Cul-De-Sac (1966) Eggs, Mead and Pleasence in a Dress

Can you judge a film by it’s cover? Yeah course you can in this case! Flicking through a few movie titles on a search for something different I stumbled across the intriguing title of Cul-De-Sac. What grabbed me in was the minimalist artwork from the cover of The Criterion Collection release and then the hook, line and sinker, Donald Pleasence. Oh I do love a good Donald performance and this film highlights his quirky style to the fullest.

Being There (1979) – Peter Sellers Gardening Guru

Being There is one of those movies that digs about in your brain, popping up throughout the day nagging at you to decipher what it was all about. Could it be that deep, did it have so many undercurrent takes on life, metaphors of differing scales on the human condition .. I don’t know to be honest but man did I absolutely adored this film.

Mickey One (1965) – Free Jazz New Wave

Within five minutes of Mickey One, this experimental film levellies a barrage of outstanding cool black and white images at you. Everyone you could instantly freeze frame, print and stick straight up on your wall.

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) Elvis Presley & JFK Fight Egyptian Mummy!

Elvis Presley and JFK are alive and living in an old people’s nursing home. Slowly decaying with age and boredom, they get a new lease on life when an ancient Egyptian Mummy wearing cowboy clothes turns up feasting on the elderly residents souls.
Elvis, or Sebastian Haff as he is going by now, is more concerned about a growth on the end of pecker and JFK, aka Jack,  is worried Lyndon B Johnson is back trying to hunt him down.

Tagline – The King vs. The King of the Dead

The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)

Sometimes you come across a film you should’ve heard of. For me it was The Gods Must Be Crazy from 1980. I’ll tell you straight out the gate it’s one hell of a goofball comedy with heaps of sweetness to boot. Can’t see how on Earth I missed it as it seems everyone I talk to has heard of it! What with 45 thousand ratings on IMDB bringing its score up to 7.3/10 this movie is much loved and has a devoted cult following. Quick read after watching it, I was surprised to see that it made a colossal amount of money with a worldwide take of around 100 million dollars! Making it one of the most commercially successful films to come out of South Africa.

Tagline – The critics are raving… the natives are restless… and the laughter is non-stop!

Forklift Driver Klaus (2000)

Many years ago I had attended a course for my forklift license. Twelve of us sitting around a projector screen really not wanting to be there, half dozing off and all getting a little tetchy. In walks the instructor, a tall German guy with a cheeky grin. He pulls out a VHS cassette tape and explains to us the video he is about to show us is the first part of the test and if any of us are squeamish or easily shocked then to please leave now. I gave a little growl “haa what me” and we had a little giggle. 10 minutes later, one guy had been sick and another had left the room but to me it was just another night prowling the city.

Tagline – First day on the job turns out to be the real challenge

Themroc (1973)

Billed as a comedy and to be honest it is but you get incest and cannibalism to boot! Crazier than a bag of jellied eels Themroc is a first class nut job. This film is definitely not to all tastes but if you want an anarchic journey into a man’s brain in pure melt down mode then this is the film to watch.

Psychomania AKA The Death Wheelers (1973)

This is perfect late night horror comedy gold. Caught this gem sometime at the tail end of the 80’s after a night on the tiles. Stumbled in, collapsed on the sofa and stared like a zombie at the tv transfixed by the berserk bat shit antics of this ridiculous goofy film. Just the title alone, Psychomania, is enough to pull you in. It does go by another name too the equally brilliant The Death Wheelers.

The Dead Still Ride…the living howl in TERROR!