GreenCine.com (pronounced “green scene”) is an online movie rental business in the mold of Netflix or Blockbuster. Customers select from a constantly growing library of films (over 50,000), and these choices are then delivered by mail. Once a movie has been viewed, the customer is ready to return the DVD and receive another film, all for a low monthly price and no late fees.

But the big difference between GreenCine.com and its competitors is selection. GreenCine prides itself on being a service for hardcore film buffs, so they carry a wide range of foreign, independent, cult classics, and documentary movies (some of which can‘t be found at other services). If it’s rare, long-forgotten, or in another language, the best place to start is GreenCine. They also stock all the latest Hollywood blockbusters, so those who love Michael Bay movies won’t be left out in the cold.

In addition to their film library, GreenCine.com strives to create an online community where fans of cinema can come together. Members are encouraged to write reviews, rate movies, make lists, and even read articles and interviews involving the finest filmmakers from all eras of motion picture history.

GreenCine Film Genres

This GreenCine review wouldn’t be complete without a list of all the film genres they stock. As you can tell by the variety of categories, GreenCine tends to offer more eclectic choices than competitors like Netflix and Blockbuster. Besides listing all the major genres available, I’ve also included related sub-genres.

• Action (Chase, Classic Action/Adventure, Disaster Action, Manhunt, Serials, Silent Action, Video Game Inspired)
• Adult
• Adventure (Classic Action/Adventure, Seafaring, Silent Adventure, Swashbucklers, Wilderness & Nature)
• Animation (Adult, Cel, CGI, Marionation, Shorts, Stop-Motion, Anime, Action Anime, Adult Anime/Hentai, Anime Feature Films, Comedy Anime, Drama Anime, Fantasy Anime, Horror Anime, Mecha, Science Fiction Anime, Shojo, Yaoi)
• Classics (Classic Action/Adventure, Classic Comedy, Classic Crime, Classic Drama, Classic Horror, Classic Romance, Classic Sci Fi/Fantasy, Precode, Serials)
• Comedies (Black Comedy, British Comedy, Camp, Classic Comedy, Farce, Mockumentary, Parodies, Political Satire, Romantic Comedy, Screwball, Silent Comedy, Slapstick, SNL Alums, Sports Comedy, Stand-up Comedy/Performance, Teen Comedy, Television Comedy)
• Comic Books (Alternative Press)
• Superheroes
• Crime (Capers, Classic Crime, Cops, Courtroom, Crime TV, Gangsters, Neo Noir, Criterion Collection)
• Cult (Blaxploitation, Cult TV, Golden Turkeys, Mondo/Shockumentaries)
• Documentary (Art, Biographies, Conspiracies, Film, GLBT, Military, Mockumentaries, Music, Nature & Science, Political & Social Issues, Quirky Characters, Religion, Sports, Supernatural, Travel)
• Drama (Biopics, British Drama, Classic Drama, Coming of Age, Costume Drama/Period Piece, Courtroom, Drama TV, Dysfunctional Families, Politics and Social Issues, Prison, Romance, Shakespeare, Silent Drama, Sports Drama, Urban Drama, Weepies)
• Erotica (Sexploitation, Vintage, Women in Prison)
• Espionage (Cold War, James Bond, Spy TV, Experimental/Avant-Garde)
• Fantasy (Classic Fantasy, Fairy Tales & Myths, Lost Worlds, Sword & Sorcery)
• Film Noir (Neo Noir, Vintage Noir)
• Foreign (Africa, Australia & New Zealand, Canada, China, Czech, Eastern Europe, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latin America, Middle East, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, Spain, Taiwan, UK)
• Gay & Lesbian (Documentary, Features, Shorts, HD (High Def)
• Horror (Anthologies, Asian Horror, Cannibals, Classic Horror, Ghosts, Horror TV, Italian Horror, Killer Critters, Mad Science, Silent Horror, Slashers, Supernatural/Occult, Vampire, Werewolves, Zombies)
• Independent (Film Movement, Short Films)
• Kids (Animated, Live Action)
• Martial Arts (Ninja, Samurai, Wuxia)
• Music (Documentary, Music Videos/Performance, Musicals, Bollywood, Pre-Code)
• Quest (Chase, Manhunt, Revenge, Road Movies)
• Science Fiction (Aliens, Classic Sci-Fi, Cyberpunk, Kaiju Eiga, Mad Science, Post-Apocalypse, Robots & Cyborgs, Sci-Fi TV, Space Opera, Time Travel, Serials)
• Silent (Silent Action/Adventure, Silent Comedies, Silent Dramas, Silent Horror, Silent Westerns)
• Sports (Sports Comedy, Sports Documentary, Sports Drama)
• Suspense/Thriller (Courtroom, Crime TV, Manhunt, Political Thriller, Sword & Sandal)
• Television (British TV, Comedy TV, Crime TV, Cult TV, Horror TV, Miniseries, Reality TV, Sci-Fi TV, Spy TV, TV Drama, Vintage TV)
• War (Civil War, Iraq, Vietnam War, WWII)
• Westerns (Silent Westerns, Spaghetti Westerns)

NOTE: GreenCine carries more anime films that any other online rental service (more than three times, in fact), making it a haven for fans of foreign animation. They also carry adult titles, but they’re currently prohibited from sending these films to certain zip codes. Before you order one, make sure you don’t live in such an area.

