Surreal Cinema

I've have not watched a good surreal film in quite a long time and the new Twin Peaks season makes me want more. I've watched most Luis Bunuel (UCA, TEA, TDCB), Federico Fellini (LDV, 81/2, Amar.), Alejandro Jodorowksy (ET, THM), David Lynch (all) and I got into Ingmar Bergman not so long (TSS, WS, Pers., C&W).

Surrealism is my favourite cinematic style and I'm probably missing on a lot of great things. What are your favourite surreal movies?

 

Like you, my favourite surreal films are the films of David Lynch, Fellini, Bunuel und Ingmar Bergman (you really should see Vargtimmen .

But I also like the films of the Quay Brothers, especially "Streets of Crocodiles".

I can also recommend Naked Lunch, Delicatessen, Enemy by Villeneuve and Leolo.
Cache by Michael Haneke is also very good, but maybe this not a real surealistic Film.

 

A recent one I quite liked is The Neon Demon.

 

I love the Monkees' movie 'Head', directed by Bob Rafelson and co-written by Jack Nicholson who makes a cameo appearance, with guest appearances by Frank Zappa, Victor Mature, Annette Funicello, Sonny Liston plus brief appearances by Terri Garr and Toni Basil dancing with Davy Jones in the 'Daddy's Song' musical number.

 

I don't know if it's truly considered 'surreal', but...
another thread here got me thinking of my favorite Ken Russel films of the late-'80's:
"Liar Of The White Worm" & "Salome's Last Dance"

 

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Czechoslovakia, 1970):

 

If you liked that, try this

 

Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974) by Jacques Rivette
Black Moon (1975) by Louis Malle
Malpertuis (1971) by Harry Kümel (Director's cut)
Dellamorte Dellamore (1994) by Michele Soavi

 

A Clockwork Orange

 

Good call on Malpertuis; one of my favourites, also.

Never could get into Rivette.

 

Not a surrealist film, IMO.

 

The Swimmer (1968) starring Burt Lancaster.

With a different approach it could have been one of the most "normal" suburban life films imaginable, instead it becomes something very different to that.

 

Kubrick is my all-time favourite director; I've seen everything he's made. I don't really think any of his films (with the possible exception of 2001) can classify as surreal.

 

Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth"

 

Try ''Don't touch the axe'', Guillaume Depardieu's performance is a must see. It's not surreal.

 

Saul Bass' 'Phase IV" gets pretty surreal.

Russ Meyers "Beneath the Valley of the Ultra Vixens" is so insane it's surreal.

 

Michel Gondry films have many surreal elements that you may enjoy. The Science of Sleep and Mood Indigo particularly come to mind. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind while more science fiction contains these elements as well.

 

There's almost 2 hours of my life I'll never get back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for the recommendation. If I come across it, I'll give it a go.

It isn't the surrealist element in Rivette's fawned-over mid-period that I find troublesome. I've seen much weirder stuff than that. It's more that I find the women running around the Parisian suburbs, being all quirky and cute, irritating as hell. Celine and Julie and Le Pont du Nord are full of that stuff, which American Francophiles seem to lap up in spades. It's just not for me.

 

Two Japanese films:

 

I probably wouldn't call those surreal, but I was a big Russell fan back then and "Salome" was always a favourite of mine. I loved the over-the-top way the text was presented. Too bad it never came out on DVD, I would love to see it again.

 

Is the streaming service Vudu available in Germany? I'm pretty sure that's how I saw it just a few months ago.