Film of the Week: It Follows

As this is the final week of horror movie month, as last week’s film, The Death of a Ghost Hunter scared the heck out of me more than any supernatural horror movie had in a while, I wondered if it was possible to go one better than as a way of saving the best to last, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to find anything that got anywhere close to spooking me as that film did. So, I figured instead of talking about a film I haven’t seen before, I would recommend one that I have – one that is my all-time favourite horror movie film to date; It Follows.

I have talked about this film before, a while back even, and my thoughts have remained the same since the first viewing. It Follows emphasis the background more than any horror film has – so much so that you do find yourself watching behind the characters more than the actual characters themselves just to see if you can spot that figure slowly walking towards then. It can be a recognisable face or a stranger in a crowd, and it’s not knowing who it is portraying or when it will show up is the scariest part, subsequently creating a crazy amount of tension.

After a sexual encounter with her boyfriend, Jay is pursued by a supernatural entity that never runs, only walks. You can run, and you can run as far away as possible, but it will always catch up to you, and if it does catch you, it kills you. If it is successful, it then starts pursuing the person who gave you the curse – you can pass it on by the only way possible, but if that person isn’t lucky enough, it will start chasing you again.

After multiple viewings you do naturally become desensitised to the horror and it doesn’t become scary or tense anymore, admittedly, but you would expect that with all horror movies to be honest – but what makes this film stand above most horror movies is, despite you’re not scared anymore, you would still be invested and entertained by the story that happens in the foreground.

I could focus this article on analysing the symbolism that I believe is hidden within, and you may be interested in what I have to say, but this type of film is seen differently by the individual. Think of it one way, think of it another way, or think of it in one specific way; it does change drastically depending on the perspective, and so I do thoroughly recommend watching this film if you haven’t yet – and because of the many ways this can be seen as, it’s remains fresh and doesn’t get boring quickly.

After viewing this film for the first time, it was interesting imagining myself in that situation. A stranger in the crowd, or maybe a recognisable face – not knowing who or where it is coming from, that’s what spooked me the most. My own imagination after a couple of days watching this film scared me, something that only one other film has done before – the aforementioned, The Death of a Ghost Hunter.

Next week the films will resume their normal randomness; however, I am strongly considering do a Christmas month during December.

I would like to wish everyone a happy Halloween.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)