GreenCine.com Subscription Plans

Those wishing to become monthly subscribers and receive DVDs via mail can choose from the following options:

• $9.95 per month (one movie out at a time)
• $14.95 per month (two movies out at a time)
• $21.95 per month (three movies out at a time)
• $27.95 per month (four movies out at a time)
• $33.95 per month (five movies out at a time)
• $49.95 per month (eight movies out at a time)

GreenCine.com accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. California residents will be charged 8.5% sales tax.

Queue and Color Bars

Anyone who’s used another online rental service will quickly recognize the queue. Basically, it’s a place where all your upcoming movie selections are stored. When it’s time for the next movie to be shipped to you, the film at the top of your queue will be mailed out (assuming it’s available). If it’s not available, then the next choice will be sent instead.

You can determine availability by looking at the five-level color scale next to a film’s title in your queue. A film colored green should be immediately available for rental, while red indicates a movie that isn’t currently available (because all the copies are out). The length of the colored bars also indicates the current demand for the movie.

GreenCine Streaming Movies

While there are GreenCine streaming movies, they are not included with your monthly subscription fee. The monthly fee only covers movies that are delivered to your home on DVD. Movies watched via video-on-demand are paid for separately. If you’re only interested in watching movies in this fashion, please note that you do not have to choose a monthly subscription plan. You can simply create an account with GreenCine and then pay for each selection on an individual basis. Here are a few helpful facts to know about GreenCine streaming movies:

• You will need a high speed connection to take advantage of the video-on-demand option.
• If you stop watching in the middle of a movie, you can resume it later by entering a code that’s provided at the time of purchase.
• When you purchase a video-on-demand rental, you’ll be given a certain amount of time to watch the film. This time diminishes as you watch your selection, and when it expires you will no longer be able to access the movie. Don’t worry, as more than enough time will be allotted for you to watch the whole thing.
• Charges to your credit card will appear as “GreenCine LLC.”
• As of this writing, the VOD service for GreenCine does not support Mac. PC owners will need the latest version of Windows Media Player.

GreenCine Downloadable Movies

In addition to GreenCine streaming movies, you can also choose to download movies to your hard drive with the DivX option. DivX offers quality that’s close to a DVD, and you may access the movie at any time for up to 10 days (the length of the rental agreement for DivX movies). Adult films may be accessed for 30 days. The standard price for renting a movie on GreenCine with the DivX option is $4.99 per movie, although this can vary. Once the allotted period is up, you will no longer be able to access the movie (you can then delete it from your hard drive).

In order to use the DivX option for online movie rentals, your PC (sorry, no MAC as of this writing) will need to meet the following requirements:

• 500+ MHz is recommended
• Pentium II-equivalent processor
• Broadband Internet connection running at a minimum of 512 kbps
• 64 megabytes of RAM (128 is recommended)
• Video card (at least 8MB of memory is required, although 16MB or more is suggested)
• Windows 2000 or later
• DirectX 7 or 8
• Monitor resolution must be a minimum of 800×600

Buying Movies from GreenCine

If you’re looking for a hard-to-find film or weird movie, GreenCine is a good place to start. In addition to renting motion pictures, you can also purchase them as a permanent addition to your personal film library. Monthly subscribers are welcome to take advantage of this option, although you don’t have to be a member to buy movies from GreenCine. You can register at their site for free, and then purchase as many movies as your bank account can stand.

GreenCine Gift Certificates

If you have a friend of family member who loves movies, a GreenCine gift certificate is a perfect gift option. Once the gift certificate is activated, the user will have access to GreenCine for a pre-determined number of months. Three movies can be kept out at  a time during this period.

• 2 months – $43.90
• 3 months – $65.85
• 4 months – $87.80
• 5 months – $109.75
• 6 months – $131.70
• 12 months – $263.40

GreenCine gift certificates are valid in all U.S. states, territories, and possessions. You will need a valid credit card to activate the gift certificate, and it cannot be combined with any other offers or specials. At the end of the period determined by the gift certificate, the user will be billed for a monthly GreenCine membership if they do not cancel.

GreenCine Free Trial and GreenCine Promo Code

If you’re looking for a GreenCine free trial or GreenCine promo code, you’re out of luck. Free trials are only offered during specific promotions or seasons, and there’s no set schedule. While some sites claim to offer GreenCine promo codes, you’ll be hard-pressed to actually find any. If you want to take advantage of GreenCine’s services, you’ll have to pay the monthly fee like everyone else.

Shipping Time

As of this writing, GreenCine has one shipping center in Southern California. Subscribers who live on the West Coast can expect their movies to arrive in one to three days. East Coast residents should expect arrival in two to four days.

There is a way to speed up delivery, though. Once you’ve put a movie back in the mail, click on the “Quick Return” button and the next available title will be sent out within two days. This applies even if your movie has yet to reach the GreenCine shipping center. It’s not a perfect system, but it does allow you to shave off a day or two.

GreenCine also receives and ships movies on Saturdays. Not all of their competitors can make the same claim.

GreenCine vs Netflix

No GreenCine review would be complete without a breakdown of how they stack up against Netflix, the nation’s largest online movie rental service. So let’s dive right into our look at GreenCine vs. Netflix.

Customer Base

There are plenty of hardcore movie fans who use Netflix, so it’s not as thought GreenCine has cornered the market in cinephiles. Still, Netflix does appeal more to the masses, if for no other reason than it’s the most widely known option for those looking to rent movies online.

Here’s a look, as of this writing, at the top-10 movies being rented at Netflix and GreenCine.

