The horror genre has a fresh face with the upcoming theatrical release of “In Fabric” that hits theaters on Dec. 6. The film stars actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste as a recently separated woman searching for love while still managing a relationship with her son. The movie takes a dark turn when she buys a dress that curses her life.
The director, Peter Strickland, is known for his dark filmmaking. He rightfully earns that title with “In Fabric.” The film explores dark fantasies related to the human psyche. Some scenes are frightening while others are downright gory.
The movie first appeared at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival. Since then, it has continued circulating throughout the film festival market including a certified fresh review from critic website Rotten Tomatoes. The project has also won several festival awards.
The Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper uncovered the motivation behind the film with a phone conversation with Strickland.
LOS ANGELES SENTINEL (LAS): Before we dig into the movie, I want to talk about your background. Is horror your favorite genre?
PETER STRICKLAND: I’m into everyone to be honest. I’m into musicals, romances, and other genre. When I got into filmmaking in the early nineties, it was more artistic. It wasn’t until the late nineties that I got interested in horror. To me, I don’t think there is one type of film that I enjoy more than others. Maybe social realism but that’s because its not my particular taste.
LAS: What about the fashion in the film? Not many horror movies use fashion as the central theme. What was your creative process behind that decision?
STRICKLAND: I was thinking about a thrift store. You aren’t aware that people no longer alive have worn the clothing you are touching. Sometimes you can smell it on the clothes. It’s a very uncomfortable type of intimacy. I just think that process activated my imagination.
LAS: Can you talk about the main character Sheila? She seemed fully developed for a horror movie.
STRICKLAND: The important thing was to spend time with the characters. I didn’t want it to be like a normal horror film where the characters are killed off too quickly. The danger of that is that you don’t really care about them. My duty is to love the character but understand that they have flaws and none of them are perfect.
LAS: What was the process behind the cinematography. There were lots of bold colors and shots of the mannequins.
STRICKLAND: When I was younger, there was a department store that had money pipes. The staff would send money down the pipes. I wondered where did these pipes go? That scared me along with the department store mannequins. I was really trying to remember how I viewed them and the department store as a kid.
LAS: What feelings are you hoping the audience have while watching the movie?
STRICKLAND: While they watch, I want them to feel euphoria, sensations, laugh, and have a good time.
