-style while repeatedly being drawn back into it by the many women in his life and fellow composer Richard Wagner (Paul Nicholas).Made hot on the heels of "Tommy," Ken Russell again directs Roger Daltry as an oversexed version of Franz Liszt, and the always-evil Paul Nicholas portrays Richard Wagner as a literal vampire. Filled with depravity and WTF moments galore (including giant phalluses that put "A Clockwork Orange" to shame) this historically inaccurate oddity somehow manages to make Tommy look tame by comparison!
- DirectorNeil TaylorRob TaylorStarsMatt ZakGreg GosserKyle DayTough-as-nails adventurer, Neil Stryker, faces immeasurable odds in this madcap comedy bloodbath when he comes face to face with an EVIL CULT! Armed with a bag of tricks, Stryker unleashes the pain on Walter, the cult leader, and his brainwashed followers.A time-traveling mad scientist, an evil cult, mutants, zombies, a decapitated Teddy Ruxpin, and an Ash-from-Evil-Dead-wanna action hero! Shot-on-video (they still went way over budget), the acting is thoroughly over the top and the meandering plot is inane, but inventiveness abounds in this little-known horror-comedy.
The behind the scenes story is interesting -- it was made by a set of twin brothers who went YEARS over their deadline, so they bankrolled it themselves, eventually finished it and immediately began work on the more polished prequel, "Neil Stryker and the Tyrant of Time," which was finally completed in 2017. - DirectorTom SternAlex WinterStarsBrooke ShieldsWilliam SadlerEduardo RicardA vain actor, his best friend, and an activist end up at a mutant freak farm run by a weirdo scientist.Prepped to be a summer blockbuster comedy but studio heads were fired and the new regime quietly dumped it on video. This variation of Tod Browning's "Freaks" features the reunion of Bill & Ted as man made freaks (Keanu's unrecognizable as the dog boy) along with a ton of familiar freakshow oddities including Mr. T. as the bearded lady, Bobcat Goldwaith as a sock-puppet-head, Randy Quaid as the evil ringmaster and Brooke Shields as the reporter who reveals this weird tale.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsDanny MulheronDonna AkerstenStuart DevenieMultiple animals and insects experience the sleazier side of show business while working on a variety show.Peter Jackson's send-up of the behind-the-scenes depravity on "The Muppet Show." Gory, perverse, offensive and utterly unforgettable!
- DirectorDavid WheatleyStarsCaroline MilmoeTom BellKilian McKennaAfter her parents are killed in a plane crash over the Grand Canyon, Melanie, a teenager girl and her younger brother and sister are sent to London to live with their uncle, Philip. There, she meets his mute wife Margaret, who is mistreated by and terrified of her husband and only converses through notes. She also meets Margaret's younger brothers Francie, a fiddler, and the rakish Finn. Her uncle is a toy maker, secretly has the power to make his toys come to life, but he also maintains dictatorial control over his family and intends to exercise the same control over the new arrival.Angela Carter's "The Company of Wolves" is a moderately well-known cult classic in the USA, but "The Magic Toyshop" is completely obscure and frustratingly unavailable... which sucks because it's an even more surreal Grimm's Fairy Tales inspired oddity, with countless bizarre and haunting visuals/moments. And just cuz it has toys and I said "Fairy Tale," don't be fooled into thinking it's a kiddie show (Caroline Milmoe even fondles herself during a lengthy nude scene!). If you like strange movies and can handle the snail's pace, this film is richly rewarding.
There's a copy on YouTube as of 2018, but hopefully a higher quality version will someday find its way into circulation. - DirectorAndy FickmanStarsKristen BellChristian CampbellNeve CampbellAn outrageous tongue-in-cheek musical comedy adaptation of the classic anti-marijuana propaganda film Reefer Madness (1936).A loving spoof of the 1930s scare film and the conservative morals of that era, this dazzling musical features a cast of familiar faces (Kristin Bell, Steven Webber, Ana Gasteyer, John Kassir) as well as zombie attacks and a lounge-singing Jesus Christ. Pure gold.
