Finally arriving in UK cinemas, having been released in the US back in September 2022, is the psychological horror movie, Pearl. The film – set during 1918 – is a prequel to last year’s slasher movie, X, and tells the story of titular character Pearl, and her early days living on her family farm in Texas.
In the movie, Pearl lives with her mother and father, and works as a farm hand. Her father is disabled, her mother is fairly stern, and her husband is overseas serving in World War I.
Life isn’t easy for Pearl, nor is it particularly exciting, but this doesn’t stop her from dreaming of a world outside her day-to-day chores. She would love nothing more than to be a chorus girl on the big screen, and this is something which she thinks about while being continually berated by her mother.
However, there is no easy way out of her current situation, and with war still raging and Spanish flu spreading, it seems as if Pearl will be trapped on the farm for the foreseeable future. That is until Pearl becomes aware of some auditions being held in town for a new dance group, and this could provide her with a path to super-stardom.
Keen to take advantage of the situation, Pearl begins to prepare for the audition which could lead to a whole new life, far, far away. Only thing is, people are getting in the way of Pearl’s potential escape route, and this is something she feels compelled to deal with, using whatever methods she deems necessary.
Directed and co-written by Ti West, and starring Mia Goth (who also co-wrote the movie), Pearl is a twisted, demented, and engrossing horror picture, which mixes psychotic melodrama with the technicolour wonder of the golden age of cinema. Part character study, and part Wizard of Oz nightmare, Pearl is presented like an old school MGM picture, with a very dark heart.
In essence, Pearl is what might have happened to Dorothy Gale, had she remained on the farm and opted to brutally murder Uncle Henry and Auntie Em, instead of running off with Toto. Oz is very much a clear inspiration to this picture, which informs the overall look and feel of the film, and you can’t help but see its influences at every turn.
Sure, there’s no lion, nor is there a tin man (although there is a scarecrow), but there is a dream, an adventure, and a road paved with opportunity. This film is about one woman’s attempts to escape her small-scale life, by chasing the metaphorical rainbow, only it doesn’t result in singing and friendship, there’s murder and mayhem instead.
There’s a bit of axe-wielding, some pitchforking, and one sequence involving a hot pan of corn. There is also a dash of blood splatter, a hungry alligator, and various things you wouldn’t see Judy Garland getting involved in.
The kill count is quite low-key in the grand scheme of things, and it is worth pointing out this isn’t a slasher film as such, but when the death sequences take place they are always shocking and disturbing, and rather fun to watch (if you like this sort of thing). Even when you know a character is about to get bumped off, you don’t quite know how it is going to happen, or what will be the moment that triggers Pearl into action, and this adds a bit of tension.
The film also sources a great deal of its tension (and creepiness) from lead actress, Mia Goth, who gives a deliciously unhinged performance. Goth is one of this film’s greatest assets and her turn as Pearl is fascinating to watch.
She understands the tone of this movie, where to play up the horror, and when to ease up a little. Goth truly shines in this role, and the film benefits from having her as the central focus.
As with Ti West’s previous horror movies (The House of the Devil, the aforementioned X, etc), Pearl is very much a film built around its mood, its aesthetic, and its atmosphere. It is the sort of film that gets the visuals just right, and if you go with it, it can really get under your skin.
However, it is a slow-burning film, and there is very little story. So, I do appreciate this may not work for everyone, and those who are after fast-paced horror should look elsewhere.
But for me, Pearl hits just the right spot. The film is suitably disturbing in places, Mia Goth is excellent throughout, and I just adore the colour palette and ghoulish nature of the story.
Pearl is also a great companion piece to X. The films share similarities, yet feel like very different beasts, and West has built up a nice little set of films here, with a third entry on the way shortly.
If you enjoyed X, happen to be a fan of Ti West films, or you are simply after something which looks delightful, but is truly sinister, then I suggest you take a look at Pearl. The movie arrives in UK cinemas from Friday 17th March, and offers some unnerving psychological frights to go with your popcorn.
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