GreenCine Top 10 Movie Rentals

• A Serious Man
• Where the Wild Things Are
• Kick-Ass
• An Education
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• The Men Who Stare at Goats
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
• Ponyo
• Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
• The Road

Netflix Top 10 Movie Rentals

• Crash
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Bucket List
• The Departed
• The Blind Side
• Iron Man
• No Country for Old Men
• The Hurt Locker
• The Pursuit of Happyness
• The Proposal

Shipping Time

While GreenCine isn’t slow, it still can’t stand to Netflix and their multiple shipping centers dotting the landscape. One to four days is normal for GreenCine, while Netflix movies will normally arrive in one to two days after shipping.

Selection

Netflix has over 100,000 movies, while GreenCine has around 50,000. However, f you’re into anime, cult films, indie films, odd films, or just downright weird films, GreenCine may be the better option. They have three times the amount of anime available from Netflix or Blockbuster, and they also carry adult titles (something Netflix does not do).

Price

Prices are comparable, with both services offering multiple subscription plans. Netflix subscribers, however, can also watch streaming movies as part of their monthly fee. GreenCine subscribers must pay for streaming movies separately.

Community

There’s little doubt that GreenCine has the edge when it comes to community. Netflix used to offer members the opportunity to add fellow subscribers to their “friends” list, but that’s no longer an option. GreenCine, meanwhile, offers a frequently updated blog and numerous discussion groups. If you want to talk to fellow film buffs, GreenCine is the clear-cut winner.

GreenCine Home Page

There are a number of options available on the homepage, and this section will run down some of the more important ones. Each of these options can be found front and center at GreenCine.com.

Browse Stories (includes the following)

• Directory
• Articles (includes a counting of the 25 Most Disturbing Movies, A History of Australian Cinema (1990 to Present), and American Absurdum: The 8 Strangest and Strangely Awful Films Ever
• Interviews (filmmakers such as Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right), Jared and Jerusha Hess (Nacho Libre, Napoleon Dynamite), and Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
• Primers (fun introductory overview of major film genres and movements)
• GreenCine Central (their blog)

Blogs (includes the following)

• GreenCine Daily
• GreenCine Guru Movie Reviews
• GreenCine Central (articles and more)
• Pravda (GreenCine press releases, in the news, etc.)

Community (includes the following)

• GreenCine Central
• Polls
• Member Reviews
• Discussion Forum
• GreenCine on MySpace

DVDs (includes the following)

• New & Coming Soon
• GreenCine Recommended
• Primers
• Member Reviews
• Member Lists
• Adult DVDs

Rent-by-Mail (includes the following)

• Subscribe Today!
• DVD Subscription Rental Info
• Top Renting DVDs
• Rental Gift Certificates
• Rent-by-Mail Help/FAQ

That’s the end of our GreenCine review. I’ve tried to cover all the major areas regarding their service, as well as offering some lesser-known facts that are only present in the fine print.

Federico Fellini movies are sensual and dreamlike affairs that meld fantastical elements with the baroque art style so popular in 16th to 18th century Europe. The resulting mix made him one of the most respected and famous film directors of the last century, and his influence it still felt in many modern-day works. They were also perfect examples of weird movies, as feyish female clowns are tormented by circus strongmen, buttocks are whipped, and farmers manage to pull down the Moon and store it in a stable.

A prolific talent, Fellini wrote and directed 24 films, directed television commercials, and made screenplay contributions for another 14 films. The recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards at both Cannes and the Academy Awards, his motion pictures received a total of 19 Oscar nominations and seven wins. Head over to an online rental service like Netflix, sign up, and discover why.

• I Vitelloni (1953) – Taking a look at the changing norms of society in 1950s Italy, this pivotal Fellini work marks yet another turning point in his development as a filmmaker. Leonora Ruffo and Franco Fabrizi star as a couple forced into a shotgun wedding in a sleepy coastal town, although their relationship is almost immediately endangered by the husband’s endless skirt chasing. Discarding narrative coherence in favor of emotional resonance, Fellini paints a vivid picture of life in small-town Italy, presenting a humanizing portrait of its residents along the way. Only his second effort as a solo movie director, Fellini quickly established himself as a cinematic force to be reckoned with.

• 8 1/2 (1963) – Widely considered by critics to be one of the best films ever made, 8 ½ is Fellini’s autobiographical film about an Italian director (Marcello Mastroianni) making an autobiographical science-fiction movie while suffering through a bout of “director’s block.” A mixture of fantasy and reality, 8 ½ is a picture-perfect look at the struggle to make art in world filled with mediocrity. Highly influential, just take a look at some of the films it’s inspired: Nine, I’m Not There, All That Jazz, and Stardust Memories. Nominated for five Oscars, it won for Best Costume Design and Best Foreign Language Film.
• Satyricon (1969) – With a little help from the Roman writer Petronius, Fellini crafts a spellbinding fairytale for adults that‘s also one of the most erotic films you‘ll ever see. Set in an ancient Rome that never quite existed, Encolpio (Martin Potter) sets off to find his lost lover, then later quests to find his lost manhood. Orgies and bizarre sexual practices abound, and Fellini further encourages a sense of detachment by using out-of-synch dubbing for foreign viewers. Love it or hate it…but you simply must see it.
• Nights of Cabiria (1957) – Winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, this spirited Fellini effort stars Giulietta Masina as a generally cheerful Italian prostitute named Cabiria Ceccarelli. As she meets her clients and gets into the occasional adventure, she tries to keep her spirits up despite constant betrayal by the men in her life. The ending is bittersweet, but it underscores the notion that life goes on. Perhaps the finest performance by Masina, Nights of Cabiria also served as the basis for the American film Sweet Charity (starring Shirley MacLaine).

