About this Event
WEIRDUMENTARY: ANCIENT ALIENS, FALLACIOUS PROPHECIES, AND MYSTERIOUS MONSTERS FROM 1970s DOCUMENTARIES
As part of an evening devoted to the strange, the speculative, and the wildly entertaining edges of nonfiction cinema—“high strangeness” in its purest form—7th House presents a celebration of Gary D. Rhodes’s new book WEIRDUMENTARY—an instant classic compendium of pseudoscientific documentaries from the ’70s and ’80s exploring the unexplained—paired with a screening of obscure media collective EXP TV’s immaculately titled original film BIZARRE ENCOUNTERS WITH MYSTERIES FROM BEYOND THE AMAZING WORLD OF UNKNOWN FORCES IN SEARCH OF PSYCHIC PHENOMENA (2023).
Rhodes will offer a special presentation on the book and the history of the genre, followed by a conversation with the author, and culminating in a rare screening of BIZARRE ENCOUNTERS…, EXP TV’s original film collage, made specifically for PRS—a quintessential, expertly crafted, head-first deep dive into the weird world of phenome-films.
Dive into the forgotten world of pseudoscientific documentaries—from ancient aliens to cryptids—and discover why millions couldn’t look away. With WEIRDUMENTARY, Rhodes explores the strangest cinematic phenomenon of the 1970s and 1980s: films sold to the unsuspecting public as documentaries that blurred the line between fact and fantasy with absolute conviction. Beginning with Chariots of the Gods (1970) and ending with The Man Who Saw Tomorrow (1981), Rhodes showcases these popular works that offered spurious experts, questionable evidence, and low-budget dramatizations in the service of something far more compelling than proof: possibility.
Written with clarity, humor, and deep archival knowledge, WEIRDUMENTARY is both a guide and a delight—a tour through a world where the Bermuda Triangle, Bigfoot, UFOs, psychic phenomena, and speculative histories weren’t fringe curiosities but mainstream obsessions. Figures like Leonard Nimoy and Orson Welles loom large in this landscape, lending their voices to a genre built on authority, atmosphere, and the tantalizing suggestion that it might all be real.
As a renowned film historian, Rhodes brings scholarly rigor, genuine enthusiasm, and a light-hearted playfulness to the material—treating these films not as curiosities to be dismissed, but as cultural artifacts that reveal how we look for meaning in the unknown.
Followed by:
EXP TV's BIZARRE ENCOUNTERS WITH MYSTERIES FROM BEYOND THE AMAZING WORLD OF UNKNOWN FORCES IN SEARCH OF PSYCHIC PHENOMENA
To close out the evening, we plunge into the depths of the genre with EXP TV’s definitive, reverent—but affectionately hilarious—kaleidoscopic tapestry of classic, rare, and “what-the-heck-is-that-from?” phenome-film footage:
“How can you harness the power to bend spoons? Can you hurt a fern’s feelings? What was the 23,000 year old computer used by The Druids? Do ghosts ride bicycles? Is Bigfoot actually a visitor from outer space? Who are the children that communicate with flowers by using their gift of ‘skin vision’? Can you telepathically send Charlie Chaplin movies to someone else’s mind? All these questions and more will be answered by EXP TV’s brand new movie – Bizarre Encounters with Mysteries From Beyond The Amazing World of Unknown Forces In Search of Psychic Phenomena. A psychotropic film collage of the rarest, oddest, kraziest mixed-up moments from the golden era of uncanny documentaries. Rated G”
Approx. 50 mins.
Tickets: $10 (All Screenings Are In Person Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
ACCESSIBILITY
PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.
REFUND POLICIES
All sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events , except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test. Ticket exchanges may be granted on a case by case basis, pending circumstances.
In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.
PARKING
Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.
PRS EVENT POLICIES
- We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
- Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
- We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
- Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
- No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.
- There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.
- We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.
- Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.
- Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.
GARY D. RHODES
Gary D. Rhodes is a renowned film historian and author with a passion for uncovering the forgotten stories of horror cinema. He’s a world expert on Bela Lugosi and how Dracula is portrayed in films. When he’s not diving into dusty film archives, Gary can be found teaching, lecturing, or working on his next independent film.
EXP TV
“I believe in a long, prolonged derangement of the senses in order to obtain the unknown.” - Jim Morrison
EXP TV is…a 24/7 live TV channel broadcasting an endless stream of obscure media and video ephemera at exptv.org. EXP stands for… experimental, expanded, experiential, expert, exploration, expressive, expounded, exposed, explained, expeditionary, unexpected, exponents, expatriot, expedited, expectorant, exposure, expelled, expendable, expensive, express, exploded, expired…EXP TV!
“It’s a barrage of strange imagery and is really quite an inspired—not to say elaborate and work intensive—art project.” - Dangerous Minds
Watch EXP TV live and follow on Instagram
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
ACCESSIBILITY
PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.
REFUND POLICIES
All sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events.
In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.
PARKING
Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.
PRS EVENT POLICIES
- We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
- Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
- We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
- Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
- No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.
- There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.
- We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.
- Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.
- Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.
Event venue & nearby stays
Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States
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