It's DRM's follow up film. I've never seen 'It Follows', but the links appear to be clear. Especially in regards to peer pressure. Our peers are now celebrities. In particular hollywood celebrities. UTSL continues along this line. I need to watch this.
Also I would like to point out that Greg dies so easily because he clearly does not even believe the curse is real. He used her "paranoia" to take advantage of her and get into her pants. He keeps having sex with people because he's a player, not even knowing he's killing people and keeping himself safe. So when it comes for him, he's not on high alert at all because he doesn't believe it.
I think that Jay was clearly abused by her father: -He appears in her photos by the swimmingpool (being swimmingpool big theme in this film) -When she is attacked by "him" in the last swimmingpool scene, her friends ask "what do you see??" And she says she doesn't want to say it because she is too scared -Him throwing at her domestic objects in a violent way -Someone asks Jay "who is the first person who tookyou to the swimmingpool?" And she doesn't want to answer -Blood on the water in the swimmingpool -The movie starts with jay being observed in a nasty way while she is in the swimmingpool Also, her mum is in a bad place. They show how she drinks and smokes herself to sleep and gregs mum says that that family is a mess. I think the father also abused the mum.
I think it just picks random people's forms and doesn't have any understanding of what looks normal and what looks creepy. It had no idea that the hospital gown lady in the school, the Lurch look-alike or the various naked people would look unusual. It picked her father's form because it was in her house and saw his picture.
I love how It Follows shows sex in a different light. It’s not horny, it’s not hot, it’s deeply uncomfortable, it’s awkward. You’re watching a horror film, you’re supposed to feel negative feelings.
Paul was such a realistic and unlikeable character to me. We all know a Paul in our lives. The passive predator who disingenuously pursues friendships in the hopes of table crumbs. The white knight that only becomes remorseful after he gets what he wants. He considers himself more virtuous than types like Greg, but they're two sides of the same coin. Great analysis as always and great movie!
I find it to interesting that there's so much discourse about how Jay is selfish for passing the demon along to save herself, but so little discussion about how doing so saves others in the queue. It's kind of a glass half empty/half full scenario, but so many of us have a half empty view.
I feel like she chose someone that didn't deserve it in the slightest. Pass it on to someone that is a problem for everyone around them. Suddenly the two problems are fighting each other. She could have passed it on so much better.
That sucks about your job love. I recently found you channel a few days ago from your 13 reasons why video and have been obsessed with your content since. Hopefully its silver lining and you can do this full time for a living now. You have such an incredible way of analyzing media, breaking down symbolism, rationalizing aspects and just genuinely wonderful to watch❤❤❤❤
Thank you Hazel! I don't mind too much, I'm super excited to be back out in the real world. Thank you so much for watching and I shall make plenty more content asap
I also, comparing the first sex scene and the scene with Greg, love the use of the lighting in conveying the tone. Those shots of the car are so warm and close, and it feels almost cozy; while the hospital is dim and grimy looking. It's just good film making lmao I love it
It Follows is a great movie. I can admit I relate to Paul but after entering college I decided I wasn't going to be like that. I wouldn't "follow" a girl in hopes of something and only that. So, I lost a couple female friendships because of that. The weird part is my male friends giving shit for the female friendships I kept, were we are actually friends and I enjoy their friendship, first and foremost. Lots of "You're wasting your time.", "She has a boyfriend/girlfriend.", "You should speak with women that actually have a chance." Like, holy shit, is it that weird to have female frienships without expecting something in return? Sheesh. Speaking of college, college parties are room for weird things. Drunk girls are easily preyed, even by dudes I thought were fine. I saw a girl from my class clearly getting preyed over and told her "Perhaps, you should go home before something bad happens." She said it was fine. After a couple hours, the older students asked me if I could take her home, which I did. Next morning, she texted me that she did a couple she shouldn't have. I probably should have spoken to the dude but the fear of not wanting to cause a scene (and he was twice my size) stopped. But this situations were so common. There were nights I had to take over 4 girls home after being asked to by older students (I think they found me either reliable or harmless). The thought of "Hey, those guys are taking the opportunity and are not getting into trouble. Why shouldn't I?" But I thank God for having something in me that always made those thoughts go away. But a question now lingers on my mind: How many sexual experiences dudes have were actually fully consented. How many of these women say it was fine but it actually wasn't but they see it as some sort of "punishment" for getting drunk. Anyway, great video. Cheers.
My own lil theory is that the monster represents sexual relationships that are socially expected. Like reading the deaths in a metaphorical light- seeing people forced into heterosexuality relationships in particular; the trauma of peer pressure but specifically that of being LGBTA+ and forced into relationships you don’t want anything to do with and losing/never having any interest in sexual intimacy. (Especially when I read the main character as Ace, it hit a lil harder, imho.)
to me its just an epitome of the phrase "everything in a relationship is about sex, except the sex itself. Sex is about power." - Oscar Wilde By initiating in sex, and passing the demon on, the individual holds the power both over the person that had sex with them (they unwilling and unknowingly passed them the curse) and over the demon itself (changing or rather postponing its pursuit a bit)
This movie resonated with me pretty hard as a former fundamentalist who grew up in the bible belt under Purity Culture. I think there's a special kind of shame that comes with sex in that environment, and even if it didn't mean to, this film encapsulated that perfectly for me. My parents literally had a sit-down with me during my first ever sexual relationship (I was 19) and lectured me about the evils I was committing and the wild thing is I didn't tell them but they just KNEW because the guilt I carried with me was so powerful. That's what I think of when I think of this movie's monster.
I feel like warning the person you passed it on to is also just in your benefit by this. You would want that person to pass it on to someone else, the more people end up in the queue, the longer you have without it Youd never know for sure when its your turn again though, and thats truly horrifying
yeah, the protagonist isn't warned *prior* to getting the curse, so clearly the one passing it on values their own lifespan above morality or the wellbeing of others. with that in mind, it's abundantly clear that the warning itself is done for the same reason. he's warning her because it'll buy him more time. this might not even be the first time he's done this, maybe he has a system of some sort, taking notes on whenever his last sacrifice dies and having sex with someone else. maybe he's done what she did at first and instead of finding people to help him willingly he instead chose to buy larger amounts of time at once. I honestly don't even blame him, it's immoral but when the alternative is a gruesome death it's hard to argue it's the wrong choice. most people value their own life more than the life of a stranger.
