The Cameramans Revenge

Russian entomologist Ladislaw Starewicz began making films in the early 20th century, when he attempted to film a battle between two stag beetles. When the nocturnal creatures continually fell asleep under the studio lights, he hit upon the idea of restaging the fight with insect corpses. Rightly seeing potential in the idea of a literal (re)animation film, he subsequently made this crazed tale of infidelity, jealousy and hypocrisy among a cast of dead beetles, grasshoppers and dragonflies.

In Starewicz’s world insects drive cars, perform in burlesque shows, paint with oils and canoodle at secret love trysts.
A century later, this film is still profoundly and disturbingly odd. Modern Hollywood blockbusters could only be improved by replacing the cast with dead insects.