Absolute weapon
Just some splodging thoughts on Amy Madigan’s Oscar nom for weapons.
This week I listened to a conversation between Coralie Fargeat and Ti West. Coralie Fargeat of The Substance. Ti West of keeping Mia Goth in tattered skirts. It reminded me that 1 Charlotte Emma Aitchison once said she was a fan of Ti West, and this felt like two votes of confidence so I decided to watch X.
Between X and my first watch of Weapons this week, I am reminded of the ever enduring chokehold a woman’s ageing body has over male horror makers. Not new. Not remarkable, just always always always there. And I was really getting whacked in the face with it this week. (Also quite funny to reflect on that unspoken contrast between Ti and Coralie’s films in relation to these anxieties, one upholding, one exploding.)
I want to be more excited about Zach Cregger of Barbarian and Weapons than I currently am. I actually think that in the commercial horror field - no claims at auterism or elevation - it doesn’t get better. The man’s talented. The praise for his playfulness with narrative is deserved. I also think he’s a real master of tone, genuine scares, genuine laughs, genuine intrigue, all well balanced. If we could just lose the spectre of aged woman as ultimate horror, I would be so happy. Please.
So yes, chuffed to see Amy’s nomination in-so-far as it maybe represents some of the snobbery around horror filmmaking loosening. And if we recognise and award the evil old witch in the real world is that a bit of a rebuttal to the mythos in the film? Is it a salve for the real-life substance triumph when Demi lost to Mikey? I don’t know, but please can we find a new monster 🙏