I think we should also keep in mind that regardless of whether you pass It on you're basically condemning people to die meaning that the question is a horrific type of trolley problem where both answers have a growable death toll
Right because if you don’t pass it on then it kills you it’s just going after the person that passed it to you after. So by not passing it on you’re damning the person before you.
I always felt like I missed something with this movie as I didn't enjoy it at all. I'm so glad you're covering as I respect your opinions so much. And your humor is always a win 😊
Yeah, I'll have to give it another shot. My main problem is that I didn't care about the characters which, for a movie with not a lot of visual flair, is kind of a killer for me.
@brett66 this is the biggest issue for me with a LOT of high school drama horror movies. The characters they usually present are people I wouldn't have liked in high school so I end up not caring about them. The story and visuals could be interesting but I need likeable characters for me to really enjoy a film. It's nice to see videos like this breaking down why a lot of people do like it though!
Saw this movie in theaters and loved it. The panning wide shots with people walking out of focus after you know the premise is fuckin A+ filmmaking. Soundtrack is also excellent. Also that bit in the kitchen gets me every time I think about it. Not even the supernatural stuff, just rounding a corner in your house that you've done a million times and someone being there that isn't supposed to be. Gives me chills. I'm more or less on the same page with you on the trauma analogue but i think there's a dual meaning to it as well. While I do think this thing represents trauma for the reasons you said, I also think it represents the choice to be intimate with someone early in your life in general. The expectations of it all, what early sexual encounters mean to younger people. The way it's supposed to change you. How you could choose to be with someone and it could turn into a nightmare like with Hugh, or how they could just be using you like Greg. Paul even represents the kind of safe but unsatisfying option a lot of people end up with. I agree that Paul was very possessive in a very "objectifying and possessive young man" kind of way but he DID care about her. To be clear, I do not like him and largely agree with your analysis otherwise. I do not think he was good for her and that his kind of affection is not good, but I do think it was genuine. I think that's why they go out of their way to have them talking about their childhoods growing up. The idea at the end to me is they are working through it together, even though it most definitely ended up not being what either of them wanted. it's not ideal, but it is better than everything that came before and TBH settling like that is the really scary outcome isn't it? I think a lot of what makes this movie great is the characters are all flawed in some way and how they navigate these flaws makes them feel human. I also think with Greg, the reason he behaved the way he did and got got was that he did not believe the entity was real at all. He pretended to listen to get in her pants and the reason we see him with other girls is to show that's all he cares about. Even his nice gesture of providing Jay with a place to stay was ultimately low effort for him. It was just a place his parents had. I think if you wanted to go with the STD metaphor, he would be the character to point to since she told him, he didn't listen/care and was killed because of it. I think the STD thing is kind of lazy personally but it is there to some degree I think. It's just the most boring interpretation. Great video. Hope you get a new, better job soon you like even more.
I understand that part of the thing with the demon in it follows is that the system of transmission isn’t really meant to be picked apart, but like what would the demon do if the last person on the chain has an orgy
Some would say the ideia of It follows is about rape The constant feeling of terror, paranoia the bad feeling of sex It follows reviews are very interesting as they go so different from each other
9:00 HM this is a very interesting point. I had forgotten that the monster is "one to one" passing on thing. That definitely makes me rethink the STDemon theory.
It follows is one of my favorite horror movie with my favorite horror soundtrack. I always saw the creature as the personification of society's attitude towards sex. It's the judgement, the guilt and condemnation that we put on young people, especially women, for being sexually active. We isolate them and emotionally scar them by taking every ounce of joy away from the act.
More than anything I think this story displays (if not outright speak on) the ways in which sex & lust for peers can utterly devastate friend groups. As someone with a fair bit of trauma surrounding sex/relationships and their impacts on groups of friends, I find the concepts of this film to be super haunting when seen through the lens of someone watching their friends torn apart by sex/lust for friends.
Your analysis is so fresh and it's a relief you dont dive directly into "its an STD allegory, full stop". As someone who does have an STD, incurable, this movie did strike a deep nerve for me that **I personally** read it as partially being an allegory for that, only in the element of 'you have this thing you are terrified of, its following you and could strike at any moment, you are scared to tell people about it because their judgment is just as terrifying as what could kill you, and giving it to someone else wont get rid ot it' curse element. Its painful and unfortunately real for lots of people. And the added detail that the sex scenes dont exist, the vague terms on how the curse is possibly transferred creates more fear. But you hit the nail on the head that with the movie not telling what the curse/demon is really, what it really means, coupled with the one-step-outside-reality setting, allows it to be almost endlessly interpreted differently by everyone who watches it.
Absolutely fantastic breakdown of one of my favourite horror films! I think I'm far too guilty of the 'invincible snail' logic approach, just thinking of ways one could dispatch the demon without actually looking into its deeper meaning. And I think that might say a lot about my approach to trauma (both mine and others') because I can often push swords over blankets. That the teens tried to take a logical approach together and failed, perhaps because of the nature of the demon, perhaps because of their relative immaturity, or a mix of the two, demonstrates just how deeply rooted it is. It's a lot to think about... I really appreciate the new perspectives you've given me! And remember: UX is everywhere, you'll find a new, better, more deserving role whenever you're ready! That old place didn't deserve your talents anyway.
I absolutely adore your witty writing and deadpan delivery, particularly in your game reviews. Sorry to hear you've lost your job, and I'm happy so many people are supporting you. Best of luck to you finding a new job!
i always viewed “it” as a representation of shame. sort of akin to how you described the peer pressure metaphor, it’s a fear-based creature that feeds on your own insecurity and the judgment of others. it takes the form of people you know because those are the ones whose opinions matter the most to you, and it’s sex-based because of how taboo sex is considered. i think it also affects majority young people because they’re still figuring out where they fit into the world, how adult they’re ready to be while still learning how to be a human. sex is a major step in growing up, and when you’re being simultaneously shamed for it and pressured into it you find yourself in an awkward position that lends itself to deep-seated fear of intimacy. the “passing it on” could be seen as a body count type of thing. like, if you willingly have sex with someone who gets around a lot (or if you are someone who gets around a lot), there’s a whole new level of assumption and judgment surrounding you. as an eighteen year old i empathize so. so much with this movie. it literally hurts to watch, lmao. you did an excellent job covering it
ooooo I feel so blessed to have two mert videos out so close together! Freaking loved discovering this movie and all of the theories that people brought up about the demon. A great breakdown of those theories and your own analysis of it, as always!
