There has been a run of successful independent horror films which break the torture porn and slasher model. They are not creature features or monster romps. Instead, there is a dimension of neurotic therapy entwined into the story. It’s said, ‘write what you know.’ And, while it may be impossible to know what it’s like to fly the galaxy or, to ride a dragon. A writer does know the people in their lives and themselves, and often times, the protagonist is an inner self. Whether this is an inner child, or shadow self can depend on the type of characters we follow in the story.
The horror of some modern films comes from such a perspective and the premise wraps accordingly. To ensure the genre of horror, an over reliance on jump scares and the ‘creepy’ element is now elevated as a means of fright. To cheat with a sudden burst of noise and motion, as one may experience in a theme park is used to unsettle and establish a genre trope. The creepy fascination is the subjective unease for the abnormal. In the confirmation of PT Barnum’s belief that humans are interested in ‘freaks’, the creepy dimension establishes that any movement, facial expression or appearance in an abnormal manner is ‘creepy’. Therefore, evil. Or, a threat. Or, scary.
And this element confronts the contradiction of modern inclusivity, one must not laugh or shame the ‘fat’, just as one may not laugh at mentally unwell, or deformed, or the retarded. And, these words are used in an older usage with intent, while in the modern incarnation, for special needs or whatever other current allowable term passes the words conjure much the same, in context of use. Those, who are creepy in these films display unease in their movement, dis regulated emotions, have mutated, or missing body parts, exaggerated, or absent limbs or torsos. Often, they can not help their mind and physical state. They smile with empty eyes. Then, again, Mr Beast and the insincere class of ‘creators’ that ascend for such, use the empty shell approach to entice. So, clearly there is a variation of the fake expression which passes as desired or, unsettling.
Are these horror elements? Or, is it because much of the audience feels unease and discomfort with unusual traits that such now passes for horror?
The recent lambasting of Susan Dell for her appearance, or Kelly Loeffler for her walking manner and longer than average neck. The women, and others, have been turned into memes and used as ‘proof’ that aliens exist, at times by serious people. It is not who, or what these ladies do, rather how they look which has drawn the ire of the terminally online. It’s allowable to use them as abnormal abominations. Susan Dell, has become the lady in red. Though, she is not Kelly LeBrock, at least not from that film’s namesake. Instead, she is more akin to LeBrock after her divorce from Stephen Seagal, when as an abused woman, Hollywood and the mob had no more need for her. She was beaten, used up and, apparently ‘deformed.’ To laugh, tease and hold disdain for the abnormal looking ladies is widely tolerated. Such a mob would have burned them at a stake, or drowned them in a river for their appearance alone. It’s with such a mindset, that ‘creepy’ and abnormal is humorous, and ugly, or scary. Or, is clear evidence that lizard people, alien Satanists walk the Earth.
In, the film Obsession, which I have previously reviewed, the victim is also the ‘monster’, a woman trapped by a narcissistic man’s desire to claim her. To force her to love him. In her individual need for life, and to be free, her inner turmoil is twisted into anguish and violence. A self-harm and lashing out state of misery, pain, a confused mind suppressed by magical powers which strangle her, and in flickers to reveal the true person, the prisoner. Not all prison breaks are passive. Hers was ongoing. For the audience, the victim of the story is her imprisoner, rapist.
The therapy session for the film makers and viewers established the relatable concept of romantic attraction and intimacy. Unrequited love, is a common obsession. An, entitlement. When respectful and from afar, it’s at best endearing. When, elevated, it’s the motive of the stalker or domestic batterer. The film’s male lead, is the worse sort of unaware and selfish protagonist. The flaws of his immorality, is when he experiences blowback. The victim dares to resist, and in doing so, innocent parties suffer. It ruins his life, but destroys hers and others. The film is a morality mirror, one can see what their intuition allows. The film sits like a therapist propositioning such challenges, providing the entitled narcissist with dilemmas to establish a moral footing. Should it exist.
In the other successful entry of modern horror hits, The Backrooms, which again was not so much a horror, and relied on atmosphere and the limited ambience of 1990s camcorder footage or the unreliable architecture, of banality and absurdity. It was a long, and uneventful as far as horror goes, movie. Instead, it was the exploration of a man who ruined his marriage, and now resides in a business which is also his own prison. His ambitions and wishes for creativity and to be another man, manifests the nightmare maze that is The Backrooms. The familiar and mundane melt like a Salvador Dali painting, while adding in elements of 1990s first person shooters and the popular block games of today.
The protagonist’s therapist finds herself inside the maze of his inner self, where her own shadows and traumas seek her out. They manifest and in time, the maze becomes infected with her own mental finger prints. The monster is comical, though it’s a surrealist depiction of the human mind, our regrets and fears. Heroes no longer save others, rather they survive the violence through self-realisation and plot driven diagnosis.
