Born in Europe after World War I, Surrealism is an avant-garde cultural movement in art and literature that seeks to allow the unconscious mind to roam freely through methods like the irrational juxtaposition of images. Throughout the years, this movement (or elements of it) has been present in cinema on multiple occasions. It’s an artistic system that lends itself perfectly to the magic of moving pictures, which many filmmakers have proved over the years.
Masters of cinematic surrealism likeDavid LynchandAlejandro Jodorowskyhave beenable to depict a dreamlike, hard-to-grasp atmosphere in their movies, which often leave audiences scratching their headsand craving to make sense of what they just watched. Some of cinematic history’s best movies are exquisitely bizarre surrealist spectacles, fromEraserheadtoThe Holy Mountain.
15’Inland Empire' (2006)
Directed by David Lynch
David Lynch’s most recent feature film follows an actor (Laura Dern) whose environment crumbles around her as she tries to adopt a character’s personality for her movie. Full of Lynch’s typical idiosyncrasies and knack for the dreamlike, the sensual, and the outright mind-boggling, it’s perhaps his movie that features the largest number of motifs that are present throughout his whole filmography.
Inland Empireis perhaps the closest a movie has ever come to translating a nightmare into reality. It not only doesn’t follow narrative conventions, it pretends they don’t exist at all, resulting in an experience that’s hard to judge because of how impossible it is to pin down. While the central theme of most Lynch films can semi-satisfyingly be boiled down to one sentence,whatInland Empireis actually aboutis much harder to define, making it a delightful experience for fans of cinematic surrealism.
Inland Empire
As an actress begins to adopt the persona of her character in a film, her world becomes nightmarish and surreal.
14’Beau Is Afraid' (2023)
Directed by Ari Aster
Ari Aster, one of the most exciting new voices in cinema, is no stranger to bizarre movies. But now thatBeau Is Afraidhas come out, all that came before retrospectively feels like a warm-up for the delightfully weird quasi-mythical tale that the director has put out into the world. Borrowing as much from Freud as it does from the Odyssey,Aster’s twisted creation is one ofthe best psychological comediesin recent years.
It’s very easy to hate the movie, an unapologetically weird exercise of artistic self-indulgence. But those willing to look past its challenging atmosphere are bound to find one of the boldest, most risk-taking films of the decade, with a powerhouse performance byJoaquin Phoenixand no shortage of thought-provoking themes bolstering an enthralling story.
Beau Is Afraid
Directed by Phil Tippett
Legendary puppeteer and visual effects expertPhil Tippett, who participated in films as visually staggering asJurassic Parkand theStar Warsoriginal trilogy, is the brilliant mind behind the virtually plotlessMad God. While its story (if it even can be called that) is hard to describe, it’s essentially about an assassin traveling through a nightmare world of tortured souls and wretched monsters forged from the primordial horrors of Tippett’s unconscious mind.
Even then, it’s nearly impossible to more faithfully describe the film’s narrative since it’s so loose and impenetrable.Like all great surrealist films, all ofMad God’s symbolism is up to interpretation, meaning that each viewer will see something different in this gory, vulgar, but incredibly fascinating celebration of the grotesque, which will definitely leave horror addicts craving more.
12’Paprika' (2006)
Directed by Satoshi Kon
The greatSatoshi Konwas a master of his craft, a paragon of Japanese animated filmmaking, and the creator of some of the most surreal movies of their kind out there.Paprika, one of his most acclaimed works, is the very definition of the word “dreamlike.” Considering that it’s literally amovie about people entering others' dreams(a concept that inspiredChristopher Nolan’sInception), that seems only fitting.
Paprikais absolutely wild, and jam-packed with cerebral themes and plot points, memorable characters, overwhelmingly excessive visuals, and narrative elements that viewers will be struggling to piece together. It’s an unforgettable experience that demands at least a couple of rewatches to be properly appreciated – and even then, it can never truly be fully understood.
Watch on Tubi
11’House' (1977)
Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi
Houseis one of the most underrated Japanese movies ever, offeringthe perfect mixture of horror and camp. Like all the best surrealist movies, this is one that’s practically impossible to box into any one category, and that makes it even better. Its weirdness makes it challenging, but it never ceases to be fun to try and decipher all that it has to say.
