Film distribution in Spain is sometimes a mess for films that are not the big premieres of the season. Tapes that are neither blockbusters nor dramas with aspirations for awards, that have to find their space however they can. And sometimes that destination is not the rooms, despite having enough qualities and quality to be great experiences.
It is striking that two of the most shocking horror movies of recent years have had such an uneven landing in our country. ‘X’ by Ti West did go through theaters, although with more than a month delay compared to the United States (with the risk that this implies due to the reduced digital release windows there). Unfortunately its sequel in the form of a prequel, ‘Pearl‘, has now been released discreetly.
I’m a star, look at me
It’s a shame, because this is one of the horror movies of the year and it has reached a point where it was not clear if it was going to premiere here. It has finally done so through physical editions, VOD and also streaming through Movistar +. By qualities, deserves a more flashy arrivalbut better this than remaining an elusive enigma.
Mia Goth plays the young version of Pearl’s character that she played in the previous film, showing her isolated life on a farm with her family while her husband is stationed at war. Her devoted existence in the face of her mother’s repressions and her father’s care only become digestible by her dreams of succeeding, hoping that a local audition will allow her to achieve the long-awaited stardom that she get out of there
West in collaboration with Goth (they wrote the script together while in quarantine during pre-production on ‘X’) expand the story of the original film’s villain to further develop the message of longing for triumph and the monsters it creates. The slasher movie model of the seventies there was transformed with great intelligence and elegance using the language of the pornographic cinema of the time, but in Pearl reaches new dimensions with its influences from Douglas Sirk melodrama and technicolor fantasy cinema.
‘Pearl’: dark deep red fantasy
With this he creates a melancholic fairy tale totally twisted, showing the progressive creation of a monster. The mix of genres is super daring and sensational, again showing the maturity as a genre filmmaker that West has achieved in recent years. It’s devastating as well as bloody, moving as well as disturbing, with sky-high scenes like Pearl’s audition.
Goth also gives one of the most memorable performances, establishing herself as the actress of the moment. Her final monologue destroys barriers that we can put up with this psychopath, landing the careful emotional journey that the film has been building. And when she decides to get wild she turns out a glorious experience.
One that complements the glorious ‘X’, shining with its own light even though their stories dialogue. You can perfectly enjoy it whether you liked West and Goth’s previous tease or not. It is not even necessary to have seen it, being able to enter this fascinating world of blood and broken dreams through this dark fantasy of deep red.
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