• La Dolce Vita (1960) – One of the great examples of international cinema, La Dolce Vita follows journalist Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) through a series of non-linear encounters with 120 different denizens of Rome. Broken into seven main episodes and featuring an endless procession of beautiful women, the film chronicles Marcello’s futile search for something deeper in his life. Winner of the Palm d’Or at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival, the film generated some amount of controversy due to what the Catholic Church perceived as a parody of Christ’s second coming. Not surprisingly, even the Catholics had no problem with the iconic scene of busty Anita Ekberg frolicking in the Trevi Fountain. If you can only see one of the Federico Fellini movies on this list, this is the one I recommend.
• Fellini’s Casanova (1976) – Fellini harshly depicts the legendary Casanova (Donald Sutherland) as a dissolute cad incapable of genuine emotion. Based on Casanova’s own autobiography, Fellini adds his own unique and often weird touches, including our protagonist sailing across a sea made entirely of black plastic sheets. Donald Sutherland adds to his eccentric resume with a highly stylized performance that compliments the mise en scene. Nominated for two Academy Awards.
• Juliet of the Spirits (1965) – Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, this Fellini work was his first feature shot in color. Fellini’s real-life wife Giuleitta Masina stars as a housewife who chafes at her boring life and the constant philandering of her husband (Mario Pisu). Taking a cue from her sensual neighbor (Sandra Milo), our heroine slowly gains personal freedom by exploring her pent-up desires and personal demons. A brilliantly liberating film that also features Valentina Cortese and Valeska Gert.

• La Strada (1954) – A black and white love poem that’s wonderfully ambiguous, La Strada follows young Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), a girl sold into slavery to a Gypsy strongman (Anthony Quinn). As she assists him in his traveling show, she comes to learn that everyone has a purpose in life, and she sets out to reach the inner goodness inside him. It’s a heartbreaking film, so don’t expect the nice and tidy resolution of most Hollywood works. Fellini fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
• Amarcord (1973) – Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Amarcord also gained nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. It was the last major commercial success for Fellini, and it details one year in the life of an Italian coastal town (based on the town of Rimini where he grew up in the Fascist ‘30s). Filled with laughter, love, and even tragedy, this big-boned epic sprawls across the screen to present a picture of life lived to its fullest. Expect some bawdy laughs and plenty of busty Italian women.
• The Voice of the Moon (1990) – The last film before his death, The Voice of the Moon revisits themes originally touched upon by Fellini in his masterful La Strada. The irrepressible Roberto Benigni is Ivo Salvini, a con-man who claims to be an inspector of wells, while Paolo Villaggio co-stars as a former prefect whose paranoia has got the better of him. As the two men team up to investigate a series of “conspiracies,” they come across a plot to capture the moon, a beauty content to crown “Miss Flour of 1989,” and a disco dance sequence set to the music of Michael Jackson. A scathing and thoroughly entertaining satire on the non-stop assault by the mass media and its generally vacuous message.

Federico Fellini movies can mean many things to many people, and most demand multiple viewings to wring every ounce from their content. If you’ve seen the films listed above, I suggest you go back and watch them again. And if you’ve never been exposed to Fellini, prepare to be dazzled by a filmmaker who’s credited as an inspiration to such directors as Tim Burton, Martin Scorsese, David Cronenberg, David Lynch, and Terry Gilliam.

Lucio Fulci movies feature more blood and guts than your average slaughterhouse. That’s why the Italian director best-known for graphic horror films was dubbed the “Godfather of Gore,” a lofty title shared by fellow splatter icon Herschell Gordon Lewis.

While he started his career as an art critic (after studying medicine in college), Fulci later made the transition to screenwriting and then directing in the late ‘50s. He worked in numerous genres, with comedy films being his specialty early on. But his career really took off with the release of Don’t Torture a Duckling, a graphic murder mystery containing a great deal of social criticism (especially against the Catholic Church). Afterwards, Fulci worked more and more in the horror genre, and he’s remembered by most fans as the man behind some of the most gory pictures ever filmed.

Never truly appreciated during his lifetime, Fulci’s films have slowly generated a dedicated following thanks to uncensored DVD releases and the power of the Internet. Quentin Tarantino has proclaimed the director as a major influence, and he oversaw a re-release of Fulci’s The Beyond in the U.S. that generated impressive box-office revenue during a series of midnight showings.

Below, I’ve selected some of the most notable Lucio Fulci films for your enjoyment. Some are outstanding, while others are just downright weird. But whatever the case, viewers with an adventuresome spirit and a strong stomach are sure to be entertained. Fulci lives!

