7.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Bizarre, Bizarre remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, it depends on how much you like watching people act like absolute goons for 90 minutes. If you want a tight, logical thriller, look elsewhere. If you want to see a bunch of talented French actors basically having a riot in Victorian costumes while everyone yells at each other, this is your jam. Some people will find it too loud, too weird, and just plain exhausting. I thought it was kind of perfect in its stupidity.
The whole premise is just an excuse to get these characters into a room and let them spiral. It feels less like a movie and more like a fever dream you’d have after eating too much cheese before bed. The bishop character is such a wet blanket that you’re rooting for the crime novelist to make his life a living hell before the opening credits even finish.
It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Murder at Midnight, though this one is definitely more committed to the bit. There’s a complete lack of restraint here that I find pretty refreshing. Usually, movies try to tell you how to feel, but this one just throws a plate of spaghetti at the wall and says, 'deal with it.'
The dialogue is so fast it feels like it’s being fired out of a cannon. If you look away for ten seconds, you’ve missed three subplots and a murder attempt. It’s not profound, it’s not life-changing, and it certainly isn't a cinematic masterpiece. It’s just weird. And honestly? We need more weird stuff like this instead of the usual predictable fluff.
Sometimes the camera just sits there, looking at a door, while someone screams inside. It’s bizarre. I guess that’s in the title for a reason, right? 🤪 Don't go in expecting to follow the plot closely. Just let the madness wash over you.
