"Dark City", although it’s more linear than surreal, always struck me this way–and I believe Proyas said he wrote it based on some nightmares. The hero wakes up in a strange world with no memories or context for anything, he’s completely alone in his troubles, the landscape morphs around him to make it feel like he’s going in circles, it’s a never ending night… and did I mention the group of pale, vaguely inhuman figures stalkers who are always one step behind him?
Let’s add "Eraserhead" and "Jacob’s Ladder" in the mix too.
'Mulholland Drive' and 'Berberian Sound Studio' would also be great films to look at in relation to this. – Pottig9 years ago
'Lost Highway' (1997) and Ingmar Bergman's 'The Hour of the Wolf' (1968) would also be great choices. – Ryan Errington9 years ago
'Memento' is great because the audience begins just as lost as the main character. 'Shutter Island" is a great one, too. – Liz Watkins9 years ago
'The Machinist' would also be good. – dannyjs9 years ago
'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' would be a great film to follow; it has a very dark gothic atmosphere that looks and feels like something out of a nightmare - something enforced even further by its unforgettable ending. – Seth Childers9 years ago
There was a really weird film I watched with my parents when I was young called 'Pi' don't remember much but this guy was trying to find Pi's end and couldn't so put a drill to his head.(that makes my parents seem like they are sadist, but they aren't!!) It was kind of similar to Terry Gilliam's 'Zero Theorm' but much darker. 'Twelve Monkeys' or 'Brazil' by TG would also be good... – Francesca Turauskis9 years ago