• City of the Living Dead (1980) – Also known as The Gates of Hell, this is the first film in a trilogy (including The House by the Cemetery and The Beyond) by the Italian horror legend. When a priest commits suicide in a cemetery, it causes the gates of Hell to open up and spew forth zombies with all kinds of un-zombie-like powers (including levitation and teleportation). If the portal isn’t closed before All Saints Day, the dead will rule the Earth. Luckily, our fate is in the hands of a nosy reporter (Christopher George) and a recently resurrected spiritual medium (Catriona MacColl). If you consider yourself a gorehound, this film is an absolute must-see. A head is forced into a giant drill, people vomit up their own intestines, and brains are forcibly removed by supernatural hands.
• A Cat in the Brain (1990) – Fulci not only directs, but he also stars in this bizarre melding of fact and fiction. As a wave of murders occur in Rome, the disturbed filmmaker consults a psychiatrist about the mental toll his films have taken over the years. The bulk of the movie is comprised of footage from previous Fulci works, with the director appearing in a couple of wrap-around segments. Serving as a decent retrospective on Fulci’s lengthy career, A Cat in the Brain shows off Fulci the actor while still delivering all the gore you’d expect.
• Massacre Time (1966) – Franco Nero, fresh off his success in Django, stars in the first Spaghetti Western directed by Fulci. He plays Tom Corbett, a rugged prospector who returns to the family ranch only to find his brother an alcoholic and the land being controlled by a ruthless criminal and his psychotic son. While it may not be a horror movie, Fulci still manages to include plenty of violence. Dogs gnaw on people, bodies are riddled with bullets, and there’s a touching scene where someone ends up on the wrong end of a whip. If you’re looking for a weird western that’s completely over the top, give Massacre Time a try.
• The New York Ripper (1982) – Banned in Britain, The New York Ripper in one of Fulci’s giallo masterpieces. A killer stalks the streets of Manhattan, disemboweling sexually active women with knives and broken bottles (and even slicing open an eyeball). As the body count rises, it’s up to a world-weary homicide detective and a gay psychotherapy professor to save the city. And did I mention that the killer talks like Donald Duck? Keep an eye out for Lucio Fulci in a small role as the chief of police.

• Zombi 2 (1979) – The most famous of all the films directed by Fulci, it was falsely billed in Europe as a sequel to George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. After a yacht drifts into New York Harbor with a zombie aboard, the daughter (Tisa Farrow) of the ship’s owner heads to the tropical island of Matool to find him. She’s accompanied by the requisite investigative reporter (Ian McCulloch), and the duo discover that the island in question is infested by hoards of hungry undead. One of the all-time classic zombie movies, due in large part to the scene where an underwater zombie battles a tiger shark for the rights to feast on a topless female diver. And don’t forget about the delightfully gory sequence where an Italian hottie is slowly pulled, eyeball-first, into a long splinter of wood. Star Tisa Farrow, by the way, is the sister of the famous Mia Farrow.
• The Beyond (1981) – The second film in the Gates of Hell trilogy, The Beyond once again deals with a portal to Hell being opened and zombies forcibly entering our world. This time, the focus of the supernatural activity is on a cursed hotel that’s recently been renovated. There’s a creepy blind girl who shows up to offer dire warnings, as well as a long-dead artist who’s returned as an almost unstoppable corpse. Heavily censored upon its original release, the U.S. distribution rights for The Beyond would be purchased years later by Quentin Tarantino and re-released as part of his Rolling Thunder Production Company. As you might expect, he made damn sure to put all the gore back in, thus giving audiences a bleak masterpiece filled with nihilism and unfettered carnage.
• Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972) – Believe it or not, every Lucio Fulci film didn’t feature copious amounts of blood and gore. But that all started changing with the release of this horror movie about three murdered youths in an Italian village and the feverish search for their killer. As with many of his films, Fulci has a reporter (Tomas Milian) as one of the main characters, and he teams up with a wealthy socialite and all-around floozy (the smoking hot Barbara Bouchet) to get to the bottom of things. Fulci was highly critical of the Catholic Church in the film, and this didn’t exactly help its distribution throughout Europe. Still, you do get to see a priest get in a fistfight, which I’m sure the Pope got a big kick out of.

• The House by the Cemetery (1981) – Also known by the title Zombie Hell House, this gore-filled scary movie made it onto the infamous “video nasty” list in Great Britain (where it was banned for seven years before finally being released in a heavily edited version). Borrowing heavily from The Shining, the plot revolves around a family moving into a creepy old house while the patriarch finishes a research project. His young son receives a warning from a girl inside a photograph telling him to stay away, but nobody ever listens to such things in a horror film. So off to the new house they go, and it’s not long before they’re dealing with whacked-out babysitters, cellar doors that are strangely nailed shut, and bats that seem to love the taste of academics. Fulci fans will be delighted by the murder scenes, as heads are smashed into pulp, throats are ripped out by hand, and a fireplace poker is used to repeatedly puncture the neck of an unlucky victim. Part of the Gates of Hell trilogy, although this one doesn’t deal with an actual portal to Hell being opened.
• The New Gladiators (1984) – Also known as Warriors of the Year 2072, this science fiction movie is set in a future Italy where two rival TV networks compete for ratings by producing violent game shows. When one network decides that they need a champion for their gladiator-themed program, they waste no time in framing a contestant from another show and throwing him into the mix with a bunch of convicted killers. The sets are crazy, the decapitations plentiful, and Fred Williamson shows up to do a little ass-kicking. In truth, The New Gladiators is pretty awful, but it’s still recommended for those with a passion for Fulci and/or bad movies.
• Four of the Apocalypse (1975) – After the last town they were in started killing off all the riff-raff, a gambler (Fabio Testi), pregnant prostitute (Lynne Frederick), drunk (Michael J. Pollard), and crazy black guy (Harry Baird) strike out in search of a more welcoming locale. Along the way they encounter Chaco (Tomas Milian), a dangerous bandit whose actions result in murder and madness. A trippy Spaghetti Western featuring cannibalism, wall-to-wall eccentrics, and a folk-rock movie soundtrack detailing the progress of our dysfunctional little group. You’ll laugh your ass off, although much of the comedy may be unintentional.
• Special Mention: A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971) – I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this Fulci film that nearly earned the director a two-year stint in prison thanks to a very realistic-looking scene with dismembered dogs. People thought that real canines had been used, and it became the first time in the history of cinema that an effects artist had to go to court to prove his handiwork fake.

That completes our look at Lucio Fulci movies, but there are many more out there. In fact, the highly prolific film director turned out 56 motion pictures during his career, and they ranged from westerns and sci-fi to musicals. For a complete list, just consult our good friends over at the Internet Movie Database.