Gleefully offbeat and delighted to upset the status quo in every way it can,Househooks one’s attentionfrom its very first frame and doesn’t let go until the credits start rolling. It’s the kind of surrealism that one can only find in Japanese cinema, amped up to eleven. It won’t be for everyone, but that’s by design, as it’s specifically for those who enjoy the kind of boundless surrealism only the greatest in the genre can offer.
Watch on Max
10’The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie' (1972)
Directed by Luis Buñuel
This bizarre comedy is one of thebest films of the Spanish filmmakerLuis Buñuel, one of the first artists to bring surrealism to the silver screen. It’s about an upper-class sextet whose efforts to have dinner are thwarted by a mysterious series of events. Its lavish production design and terrific performances make it such an absorbing experience, and it’s Buñuel’s exquisite direction and writing that make it one of the best surreal movies.
Characterized by Buñuel’s modern satirical style,The Discreet Charmof the Bourgeoisiemocks and hilariously critiques the upper class the way only this director knew how.Buñuel uses the nature of dreams to insert the audience into the deepest corners of human natureand does so in such a genius way that the film won a Best Foreign Film award at the Oscars.
Watch on Criterion
9’Videodrome' (1983)
Directed by David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg, particularly earlier in his career, was always happy to make a mind-bending film full of his signature style of surrealism.Videodromeis no exception, and it’s perhaps the director’s best use of body horror (a subgenre that he’s remembered as the main representative of). It’s anoutstanding sci-fi horror thrillerabout a programmer at a Toronto TV station who specializes in adult entertainment, as he searches for the producers of a bizarre and elusive broadcast.
While it explores complex (and growingly timely) themes such as the control of the media over its consumers and the dark sides of technology,Videodromeis no chore to sit through. It’s incredibly entertaining and audacious, and it constantly seems to be making a conscious effort to be as perplexingly odd as it possibly can. Making a bold statement on how technology directly affects the human body,it’s the perfect manifesto of the themes that have plagued Cronenberg’s whole body of work.
Videodrome
8’The Holy Mountain' (1973)
Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky
Chilean artist Alejandro Jodorowsky hasa uniquely weird filmography, andThe Holy Mountainmight be his most idiosyncratic movie. In this Mexican adventure drama, an alchemist leads a prophet and seven materialistic men to a Holy Mountain, where they hope to gain enlightenment. While not the most welcoming introduction to Jodorowsky’s style, it’s certainly a perfect fit for those who have already gotten started with surrealistic movies and want to dive deeper.
Visually impressive and stylistically delightful,The Holy Mountaindisplays everything that makes this unique auteur so acclaimed.However, it certainlybecomes much more enjoyable if you give yourself up to its magic and don’t attempt to find any literal meaning. In fact, that may be the case with any Jodorowsky film.
Watch on IndieFlix
7’Mulholland Drive' (2001)
Perhaps the most popular (and arguably the best) film by David Lynch,one of the biggest authorities in surrealist cinema nowadays,Mulholland Driveis about a woman who has just arrived in Hollywood to become a star when she meets an enigmatic amnesiac who shakes up her world. While certainly not an easy watch, it rewards viewers' patience and attention with some of the most powerful scenes of Lynch’s filmography.
Having watched only the first half ofMulholland Drive, it would be easy to dismiss it as the cheesy work of an amateur. But once the third act comes rolling in, all the pieces begin to fall into place and it just clicks. Everyone has theories about the movie’s meaning, and each one is as intriguing as the last.
Mulholland Drive
Rent on Apple TV
6’Daisies' (1966)
Directed by Vera Chytilová
The Czech masterpieceDaisiesis about two teenage girls who decide to act as spoiled as they deem the world to be. It’s the weirdest possible celebration of womanhood and a smart examination of what society considers offputting or unacceptable, offering some really potent social commentary that remains as timely today as it was back in the mid-’60s.
Daisiesis the embodiment of a contradiction.It’s revolting yet impossible to look away from, funny yet head-scratching, hard to recommend yet an absolute must-see. It’s profound, incredibly powerful, and has a realgut punch of an ending. It may be hard to get into at first, but it’s absolutely worth the extra effort once the final shot comes and it all makes total sense.