What a nice coincidence, I watched It Follows for the first time a few weeks ago! I'd considered it a metaphor for the trust and vulnerability you need when being intimated with someone, and how easily that can be betrayed - not perfect, but that was first impressions. Although I think this video did a really great job of not only going over the more popular interpretations, but also some I hadn't even considered! Everything was succinct and well editted, and honestly has inspired me to rewatch it again :) (On a seperate note, I'm so sorry you lost your job, that's really rough to have dropped on you. I hope patreon and youtube can help for the time being, and if you need to take a step back from making videos, please know we'll be hear when you get back!)
I’m sure this will only strengthen our parasocial bond but you’ve become one of many UA-camr I will actively turn the notification button on for and I hope that fills you with the good dopamine serotonin combo
1. I love how in a movie so deeply entrenched in sex allegory so little sex is shown 2. I love how theres no clear answer and each viewer gets to decide what it means to them 3. I love how apart from the undescrible and invisible monster, theres no protagonist or villain in the film (each characters actions are both deeply abhorrent and justifiable considering the circumstances) 4. I love how there is no escape. Not like other films where the monster is killed and then returns, the beach scene shows that the monster can be hurt and slowed down, but never stopped. In the first 5 min of the film you can already predicted the ending 5. I love the acting and think everyone, esp the lead actress, gave a stellar performance for a role that is hard to pull off without seeming cringy 6. I love how horror as a genre is getting more and more prevalent as an art form to explore topics. Horror is 100 times more than just knife wielding maniacs, bimbos having premarital sex and tons of gore bodies
Wonderful job Mert! I love this movie, but it does feel viscerally uncomfortable. You and Adam explained it beautifully, well done all! Sorry to hear about your job Mert, that’s really rough. Hope the patreon pledge helps a tiny bit
When you said you disagreed with the STD theory, I was putting on my biking gear to go tussle at the car park, but then you explained why and I actually thought about it, so now I gotta take it all off, well played Ms KayKay.
I was trying to think of something that can be passed along but which might eventually come back, and if it weren't for the sex element of this film I'd assume it was about blame. You can often send blame to someone else, and that person can send it along too, but it can be traced back along the line until it comes home, then moves on to the one before you. I dunno? Your ideas were all great.
I'm sorry to hear about your job! Never a good time for that to happen so I hope you're doing well despite it. I thoroughly enjoy your channel and sense of humour - always look forward to a new vid dropping :)
The monstef could also be a interpretation of trauma. A person who was abuse could continue the cicle by abusing others , even if in different ways. That would also explain the morphism of the monster, all our traumas are different and it could be family, friends, strangers or and event. I don't know but this movie could have so many interpretations and that makes a good movie. Ps: sorry for any misspelling, English is my second language
This movie was really frustrating for me when I saw it, because despite my best efforts to parse through it, I just didn't get it. Other videos on it didn't make it make more sense to me, as I always felt the analyses didn't quite break down whatever it was about the film that wasn't clicking with me, and I struggled to figure it out myself. Finally, this video put the film into prospective for me. I still can't pinpoint what about it left me feeling so unfulfilled before now, but I feel like I finally get it. It's silly, but there's little sense of relief at getting to understand it better. Well done and many thanks to both you and Adam Washington.
I'm curious to hear what you might think of Smile (2022) since Smile is frequently compared to It Follows, and often also criticized for seeming to lift ideas wholesale from It Follows. Smile is much less subtle about its themes about trauma, and I much prefer It Follows, however I still had a fun time watching Smile, especially as a double feature alongside It Follows, and in my opinion the film never felt shallow or insulting like a lot of others felt like it was. You might enjoy comparing and contrasting between them.
Great video! I remember after seeing this for the first time with my friends we spend the rest of the week trying to come up with SCP style containment ideas. The only one I remember was trying to tag the entity with a GPS beacon, but it was a fun mental exercise.
I really enjoyed your breakdown of this movie and I'm definitely going to go give it another watch. So sorry to hear about your job, I hope the search for a new one goes swiftly and you find a good fit deserving of your skills. I'm glad you snagged a sponsor for this video and have the folks on patreon! I hope despite everything you have a lovely Holloween.
Great breakdown! I live this movie. I felt the movie was the disillusionment of transitioning between child and adult. Things we once, as children, fancied as romantic and idealistic we now see are transactional or done through necessity. It’s a nihilistic lens but the ending can fit with people who are settled in relationships, together no longer because they are in love but because it’s necessary financially, mentally, or just because we feel there are no other options. That’s a bummer, but it’s just as unsettling as the ending of the movie. Anyway, loved your analysis and I’m sorry for what you are going through. I know you will come through it for the better. Take care and I hope you are able to enjoy Halloween.
Oh wow! I swear you only just came out with a video and now here's another, lookit us getting spoiled! I haven't watched it yet I'm about to put it on while I do chores but I'm oh so very confident that it's gonna slap. Thank you!
I think a couple, a polyamorous group or a tight group of sex friends could theoretically take turns running away from the monster, thus allowing everyone to live a semi normal life most days and deal with it through the power of cooperation, there's no need for it to be an individual problem, and in this way their bond and intimacy can be somewhat maintained, if not strengthened.
I'd say that the makers of this film did not plan for the rabbit hole to go down this deep. Still, it's fun to make up different theories. Liked your review. Thumbs up!
The end of this film reminds of the end of the Bachelor. Like the characters all become very aware that what is ahead is unknown and possibly terrifying.
