Review: In Fabric (2018)

This movie is seriously underrated and under-watched! It’s so weird and refreshing. The story itself may be a little tongue in cheek and is considered horror comedy, but its laughs are it the outlandishness vs. slapstick. How in the world did I live my life without a movie about a haunted dress, old school department stores, masturbating mannequins, and the hypnotic delight of washing machine repair lingo before this movie?

The soundtrack/score by Cavern of Anti-Matter (former members of Stereolab) is a horror synth dream! It helps create the atmosphere to bring you into a bizzaro fairytale that I could not take my eyes off of! Everything about the visual presentation/ cinematography is worth the ride. I found myself fully immersed and engrossed into 118 mins of visceral delight. It has been compared to Argento classics for its use of color and beautiful shoots, but I think it’s just really fresh take on art house

Giallo horror films. The story or script itself is less important, possibly then the overall finished product, but I am watching a movie, not reading a book, so this is a win for me. I’m not familiar with Peter Strickland’s previous movies, but I gather this is a slight departure from his other works.

I loved Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) in this. She is so real and vulnerable as a character it really grounds the ridiculousness of what is happening around her. You get 2 stories for the price of one with In Fabric, and it leaves the door open for a myriad of possible future victims. Miss Luckmoore (Fatma Mohamed) speaks in the most contrived way it’s almost poetic. To say so much and yet say nothing at all. She and the rest of the team Dentley & Soper’s department store is such a novel take on witchcraft while still leaving some mystery. To be damned for fashion… I’m into it!

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a sale? It’s so rare that I immediately fall in love with a movie these days, that I immediately know it’s going on my list of favorites… this one is a keeper! Also, I immediately had to buy myself a possessed red dress; how could I not? If only it were the fabled size 36 (XS) in the movie that somehow fits all over it’s victims.