Dario Argento movies aren’t your usual popcorn flicks. The former film critic uses plenty of primary colors throughout his motion pictures, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a filmmaker with more ingenious and sadistic murder sequences. Then there’s his fondness for animals (monkey with a straight razor, anyone?)…nasty bladed weapons…and flashbacks. Yes, Dario Argento movies are truly on a whole other plane of weird.

But they’re also entertaining on a number of levels. The attention to visual detail is staggering, and his choice of soundtrack music always heightens the on-screen events. Argento has also built up his own unique body of themes over the decades, with gloved killers, artists in peril, forgotten clues, and the relationship between real-life and art. If you’re looking for something decidedly different and uniquely bizarre, then do yourself a favor and check out any one of the following films.

• Opera (1987) – After the bitchy star of Verdi’s Macbeth is struck by a car, a young opera singer named Betty (Cristina Marsillach) gets her big break. Unfortunately, a maniac (who she‘s been dreaming of since childhood) is obsessed with her, and it’s not long before the bodies start stacking up. Betty is repeatedly captured by the killer, tied up with needles taped below her eyes, and forced to watch as friends, lovers, and colleagues are disposed of to heavy metal music from the ‘80s (which serves as an interesting contrast to the operatic score heard throughout). One of the best giallo films from Dario Argento, Opera examines the obsessive nature of fans and the supposed curse of Macbeth that’s infamous in the theatrical world. You’ll also get a chase through the mountains, repeated flashbacks, crime-solving birds, and a strong argument for why you should never look through a door’s peephole immediately after asking who’s there.
• The Stendhal Syndrome (1996) – The first Italian film to use CGI effects and Argento’s biggest box-office draw in his native land, The Stendhal Syndrome stars daughter Asia Argento as Anna Manni, a police detective on the trail of a serial killer (Thomas Kretschmann) in Florence. When she travels to a museum, she’s struck by Stendhal Syndrome, which is a real-life psychosomatic condition where an individual is overcome by works of art and suffers from dizziness, unconsciousness, or even hallucinations. The killer, of course, wastes no time in abducting her, brutalizing her, and leaving Anna to deal with the resulting trauma. Filled with dream-like imagery and the usual graphic murders one expects from an Argento horror movie, The Stendhal Syndrome has emerged as one of this finest works in recent years. On an interesting side note, the director claimed to have been affected by Stendhal Syndrome as a young child ascending the steps of the Parthenon.
• Inferno (1980) – The second installment in Argento’s “Three Mothers” trilogy, Inferno has been referred to by one reputable critic as “perhaps the most underrated horror movie of the 1980s.” After his sister (Irene Miracle) discovers a tome about ancient witches and then disappears while investigating her own apartment building, a college student in Rome (Leigh McCloskey) travels to New York City to locate her. Mysterious assailants seem to lurk in every shadow, and the graphic deaths range from a man being gnawed to pieces by rats (after he’s successfully drowned several cats) and a women getting wrapped up in flaming draperies and falling to her doom. If you like beautiful women, be sure to check out Ania Pieroni as a mysterious female who keeps showing up to stare intently at the lead character. The finished product is wonderful, but it came at a great personal cost to Argento: he contracted hepatitis during production and was forced to direct some scenes from flat on his back.

• Deep Red (1975) – Since an alternate title for the film is The Hatchet Murders, you should immediately get an idea of what’s in store from this deranged giallo flick. After witnessing the murder of a psychic, a music teacher (David Hemmings) sets out to catch the killer. As with many Argento films, the protagonist has seen a vital clue in the case, but he’s unable to access it from his memory. The killer’s childlike theme (and the accompanying doll) are all kinds of spooky, and the gruesome murders include a drowning in scalding water and someone having their face bashed in. If you enjoy Deep Red, keep an eye out for the planned George A. Romero remake.
• Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) – When a rock drummer (Michael Brandon) notices a man following him, he confronts the mysterious fellow and demands to know what the hell is going on. The stranger denies following our hero, but he then pulls out a switchblade (yeah, that’ll calm the situation). A struggle breaks out, the stalker gets fatally stabbed, and then some nut in a puppet mask takes pictures of the drummer holding the bloody knife. Before he’s able to recover from the traumatic event, the protagonist begins receiving incriminating photos in the mail. But what does his tormentor want? Scored by the legendary Ennio Morricone (a falling out with Argento would result in a long-lasting collaboration with Goblin), this tense mystery/thriller also introduces the notion that the last thing a dying person sees is burned onto their retina for several hours. This is demonstrated on a number of occasions, of course, and the effect is both stunning and disturbing.
• The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) – Argento made his debut as a solo film director with this giallo tale of an American writer (Tony Musante) who’s living in Rome, suffering from writer’s block, and being chased by a masked serial killer. A huge hit, it would serve as a great influence upon later Argento works and establish many of his recurring thematic elements.

