Do you call yourself a cinephile? If yes, then how many of these films have you seen?
1. Pink Flamingos
Directed by- John Waters
Written by- John Waters
Starring- Divine, David Lochary, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, and Mary Vivian Pearce
Made on a budget of $12,000 budget, Pink Flamingos was the first part of John Waters’ “Trash Trilogy.” To the uninitiated, John Waters is the self-proclaimed “King of Trash.” Waters is an independent filmmaker who is known for his provocative style of filmmaking. Most of his movies push the boundaries of conventional storytelling and cultural norms and Pink Flamingo is his magnum opus.
Pink Flamingo follows two families who are trying to win the title of “the filthiest person alive.” On one corner you have the notorious criminal Divine, her mother Edie, and her son Crackers. And on the corner, you have Connie and Raymond Marble who run a black market baby ring, where they kidnap women and forcefully impregnate them.
Upon its initial release in 1972, this movie was banned in several countries as it features a record-breaking number of revolting scenes. Some of these includes animal cruelty, cannibalism, incest, murder, foot fetishism, and voyeurism, to name just a few. Despite this, the movie has become a cult classic and was even selected for preservation by the United States Library of Congress. There is nothing more counterculture than Pink Flamingos.
This movie is not for the faint of heart. I looked away from the screen several times yet I still enjoyed certain aspects of the film and went on to explore the rest of John Waters’ filmography, which I am very proud of.
Barking Dogs Never Bite
Directed by- Bong Joon-ho
Written by- Bong Joon-ho, Song Ji-ho, and Derek Son Tae-Woong
Starring- Lee Sung-Jae and Bae Doona
Bong Joon-ho is an Academy Award-winning South Korean filmmaker and screenwriter who is best known for directing the 2019 thriller Parasite and Memories of Murder. Joon-Ho’s films are known for their genre-mixing, black humour, and sudden tonal shifts.
Barking Dogs Never Bite is Bong Joon-Ho’s directorial debut. The film came out in 2000 and follows an out-of-work college professor who becomes incredibly irritated by the barking dogs in his apartment building. When one day he decides to kill one of these dogs, he learns that the security guard of the building kidnaps dogs and cooks them in the basement of the building.
The movie is a must watch especially if you love Joon-ho’s other directorial endeavors. I watched this film before I became a pet parent and I can say that this black comedy is a slightly tough watch. However, it subverts your expectations in many ways and is pretty interesting.
3. Bramayugam
Directed by- Rahul Sadasivan
Written by- Rahul Sadasivan and T.D. Ramakrishnan
Starring- Mammootty, Arjun Ashokan, and Sidharth Bharathan
Bramayugam is a 2024 Malayalam folk horror film by Rahul Sadasivan. Shot entirely in black and white, the film is set in 17th Century Malabar coast. The movie opens with Thevan and Koran, two men who are trying to escape the Portuguese slave trade by hiding in the forest. When the two get separated, Thevan discovers an old mansion and enters its premises.
In the run-down house, he finds the cook and the master of the house. At first, Thevan is treated as a guest despite his low status but then he quickly realizes that nobody can leave the house without the permission of the master. The film follows Thevan and the cook as they find a way to leave the house.
In the age of CGI, I long for practical effects and real locations because they make so much difference. This film delivered that and much more. Each frame of this film is meticulously designed. The sound design is terrifying but captivating and the acting is stupendous. This was my first Mammootty film and it isn’t going to be the last. Every time he came on the screen he was perfect and so was Sidharth Bharthan.
4. Female Prisoner Scorpion Series
Directed by- Shunya Ito
Based on- Scorpion by Toru Shinohara
Starring- Meiko Kaji
Female Prisoner Scorpion film series is a series of 4 films- Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable, and Female Prisoner Scorpion: 701’s Grudge Song. All of these films were released in the span of two years 1972-1973.
The movies are based on the manga ‘Scorpion’ by Toru Shinohara and stars Meiko Kaji in the titular role of Nami Matsushima. The film follows Nami as she seeks revenge against her lover who sends her to prison. As the series progresses, Nami is sent from one prisoner to another and is finally able to escape police custody.
The Female Prisoner Scorpion film series is part of a very specific genre of films from the late 1960s called ‘sexploitation.’ Most films in this genre follow female leads who were either sexually exploited and are now taking revenge or using their sexuality as a tool for committing crimes. If you love Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2, then you’d be surprised to notice certain similar elements that inspired Tarantino.
5. Braindead
Directed by- Peter Jackson
Written by- Stephen Sinclair, Fran Walsh, and Peter Jackson
Starring- Timothy Balme, Diana Penalver, Elizabeth Moody, and Ian Watkin
Are you a fan of the zombie movie genre but are bored by the current types of films? If yes, then you’ll absolutely love Braindead. Braindead came out in 1992 and was directed by Peter Jackson, who went on to direct the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Braindead is one of my absolute favorite films and I revisit it at least once a year.
It follows Lionel, a timid young man with a controlling mother. While on a date with his new girlfriend, his spying mother gets bit by a rat monkey which turns her into a zombie. Lionel then keeps his zombified mother in his basement along with other people she has zombified.
I love this movie for several reasons. The setting is beautiful and all of the characters are unique and hilarious. The other reason I like this film is, you guessed it, the practical effects. The creatures in the film are so gross and lifelike, and they make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. I love that.
