I’ve lampooned and worshipped a variety of movies on this page, but, for my final column with Student Publications, it’s time I took another look at some of these films in retrospect.
Opinions change as the individual does, so let’s revisit some of the films I reviewed and have since changed my mind about.
1. mother!
In my original review for this 2017 surreal psychological horror film, I praised it for its originality and allusions to all kinds of storytelling, specifically Gothic tales, Victorian romances, classical mythology, and the Bible. But, on second viewing, I was forced to reexamine this idea, and it didn’t take long for me to see that it actually only pulls from one story, the Bible.
The fact that it’s a horror film suggests there may be some Gothic overtones, and the main characters being a couple brings a hint of romance, of course, but by no means does this make it a story of those respective styles. In fact, the “horror” label is a meaningless genre-tag in this case because there’s no real emphasis on fear or any kind of horror tradition. It seems more like the filmmakers just didn’t know what else to call it.
Meanwhile, mother! rides the biblical allegory so hard it’s painful to watch, and Director Darren Aronofsky beats you over the head with unsubtle “hints” as to what the hidden meaning is. Once you find the allegory, though, the film doesn’t really do anything beyond simply reenact Scripture, making mother! a one-step process. You find the allegory, you solve the one-dimensional riddle, then it’s over. All done. Everyone go home.
Why Aronofsky didn’t take the same innovative approach in this movie as he did in his masterpiece Black Swan, I don’t know.
2. Halloween (1978)
At the end of the day, I can’t be too hard on Halloween. In my original review, I tore this thing to shreds for its cardboard acting, its faux-nostalgic bad filmmaking and its way of embodying all the worst qualities of the slasher genre, which is second only to comedy horror in being my least favorite subgenre.
But, I don’t think I gave the thematic content of Halloween enough credit. The film pioneered American horror symbolism, perfect with a white picket fence backdrop, and it took the virginal innocence of Gothic maidens and turned it into your everyday American teenager. I ripped apart the same teenagers for their bad, awkward and just plain strange acting performances, but there are actually moments where it feels intentionally surreal, almost like a David Lynch movie, drawing the viewer into the eerie oddity of everyday life.
Many technical elements, too, are worth considering. Forty years later, the iconic score is still timelessly chilling and smartly executed, speeding up with the rising level of fear in a scene like a heartbeat. All the while the cinematography keeps the focus character constantly at the edge of the frame, so the viewer is completely powerless to see what will appear next. The score admittedly gives away the scare before it happens sometimes, but hell, it’s still suspenseful as all get out.
I still roll my eyes at slasher films, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon. Halloween is no exception to that, but it did turn me on to the genre a little bit more, and there’s something to be said for that.
But those sex scenes will always be terrible.
3. Pet Sematary
It’s only been a week, but I somehow hate this movie even more.
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