By Emery Snyder @leeroy711
Preface: This is part of an ongoing blog series of curated movie
marathons that are thematically or otherwise tied together. The other common
factor tying these films together will be their availability to watch them all
from the comfort of your own home on various streaming platforms. The goal is
that writing this blog will somehow justify the excessive number of streaming
platforms I subscribe to. The films will be found on some combination of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Mubi, Shudder and/or Fandor. These titles will be available for the month
that the blog is published. All of these subscriptions offer free trials so
feel free to dive in and follow along… Have fun. Just don’t message me for my
login information.
February 2019
February is Women in Horror Month and we
here at Coda love to celebrate both women and horror, so as writers, we’re
excited to have the opportunity to tie the two together. Phoenix’s FilmBar
starts off this month’s celebration tonight with a screening of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE
SLAYER.
Following the hashtags and reading
the various articles and projects, I’ve come across a litany of different ways
to celebrate the work of women in horror. Women have historically contributed
to the genre both in front of and behind the camera. On screen, we’ve come a
long way from the incapacity of “Scream Queens” like Fay Wray’s “Ann” in (’34)
KING KONG. These day, stronger women are more likely to fight their captors
like last year’s underrated COLD HELL.
Behind the scenes, women have held
every job in the industry from cinematographers like A QUIET PLACE’s Charlotte
Bruus Christensen to writers like frequent Carpenter collaborator, Debra Hill.
But for this list, I wanted to focus on directors. Because unfortunately,
quality of work notwithstanding, this is the job in which women seem to have
the hardest time getting. In 2018, less than 5% of studio films were directed
by women.
This is specifically important
when we talk about the role of a director and the overall role cinema plays in
our culture. For all intents and purposes, the director provides the film’s
primary perspective. And cinema’s long and storied history has been forcibly
permeated by the “male gaze” perspective. It’s important to recognize, that
when we talk about the “male gaze”, we’re talking about something that
encompasses much more than just the objectification of women’s bodies. There is
an entire fantasy world that comes along with it. In fact, much of our
fantasies aren’t even about sex. You see, generation after generation of men
being raised by pop-culture have made us a fragile gender. It is imperative to
the fantasy that we are not only sexually irresistible, but the masters of our
own destiny and the hero of every situation.
Women are more often props and
prizes in this world. There is no room for equality or platonic relationships.
It is this lack of competing perspectives that has largely contributed to
machismo myths like the “friend-zone” and MRA concepts like “enforced monogamy”
or “redistribution of sex”. To be honest, I don’t even know how much of this
mentality is instinctual and how much is learned. I just know that it’s
constantly reinforced by the feed-forward loop of the most popular form of
expression in the world.
So, with that rant in mind, let’s
all take just one month (the shortest month) to celebrate the less than 5% of
films made from the perspective of people that make up over half of the
population.
The Stream
Side Note: Coralie Fargeat’s REVENGE should have obviously
made this list. It is currently in the penalty box because I’ve written about it
a few too many times already. It is streaming on Shudder.
A GIRL WALKS HOME
ALONE (2014)
Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour – Streaming on Shudder
Bad City, Iran is being stalked by a melancholy vampire. This
film has the air of a fairytale, modernized with sex, drugs and rock &
roll. I love how the storyteller refuses to dumb down the symbolism and
metaphors just to keep it simple. It’s complex and subversive and unfolds like
a riddle that you didn’t know you were trying to solve. It should also be noted
that anamorphic black & white should not be taken lightly. Cinematographer,
Lyle Vincent did an amazing job capturing the landscape and interiors here.
HUMANOIDS FROM THE
DEEP (1980)
Directed by Barbara Peeters – Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
This is the only film in which the ventriloquist gets the
girl. Not for long, but he does somehow manage to seduce her out of her clothes
before the obligatory monster attack. This is essentially a 50’s creature
feature done with 80’s gore and nudity. If that’s not enough for you, then you
have my sympathies. It was produced by B-movie icon, Roger Corman and released
under his New World Pictures label. It should be noted however that some of the
more graphic and exploitive rape scenes were directed by the uncredited Jimmy
T. Murakami. Allegedly, Peeters was appalled at the finished product and asked
for her name to be removed. I included it on this list with some trepidation,
but I can’t help but love a lot of what this film does right.
NEAR DARK (1987)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow – Streaming on Mubi
Lance Henriksen
and the late Bill Paxton are the only two actors to boast being killed by an
Alien, a Terminator and a Predator. They are horror royalty. And if you ever
get the opportunity to see them playing vampires in a neo-noir western horror,
I don’t really have to finish this sentence to I? Kathryn Bigelow is the only female
to ever win the Academy Award for Best Director (THE HURT LOCKER). Only 3
others have ever even been nominated. This is unequivocally my favorite of her
films. “It’s finger-lickin’ good!!!”
OFFICE
KILLER (1997)
Directed by Cindy Sherman – Streaming on Shudder
You may think that 80’s stars, Molly Ringwald, Carol Kane
and Jeanne Tripplehorn would be out-of-place in a late 90’s slasher/horror. But
they work great here. I’m especially impressed with Carol Kane, specifically in
the third act.
PREVENGE (2016)
Directed by Alice Lowe – Streaming on Shudder
This movie is a romp. Alice Lowe writes, directs and stars
in this all while she’s actually pregnant in real life. Baby knows best as Lowe’s
“Ruth” carries on with a vicious homicidal spree guided by the in-utero voice
of her unborn child…. And, why the hell not. I have a lot of fun with this
flick. At times it’s hilarious. The symbolism is a bit too ‘on-the-nose’ but I
really didn’t care. This would be a great one to show with a group of
unsuspecting friends at a party… like a baby shower.
RAW (2016)
Directed
by Julia Docournau – Streaming on Netflix
If this is what the college experience is like, I sure as
hell don't regret missing out on it. This is a very well put together film. And
more than that, it breathes in a very clear and unique voice. It makes me very
excited to see what director, Julia Ducournau has in store. It's disturbing and
gross, but still knows when to turn away from the realm of snuff or even
exploitation.
TROUBLE EVERY DAY (2001)
Directed by Claire Denis – Streaming on Amazon Prime Video & Mubi
I sure hope you didn’t already fill up on French arthouse
cannibalism movies… Did you save any room for dessert? If anything, this film
proves that there’s always room for more. Typical of Denis’ other work, this
one is tempered and meditative, with very little dialogue or exposition. In
many ways, it fits right in with WHITE MATERIAL or 35 SHOTS OF RUM. Except of
course, you know… nobody gets eaten in those films.
