It Follows

'It Follows'

I had anticipated the release of 'It Follows' since the stills and trailer were released. The colours the poster and cinematography were eye catching and I wasn't disappointed. The cinematography was spectacular and I can't remember the last time I saw a horror film that was filmed so beautifully. The film was very centred in the way that each shot had a subject, prop, person structured in the centre. The symmetrics of the way certain scenes were shot were effortless and really added a whole deeper aspect to the intensities of the story. The story is centred around Maika Monroe (who I first saw in 'The Guest' and instantly new she was destined for great films) who plays Jay. Jay begins going on dates with a guy named Hugh and they sleep with each other after Hugh's strange reactions to something that wasn't visible while in the cinema.

Once they had sex he chloroforms her and ties her up in a derelict building strapped to a wheel chair. Delirious and scared are an understatement for Monroe's character as she has no idea whats happening. Hugh then explains that there is an invisible entity or demon following him since he contracted it from the last girl he and sex with. He then gleams a flash light upon the distorted being and explains more to Jay then drops her of home. There is really no motif of the entity or real root to the story. The melancholic tones of each scene really set a nostalgic mood for teenage adolescent the swimming pool scenes the frequent shots of box Tv's with static sounds and reminiscing dialogue of childhood memories. There is something so fresh about this horror film unlike any others of this time its electrifying in more then one way and yet terrifyingly creepy.

The director David Robert Mitchell said Jays character was influenced by Catherine Deneuve in Repulsion by Roman Polanski, 1965. Her hair was cut like Deneuve's and Mitchell was very direct about his reference. The anxious anticipation whilst waiting for the demon to approach its prey had you on the edge of your seats. It had me sitting there whispering to myself 'Its gonna make me jump now' and then when you least expected it,  you would pounce in fear when the demon would finally come walking slowly into the scene. There was something very disturbing about the slow pace and mannerisms of the monster. In most horror films the evil character will pounce, run sprint or even if its a poltergeist violently drag its victim very quickly. In 'It Follows' however the demon slowly enters following the prey as if to say I don't need to run because I'm going to get you at the end of this draining journey no matter what I'm invincible. 

The film was electrifying and deserves many praise, I can't wait for Mitchell's new horrifyingly alluring films. The soundtrack was very illuminating and just set a whole entire exhilarating feel to the film it was constant and was so thrilling when a recognisable piece of music was playing you knew it was following and about to pop up on your screen.  The dialogue was very romantic too in certain scenes and really set a numinous tone, perhaps we have found a new poetic voice of our teens generation through film.