Inspired by the upcoming release of Ingrid Goes West, the Alamo Drafthouse tapped writer/director Matt Spicer to curate a program of films about beautiful losers and edgy eccentrics. It is quite a group of films, ranging from crowd-pleasers like Tim Burton’s feature debut about a man-child searching for his stolen bike (Pee-wee’s Big Adventure) to one of the most indelible screen characters, Shelley Duvall as Millie Lammoreaux in Robert Altman’s 3 Women. There’s also great turns by Robert De Niro (The King of Comedy), Peter Sellers (Being There), and, of course, a twofer of Wes Anderson’s quirky characters (Bottle Rocket, Moonrise Kingdom).
But hidden among these classics are two films I’d like to draw your attention to. The first, Snakes (aka Fangs), screens for Weird Wednesday, Aug. 2, and it is a real humdinger. A mid-Seventies hicksploitation flick, the story revolves around Snakey Bender (classic character actor Les Tremayne), an old coot who runs a snake farm outside of a small town, which seems to have only seven residents. After one too many slights, he takes his vengeance out by letting his snakes loose on an elaborate killing spree. Come for the elementary school teacher with a reptile sexual fetish, but stay for Snakey’s obsession with the music of John Philip Sousa and his disposal of every dead body by driving cars off a cliff. I guarantee you have never seen anything like it.
Rolf de Heer’s Bad Boy Bubby (which screens Wed., Aug. 16) also falls into the “What the heck am I watching?” realm. This experimental 1993 Australian film follows the titular character who, at 35 years old, has never set foot outside his home. Once he does, he encounters all manner of characters and eventually joins a rock band. De Heer would later create the nail-biting masterpiece Alexandra’s Project and the neighbors-from-hell comedy The King Is Dead!
Tales of the Obsessed
Bottle Rocket Tue., Aug. 1, 7:30pm, Alamo Village
Snakes Wed., Aug. 2, 10:30pm, Alamo Ritz
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Thu., Aug. 3, 7pm, Alamo Mueller
Being There Sun., Aug. 6, 1pm, Alamo Ritz
Stroszek Mon., Aug. 7, 6:30pm, Alamo Ritz
Moonrise Kingdom (Movie Party) Tue., Aug. 8, 7pm, Alamo Ritz
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure Tue., Aug. 8, 7:30pm, Alamo Village
3 Women Wed., Aug. 9, 7pm, Alamo Mueller
Harold & Maude Thu., Aug. 10, 7pm, Alamo Mueller
Minnie & Moskowitz Sat., Aug. 12, 3pm, Alamo Ritz
The King of Comedy Tue., Aug.15, 7pm, Alamo Mueller
Carrie Tue., Aug. 15, 10pm, Alamo Ritz
Bad Boy Bubby Wed., Aug. 16, 9:45pm, Alamo Ritz
For more info and to purchase tickets, visit www.drafthouse.com/obsessed
The Misfits
A version of this article appeared in print on Jul 28, 2017 with the headline: The Misfits
This article appears in July 28 • 2017.