Some movie directors love to let their freak flags fly. Whether making weird, subversive movies with surreal imagery and purposely confounding plots or challenging the notions of “right,” “wrong,” and everything in between, these filmmakers push the boundaries of taste and convention.
From maestros likeDavid Lynchwith films likeEraserheadto newcomers likeThe Danielsto their Academy Award-winning movieEverything Everywhere All at Oncethese directors embrace the bizarre and outlandish, elevating it to new heights and turning it into art. And while all of these creators live in the “weird” spectrum, some are more committed to it than others.
10Terry Gilliam
Well-known as a member of Monty Python,Terry Gilliamis also famous for his directorial efforts. Exploring diverse genres, themes, and styles, Gilliam’s resumé includes fantasy adventures likeTime Bandits, cerebral sci-fi thrillers like12 Monkeys, and black comedies likeFear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
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Gilliam’s 1985 dystopian black comedyBrazilremains a standard of surreal cinema. Mixing societal critique with freakish and imaginative imagery,Brazilis a visionary masterpiece that challenges and confuses. And while Gilliam’s future filmography lacks the same bravado,Brazilis enough to cement his weird legacy.
9The Daniels
Two movies were enough to establish the director duo of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert — collectively known asthe Daniels— as masters of the weird. Their feature debut, the delightfully offbeatSwiss Army Man, is a bizarre yet rewarding adventure that introduced their unique and remarkably odd style to critics and audiences.
However, their follow-up, the Oscar-winning sci-fi movieEverything Everywhere All at Once, perfectly blends their maximalist style and mainstream audiences' sensibilities.A multiversal adventure with ideas to spare,Everything Everywhereis emotional and thought-provoking without sacrificing an ounce of weirdness.
8David Cronenberg
David Cronenbergis the ultimate master of body horror. His films explore the intricacies of the body, the dangers of the mind, and the relationship between humans with technology. Featuring visceral and uncompromising imagery, Cronenberg’s films are nightmarish experiences.
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From the terrifying strangeness ofThe Broodto the disturbing themes inDead Ringers, Cronenberg’s movies are prime examples of the fascinating quality of the odd and misunderstood. His 1991 pictureNaked Lunchis a spectacularly odd and creative effort that ranks as one of cinema’s most daring and eccentric films.
7Yorgos Lanthimos
The remarkably weirdYorgos Lanthimosoffers films that are intriguing, slightly disturbing, and extremely memorable. The Greek auteur marches to the beat of his own drum, delivering insightful and thought-provoking pieces exploring the darkest sides of the human psyche.
From the unsettling dramaDogtoothto the offbeat dark comedyThe Lobsterto the disquieting psychological thrillerThe Killing of the Sacred Deer, Lanthimos is a unique force in modern Hollywood. And if his future films are any indication, he shows no sign of stopping with his unique brand of disturbing quirk.
6Alejandro Jodorowsky
If someone were to look up the term “avant-garde director” in the dictionary, a picture ofAlejandro Jodorowskywould probably appear. The Chilean-French director is a bastion of cult cinema, with his films becoming favorites of the midnight movie circuit.
His filmsEl TopoandTheHoly Mountainaremasterpieces of psychedelic cinemathat waste no moment to challenge conventions, particularly religious ones. Jodorowsky’s directorial efforts might be few, but they are significant pieces of cinematic history thanks to their daring and subversive nature, not to mention their refreshingly weird approach.
5Werner Herzog
Arguably the most significant figure of New German Cinema,Werner Herzogis a cinematic institution. Herzog’s movies are brave and profound, relentlessly interesting and incapable of restraining themselves, luring and keeping audiences on edge with their myriad of ideas.
In his seminal manifesto “Minessota Declaration: Truth and Fact in Documentary Cinema,“Herzog declaresthat “facts sometimes have a strange and bizarre power that makes the inherent truth seem unbelievable.” This elusive yet revealing statement summarizes his films, fromthe wild 1970s movieEven Dwarfs Started SmalltoHeart of Glass.
4Lars von Trier
The controversial Danish filmmaker andco-creator of the Danish film movement “Dogma 95,“Lars von Trieris among cinema’s most divisive figures. Extreme and unsubtle, von Trier’s films are highly ambitious yet polarizing explorations of the human mind, particularly the darkest and most intimate corners.
Avant-garde projects likeDogville, absurdist horror efforts like the miniseriesRiget, and art films like the brutally horrificAntichristcement von Trier as one of cinema’s most singular filmmakers. His excessive style might not be for everyone, but at least no one can say von Trier’s films are boring.
3John Waters
John Watersis a provocative and highly influential filmmaker and the ultimate arbiter of bad taste. A leading figure in the queer community, Waters' movies are transgressive and refreshing looks into those downtrodden and cast aside.
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The 1970s saw him create his weird and seminal trilogy ofMultiple Maniacs,Pink Flamingos, andFemale Trouble. Polarizing and openly challenging their audiences, the films are daring in nature and rich in subtext, at least for audiences willing to look past their grotesque surface. Waters' future films remained refreshing and subversive, even if they lacked the scandalous bite of his projects from the ’70s.
2Luis Buñuel
Spanish-Mexican directorLuis Buñuelis an icon of surreal cinema. His brutal and uncompromising approach marked a turning point in 1960s cinema, with his films pushing the boundaries of avant-garde surrealism.
Buñuel’s seminal 1929surreal silent filmUn Chien Andalouremains a masterpiece of cinema, shocking audiences nearly a century after its creation. Future Buñuel films would use confusing but alluring imagery to explore themes of class, politics, religion, and society, from the early surreal comedyL’Age d’Ortense and psychologically violentThe Exterminating Angel.
1David Lynch
David Lynchis truly a one-of-a-kind filmmaker. His films aim to provoke their audience, daring them to understand them while offering enough shocking imagery to wow even the strongest wills. Using common settings to uncover uncommon truths, Lynch’s projects peel the layers of Americana to deliver the toxicity and danger within.
From his disturbing and iconicEraserheadto his confusing neo-noir masterpieceMulholland Drive, Lynch’s filmography is a paradise for seekers of the weird and obtuse. There are no clear answers here, just a series of ideas and theories that can simultaneously make sense or seem completely implausible.
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