Pearl (2022)
September 15, 2022 12:56 PM - Subscribe
Trapped on her family's isolated farm, Pearl (Mia Goth, who also co-wrote with director Ti West) must tend to her ailing father under the bitter and overbearing watch of her devout mother. Lusting for a glamorous life like she's seen in the movies, Pearl finds her ambitions, temptations, and repressions all colliding in this stunning, technicolor-inspired prequel to 2022's horror hit X.
I saw this last night (someone started a horror movie meetup group in my city which has done wonders for my actually getting out to see movies). Both my wife and I really liked it. Goth's performance is great, especially her two big monolog scenes. While X was a homage to 70s grindhouse/adult films, this movie, though set in 1918, is basically a technicolor musical (with barely any musical) from the 1930's. Some scenes are almost direct copies from The Wizard of Oz.
We weren't really the biggest fans of X, though it was alright on first viewing but having seen this and understanding more about her character in X, it really elevated our enjoyment/understanding of the first film.
Be interesting to see where they go with the 3rd planned installment that was teased at the very end of the end credits 'Maxxxine'.
posted by Captain_Science at 5:21 AM on September 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
We weren't really the biggest fans of X, though it was alright on first viewing but having seen this and understanding more about her character in X, it really elevated our enjoyment/understanding of the first film.
Be interesting to see where they go with the 3rd planned installment that was teased at the very end of the end credits 'Maxxxine'.
posted by Captain_Science at 5:21 AM on September 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
Curious - was this ALWAYS planned as a trilogy? It just seems like the 3 films are coming out hot on each others' heels, and the only way that can happen is if they made all 3 at the same time.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:21 AM on September 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:21 AM on September 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
X was originally a one-off, but when Ti West and Mia Goth arrived in New Zealand to shoot the film and were copped up in a hotel doing the mandatory isolation upon arrival (this was peak COVID), they didn't want to waste the time. Within short order, they had cooked up the screenplay for Pearl together, and convinced A24 to let them stay longer and shoot it back-to-back. I think the idea for MaXXXine came later, as a way to stay with what they knew was a great collaboration and tie things up.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:06 AM on September 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:06 AM on September 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
DOT - fun! That sounds not unlike how we got Blue In The Face after they shot Smoke.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:58 AM on September 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:58 AM on September 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just saw this. Seconding everything Captain_Science said.
I'm headed right back out so I can't do a full writeup (and sincerely much I what I would have said is above) but I do think there's something very cutting and hilarious about how the descent into madness of a homicidal psychopath was, to a large extent, masked by the harsh reality that a woman in that age and time would naturally feel repressed and ready to crawl out of her skin and hateful of most of the people in her life.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:09 PM on September 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm headed right back out so I can't do a full writeup (and sincerely much I what I would have said is above) but I do think there's something very cutting and hilarious about how the descent into madness of a homicidal psychopath was, to a large extent, masked by the harsh reality that a woman in that age and time would naturally feel repressed and ready to crawl out of her skin and hateful of most of the people in her life.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:09 PM on September 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
This was incredible. Masterful in every way. The colors, holy shit! So nice to see a modern film that isn’t warm orange and teal. Things were so crisp but doesn’t look like it was made this century. Sound was excellent too. Just everything about it, ahh so much love here.
Also, fascinating to see a straight up creepy female character portrayed like this. Giving Baby Jane vibes and dark triad mood!
posted by iamkimiam at 3:15 PM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Also, fascinating to see a straight up creepy female character portrayed like this. Giving Baby Jane vibes and dark triad mood!
posted by iamkimiam at 3:15 PM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
This was the best thing Ti West has done (and I’m a fan) and one of my top 3 favorite films from 2022. In a just world, Mia Goth would be in contention for Best Actress, but after Toni Collette got the snub for Hereditary a few years back, it’s starting to look like the Academy doesn’t think horror performances are worthy of nomination.
posted by Atom Eyes at 7:06 PM on February 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Atom Eyes at 7:06 PM on February 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
Oh I liked this much more than I thought I would. Really good little minor horror movie.
Given that the SIL did not actually win the dancing contest (which I think is obvious but others may disagree) -- I love how they subverted the expectation that she did, which was hanging in the air all through the fantastic monologue. Movie logic would dictate that the SIL actually won the prize. But movie logic is how Pearl's wild brain thinks of things! So we have that sickness too.
I also really liked the sequence with lots of split screening and mirroring, that was all really wonderful and smooth.
The dismemberment effect was really well done. And I never want to see anything like that ever ever again.
posted by fleacircus at 10:04 PM on October 26, 2023
Given that the SIL did not actually win the dancing contest (which I think is obvious but others may disagree) -- I love how they subverted the expectation that she did, which was hanging in the air all through the fantastic monologue. Movie logic would dictate that the SIL actually won the prize. But movie logic is how Pearl's wild brain thinks of things! So we have that sickness too.
I also really liked the sequence with lots of split screening and mirroring, that was all really wonderful and smooth.
The dismemberment effect was really well done. And I never want to see anything like that ever ever again.
posted by fleacircus at 10:04 PM on October 26, 2023
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posted by miss-lapin at 4:52 PM on September 15, 2022