While Obsession and The Backrooms, were successful financially and well received, Other Mommy, seems to have flopped. It’s not a bad film. Though, I was told that it was, ‘one of the scariest films ever.’ It was far from. In fact, it was not scary. I don’t even think it was meant to be. It was told from a child’s view. And, this is the film makers and writers inner child insert. She is an innocent and seemingly well adjusted child, though, her parents wealth, and friend group, is otherwise un-relatable to most of the audience. ‘Write what you know,’ and we see the wealthy depiction of an upbringing of those giving us a story about a child who has invented a fictional friend.
Not, a Dropdead Fred, our film’s little girl needs to play and feel affection from the dark spirit which has taken on the avatar, of her own mother. Her real mother is absent, works a lot, and is having an affair. Her father is present and loving. Both parents love her. They are not, bad, that’s not where the trauma comes from.
The little girl, Bela, who is played by Arabella Olivia Clark, gives a decent performance for a ten-year old. She at times resembles Dakota Fanning from the same age, and one can not help to feel a horror like fear, for the fate of such a young child star when deployed as a performer for the industry that ruins youth. The acting and casting is sound. The problem for the film, and poor reception seems to be that it’s not scary, or really a horror. And, I agree.
The film is more therapy-fantasy, and has all of the dark child film elements found in the 1980s, with Return to Oz, or The Dark Crystal. From a period, and before when story tellers such as Don Bluth or even the Grimm brothers wanted to present dark, and truly scary stories for children, the stakes were high, joy and sadness, fear and excitement shared the screen. This, had elements at time in such a tradition. Though, it is made for teens and adults, now. The gore, are over the top and cast a non-frightful side to death. As one may find in a comedy. It is also done with a slight seriousness at times, however, it does not take it self too serious. It feels like a film which is meant to be fun.
The blend of horror and comedy, is one that Sam Raimi, who also had a fascination for witches and evil female spirits, did well. Other Mommy, is not horror laden enough to be like that, but it does have moments of levity despite the circumstances which is due to the nature of Daddo, her father played by Jay Duplass and Mommy, both of them, played by Jessica Chastian. For our little girl, Bela, who it seems has no friends her own age, has a teen baby sitter who let’s her dress him up and is sensitive to her isolation. She is wrapped by loving and caring people. Including her Grandma Ruth, played by Karen Allen.
It’s with Grandma Ruth, where we receive the exposition, and she becomes Checkov’s grandmother. Her Other Mommy, deceives and placates Bela, she makes promises and is always trying to provide an unreal reality for her. While our sweet grandmother explains that at times people who love you will lie to protect you and that no one can promise you will never be hurt. Other mommy is nice, it’s a fake niceness. To a child, it’s appealing. The smile is wide, the eyes empty. It appeals to the emotionally underdeveloped, see Mr Beast.
To defeat the evil spirit, who wants to take Bela’s heart, to be reborn. It can only do so with Bela’s permission, so she charms and entangles herself into the girls world and satisfies her ego and insecurities and creates a fake depiction of love and relationships. The evil is manipulative and in doing so has cultivated escapist adventures and provides a company which is nothing more than what Bela thinks she needs, or wants.
Recalling what her grandmother told her, Bela is able to tell the difference between her real mother and the other mommy. The evil is only defeated when both parents reveal to her a dark truth, which seems to be known. A semblance of it permeating inside of Bela’s mind, whether she could articulate it or reflect upon it. It was with such disharmony that the evil was able to insert itself into the child’s life, earn her trust. Dado is not her real father. At least not biologically. He stuck around, and loved her with his everything while the biological father was not interested. And, her mother misses her life before she was a mother. She became a mother, with reluctance. She loves Bela but has an inner conflict. It turns out there is no playbook to be a parent. Or, child for that matter. But her parents sincerely love her, despite this challenging revelation of truth.
It challenges her world view. Her mother does love her. Truly, even in her at times absence. And, Dado, has never once not loved her. He has never shown her the distance and rejection assumed to be for a non-biological parent. Despite the presence of the evil spirit and it’s powers, and murderous nature. Her parents fight to protect her, they are not martial beings. They are husband and wife, who love their child. And, in the end, as a family, despite the trauma, regrets and ethereal presence of an ancient evil prevail. They over come. Together.
No drug or therapy sessions could ever bring a family together like defeating an evil spirit.
I feel the movie was misunderstood. As many are upon initial release. It was not bad. Films don’t need to be five hundred million dollar mega projects, or self serious bio-pics about scientists making mass death devices. They can also be small. With a blend of serious and intimate subject matter with elements of laughter. Life is like that. It has it’s faults, contrivances, it’s also mostly from a child’s view so imperfections are allowable. It’s a fantasy film, of a sorts.
I didn’t hate it. And, for 90 minutes, a refreshing length for a modern film, I did not wish for time to pass faster, as I have done with films others have insisted were great. It’s not a great film. Nor is it bad. It’s not a horror movie, though it resides among those on the shelf. I suspect we will see more films of therapy, some will be hits, so long as they hit the established tropes of a genre well. Others will flop, and this, just as Skin Deep was a comedy-therapy film for the writer and film makers, will go mostly forgotten. Tastes are subjective and this movie, like Skin Deep, didn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth, and is as re-watchable despite the flaws, unlike apparently better films. Other viewer’s feel different.
