List by Adam Moody
Is This Science Class?
I love experimental films to pieces. That is a very broad classification, but this list is reserved for films that embrace mixing genres and treat us to unorthodox and innovative filmmaking styles, among other things. Recommendations are not just appreciated, they are encouraged!
Can I make a pitch for the films of Richard Kelly? Southland Tales and The Box are extremely experimental, and Donnie Darko has its moments.
I have not seen Southland Tales or The Box. Is The Box really more experimental than Donnie Darko?
Great picks, Phil! Thank you for saying Tetsuo, Russian Ark and Enter The Void, I have been meaning to watch all three of them for a while now. A couple weeks ago I watched Peter Watkins' The War Game and it blew my mind so I am definitely interesting in Culloden.
The Box is experimental in a very small way, mostly with the way it plays with storytelling, and in many ways takes some of the structural elements of Darko to the next level. And Southland Tales is just insanely experimental.
Twice Upon a Time - The only film (as far as I am aware) to use an animation technique called lumage.
Dalias Idok - Another animated film using an unusual animation style.
Mind Game - The final animated film I will mention, this one mixes many styles together and is one of the most inventive films you are likely to see.
House - A batshit mental horror comedy from Japan.
La Jetee - A sci-fi masterpiece that uses still photography to tell its story.
Performance - Nicolas Roeg's debut feature and his most experimental.
Dog Star Man - Stan Brakhage
Blue - Derek Jarman
Timecode - Not a fan of the film but 4 videos continually playing in real time is a strange experience.
The Cosmic Eye
Vampyr - An unusual and dreamy horror film from the '30s that uses some great camera trickery and 'flashes' the film to create a strange twilight appearance.
Case for a Rookie Hangman - A Czech bureaucratic Alice in Wonderland.
Hypothesis of a Stolen Painting, - Raoul Ruiz's deconstruction of art. A genuine one of a kind experience.
Morel's Invention - A science fiction film with an unusual hook (my review is on the site to explain the concept further).
The Dancing Hawk - A mental film with incredibly inventive cinematography by Zbigniew Rybczynski (Angst).
After Life - Mixing documentary and fantasy in interesting ways
Adam - Wow, Vampyr is the only one of those I have seen and La Jetee and Performance are the only other two I've heard of. Definitely need to add some of those to the list. House has been on my list for a long time and Dog Star Man looks thoroughly interesting.
Synechdoche, New York would be a good addition. Mind-twister royale.
My pet favorite, Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai de commerce, 1080 Bruxelles is very experimental, especially in terms of the audience's endurance. Over three hours of focusing on the towering significance of tiny gestures.
Louis Malle's Zazie Dans Le Metro is a great genre-bender of a film, sorta slapstick, sort of art-house, very colorful, very giddy.
And one last suggestion: Christopher Smith's Triangle. Takes the genre conventions of sci-fi/horror and turns them inside-out and upside-down. Such a pleasant experience to have your mind warped by someone with directorial authority!
Michel Deville's Dossier 51 is an unusual film. This New York Times review from 1978 explains it best.
Also Louise Malle's bizarre fantasy Black Moon is uneven but worth experiencing at least once in your life.
Devon - Great suggestions! I was unable to find Zazie Dans Le Metro on here, if you can just give me the link and I'll add it.
Adam - Added both!
@Adam - oh, I see they have Zazie on here under the excruciatingly literal title Zazie In The Subway. Regardless of the title, that is the cute side of experimental filmmaking incarnate. Might have to rewatch it this weekend, actually!
Devon - That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure. It's added now!
Southland Tales would fit perfect to this list, but I highly doubt you'd like it.
Let me respectably rephrase that, I don't think you'd like Southland Tales, but if you do, that'd be fantastic! Cuz I gave it a 5/5.
@Chris So glad to see I'm not the only one who adores that movie.
Although I understand why it gets hated, I just understand what Richard Kelly is trying to do and accept it. Also, there isn't another film like it, anyways, it makes sense a second time round.
Might I also suggest a short film called "Meshes Of The Afternoon", at only 13 minutes long it is not only one of the finest short experimental films ever made but one of the best films in general. It is highly influential on the likes of surrealistic directors such as David Lynch. Here is the youtube link so you can watch it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S03Aw5HULU