Oliver Battershall

In the Mouth of Madness (1994) 4/5
Great concept executed by the best guy possible. No one directs a bloke navigating a hellscape filled with cryptic crazies like Mr. Carpenter. Predestination as a component of religion is a very interesting notion and this explores that in such a cool way.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) 5/5
Utterly fantastic, leaves you with lots to ruminate on. A genre-bending gem that compares the roles of violence and honour across generations and cultures. A deliciously ironic sense of humour, constant symbolism and an array of really well-written characters punctuate an epic philosophical tale of revenge. There’s a beautifully dignified silence to this film and more specifically Whitaker’s performance that made this feel so uniquely mature and effortlessly cool.

Lunacy (2005) 3.5/5
Despite the occasional stop motion interludes, this definitely felt like it has the least Švankmajer-ian fingerprints in his filmography. A lot of the usual perversion but none of the warmth he usually injects that makes sure you’re smiling by the end. Still very enjoyable though, gloriously sinister. I wish he talked to the camera like Hitchcock at the start of all his films. If Salò was just a bit too much for you, give this a try instead.