It Follows (2014)

It Follows (2015)
Directed by: David Robert Mitchell
Written by: David Robert Mitchell
Starring: Jake Weary, Keir Gilchrist, Maika Monroe

IT FOLLOWS (2014)
Directed by David Robert Mitchell
Film reviewed in February 2015
Second Sight Films Limited Edition 4K UHD/Blu-Ray details added September 2023

Sometimes you’re pleasantly surprised to be wrong. I caught my first glimpse of this at Fright Fest – a couple of scenes were tossed together in an extended preview, that came before one of the big features. There was a bit in a school and another on a beach, with some invisible killer and a few good looking ladies etc. etc. The screen went dark again and I remember whispering something scathing to a fellow festival goer who sniggered. How context changes everything. Fast forward to 2015 and, experienced as part of their whole, these become two of the most genuinely tense scenes I’ve watched in the cinema for a long time. And they’re not even the best bits. As far as first scenes go, the cold open ought to go down as an all-time great of the genre. In a stunning 360 degree pan, a terrified teenage girl leaves her house in fear of an unseen threat. Moments later she’s driving to the coast where, lit only by her headlights, she makes a tearful phone call to her father. Something is out there, and from what we see of her in the morning sun, it’s vicious. Welcome to It Follows.

The premise for this low budget chiller, from writer/ director David Robert Mitchell (behind the rarely seen indie gem The Myth Of The American Sleepover), sees Jay (Monroe) contract an invisible sexually transmitted demon from Hugh (Weary). But unlike the STDs this film draws clear parallels with, it cannot be read about in a medical textbook. Akin to a personalised zombie only our heroine can see, unless she gives it to someone else (pun fully intended), the titular It shuffles towards her through forests, suburbs and the run down outskirts of Detroit. Yeah, viral based tension has been done before (with The Ring being the most notable), but not like this. Its form changes by the scene, appearing as a child, a pensioner and any age between. What remains consistent though is the foreboding feeling that it won’t be stopped. It’s mysterious, dangerous and Mitchell’s stunningly wide shots suggest it could come from anywhere. And with the horror being as effective by day or night, the tension rarely let’s off. For a while every scene seems scarier than the one before, as figures appear menacingly in the background. Are they pedestrians or It? You won’t know, and often nor will the followed. Really there’s a lot to recommend here. The visuals are very strong, the cast are likeable and when it comes to both characters and threat the script prefers to show rather than tell. Most importantly it’s also bloody scary. Nobody acts like a moron either. In a film variety often plagued by bad decisions to fit the plot, it’s rare to see one where nobody does something a real person wouldn’t. Furthermore, scenes like the aforementioned opening and a sleepover, complete with hormonal remember whens, can effortlessly transition from moments of real tenderness to absolute terror. And herein lies one of the film’s biggest strengths. Beneath the immediate plot our young team are up against a very real horror: coming of age. Their insecurities, horniness and angst are entirely believable, without verging on annoyance. Some of the bits where the teens are allowed to just be teens are among the most effective. In this middle America nightmare, where adults are mostly notable in their absence, the slow but inevitable approach of It is mirrored by maturation.

Unfortunately the central metaphor is not so fully realised. For a film to explicitly tie it’s danger to sex there is very little attempt to round off the infection allegory as being more than a gimmick. So on contracting a disease, the best way to save yourself is to spread it? Such a notion is uncomfortably analogous to the virgin cleansing myth. Of course the film never says this. But the problem is it doesn’t say much at all on the topic at all except STDs exist and they’re unpleasant. No, this isn’t a hard hitting documentary, and I don’t mean to champion a film whilst simultaneously acting as if I’m above it. Just when art deals with a potentially sensitive subject matter I can’t help but feel it has a responsibility not to do so with such levity. Of course some will say this doesn’t matter since “it’s only a dumb horror!” But that sensitivity to thematic content is what can separate a movie which transcends its genre to one defined by it. Note that this feature only frustrates me because the rest of the film is so exemplary. Frankly, I doubt there’s many movies I’ll be reviewing here where the subtext can be considered one of its weaker points. Another aspect I did find grating though, was the contemporary setting being countered by a self-conscious 70s aesthetic and soundtrack. Much like 2014’s The Guest (also starring Monroe), It Follows forfeits part of its individuality in pursuit of an unnecessary homage. Yes, the synth is cool and Carpenteresque, but the effect gets punctured by modern slang and a character frequently reading Dostoevsky’s The Idiot from an e-reader. The book is thematically linked, as anchored by a fairly on the nose, yet effective, quote towards the end. But for a movie that flirts with being temporally unspecific it seems like a needless motif. Sure there are other problematic aspects to the film; the means by which the gang tracks down Hugh is unconvincing, and the structure gets formulaic in the third act (though in fairness, it recovers with a gripping finale). But it’s worth emphasising these are fairly minor faults to a film that gets so much right.