- DirectorTravis BetzStarsJeremiah BirkettSarah LassezWard RobertsA man uses a demon to save his girlfriend but the demon has a nefarious plan.A man conjures a demon to bring back his girlfriend, who was dragged to hell. Staged like a play, the ending is predictable a little too soon, but the over-the-top performances are great and there's so much comical weirdness that it leaves a lasting impression.
- DirectorPaul BogartStarsAnthony PerkinsDorothy StickneyLarry GatesA man becomes part of a secret society of people who live in a department store and quickly falls in love with their leader's young maid.Norman Bates moves into a department store populated by people who pose as mannequins during the day and there he falls in love with Liesl von Tropp. And did I mention it's a Stephen Sondheim musical?! AND a horror movie?!!! Plays like a musical episode of the "Twilight Zone."
- DirectorJames FargoStarsPia ZadoraCraig ShefferTom NolanAliens land in the town of "Speelburgh" searching for the source of rock & roll. They find trouble with Dee Dee, Frankie and the pack.New wave aliens are drawn to the music of Earth, where their leader falls for aspiring singer Pia Zadora, much to the annoyance of her greaser boyfriend. Made by Curb Records as a way to promote their acts (who were all dropped by the label long before the film got a wide American release), this infectious '80s musical-comedy b-movie spoof features more WTF moments than you can shake a stick at! Available on Blu-Ray in Germany, where it was a hit!
- DirectorJay WoelfelStarsNick BaldasareRick KeslerSusan PinskyBen hasn't been able to dream since the deaths of his parents, but as he attempts to make human connections, his nightmares begin to spill over into all of their waking lives.A college student unleashes a dream into his waking life.
Overlooking some amateurish acting (the professor is truly dreadful) and the bad monster puppet (seen only in glimpses), this is a wholly effective no-budgeter with really impressive setups and visual flair to spare. If you put too much thought into the story, it quickly falls apart, but if you can get engrossed, unplug your brain and go with the flow, it perfectly captures the feeling of a dream. I'm pretty baffled by the low IMDb rating - for fans of the weird, this is a little-known gem.
Also, make sure to look for "Come to Me Softly," a short film starring future-minister Rick Kelser that was edited into the VHS version to pad the running time, and "Closed for the Season," a subsequent film from writer/director Jay Woelfel, which suffers from pacing/FX, but boasts superior acting, and feels eerily like a companion. - DirectorBernard GirardStarsRobert CulpSamantha EggarSheila SullivanDissatisfied with the family architectural business, a man and his wife pack up and move out to his great-grandfather's old house in the country. While trying to patch it up, the house starts to make it clear to him that it doesn't want him there, but the local church (with some off-kilter practices of their own) seems to take a shine to him...Shelved by WB and later released by Penthouse, this incoherent absurdity stars Robert Culp ("I Spy," "The Greatest American Hero") as a man who inherits a backwoods home where he becomes possessed by an ancestor. Things take a bizarre turn when he wanders into town and finds himself at the center of a hillbilly hoedown orgy while Billy Joe Royal plays guitar and sings! Maybe someday a more coherent director's cut will surface (the AMC-aired cut was rumored to include additional footage), but until then the public domain print is worth the price of admission!
- DirectorPaul MorrisseyAndy WarholStarsBrigid BerlinRandy BorscheidtChristian PäffgenLacking a formal narrative, Warhol's art house classic follows various residents of the Chelsea Hotel in 1966 New York City, presented in a split screen with a single audio track in conjunction with one side of screen.Eons ago I wound up with an unmarked 120 minute tape with one of the two screens of this bizarre double-screen Warhol movie -- and I didn't know what the hell it was. After enduring the full split-screen version at a whopping 210 minutes, I'm still not sure what I watched. One thing's for certain, this is a film in dire need of an editor... and man, those 1960s drugs must've been mighty potent!
- DirectorMorley MarksonStarsJess WaltonJackie BurroughsLouis Del GrandeWanda and Eric are a couple who lead a wild sex life, while Elaine and Frederick have a troubled marriage on the verge of divorce. Into the mix comes Gus, a pizza delivery man who gets drawn into the two couples' power games.The title characters are Victor Garber and Jackie Burroughs, a hippie couple who get their kicks by putting on bizarre performance-art skits for themselves. Their antics are offset by their roommates, who are having marital difficulties... which pushes the woman into the trembling arms of the pizza boy. Garber and Burroughs are hypnotic in their roles and trippy hallucination sequences elevate the film. Unfortunately this Canadian oddity got miniscule distribution and has never been issued on home video... but there are copies floating around.