How would the white underwear scene represent her losing her virginity when there is literally a line of dialogue in the movie where Jay mentions she slept with Greg in high school? Every analysis video misses this
I really appreciate this fantastic video! You gave me so many more perspectives to consider on this movie. It’s so great and like you said, so deep, it’s really fun to dive into all the details! Well done, and I’m sorry about your job. 😫
I remember there being a lot of hype for this film when it came out, and I think I built it up too much in my head because I didn’t particularly enjoy it. Didn’t dislike it, either, just didn’t feel much of anything for it. Deffo gonna give it a rewatch though I think after this. Sorry to hear you got laid off and all, that’s rough. You most likely don’t need it, as you’re clearly talented at writing scripts, but I do a lot of work with professional CVs so sling me a line if you needed/wanted any help/advice with a CV before you start job hunting/applying for new roles.
Honestly. I imagine the demon transfers through the intimacy of sex. Since intimacy is a big theme and is important. So regardless of how you sex, as long as you sex *with someone* it transfers.
I have to say that I'm glad to see this film took the high road and didn't make the sexual interactions sleazy and exploitative. I also think that decision lends itself well to the peer pressure theory well. I think this film could lend itself well to the trauma angle, and possibly may symbolize both trauma and peer pressure at the same time in a way. I also think it's interesting that it kind of provides commentary on the idea of promiscuity without necessarily condemning it, at least that's how it seems from what's shown in this video given I haven't seen the film as of yet, although now I would like to given this analysis. It seems to me that in the case of Paul and his desires towards Jay he is sort of pressuring her by making his desires known so openly and incessantly displaying them to her. It seems to me on first impression that he is insisting that he wants her anyway and is willing to take on this curse and that seems like he is pressuring her to give in and make him the next carrier because his means to an end is that he is looking to have sex with the literal girl next door so to speak. He tries to initiate (I assume multiple times) and Jay is pressured to pass this on by giving him what he wants, eventually giving in. She is pressured to give in to not only peer pressure, but to give into this curse that also makes her seem to others who don't know as being a promiscuous being, a common form of judgement that occurs when one does become sexually active, especially for women. I personally think that this curse may be symbolic of trauma as well as peer pressure to behave a certain way, although sexual in this example, it can apply to many other forms of peer pressure teenagers typically face, or at least I think so. One event that can cause someone to be traumatized is being pressured into sex. I should know because I've been there. I'm about to get a little personal here, and oddly enough I've rarely ever talked about this with anyone else before. When I was nineteen, I began a relationship with a girl I met on a dating site. We spent a long time chatting and getting to know each other, so long that I was less than a month away from turning 20, and we had begun talking at the beginning of the year. (My birthday is in November, so it's late in the year.) We eventually met and I stayed at her house for the weekend because I can't drive for medical reasons, and she lived a state over from where I was living at the time. I was convinced that I was in love with her and that she really loved me back. She was my first, and I was her third, or so she claimed. It wasn't until I had gotten home that I realized she had stolen my money as well as my credit card. I was just a mark for her, and she took more than just my money. To this day I'm suspicious of anyone that wants to engage with me, at least at first, so it takes a long time for me to really trust someone enough to be intimate with them because I have to get a feel for whether or not they really love me or if they are just looking to pull something on me. I've only had one partner since then even though I've been in relationships after the second partner I've been with. I'm a very guarded person for many reasons given I grew up being bullied and forced to defend myself on a regular basis so to feel that I have to be careful around strangers as well as someone I'm in a loving relationship with isn't easy and makes me feel like there's no one I can be entirely unguarded around outside of a select few. I still am a very emotionally open person with those I trust as well as those I have been in relationships with during said relationships, but it takes me a while to feel comfortable enough in a relationship that I can be physically intimate when it comes to intercourse. I mention this not only to illustrate my point because of my own experiences, but because this is usually a problem that women face more often than men, but as a man who is nearing the age of 31, I felt the need to share this because you don't hear about this stuff as often from a man's point of view who has experienced the trauma of sexual pressure and usury as the victim. I mention my age because I think it's also important to show that yes, these kinds of things can indeed haunt you many years after the fact and affect your behavior and psyche a long time after the event, even for life. I don't consider myself truly haunted as such, but my experience has changed the way I handle situations in my romantic experiences to this day just as my experiences with being the intended target of bullying and violence has affected me and still does as well. I would really like to see this movie to see if my assumptions based on this analysis and my own experiences are similar to the possible symbolism in this film or if my thoughts on it thus far are off-track and I'm just reading too much into it preemptively. Anyway, for anyone who might read this, thanks for sticking with me on this diatribe. I don't know why, but I feel like sharing this has helped me in a way. For some reason discussing this kind of thing openly is therapeutic for me on certain subjects and mediums like film, books, etc., seem to allow me to express my own feelings on things in a way few other forms of expression do. I guess when I can relate my struggles to examples of similar experiences in film and other creative works it makes it easier for me to properly relay and describe my experiences to others and gives me a sort of peace I didn't have before. Thanks for bearing with me.
That person sounds like she was horrible :( I'm so sorry she ruined your trust like that. Also thanks for sharing thoughts on the movie as a whole, this was an insightful comment and I am flattered that you opened up here
@@MertKayKay Thanks so much! I'm glad you found something of value from my comment and I really appreciate the work you do. You're very good at creating videos that invite discussion and I really enjoy hearing your thoughts. I'm glad you're on this platform doing the work you do, and I hope that all things go well for you in all aspects of life.
I saw this movie when it first came out and absolutely hated it. I was nearly snoring in my seat, counting the minutes until it ended. I adored the concept but the execution was so boring and mundane that I couldn't help but resent it for wasting such a fantastic opportunity. Then again, few movies execute the idea of inevitable disaster and death as well as Final Destination, where the monster is truly inevitable, it's death itself, how could you possibly think you could outrun it? It Follows could have had the same effect and it heavily relies on your willingness to do its job for it and imagine a much scarier scenario with its concept. Then again, your video did a lot to soften me towards the film. I'd never watch it again, but I look at it with a much kinder eye. Thank you for your wonderful work as always! It's a lovely watch every time!
I really enjoyed this video! It's fun listening to you rip media to shreds but it feels cosy to hear you review something positively, even if it's a chilling horror film about a sexually transmitted demon curse haha. Happy Halloween!