This soon it’s rare to watch a movie it wouldn’t seem premature to call an early contender for horror of the year. But I can see this making top fives on numerous scary movie websites. The problem with being a genre fan is the more you see then the rarer it is to find one that really gets to you. I think this one will. And, as with its characters, I reckon you’ll want to pass it on fast.

Rating:

Second Sight Films have released a terrific special feature-filled 4K UHD and Blu-Ray with the limited edition release presented in a stunning box, complete with artwork by Thinh Dinh, six collector’s art cards a 150 page book with new essays. Approved by director David Robert Mitchell, the 4K master was produced by Second Sight Films in conjunction with the original post production facility, with the UHD presented in Dolby Vision HDR and new Dolby Atmos audio track by Second Sight Films.

Both the limited edition version of the film and standard 4K UHD and Blu-Ray by Second Sight Films, released on 11th September 2023, feature a collection of extras to explore.

Second Sight IT FOLLOWS Special Features

Audio Commentary by Joshua Grimm

A professor at Louisiana State University and author of a book on It Follows, Josh Grimm’s audio commentary provides background on the film, with facts and statements on how the film was made and what the director wanted to achieve. Grimm also analyses the film’s style, scenes and characters.

Audio Commentary by Danny Leigh and Mark Jancovich

This audio commentary for It Follows, by Danny Leigh, a writer and journalist, and Mark Jancovich, a lecturer at University of East Anglia specialising in horror films, is a fantastic listen. The duo work really well together to give their thoughts and analysis of the movie, from the setups of the scene to the music used. A fascinating listen.

Chasing Ghosts: An Interview with Actor Keir Gilchrist (19 mins 9 secs)

In this interview, actor Keir Gilchrist reflects on his career, his start in horror in Dead Silence and his audition for It Follows. Galchrist also talks about his character Paul and working with the other cast as well as working with director David Robert Mitchell.

Following: An Interview with Actress Olivia Luccardi (11 mins 57 secs)

In this interview, actress Olivia Luccardi talks about working under director David Robert Mitchell in what was her first experience working on a film. Her bubbly persona shines through as she discusses her character Yara, working with other cast members, the sets and the timeless era that the film is set in, with old corded phones and CRT televisions blended with modern aspects like her clam shell phone.

It’s In The House: An Interview with Producer David Kaplan (22 mins 31 secs)

David Kaplan talks about his involvement in It Follows, as well as working with director David Robert Mitchell and his approach to filmmaking. In this interview, Kaplan also discusses the various locations they shot at and how the music by Rich Vreeland gave the film its edge.

Composing A Masterpiece: An Interview with Composer Rich Vreeland (12 mins 57 secs)

As a composer for videogames, such as popular platformer game FEZ, Rich Vreeland explains how he was surprised that David Robert Mitchell wanted him to score It Follows despite having no prior experience working on music for film. Vreeland talks about how the film is understated in the way it’s shot which left plenty of room for the music. Being new to the horror genre, he felt he could come up with something different that hadn’t necessarily been heard before in the genre, producing an intense, synth score that It Follows is now known for.

A Girl’s World: An Interview with Production Designer Michael Perry (24 mins 5 secs)

In this interview, Michael Perry gives some background on his career and talks about how for 12 years he simply did commercials until he worked on a film called Killer Elite. After suffering injury and re-evaluating where his passion for the job lay, he decided to get into the movie business properly. Getting the script for It Follows, he decided that would be the project to do, even if it wasn’t financially lucrative to work on due to budget constraints.

Perry discusses collaborating with David Robert Mitchell and Mike the director of photography on It Follows. He talks about interesting aspects of filmmaking, such as how scenes of the film were designed for the lenses and 360 shots, and the use of colour and water, which reference the idea of birth. He also mentions obstacles they overcame, such as how the low budget meant he designed from the smaller point upwards and the fact they lost a couple of locations due to murders whilst shooting the film.

It Follows: The Architecture of Loneliness (11 mins 2 secs)

This video essay by Joseph Wallace explores the sense of hopelessness in Detroit, with the film set in the surburbs of the city, away from the crumbling relics of the once-bustling automobile factories. Wallace analyses the shots and locations used in the film that reflect the class divide and the lives now lived with the trauma of the past causing the damaged present. We see how the left behind properties represent how businesses were lost in the 1960’s, with highways built through the city – an escape. The abandoned locales feed into the sense that this place has been forgotten about, and it’s every man for themselves.