Exclusives
‘Smoking Causes Coughing’ Exclusive Clip Introduces the Absurdly Funny, Lethal Misadventures of Superheroes
John Waters raved that Smoking Causes Coughing is a “superhero movie for idiots,” and Bloody Disgusting has an exclusive clip that perfectly encapsulates the absurdist humor and violence that ensues when the Tobacco Force attempts to prepare for battle.
Written/Directed by Quentin Dupieux (Rubber, Deerskin, Mandibles), the absurdist, gory French comedy releases On Demand on June 27 from Magnolia Home Entertainment under the Magnet Label.
In the exclusive clip below, members of the plucky Tobacco Force team fumble their way through helmet removal to comically lethal results. It feels safe to assume that whoever this wacky superhero team goes up against might have the upper hand. With Dupieux behind it, we’d expect nothing less.
The “wildly inventive new comedy” follows the misadventures of a team of five superheroes known as the Tobacco Force – Benzene (Gilles Lellouche), Nicotine (Anaïs Demoustier), Methanol (Vincent Lacoste), Mercury (Jean-Pascal Zadi), and Ammonia (Oulaya Amamra).
“After a devastating battle against a diabolical giant turtle, the Tobacco Force is sent on a mandatory week-long retreat to strengthen their decaying group cohesion. Their sojourn goes wonderfully well until Lézardin, Emperor of Evil, decides to annihilate planet Earth.”
“What follows is Dupiex’s subversion of the normal superhero story, instead telling a tale full of friendship, heartbreak, and epiphany through various vignettes, some bloody and some hysterical. A brash film that could only be conjured up by the unique mind of Dupieux, Smoking Causes Coughing asks the audiences to imagine what it would be like to go camping with the Power Rangers amidst a fever dream.”
In his review for Bloody Disgusting, Alex DiVincenzo wrote that the obscene comedy “brings to mind Psycho Goreman in its blend of absurdist humor, buckets of gore, and rubber monsters. The latter — which range from the Gamera-esque Tortusse to a giant cockroach — are portrayed by special makeup effects artist Olivier Afonso (As Above So Below, Raw) in intentionally schlocky creature suits.”
Smoking Causes Coughing premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival in the Midnight section. It will be available On Demand via Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video, FandangoNOW, and more on June 27.
Exclusives
New Documentaries Explore the Cult Legacies of ‘The Keep’ and ‘Wolfen’; Watch the Trailers Now [Exclusive]
Undersung werewolf gem Wolfen and Michael Mann’s The Keep get the spotlight in a pair of feature documentaries acquired by Antenna Releasing.
A World War II Fairy Tale, which covers the infamous production of and reception to The Keep, will receive a limited theatrical release in October, followed by a TVOD release on Apple/Amazon. The Keep will also screen as a double feature for some showings.
For Uncovering Wolfen, Antenna eyes a limited theatrical release for 2027. Both films are currently available for booking via Antenna prior to their theatrical and digital releases.
Both documentaries are directed by Stewart Buck, who co-helms with Stéphane Piter on A World War II Fairy Tale.
“We at Antenna are obsessed with film history,” said Chief Acquisitions Officer Billy Ray Brewton. “Stewart has done such a remarkable job of really diving into the deepest recesses of how these films were made and, in doing so, has created the definitive histories of both projects.”
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Antenna Releasing!” said director Buck. “It’s refreshing to see a filmmaker-friendly approach to distribution with people who know what it’s like to be in the trenches with independent projects that struggle to find a home in the crowded marketplace.”
Check out our exclusive trailer and poster reveal of both documentaries below.
Released in 1983, Michael Mann’s The Keep was a notorious box office bomb, critically lambasted and all but forgotten for years, save for the fascination with Tangerine Dream’s iconic score. In recent years, the film has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence and is widely considered a cult classic, though director Michael Mann and many cast members refuse to acknowledge it.
Wolfen, on the other hand, was critical success but was overshadowed heavily by its flashier 1981 siblings An American Werewolf in London and The Howling. It’s also a trailblazer for socio-political horror, and the doc will explore that via the craftspeople who made it.
Look for them both in theaters soon. Stay tuned for more as it arrives.
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