I am so glad you took such a deep dive into the subtext of this movie because clearly I missed a lot of it. I loved it but its weakest point for me was Jay herself, I don’t know if it was the acting or the direction but she just felt like such a blob of a protagonist for me. Like she didn’t seem to feel any particular way about anything that was happening other than the obvious fear and survival instinct. I might rewatch it because of this video though and see what I didn’t catch 😮
Well, yes, this movie is about trust and intimacy and how easily those things can be erased though it's about that for young adults who are transitioning from childhood innocence to adulthood with all the new responsibilities coupled with the extreme disappointments and pain that that entails!!
i love this! 100% agree that the std theory is too easy and makes stds stigmatized. i do notice themes of SA in a sense, because youre esentially withholding information if youre gonna pass it to someone, even if the sex was consensual. i also liked the asexual theory someone else in the comments mentioned, of being forced to do something you dont want to do. i love how all the sex scenes are so awkward and uncomfortable
Honestly, fair analysis that gives multiple aspects, something we can all appreciate. One thing I would disagree with is something you said at the start, that there are metaphors to be found because trauma and horror are intertwined, and while I believe that to be true, I also believe there's art just for the sake of art, horror for the sake of horror without need for any deeper meaning behind it, we can always try to look for meaning and make our own interpretations which is actually something I encourage, give that good ol' noggin and exercise, however at face value it could be just horror for the sake of horror without any deeper meaning whatsoever even if we can make our own conclusions. That being said, great video!
I never thought about it before, but I kinda like the idea of Paul regretting getting together with Jay. It would kind of convey the idea that a lot of times we are so desperate for either sex or a connection with a particular person we think we want, but turns out to be way more complicated and damaging when we end up forcing it than we anticipated.
I remember this being the first movie to ever scare me to my soul, I was left trembling and looking around in a sort of panic. my friend who watched it later, on the other hand, thought the concept was hilarious e laughed for the entirety of the movie, which still gets me mad though it's funny to think of two people having such different reactions to the same media.
As a sex repulsed asexual, this movie is horrifying to me for more than one reason. I mean, I don't hate watching sex scenes, but the concept of being forced to have sex to escape a monster... shudder.
To be fair, it's highly unlikely that you would become afflicted by the demon in the first place by that same hand. As a fellow ace, I wonder if the demon could somehow translate to a metaphor for the societal expectation to be sexually active on pain of something bad happening (ditto being death isn't all that far fetched, apparently 😨). However, as with the other theories, this falls short because this expectation isn't necessarily transmissible nor does it affect one person at a time.
Damn Algorithm didn't tell me you covered this! Good thing I re-checked your channel. About the movie: I know it's cliché to say "I liked the cinematography" but I really admire it in particular with this film. Very immersive.
im sure someones already said this but i have a compulsion to express information whenever presented with an opportunity: jay is a college student not a high school student, shes 19, doesnt make much of a difference but yeah
@@MertKayKay yes, I feel like it's a very important scene showing that Jay (and maybe Paul a bit) is trying to live normal life from now on, without looking behing her shoulder all the time. My second interpretation is that they are in a false sense of security and sooner or later it will get them. At first I was a bit dissapointed with the edning but now I actually appreciate that it did not end on them killing the demon with power of friendship
This video makes me wonder if the curse is just... purposely written to be a symbol that can mean a wide array of different things instead of just one or two. Like... the cold open with the girl fleeing from the threat inside of her house, then having to go back in to retrieve necessities for her actual escape. And the way Jay constantly has to rely on men to take on the curse for her and treat it responsibly to survive. Those make me think a lot about women who have made themselves vulnerable by becoming stay at home wives because they trusted their partners, just to then be abandoned by their spouses, have the spouse treat the union irresponsibly (putting them in debt, cheating) and/or being unhappy later on, but unable to leave. Because the time spent putting their trust in their partner slowly sucked them dry of all resources to strike out on their own. But I also see parallels to financial debt in there. The slow creeping up, the devastating effects of passing it on, the need to step lower and lower on the societal ladder to ensure one's own survival. Hugh passed it on to vulnerable and sheltered-ish Jay, Greg exploited it to prey on her, Paul takes it on but immediately turns around and puts it on the shoulder of women he looks down upon. It feels meaningful that the women keep getting stuck with the curse for long amounts of time in this and have to grant men what they want, while we never see a guy suffer it for long. And the guys are always the ones who are super quick to pass it on. Another thing that seriously keeps me up at night about this movie is the water. What's up with the water? Water is so prevalent and emphasized in this movie that I keep mulling it over. Big scenes of Jay in pools, of rain falling as she hooks up with Paul, of the ocean... it feels like the movie is trying to tell us something when both the cold open victim and Jay flee to the sea, when the men Jay sacrifices are on a boat and she is still dripping and shivering once we see her again, when the last stand is in a swimming pool, when they rain falls as Paul's desires are realized... But I can't quite sus out what it is. I've been thinking about that CONSTANTLY since watching the movie.
I watched it the other day because I saw that you had done a video on it, then came back to watch the video. I had so often heard that it was a metaphor for STIs that I did just sort of accept that - thinking harder about it now I agree with you that it's not. I guess it feels like the monster is maybe the societal pressure to have sex, when you're a teenager even if that pressure isn't going to kill you, it feels like it will. People will take advantage of the pressure you feel. Even if you do it, and get it over with, the pressure will come back in the form of "aren't you seeing anyone? why don't you ever date?" comments from people who care about you (hence the monster taking the form of your parents, your friends).
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Have you seen 'Under the Silver Lake'?
It's DRM's follow up film. I've never seen 'It Follows', but the links appear to be clear. Especially in regards to peer pressure. Our peers are now celebrities. In particular hollywood celebrities. UTSL continues along this line.
I need to watch this.
Also I would like to point out that Greg dies so easily because he clearly does not even believe the curse is real. He used her "paranoia" to take advantage of her and get into her pants. He keeps having sex with people because he's a player, not even knowing he's killing people and keeping himself safe. So when it comes for him, he's not on high alert at all because he doesn't believe it.
Damn!! That's a great catch, and a very solid point
Yes, Greg is indeed a massive thot.
