While surrealism is a genre often sought after by filmmakers intentionally, there are some films that have managed to achieve a surreal quality completely by accident. These films, whether through bizarre narratives, awkward execution, or unintentional weirdness, have become just as captivating as their more deliberately surreal counterparts. Below are ten films that may not have set out to be surreal, but ended up being some of the most unintentionally strange movies in cinema history.
10. Ratatoing (2007)
Directed by Michelle Gabriel
Released in 2007 to capitalize on the success of Pixar’s Ratatouille, Ratatoing is infamous for its incredibly low production quality and lack of coherent narrative. The film, which revolves around a rat named Marcell Toing and his various culinary adventures, lacks any real structure and instead offers a confusing series of disjointed images and dialogue. This low-budget animation has become a nightmare for viewers, with its bizarre execution turning it into an unintentionally surreal experience.
9. Double Down (2005)
Directed by Neil Breen
Neil Breen’s Double Down is an offbeat thriller that follows a hacker on a mission to expose corruption. The film, however, quickly descends into a bizarre exploration of a man losing his mind in the desert, surrounded by too many laptops. Breen’s debut feature is intentionally a grounded action film, but its awkward pacing and erratic storylines make it feel more like a fever dream, resulting in a surreal viewing experience.
8. Miami Connection (1987)
Directed by Richard Park Wu-sang & Y.K. Kim
A martial arts musical, Miami Connection is a chaotic blend of comedy, action, and melodrama. The story about a band of friends who moonlight as martial artists while fighting off drug-dealers features one of the most unpredictable narrative shifts. From slapstick comedy to violent action and sudden tragic moments, Miami Connection unintentionally defies all conventional cinematic logic, making it a surreal experience for anyone brave enough to watch.
7. Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Directed by Stephen King
Maximum Overdrive marks Stephen King’s only attempt at directing, and the results are both curious and unintentional. A comet causes machines to turn violent and attack humans, and the story follows a group of survivors. The film veers wildly between dark comedy and action-horror, and while there are moments of enjoyment, it is mostly a disorganized mess that leads to a surreal experience, unintentionally blending horror with absurdity.
6. Tiptoes (2003)
Directed by Matthew Bright
In Tiptoes, Gary Oldman plays a dwarf, and the film’s awkward attempt at drama and comedy results in an unintentional surrealist quality. The film is about a man who learns his family’s secret while dealing with his relationships, but its bizarre tone, strange casting choices, and poorly executed dialogue make it feel more like a surreal fever dream than a coherent narrative. The oddity of the film’s existence is what makes it strangely captivating.
5. Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010)
Directed by James Nguyen
While Birdemic: Shock and Terror tries to be a suspenseful horror film, it is best remembered for its abysmally bad special effects. With poorly animated birds attacking people in a small town, the film offers one of the most unintentionally surreal experiences in cinema. The lack of visual coherence and the strange performances only add to the dreamlike and bizarre atmosphere, making it a cult classic of unintentional surrealism.
4. I Am Here…Now (2009)
Directed by Neil Breen
Neil Breen’s follow-up to Double Down, I Am Here…Now, brings surrealism to a whole new level. The film tells the story of a man fighting corruption, but with supernatural and fantastical elements that escalate the chaos. While the film’s intended message is unclear, the resulting oddness and bizarre narrative choices have turned it into an unintentional surrealist masterpiece.
3. Cats (2019)
Directed by Tom Hooper
Based on the popular stage musical, Cats was designed to be surreal but crossed the line into nightmare territory for many viewers. With a cast of human-cat hybrids singing and dancing, the film’s uncanny valley effects created a surreal atmosphere that was unintentionally unsettling. Despite the film’s whimsical premise, its execution led to a bizarre, almost nightmarish experience, making it one of the most surreal mainstream films in recent memory.
2. The Room (2003)
Directed by Tommy Wiseau
The Room is often hailed as one of the greatest “so bad, it’s good” films in history. Tommy Wiseau’s bizarre writing, acting, and direction have turned the film into an unintentional surrealist experience. The disjointed plot, wooden performances, and awkward dialogues make The Room a hypnotic journey that seems to defy logic, leading to an oddly captivating surreal viewing experience.
1. Troll 2 (1990)
Directed by Claudio Fragasso
While the original Troll was a standard 80s horror film, Troll 2 became legendary for its hilariously poor execution. The film tells the story of a family who encounters vegetarian goblins in a rural town. The plot is nonsensical, the acting is atrocious, and the special effects are laughable. Despite its intentions, Troll 2 has achieved cult status for its unintentional surrealism, becoming one of the most surreal films ever made.
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