“Promiscuity in men may cheapen love but sharpen thought. Promiscuity in women is illness, a leakage of identity.” - Camille Paglia
This is part two of my cinematic renaissance that I had in 2014. I spoke of it in my Babadook review as well. There was a time when this kind of horror movie would have left me frustrated and confused. Any questions I would have had would likely remain unanswered as I would have just written the movie off as pretentious and pointless. If I didn’t get it as I watched it, it wasn’t for me. But for reasons I don’t understand to this day, suddenly movies like this started to make sense. I started to appreciate the subtleties of psychological terror. I began to appreciate the idea of allowing my imagination to take over where the creators decided to conceal story elements in shadow and obscurity. If the “It” in It Follows was revealed to have its own form separate from who it turns into I’m not so sure I’d be talking about this movie right now. I don’t know that I’d remember it all.
The lack of detail, the randomness and the unknowable qualities of something so devoid of specificity that it can only be referred to as “It” is the greatest source of its power which is ultimately fear. To never know its next form, to always wonder when it will appear and the form it chooses is a genius way of creating a shapeless evil forever in pursuit. From there it demonstrates an intelligence by becoming someone it knows you trust most just to get you to open the door or to let your guard down just long enough for it to strike.
So much in this film is dependent on empty spaces. There is something wonderfully discomforting about a character looking with intent in a certain direction wondering if it’s near only to see emptiness. It shows off the abilities it has while simultaneously giving a glimpse of the vantage point of someone not infected and how lost it makes them feel as their loved one points at nothing and screams in horror. It somehow creates a feeling of helplessness either as the infected, constantly paranoid of its location or the friends always wondering if they’ll be there in time to help when it matters most. The very concept of nothing has ever been this scary before.
To tie all this together into one cohesive nightmare, the score permeates in a unique and hauntingly gorgeous way utilizing electronica and ethereal horror themes and homages to classic stories like Halloween, which was composed by John Carpenter himself. It seems to seep into every inch of this vague timeline as it’s never identifiable what decade the story is set during. Its meandering pace offers an ominous atmosphere as if it’s the very theme music of whatever it is always threatening impending carnage.
The tale is simple enough but never easy to make sense of completely. Jay is nineteen and just beginning to discover what it means to be an adult. She’s in college and trying to date. The current guy she’s seeing is kind and much to her surprise, she really likes him. This isn’t a story of romance though, it’s best not to forget. On their most recent date they attend a movie only to leave early because he suddenly and seemingly without reason becomes unsettled and nervous. Trying to maintain the date she goes with him to an isolated, deserted parking lot just outside of a deteriorating building adjacent to their chosen stop spot where things take a turn for the romantic (I know I said it wasn’t about romance, just stay with me).
Lying satisfied in the backseat Jay is suddenly attacked by her once knight in shining armor and is left unconscious. She comes to, strapped to a wheelchair naturally scared to death. This is when he explains why and without warning or any kind of say so she begins her descent into the most disturbing, never-ending rabbit hole of pure paranoia and dread. The basic idea is that something, some… thing will always be after her from this moment on. He explains the only way to truly survive is to pass on the curse by having sex as if it’s the world’s worst STI. What he warns her of and what genuinely plagues her is far worse and far more relentless than he could have ever conveyed to her. It follows and it will never stop.
According to writer and director David Robert Mitchell, the idea stemmed from repeated nightmares he used to suffer from about always being followed and created this story to craft the same feeling of helplessness he felt when he had this recurring dream. It was a dream emanating from anxiety from his personal life being in varying stages of disarray. This concept would grow into the story that includes themes of promiscuity and sexual transmission.
The cinematography was inspired by George Romero and John Carpenter using wide-angle lenses giving the film an expansive look influencing the film’s compositions and visual aesthetic. The overall aesthetic, shot composition and the monster itself were influenced by contemporary photographer Gregory Crewdson whose ability to capture surreal suburban imagery is what they wanted to mirror visually.
It Follows can easily feel nonsensical and silly. If you can place yourself within the story, knowing something evil is constantly pursuing you, suddenly it feels unsettling and malignant. The visuals, ethereal and isolated, the characters young and naive but also strong and determined, the music, ominous and threatening. Through fantastic establishing sequences, It Follows provides a natural, built-in ticking clock, a kind of anxiousness that feels ever-present and always foreboding. If you can immerse yourself into the obscure premise, it will be one of the most frightening movies you’ve seen in quite some time.
Rated R For: disturbing violent and sexual content including graphic nudity, and language
Runtime: 100 minutes
After Credits Scene: No
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Starring: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Lili Sepe, Jake Weary
Directed By: David Robert Mitchell
Out of 10
Story: 8.5/ Acting: 8/ Directing: 10/ Visuals: 9
OVERALL: 9/10
Buy to Own: Yes.
Check out the trailer below:
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