I think that Jay was clearly abused by her father:
-He appears in her photos by the swimmingpool (being swimmingpool big theme in this film)
-When she is attacked by "him" in the last swimmingpool scene, her friends ask "what do you see??" And she says she doesn't want to say it because she is too scared
-Him throwing at her domestic objects in a violent way
-Someone asks Jay "who is the first person who tookyou to the swimmingpool?" And she doesn't want to answer
-Blood on the water in the swimmingpool
-The movie starts with jay being observed in a nasty way while she is in the swimmingpool
Also, her mum is in a bad place. They show how she drinks and smokes herself to sleep and gregs mum says that that family is a mess. I think the father also abused the mum.
I think it just picks random people's forms and doesn't have any understanding of what looks normal and what looks creepy. It had no idea that the hospital gown lady in the school, the Lurch look-alike or the various naked people would look unusual. It picked her father's form because it was in her house and saw his picture.
I love how It Follows shows sex in a different light. It’s not horny, it’s not hot, it’s deeply uncomfortable, it’s awkward. You’re watching a horror film, you’re supposed to feel negative feelings.
My family kept saying they felt like they were truly understanding how my friend and husband and I felt as Asexual people throughout the whole thing.
Paul was such a realistic and unlikeable character to me. We all know a Paul in our lives. The passive predator who disingenuously pursues friendships in the hopes of table
crumbs. The white knight that only becomes remorseful after he gets what he wants.
He considers himself more virtuous than types like Greg, but they're two sides of the same coin.
Great analysis as always and great movie!
I find it to interesting that there's so much discourse about how Jay is selfish for passing the demon along to save herself, but so little discussion about how doing so saves others in the queue. It's kind of a glass half empty/half full scenario, but so many of us have a half empty view.
That's very true actually! I didn't consider it at all
that was my immediate thought! it's not righteous to die necessarily because that also passes the demon along.
I feel like she chose someone that didn't deserve it in the slightest. Pass it on to someone that is a problem for everyone around them. Suddenly the two problems are fighting each other. She could have passed it on so much better.
The soundtrack alone deserves an Oscar. I’ve never heard such a tense, terrifying, but catchy horror scores before
Disasterpiece is a treasure.
I was so drawn to the movie just from the music in the ads. I’ve loved this movie since. It’s a shame the actors don’t get more work.
@@AshtonyssOne of the best parts of the game, Fez, is DP's soundtrack
Check out Under the Skin’s soundtrack
The ost to Monsters at my Birthday Cake is a very different vibe, but also an unmitigated torrent of Disasterpeace jams
That sucks about your job love. I recently found you channel a few days ago from your 13 reasons why video and have been obsessed with your content since. Hopefully its silver lining and you can do this full time for a living now.
You have such an incredible way of analyzing media, breaking down symbolism, rationalizing aspects and just genuinely wonderful to watch❤❤❤❤
Thank you Hazel! I don't mind too much, I'm super excited to be back out in the real world. Thank you so much for watching and I shall make plenty more content asap
I also, comparing the first sex scene and the scene with Greg, love the use of the lighting in conveying the tone. Those shots of the car are so warm and close, and it feels almost cozy; while the hospital is dim and grimy looking. It's just good film making lmao I love it
It Follows is a great movie. I can admit I relate to Paul but after entering college I decided I wasn't going to be like that. I wouldn't "follow" a girl in hopes of something and only that. So, I lost a couple female friendships because of that. The weird part is my male friends giving shit for the female friendships I kept, were we are actually friends and I enjoy their friendship, first and foremost. Lots of "You're wasting your time.", "She has a boyfriend/girlfriend.", "You should speak with women that actually have a chance." Like, holy shit, is it that weird to have female frienships without expecting something in return? Sheesh.
Speaking of college, college parties are room for weird things. Drunk girls are easily preyed, even by dudes I thought were fine. I saw a girl from my class clearly getting preyed over and told her "Perhaps, you should go home before something bad happens." She said it was fine. After a couple hours, the older students asked me if I could take her home, which I did. Next morning, she texted me that she did a couple she shouldn't have. I probably should have spoken to the dude but the fear of not wanting to cause a scene (and he was twice my size) stopped. But this situations were so common. There were nights I had to take over 4 girls home after being asked to by older students (I think they found me either reliable or harmless). The thought of "Hey, those guys are taking the opportunity and are not getting into trouble. Why shouldn't I?" But I thank God for having something in me that always made those thoughts go away. But a question now lingers on my mind: How many sexual experiences dudes have were actually fully consented. How many of these women say it was fine but it actually wasn't but they see it as some sort of "punishment" for getting drunk.
Anyway, great video. Cheers.
My own lil theory is that the monster represents sexual relationships that are socially expected. Like reading the deaths in a metaphorical light- seeing people forced into heterosexuality relationships in particular; the trauma of peer pressure but specifically that of being LGBTA+ and forced into relationships you don’t want anything to do with and losing/never having any interest in sexual intimacy. (Especially when I read the main character as Ace, it hit a lil harder, imho.)
I love this theory! :D Thank you for sharing Addo
to me its just an epitome of the phrase
"everything in a relationship is about sex, except the sex itself. Sex is about power." - Oscar Wilde
By initiating in sex, and passing the demon on, the individual holds the power both over the person that had sex with them (they unwilling and unknowingly passed them the curse) and over the demon itself (changing or rather postponing its pursuit a bit)
Hm, but she is interested in sex at the beginning tho? Do you mean it's a metaphor for ace?
@@valx7586 Ace people can have interest and have sex, hope this helps.
@@valx7586you can still be interested in sex if you're ace. It just means you don't feel sexual attraction
This movie resonated with me pretty hard as a former fundamentalist who grew up in the bible belt under Purity Culture. I think there's a special kind of shame that comes with sex in that environment, and even if it didn't mean to, this film encapsulated that perfectly for me. My parents literally had a sit-down with me during my first ever sexual relationship (I was 19) and lectured me about the evils I was committing and the wild thing is I didn't tell them but they just KNEW because the guilt I carried with me was so powerful. That's what I think of when I think of this movie's monster.
