I thought I'd put up a few examples of surreal cinematic nightmare sequences.
The first (above) is from a film called "Bewitched," which according to Thomas in a comment, was directed by Arch Oboler (Thomas also recommends Oboler's other film, "The Twonky"). The clip looks like something Borzage would have made. Borzage is a favorite director of David Cairn who runs one of the most interesting cinema sites on the net, a blog called "Shadowplay." That's where I got this video.
The end sequence of "Stranger on the Third Floor" makes such an indelible impression that it's easy to forget the surreal second-best sequence (above) that's in the middle of the film. For those who've forgotten, here it is.
This (above) is a trailer for the re-release of Hitchcock's "Vertigo." Not all the shots are from the film's nightmare, but this cut still succeeds in being nightmarish.
More of "Vertigo;" this time, the main titles. Bernard Herrmann's film scores are some of the best classical music written in the 20th Century, but he's seldom on concert programs. Is that the fault of the concert halls or of lawyers who make it hard to get the rights? I tried to buy sheet music for piano transcriptions of his work and couldn't find any, even on the net.
Thanks to Jerk for this clip from "Spellbound."
Thanks to Kurdt for Disney's "Pink Elephants."
And thanks to Anonymous for the "Wild Strawberries" video (above).
Have I missed any good nightmares? Any suggestions?
30 comments:
Other than any "Twilight Zone" episode ever made, i thought of this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur3CQE8xB3c
Eraserhead is pretty much one long nightmare put on film.
Also the pink elephants scene from Dumbo which used to give me nightmares when I was a kid.
you forgot the other great hitchcock nightmare, in Spellbound, the Salvadore Dali thing!
Surreal indeed! The "Starnger on The Third Floor" one was my favorite.
yeah, this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEdZh8a4ZvE
There's Val Lewton. Then there's this one, by Jacques Tourneur, which doesn't work so well in a short clip, and goes against the the "Val Lewton rule" of not showing the "monster". The movie as a whole is a well made tasteful B movie, like the kind that Lewton made. The monster works in the film, just because its vulgar and the rest of the film is so restrained.
This might be more of a horror thing than nightmare specifically, but at least the beginning of the "smoke in the trees" sequence is nightmarish.
curseofthedemon
This entire film.
I didn't even know that Arch Oboler made any movies. I only knew of him through the "Lights Out" radio series. Unfortunately, my library system doesn't have either of his films.
Anyway, I come here, I learn something.
Bergman's Wild Strawberries dream sequencehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3n4TxNeaPg
Alberto: Ah, "Malkovitch!" That was a unique film, but for some reason I'm not that hot on it. Maybe i should give it another try.
Kurdt: Many thanks for the Pink Elephants recommendation. I can't believe that I forgot that! I also can't believe that I was so crass as to forget your name when I posted it. I'd go back and put it in now, except that every time I change the post, even for a small gramatical error, it ends up spamming the subscribers.
Jerk: I posted it! Many thanks!
Thomas: Good analysis of why the demon sequence in that film works so well! Thanks also for the Arch Oboler comments!
Lester: I didn't know Oboler did movies, either. Now I'm dying to see them.
Zoran: I like Pink Floyd, but The Wall isn't really one of my favorite films. Many thanks for the suggestion, though. i watched the whole clip.
Anon: Wild Starwberries! !'ll add it!
Coolhand: Interesting! it was good to see 2D animation again.
The Wild Strawberries one mentioned by Anon. Great call - I love that one. Its really a predictable sequence once it gets rolling (who's in the coffin??), but so are nightmares sometimes - you know what's coming but that doesn't make it any less freaky.
Glad I could help!
Pinocchio had a few really good nightmarish scenes as well. Disney was really good at that in the early days weren't they? In Bill Peet's autobiography he talks about how there was supposed to be a sequence where Pinocchio went to an island of monsters but it got cut for being too scary!
Just for the record: The Wall turned my entire life around and convinced me to pursue animation again, which turned it around even further. Also, I think Roger Waters deserves some kind of award of recognition for being the only human being alive with a more embittered, cynical attitude towards his generation than John K. and Mike F. They are WELL BEHIND HIM in that department.
Here's a very nightmary video. . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCDxXJSucF4
Dinesh: Your letter failed to say which post you were referring to.
While technically not the more traditional nightmares one may encounter, the following two scenes from one of my favourite films, "The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao," are the first that come to mind.
Heck, there are moments from that film that do become nightmarish, if I do say so myself. Wouldn't you agree, Uncle Eddie?
The Meeting with Pan, The God of Joy.
Apollonius of Tyana Tells the Future.
From an aspiring animator/ cartoonist
i would also suggest the movie brazil. if you havent seen it, do so. its terry gilliam at his finest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqtUI4XfhMM
Lester H: Besides BEWITCHED (which I haven't seen), Obler also made FIVE (post-apocalyptic story), THE TWONKY (evil alien TV set possesses family), and THE BUBBLE a.k.a. THE FANTASTIC INVASION OF PLANET EARTH. They all suck save THE TWONKY, which merely blows. Obler was a great self-promoter, a lousy writer/director. He was Ed Wood with a modicum of taste and self-restraint.
Nightmare movies I recommend: JULIETTE OF THE SPIRITS (Fellini), the first PHANTASM movie, the scene in ROBISON CRUESOE ON MARS where Adam West returns from the dead.
Zoran: John and Mike aren't cynics. Both talk like that sometimes, but actions are a better indication of attitude than words, and the actions of both are extremely benign and generous in the ways that count.
I'm an optimist myself, but I have a healthy respect for pessimists. They're the people who actually get the job done, instead of just talking about it.
I wouldn't be surprised if I learned that some of the greatest benefactors of humanity like Pasteur and Farraday said things about the rest of humanity that would make you cringe. Pessimists complain alright, but after that they role up their sleeves and get down to work.
Bruce: An interesting film!
This does the trick too.
So does this, though not altogether intentionally.
This isn't a nightmare per se, but it's worth seein gfor the more bizzare drawings, morphs and the like.
Thanks for the tip on the Shadowplay blog. Its great.
Buzz is right about the The Twonky. I saw a bit of it on TCM. Its more of a curiousity, but ahead of its time, in a way. Its an evil TV movie made in the early fifties, (1953) when people were just beginning to get TV sets.
HAL the computer's ancestor.
More bizzare, freaky stuff.
This hit me like a ton of bricks when I was a wee one.
These nightmare sequences really seem to come from the filmmakers own subconscious and imagination. Why they are so unsettling.
Nightmare sequences today are all stock trope laden imagery and pop psychology and lame symbolism.
Zoran: That North America film was great! Moo had some great graphics! Thanks for the links!
Buzz: I spent an hour looking at Fellini clips after reading your comment. Thanks! I'll have to look up the part of Phantasm that you mentioned. That first version of the film was really imaginative!
The only Arch Oboler film I've seen is The Bubble, which I didn't care for because it seemed like a radio play on the screen. He knows how to ramp up the emotions and give you lots of candy situations though. His radio work might be his best.
I forgot to mention my favorite dream sequence!
The whole first half of Mulholland Drive.
The dream ballet from Oklahoma probably deserves a mention.
The most creepy dream sequence? Probably the legendary sequence from David Lynch's Twin Peaks.
Twin Peaks
BRRRRR!
Post a Comment