Recommend me Surrealist Movies

I love surrealist movies. I love them from the relatively mundane such a Bunuel's "Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" to the completely nuts like Jodorowsky's "Holy Mountain." However, I've reached a point where I'm not sure where to go, so I'm looking for help. Recommend to me some surreal movies. I'll accept movies that are just filled with strange imagery, but I'd prefer those with that strange, dream-like quality that make you wonder what's happening and why. Also, if you want to tell me a little about the movies that you're recommending that'd be great too.

No Tim Burton need apply.

Here's what I've seen and enjoyed:
Holy Mountain
El Topo
Santa Sangre
Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Exterminating Angel (not really, surreal, but kind of)
Un Chien Andalou
Videodrome
Eraserhead
Mulholland Dr
American Astronaut (again not really surrealist, but not too far off)
Pi
Brazil
Being John Malkovich


Movies I Did Not Enjoy:
Fando y Lis
Tetsuo: The Iron Man

To-Watch List:
Begotten
Inland Empire
L'age D'or
Phantom of Liberty (if anyone knows where I can get a reasonably priced copy of this, that'd be fantastic)
8 1/2
Valhalla Rising
Marebito
Simon of the Desert
Gozu
Toby Dammit
Hour of the Wolf
Blow-Up
Mickey One
Hawks and Sparrows
Songs from the Second Floor


There's a ton I'm forgetting, but those are the big ones. I appreciate any help you guys can offer.

reply to post by SaulGoodman


Hey. This one may be a bit dark for your tastes but I found the movie Valhalla Rising to be quite thoroughly trippy. It really takes you into the mindset of the characters. Mind you, this is no family movie but check it out and let me know what u think. It's a great movie but very underrated.

With the movies you've listed above, I'm assuming you're probably familiar with the following short film by Maya Deren and Alexander Hamid titled 'Meshes of the Afternoon.'

Experimentally surreal I would say. One of my absolutely favorite short films.

Eraserhead is Wicked.
Unfortunately I have nothing to add to your list.
I just wanted to peak at yours.
THANKS!

In Bruges is the only one i can think of right now, but its a really good film.

check it out

If you Like Bunuel, I recommend Simon of The Desert HIGHLY. Some other good ones are....

Inland Empire (David Lynch)
L'age D'or (Another Luis Bunuel)
Being John Malkovich
City of Lost Children
Lost Highway (Just can't get enough Lynch I tell ya!)
Tetsuo: The Iron Man (A VISCERAL film experience)
8 1/2 (Federico Fellini)
Naked Lunch (Cronenbergs take on the infamous novel)
Pi (Daron Aronofsky)
Waking Life (Richard Linklater)
Marebito
Gozu (Takaishi Miike)
Visitor Q (Takashi Miike)


I could think of more but my brain is slowed down ATM due to tiredness, hope this helps though .

Tetsuo: The Iron Man


Edit*My Bad Should have read your not like list

Originally posted by The GUT
With the movies you've listed above, I'm assuming you're probably familiar with the following short film by Maya Deren and Alexander Hamid titled 'Meshes of the Afternoon.'

I have not heard of this! I'll watch it soon, Thank you!

Originally posted by xXxinfidelxXx
reply to post by SaulGoodman

 

Valhalla Rising

I've seen this on Amazon, but never looked into it, since I figured it was just kind of a mediocre Viking movie, but it seems like it's kind of a crazy, art house, ball-tripping Viking movie, which sounds awesome. Adding it to my To-Watch list. Thanks!

Originally posted by Vinterskogen
In Bruges

Great movie. I own it. The line "Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf. I think I'm heading home" is forever in my head. I'm looking for things that are stranger than In Bruge though.

reply to post by GoldenObserver


A lot of these are on my To-Watch list, some of them are even on Netflix Instant. 8/12 is one I really need to sit down and watch, I just haven't done it yet. Simon of the Desert and Inland Empire, I've been dying to see. Love Pi. Being John Malkovich and Lost Highway are good. Added Marebito to my list. Thanks.

I had forgotten about Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I actually HATED Tetsuo. 15 minutes in, I thought I was 40 minutes in and was hoping it was almost over. The concept was interesting and it had some cool imagery, but I quickly got bored and annoyed with it. At the risk of sounding like an old person, it was like the MTV version of Eraserhead. There was some cool imagery and the concept was interesting, but it was just loud and screechy with ADD editing. I can see why people love it, but I just didn't dig it.

well there is surrealism in the dogma film 'dancer in the dark' by lars von trier and it has bjork in it.. winner
try it out... great dream like sequences. and dark. very dark.

The Happiness of the Katakuris

reply to post by SaulGoodman


This may satisfy your mind...I have seen it multiple times, and see something new each time.

Box of Moonlight.

Here is only one of the many many reviews posted...

5.0 out of 5 stars A Box Full of Golden Moments, February 28, 2000By
kuroneko1 "kuroneko1" (Istanbul Turkey) - See all my reviews

This review is for: Box of Moonlight

This Indie release from Tom Di cillo sure makes Hollywood to eat his heart out. J.Turturro gives one of his best performances in that movie which actually criticises our daily lives and points to the absence of happiness and satisfaction that can be gained from very small things from the life itself without asking for much effort. Story is based on a friendship between two people who come together with the trick of the faith. Story is well told by the director and the camera. Additionally actors even put more grace in it with their remarkable efforts.A touch of light humour is also adds to the flavour. Another successful example of US Indie cinema. A magical box of moonlight.
www.amazon.com...