I feel like warning the person you passed it on to is also just in your benefit by this. You would want that person to pass it on to someone else, the more people end up in the queue, the longer you have without it
Youd never know for sure when its your turn again though, and thats truly horrifying
also if they know about it they can run away, which means the queue lasts longer.
yeah, the protagonist isn't warned *prior* to getting the curse, so clearly the one passing it on values their own lifespan above morality or the wellbeing of others. with that in mind, it's abundantly clear that the warning itself is done for the same reason. he's warning her because it'll buy him more time. this might not even be the first time he's done this, maybe he has a system of some sort, taking notes on whenever his last sacrifice dies and having sex with someone else. maybe he's done what she did at first and instead of finding people to help him willingly he instead chose to buy larger amounts of time at once.
I honestly don't even blame him, it's immoral but when the alternative is a gruesome death it's hard to argue it's the wrong choice. most people value their own life more than the life of a stranger.
Excellent video. One concerning part is at 35:34 with the person walking behind them, possibly being the entity still continuing the chase.
I think we should also keep in mind that regardless of whether you pass It on you're basically condemning people to die meaning that the question is a horrific type of trolley problem where both answers have a growable death toll
Right because if you don’t pass it on then it kills you it’s just going after the person that passed it to you after. So by not passing it on you’re damning the person before you.
I always felt like I missed something with this movie as I didn't enjoy it at all. I'm so glad you're covering as I respect your opinions so much. And your humor is always a win 😊
Yeah, I'll have to give it another shot. My main problem is that I didn't care about the characters which, for a movie with not a lot of visual flair, is kind of a killer for me.
@brett66 this is the biggest issue for me with a LOT of high school drama horror movies. The characters they usually present are people I wouldn't have liked in high school so I end up not caring about them. The story and visuals could be interesting but I need likeable characters for me to really enjoy a film. It's nice to see videos like this breaking down why a lot of people do like it though!
Saw this movie in theaters and loved it. The panning wide shots with people walking out of focus after you know the premise is fuckin A+ filmmaking. Soundtrack is also excellent. Also that bit in the kitchen gets me every time I think about it. Not even the supernatural stuff, just rounding a corner in your house that you've done a million times and someone being there that isn't supposed to be. Gives me chills.
I'm more or less on the same page with you on the trauma analogue but i think there's a dual meaning to it as well. While I do think this thing represents trauma for the reasons you said, I also think it represents the choice to be intimate with someone early in your life in general. The expectations of it all, what early sexual encounters mean to younger people. The way it's supposed to change you. How you could choose to be with someone and it could turn into a nightmare like with Hugh, or how they could just be using you like Greg.
Paul even represents the kind of safe but unsatisfying option a lot of people end up with. I agree that Paul was very possessive in a very "objectifying and possessive young man" kind of way but he DID care about her. To be clear, I do not like him and largely agree with your analysis otherwise. I do not think he was good for her and that his kind of affection is not good, but I do think it was genuine. I think that's why they go out of their way to have them talking about their childhoods growing up. The idea at the end to me is they are working through it together, even though it most definitely ended up not being what either of them wanted. it's not ideal, but it is better than everything that came before and TBH settling like that is the really scary outcome isn't it? I think a lot of what makes this movie great is the characters are all flawed in some way and how they navigate these flaws makes them feel human.
I also think with Greg, the reason he behaved the way he did and got got was that he did not believe the entity was real at all. He pretended to listen to get in her pants and the reason we see him with other girls is to show that's all he cares about. Even his nice gesture of providing Jay with a place to stay was ultimately low effort for him. It was just a place his parents had. I think if you wanted to go with the STD metaphor, he would be the character to point to since she told him, he didn't listen/care and was killed because of it. I think the STD thing is kind of lazy personally but it is there to some degree I think. It's just the most boring interpretation.
Great video. Hope you get a new, better job soon you like even more.
I understand that part of the thing with the demon in it follows is that the system of transmission isn’t really meant to be picked apart, but like what would the demon do if the last person on the chain has an orgy
Some would say the ideia of It follows is about rape
The constant feeling of terror, paranoia the bad feeling of sex
It follows reviews are very interesting as they go so different from each other
9:00 HM this is a very interesting point. I had forgotten that the monster is "one to one" passing on thing. That definitely makes me rethink the STDemon theory.
It follows is one of my favorite horror movie with my favorite horror soundtrack. I always saw the creature as the personification of society's attitude towards sex. It's the judgement, the guilt and condemnation that we put on young people, especially women, for being sexually active. We isolate them and emotionally scar them by taking every ounce of joy away from the act.
Ah. Time to be serenaded by Mert's dulcet tones as she talks about some scary shit.
Do your thing, Mert. 😂
More than anything I think this story displays (if not outright speak on) the ways in which sex & lust for peers can utterly devastate friend groups. As someone with a fair bit of trauma surrounding sex/relationships and their impacts on groups of friends, I find the concepts of this film to be super haunting when seen through the lens of someone watching their friends torn apart by sex/lust for friends.
Your analysis is so fresh and it's a relief you dont dive directly into "its an STD allegory, full stop".
As someone who does have an STD, incurable, this movie did strike a deep nerve for me that **I personally** read it as partially being an allegory for that, only in the element of 'you have this thing you are terrified of, its following you and could strike at any moment, you are scared to tell people about it because their judgment is just as terrifying as what could kill you, and giving it to someone else wont get rid ot it' curse element. Its painful and unfortunately real for lots of people.
And the added detail that the sex scenes dont exist, the vague terms on how the curse is possibly transferred creates more fear.
But you hit the nail on the head that with the movie not telling what the curse/demon is really, what it really means, coupled with the one-step-outside-reality setting, allows it to be almost endlessly interpreted differently by everyone who watches it.
Absolutely insane that they are doing a sequel. Can’t wait for “They Follow”.
Absolutely fantastic breakdown of one of my favourite horror films! I think I'm far too guilty of the 'invincible snail' logic approach, just thinking of ways one could dispatch the demon without actually looking into its deeper meaning. And I think that might say a lot about my approach to trauma (both mine and others') because I can often push swords over blankets. That the teens tried to take a logical approach together and failed, perhaps because of the nature of the demon, perhaps because of their relative immaturity, or a mix of the two, demonstrates just how deeply rooted it is. It's a lot to think about... I really appreciate the new perspectives you've given me!
And remember: UX is everywhere, you'll find a new, better, more deserving role whenever you're ready! That old place didn't deserve your talents anyway.