• Suspiria (1977) – If you want to see a prime example of how light and sound can improve a motion picture, be sure to see this weird horror masterpiece from Argento. The first in his “Three Mothers” trilogy, the film follows American ballet student Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) as she arrives in Munich to attend a dance academy. That’s when the killings start, and one such death has been labeled by the writers of Entertainment Weekly as “the most vicious murder scene ever filmed.” As Suzy begins to realize that things aren’t quite right at her school (the maggots falling from the ceiling should be a clue), her classmates and instructors are picked off in the most brutal ways imaginable. Shot it Technicolor, it remains a visual feast for both gorehounds and those seeking inventive examples of foreign cinema. As usual, Goblin provides the memorable soundtrack.
• Tenebrae (1982) – An American horror writer (Anthony Franciosa) heads to Europe to promote his latest book, but he soon receives a letter from a maniac informing him that his work has inspired the individual to go completely homicidal. From there, numerous Italians get hacked up by the axe-wielding crazy, and our intrepid hero is quickly sucked into the investigation. Meanwhile, his bizarre ex-wife has followed him to Europe, immediately making her a prime suspect. Filled with gore and plenty of red herrings, much of Tenebrae was filmed in daylight and with stark lighting to capture the feel of police shows from the early ‘80s. In the UK, it was put of the infamous list of “video nasties” and banned until 1999.
• Phenomena (1985) – Also known in the U.S. by the title Creepers, this was Argento’s first film to be shot in the English language. A young Jennifer Connelly stars as the sleep-walking daughter of an American movie star, and her arrival at a prestigious Swiss boarding school coincides with lethal attacks from a serial killer. Finding she has a mental connection with insects, the young girl sets about solving the mystery before the killer strikes again. Just in case you forget this is an Argento movie, there’s a monkey with a straight razor to remind you. While 30 minutes were cut for the U.S release, the 1999 Anchor Bay DVD release restored all the footage and the film’s original title.
• The Mother of Tears (2007) – Argento returns to form with this final installment of his “Three Mothers” trilogy (which deals with the occult and started in Suspiria). After the Catholic Church unearths an urn containing artifacts belonging to legendary witch Mater Lachrymarum (Moran Atias), the supernatural terror prepares to once again appear in the material world. Assisted by demons and a monkey familiar, she’s primarily opposed by an American student (Argento’s daughter, Asia). There’s cannibalism, a cool gathering of witches from around the world, and mass murder and suicide in the city of Rome.

That concludes our look at films by Dario Argento. Your local video store should carry a few of these, but you’ll either need to visit Amazon or Netflix for a wider range of choices. Luckily, the director in question is still working, which means we should have several more Dario Argento movies to look forward to in the coming years.

If you’re searching for weird films, then look no further than this selection of Terry Gilliam movies. An original member of the legendary Monty Python comedy troupe (and the only one not born in Britain), Gilliam created the images that linked sketches together and served as the artwork for promotional and commercial items. But as the boys of Python branched out into film, Gilliam found his real calling as a director and screenwriter.

Known for a unique visual style that’s reliant on frequent wide shots and unconventional camera angles, films by Terry Gilliam also stand out because of their dark humor, fantastical subject matter, and the exploration of imagination as it applies to the individual. He’s certainly doing something right, as frequent collaborators include such well-respected performers as Johnny Depp, Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges, Christopher Plummer, and Ian Holm.

Below, you’ll find his complete filmography to date. If you’re a longtime fan, I encourage you to go back and rediscover some of these amazing expressions of creativity. And if you’re just discovering Terry Gilliam for the first time…boy, do I envy you.

• Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) – One part satire and one part just-plain-silly, this legendary British comedy took the Arthurian legends and turned them on their ear in a way never seen before. As King Arthur and his knights search for the Holy Grail, they must confront smartass Frenchmen, a knight who refuses to admit defeat (even when his arms and legs are chopped off), a cute bunny rabbit that’s far more dangerous than it looks, and the dreaded Knights Who Say Ni. Still immensely popular, the film has inspired references and tributes in everything from video games to beer. Gilliam co-directed with Terry Jones, although his meticulous attention to the visual elements of the film would lead the troupe to select Jones as the sole director of their next two full-length features.
• Jabberwocky (1977) – Gilliam’s first solo effort as a film director, Jabberwocky wasn’t well-received upon its release, but it’s since gained a following thanks to his unique visual style and the liberal dashes of Pythonesque humor. Michael Palin stars as a disowned young man forced to head to the nearby city to make ends meet. There, he gets caught up in plan to kill the fearsome dragon known as the Jabberwock, despite the fact that the local merchants and religious leader consider the fear generated by the beast to be good for business. The power and corruption of commerce is a recurring theme throughout the film, as is the depiction of bureaucracy as something outmoded and dust-covered. If you’re a fan of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, you’ll want to give this medieval comedy a look.

• Time Bandits (1981) – While he directed the film, Gilliam also co-wrote the screenplay with fellow Python member Michael Palin. The fantastical plot revolves around the 11-year-old Kevin (Craig Warnock), a boy enchanted with ancient history and largely ignored by his parents. When his bedroom wall begins serving as a gateway to other worlds, he encounters six dwarves who’ve stolen a map of time and space and plan to get their greedy little fingers on all the great treasures throughout history. But they’re being chased by their boss, the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson), as well as his dark counterpart simply known as Evil (David Warner). Kevin winds up accompanying them on their travels, running into figures such as Robin Hood (John Cleese), King Agamemnon (Sean Connery), and Napoleon (Ian Holm). A clever mixture of comedy and fantasy, Gilliam’s film is the perfect remedy for your inner child.
• Brazil (1985) – With a wink and a nod to Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, Gilliam’s Brazil is set in a dystopian society with bleary-eyed citizens and machines that constantly break down. Jonathan Pryce plays Sam Lowry, a government drone who becomes infatuated with a beautiful woman in his dreams. When he meets the woman (Kim Greist) in real life, he endeavors to learn more about her, eventually becoming involved in what the corrupt and comically murderous government believes to be a terrorist plot. Gilliam unloads on the stifling nature of bureaucracy with both barrels, and the strong supporting cast of this dark satire includes Robert De Niro, Michael Palin, Bob Hoskins, Ian Holm, Jim Broadbent, and Katherine Helmond.
• The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) – The most visually spectacular of all the films by Terry Gilliam, Baron Munchausen deftly blurs the line between fantasy and reality by presenting numerous stories wrapped inside one another. While a European city tries to withstand an assault from Turkish forces, a stage production on the life of Baron Munchausen takes place. But then the real Munchausen (John Neville) shows up, weaving his own tales and embarking on an epic quest to save the residents of the city. This involves trips to the Moon, beneath the surface of the Earth, and inside the belly of a massive sea creature. Based on a series of tall tales from 1785, the film boasts wonderful costumes, spectacular sets, and the kind of heroic, fairy tale action that’s sure to capture the imagination of both adults and kids alike. The cast is also pretty darned amazing, including Eric Idle, Oliver Reed, Sarah Polley, Robin Williams, Uma Thurman, Eric Idle, and Jonathan Pryce.