- StarsRichard O'BrienJoyce SpringerRichard RidingsThe Ink Thief steals the power of children's imaginations by taking the ink from drawings and pulling two young children into his world inhabited by Oobs and other creatures of imagination.Inventive British kids' miniseries with a tour-de-force performance by "Rocky Horror" creator Richard O'Brien as the titular villain. Blends live-action, animation, bizarre costumed characters and clever dialogue. Frustratingly unavailable in the USA and never released on DVD, it was briefly issued on VHS in the UK, and there's a tie-in novelization featuring production art as illustrations.
- DirectorDusan MakavejevStarsCarole LaurePierre ClémentiAnna PrucnalAfter winning the "most virgin" contest, Miss Canada is married to a rich milk tycoon. But she quickly flees the marriage to experience the world around her, full of sweetness and anarchy.Words thoroughly elude me on this one. Suffice it to say John Waters' early flicks look absolutely tame by comparison! Not only includes sex and nudity but plentiful on-screen urination! You have been warned!
- DirectorPaul BartelStarsAyn RuymenLucille BensonJohn VentantonioYoung Cheryl moves into her estranged aunt Martha's rundown King Edward Hotel. One of its offbeat residents, disturbed photographer George, takes special interest in her. Cheryl begins suspecting that a resident was murdered.Teenage runaway Cheryl takes refuge at the hotel populated by weirdos (including a killer!) and owned by her eccentric Aunt Martha (Lucille Benson, "Bosom Buddies"). There she develops a voyeuristic relationship with a creepy photographer. I won't even get into the water-filled sex doll. This is a Paul Bartel sleazefest that's hampered a bit by its overtly comical resolution. A friend of mine complained that Cheryl "doesn't behave like a human being," and I'm sort of inclined to agree... though that's part of the charm.
- DirectorApril CampbellRandy SmithStarsRay BesharahVictoria LuloffStephanie MoranHorror and Hamsters is the craziest anthology film you'll ever see. Twisted horror segments intertwined with cute, fluffy, family-friendly hamster videos. The filmmakers were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.Think you've seen it all? Bet you haven't seen a horror-comedy-anthology interspersed with adorable hamster footage! This one-of-a-kind no-budget Canadian oddity is actually better than it has any right to be, boasting a few decent actors, some funny moments, impressive practical effects, unforseen twists and precocious little hamsters who sometimes have difficulty balancing on the tiny sets. Actually, the hamsters steal the show! On the downside, there's nothing really scary and some of the jokes miss by a mile, but the movie has such a truly bizarre concept that it's worthy of inclusion on this list.
- DirectorOtto PremingerStarsJackie GleasonCarol ChanningFrankie AvalonInfamous psychedelic all-star comedy about ex-gangster Tony Banks, who's called out of retirement by mob kingpin God to carry out a hit on fellow mobster "Blue Chips" Packard. When Banks demurs, God kidnaps his daughter Darlene on his luxury yacht.Groucho Marx is crime boss "God," who sends Jackie Gleason to jail to kill Mickey Rooney. There Gleason's bunkmate, Austin Pendleton, turns him onto LSD... and soon everyone is tripping out! Meanwhile, Gleason's wife, human anomaly Carol Channing, is on the outside desperately trying to locate her missing husband - and she'll seduce a grossed-out Frankie Avalon if she has to!
Directed by Otto Preminger, featuring a bevy of villains from TV's "Batman" sitcom, a handful of infectious songs by Harry Nillson (who SINGS the cast and crew credits!) and a who's-who of aging '50s and '60s TV stars, this bizarro, big-budget acid trip of a counterculture-clash comedy has to be seen to be believed! And dammit, I can't get Channing's nonsensical theme song out of my head! Unavailable for decades, the movie's now out from Olive Films, and the soundtrack's on iTunes.