Another I find myself drawn to over and over..."Being John Malkovich"
A must see if only once...


Only one of 502 reviews

This review is from: Being John Malkovich (DVD)
Don't get me wrong- I loved American Beauty. I was shocked by The Sixth Sense. I was moved by Magnolia. But for me, the movie in 1999 that made me sit back and say "wow" was Being John Malkovich.

I am sure you know the plot, and words wouldn't help to describe how original (and ingenious) it is. The film works on so many levels- it is a screwball comedy, an existential discussion of the nature of existence, a study of sexual identity, and a satire of the modern desire to "escape" from life. On top of all of that, it is darn entertaining to watch!

The characters (played to perfection but Cusack, Diaz, Keener, and Malkovich himself) are all well-drawn, and the actors do a fantastic job- wait until you see Diaz, unrecognizable in frizzy hair and frumpy dress.

The directing is top notch as well. Spike Jonze (of Three Kings fame) has made a wise choice- he recognizes the script is the star and has directed a film without any flashy camera work, which would detract from the real focal point. That is not to say the work is pedestrian- he did everything that had to be done to make the film, and he did it well (note his Oscar nod for best director).

The production design is a big star here as well. The 7 1/2 floor is almost "Gilliam-esque"- in fact, when I first saw the preview I assumed it was Terry Gilliam's (Brazil, 12 Monkeys) newest film.

The best word to describe this film is "giddy." I saw that because that is what I brought away from it- I felt giddy watching it, and you can teel the cast and crew felt the same making it. The best thing I have read about the film was from a rejection letter from another studio, which neglected to option the screenplay: "I'm sure Being John Malkovich would be regarded as a work of genius on whatever planet it was written." If that doesn't make you want to see the thing, nothing will.
www.amazon.com...

You are only the third person that I know of who has seen El Topo

There are these Bill Burroughs shorts if you have never scene them

Mirror Mask ,

Brazil ,

immortals , (not the new one)

dark city


clockwork orange

reply to post by SaulGoodman


Glad you asked. Now we're talking about something I really enjoy. You can put these on your watch list:

Anything by Jean Cocteau (Beauty and the Beast, Blood of a Poet, Orpheus)
Bunuel's Un Chien Andalou
Fellini's Toby Dammit (part of The Spirits of the Dead film trilogy)
Douglas Fairbanks' Mystery of the Leaping Fish
Betty Boop early cartoons (esp. Snow White)
Mickey One
Pasolini's Hawks and Sparrows

That's all I can think of right now...brain's kinda tired; but if/when I think of more, I'll post them here. Enjoy!

reply to post by SaulGoodman


8 1/2 has one of the most amazing openings in film history, and it's one of the best films ever made on the art form itself.

This one upset me

Blow-up

Blow-Up (1966) is writer/director Michelangelo Antonioni's view of the world of mod fashion, and an engaging, provocative murder mystery that examines the existential nature of reality interpreted through photography (also painting and pantomime). It was set in mid-60s London, a locale fairly unfamiliar to the director, although well known at the time for its trends including the Beatles, stick-thin fashion model Twiggy, and the mod styles at Carnaby Street. This was Antonioni's first film in English, and it quickly became one of the most important films of its decade, and it was his first international box-office success. It was also a milestone in liberalized attitudes toward film nudity and expressions of sexuality (reportedly the first British film to display full-frontal nudity).

The taut and provocative film about perception and voyeurism was a combination murder mystery, a look at the world of fashion, and one of the greatest films ever made about watching and making movies (composed of still images). Antonioni's story was inspired by the 1959 short story "Las Babas Del Diablo" ("The Devil's Drool") by Julio Cortazar. It followed the quest of a photographer who believed he saw something intriguing that turned out to be very tragic. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards (with no wins): Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay (Michelangelo Antonioni and Tonino Guerra, and Edward Bond), and it won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1967.

reply to post by ELahrairah


I'll check out those Burroughs shorts and Hour of the Wolf sounds great. Thanks. I don't think I've seen any Bergman

reply to post by Destinyone


I've wanted to see Blow-Up since forever. I keep forgetting about it. Thanks for reminding me.

reply to post by Lagrimas


I've heard about Dancer in the Dark. I've watched some brutal movies, but I'm afraid of Lars Von Trier. All I've heard is that he just destroys you with his movies. As a film fan, I should watch him because anyone that can shake you up like that should be experienced, I just don't know if I could do it. I'll keep it mind though. Thanks.

reply to post by SaulGoodman


I'll just add Dancer in the Dark is also one of my personal favourite films. It should be enjoyed with a quality audio system, its wasted watched it at speaking levels, crank it up a little way (not overboard) to enjoy the music, especially the ending which still haunts me to this day.

(edit:- I'd describe the movie as beautifully haunting, not brutal)

Not so sure if you'd classify DitD as surrealist, nor my next suggestion, but Pans Labyrinth is in my top few movies of the last 10 years. Highly recommend it.

reply to post by SaulGoodman


"Human Centipede 2". B+W. Have a couple of chile cheeze dogs before you watch it to get your money's worth.--