It Follows — Interestingly Unnerving …

3rd, July, 2015.

You know, I’ve said this before — and will no doubt say it again — I like films.

At least, I like watching films: when I get an evening to, and when — just as helpfully — when one wanders along that I’d like to watch.

There’s been few of either, recently: work, running a blog, and written quizzes for my local paper seem to chew up time.

I’d drop one.   But both the Daily  and Weekly Teasers are proving popular.

And frankly?

Being able to pay MY bills, with MY money — rather than that given me by the state — is also a good thing.

Although, to be frank?   I could ALSO be saving some: but there you go.   If you’re earning minimum wage, then savings aren’t a priority.

Bills, food and the occasional treat are.

~≈†≈~

Very occasional, actually.

Off the TOP of my head, I can tell you the last two films I saw.   The Babadook, back in March, and Outpost 3: Rise of the Spetznatz, in May.

It’s been — comparatively — a while since I’ve actually given myself a long hard look: and said, “Paul, you need to move AWAY from the Mac, and catch a film.”

With work done for the day, Daily Teasers done, and the Gazette Teasers mailed off — just in time — I though I could do with catching some entertainment.

And not just an episode of Humans, either.

No, I fancied a film.

There’s a couple I looked at, on iTunes.

Interstellar, I ruled out.   2 hours and 48 minutes is too much film: however worthy critics tell me it is.

Kingsman: The Secret Service seemed to have potential: but as a friend had offered to loan it to me, I felt spending my money elsewhere would be a good thing.

I eventually went for something a little grimmer … more … hormonal … 

The 2014, David Robert Mitchell, release that IS … It Follows.

It’s not The Babadook.

But I’m thinking it’s seen the lessons in horror film-making The Babadook represents: and learnt fast and well.

~≈†≈~

It Follows opens, showing us a young woman call Annie: who, deeply scared of something, runs out of the front door of her suburban US home: and then driving to a local beach.

And … ?   Phoning her family to tell them she loves them.

And frankly … not surviving for long, after that … 

The scene shifts: by introducing us to Jay —Maika Monroe— a college student heading out on a date with a man called Hugh.

The two rapidly flee the cinema: after Hugh spots a woman in a yellow dress that Jay just can’t see.

Things don’t go THAT badly: from where Jay is sitting.

As she eventually ends up in Hugh’s car, having frantic teenage sex, after what she regards as an ok evening.

It’s only afterwards, when she starts talking, that Hugh goes around to get something from the front of the car.

And comes around to the rear seat, where Jay is … and knocks her unconscious with an anaesthetic soaked cloth.

Jay awakens, tied into a wheelchair, in an abandoned building, with Hugh explaining that’s he’s not given her AIDS, syphilis or any other STD.

No … 

She’s been cursed: something is now following her as a result of having sex with Hugh.

She may have to pass on the curse, to avoid the nasty effects.

That’s not the FIRST thing they tell you, in sexual health classes … … … 

~≈Ë≈~

Now … Good … ?

Yes.

I don’t know if I could say It Follows is the best horror film I’ve seen in a while.

I think that honour belongs to The Babadook.

However, I do think cast, writers and crew of It Follows seem to have sat down with The Babadook: and thought, “Well WE can do that … !”

And done a very good horror film as a result.

It’s not perfect: and one or two frights are telegraphed, from miles away.

But … ?   The people behind It Follows have picked up an old idea — ‘sex with bad boys gets you hideously killed by monsters’ — and made sure that we — the audience — got our nerves stretched, Babadook-style, by the results: AND thrown in a bloody good soundtrack*, to.

It Follows does make for engrossing watching.

It’s worth catching, on that basis.

It Follows

★★★☆

*        A couple of years ago, I caught Canadian-noir film, Small Town Murder Songs: which is a rather good film … with a cracker of a soundtrack, one far better than you’d maybe give credit for.   It Follows is a better made film, I think: or better paced.   But, like Small Town Murder Songs, It Follows has a corker of a soundtrack: one by Disasterpeace, and one I found reminiscent of Tangerine Dream.