• The Fisher King (1991) – Jeff Bridges plays Jack Lucas, a talk radio host whose on-air antics result in a disturbed caller gunning down a number of people at a Manhattan bar. Blaming himself for the tragedy, Jack’s life spirals out of control and results in a near-suicide. That’s when he’s saved by Parry (Robin Williams), a homeless man driven to his current state after witnessing the murder of his wife (by Jack’s deranged caller, no less). Seeking redemption, Jack agrees to help Parry on his quest for the Holy Grail, and slowly the two men begin the healing process. Mixing romance with heartbreak, The Fisher King was hailed by critics and received five Academy Award nominations (including a win for Mercedes Ruehl in the Best Supporting Actress category).
• 12 Monkeys (1995) – Based on the French short La Jetee, 12 Monkeys is perhaps my favorite of all Terry Gilliam movies. Bruce Willis stars as James Cole, a convict living in a post-apocalyptic future brought on by a virus unleashed in 1996. In an effort to help the human race and regain his freedom, he agrees to be sent through time in an effort to prevent the calamity. But he goes back six years too early and promptly finds himself confined to a mental institution. There, he meets the eccentric Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt in a memorable role), and the young man quickly becomes his primary suspect. After traveling through time again, he gets the year right, kidnaps a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) and goes looking for Goines. But is the apocalypse really coming, or is Cole’s mind playing tricks on him? You’ll be guessing until the film’s somber end, but you’ll also have great fun doing so. One of Gilliam’s more visually subdued films, it remains a crowd-pleaser thanks to the excellent cast (with co-stars Christopher Plummer and David Morse) and inventive storyline.
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) – Adapted from the 1971 novel by gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, this drug-fueled masterpiece follows Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) as he heads to Las Vegas to write a magazine article about an upcoming motorcycle race. He’s accompanied by his attorney, Dr. Gonzo (Benicio del Toro), as well as copious amount of drugs (ranging from LSD to adrenochrome). The entire film is an endless trip of madness and comedy, as the two men deal with a stoned Barbra Streisand fan (Christina Ricci), a nervous hitchhiker (Tobey Maguire), and the terrors of their own minds. Combine Gilliam with psychoactive drugs, and the result is a visually arresting and thoroughly messed-up motion picture.

• The Brothers Grimm (2005) – Matt Damon and Heath Ledger star as the famous Brothers Grimm, depicted in this film as a pair of traveling con artists in Germany during the 19th century. While they normally rig up elaborate tricks to fool townsfolk into thinking that they‘re fighting off the supernatural, the brothers soon find themselves drawn into the very real case of a 500-year-old queen (Monica Belluci) killing young women to keep her youth. Faced with an opponent who’s not attached to wires and ropes, the Brothers Grimm must find the courage hidden deep within themselves. It’s not Gilliam’s finest effort (due in large part to a feud with the Weinstein Brothers), but his attention to visual detail remains as keen as ever. While not recommended for everyone, it’s still a must-see for fans of Gilliam, Ledger, or Damon.
• Tideland (2005) – Fellow director David Cronenberg described this Gilliam work as a “poetic horror film,” while fellow Python alum Michael Palin remarked that it was either his best or worst work. The ultra-dark Tideland centers on Jeliza-Rose (Jodelle Ferland), a young girl whose parents both recently died from drug overdoses. With her father’s (Jeff Bridges) corpse slowly rotting on the sofa, Jeliza-Rose keeps herself company with severed Barbie doll heads and eventually befriends her damaged neighbors. A bleak look at the mind’s ability to cope with trauma, Tideland will divide viewers but remains a weird movie worth experiencing.
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) – Gilliam intended this tale to be loosely autobiographical, depicting his lead character as an aging man with a vivid imagination who’s largely ignored by the modern world. Christopher Plummer is the Doctor Parnassus of the title, a 1,000-year-old former monk who wanders the world with his traveling theatrical troupe and engages in a battle for souls against the sinister Mr. Nick (rock star Tom Waits). But Parnassus has made a few deals of his own with Mr. Nick, one of which doomed his daughter’s (Lily Cole) soul upon her 16th birthday. With the dreaded date approaching, Parnassus struggles to save his child, and a stranger (Heath Ledger) found hanging under a bridge may hold the key. Ledger’s death during production almost put an end to the film, but then Gilliam hit upon the idea of having his character take on different appearances while inside the titular Imaginarium. For this, he recruited Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. Visually stunning with a fairy-tale feel throughout, Imaginarium serves as a showcase for Gilliam’s still-evolving style and proves that he’s far from finished as an artist and entertainer.