I absolutely adore your witty writing and deadpan delivery, particularly in your game reviews. Sorry to hear you've lost your job, and I'm happy so many people are supporting you. Best of luck to you finding a new job!
Thank you Saggaroth! :D
i always viewed “it” as a representation of shame. sort of akin to how you described the peer pressure metaphor, it’s a fear-based creature that feeds on your own insecurity and the judgment of others. it takes the form of people you know because those are the ones whose opinions matter the most to you, and it’s sex-based because of how taboo sex is considered. i think it also affects majority young people because they’re still figuring out where they fit into the world, how adult they’re ready to be while still learning how to be a human. sex is a major step in growing up, and when you’re being simultaneously shamed for it and pressured into it you find yourself in an awkward position that lends itself to deep-seated fear of intimacy. the “passing it on” could be seen as a body count type of thing. like, if you willingly have sex with someone who gets around a lot (or if you are someone who gets around a lot), there’s a whole new level of assumption and judgment surrounding you.
as an eighteen year old i empathize so. so much with this movie. it literally hurts to watch, lmao. you did an excellent job covering it
ooooo I feel so blessed to have two mert videos out so close together! Freaking loved discovering this movie and all of the theories that people brought up about the demon. A great breakdown of those theories and your own analysis of it, as always!
I have another video out in two days, I've really accidentally clustered these all together haven't I. Glad you enjoyed it Lenore! :D
What a nice coincidence, I watched It Follows for the first time a few weeks ago! I'd considered it a metaphor for the trust and vulnerability you need when being intimated with someone, and how easily that can be betrayed - not perfect, but that was first impressions.
Although I think this video did a really great job of not only going over the more popular interpretations, but also some I hadn't even considered! Everything was succinct and well editted, and honestly has inspired me to rewatch it again :)
(On a seperate note, I'm so sorry you lost your job, that's really rough to have dropped on you. I hope patreon and youtube can help for the time being, and if you need to take a step back from making videos, please know we'll be hear when you get back!)
I’m sure this will only strengthen our parasocial bond but you’ve become one of many UA-camr I will actively turn the notification button on for and I hope that fills you with the good dopamine serotonin combo
Parasocial Bond+++
1. I love how in a movie so deeply entrenched in sex allegory so little sex is shown
2. I love how theres no clear answer and each viewer gets to decide what it means to them
3. I love how apart from the undescrible and invisible monster, theres no protagonist or villain in the film (each characters actions are both deeply abhorrent and justifiable considering the circumstances)
4. I love how there is no escape. Not like other films where the monster is killed and then returns, the beach scene shows that the monster can be hurt and slowed down, but never stopped. In the first 5 min of the film you can already predicted the ending
5. I love the acting and think everyone, esp the lead actress, gave a stellar performance for a role that is hard to pull off without seeming cringy
6. I love how horror as a genre is getting more and more prevalent as an art form to explore topics. Horror is 100 times more than just knife wielding maniacs, bimbos having premarital sex and tons of gore bodies
Wonderful job Mert! I love this movie, but it does feel viscerally uncomfortable. You and Adam explained it beautifully, well done all!
Sorry to hear about your job Mert, that’s really rough. Hope the patreon pledge helps a tiny bit
Thank you Liza! I'm super glad you like the video
When you said you disagreed with the STD theory, I was putting on my biking gear to go tussle at the car park, but then you explained why and I actually thought about it, so now I gotta take it all off, well played Ms KayKay.
I was trying to think of something that can be passed along but which might eventually come back, and if it weren't for the sex element of this film I'd assume it was about blame. You can often send blame to someone else, and that person can send it along too, but it can be traced back along the line until it comes home, then moves on to the one before you. I dunno? Your ideas were all great.
I'm sorry to hear about your job! Never a good time for that to happen so I hope you're doing well despite it. I thoroughly enjoy your channel and sense of humour - always look forward to a new vid dropping :)
Thank you Morgan! We keep on moving :D
The monstef could also be a interpretation of trauma. A person who was abuse could continue the cicle by abusing others , even if in different ways. That would also explain the morphism of the monster, all our traumas are different and it could be family, friends, strangers or and event. I don't know but this movie could have so many interpretations and that makes a good movie.
Ps: sorry for any misspelling, English is my second language
This movie was really frustrating for me when I saw it, because despite my best efforts to parse through it, I just didn't get it. Other videos on it didn't make it make more sense to me, as I always felt the analyses didn't quite break down whatever it was about the film that wasn't clicking with me, and I struggled to figure it out myself. Finally, this video put the film into prospective for me. I still can't pinpoint what about it left me feeling so unfulfilled before now, but I feel like I finally get it. It's silly, but there's little sense of relief at getting to understand it better.
Well done and many thanks to both you and Adam Washington.
Brings me back to good old “Are You Afraid of the Dark” where the guy can’t fall asleep bc every time he does, the evil thing gets closer
Almost unrelated, but that was the slickest ad transition I think you’ve ever done, I was so impressed I didn’t skip forward. 👍
I love your analyses. Sometimes you tackle subject matter I’m not familiar with, but I’m so excited you decided to discuss one of my favorite films.
Thank you for the excellent video again! You really scratch the ‘old UA-cam’ itch for me.
Finally getting to watch this video so hype for new MertKayKay vid.
I'm curious to hear what you might think of Smile (2022) since Smile is frequently compared to It Follows, and often also criticized for seeming to lift ideas wholesale from It Follows. Smile is much less subtle about its themes about trauma, and I much prefer It Follows, however I still had a fun time watching Smile, especially as a double feature alongside It Follows, and in my opinion the film never felt shallow or insulting like a lot of others felt like it was. You might enjoy comparing and contrasting between them.
Great video Mert - a very affecting film once you understand it.
Great video! I remember after seeing this for the first time with my friends we spend the rest of the week trying to come up with SCP style containment ideas. The only one I remember was trying to tag the entity with a GPS beacon, but it was a fun mental exercise.
I really enjoyed your breakdown of this movie and I'm definitely going to go give it another watch.
So sorry to hear about your job, I hope the search for a new one goes swiftly and you find a good fit deserving of your skills. I'm glad you snagged a sponsor for this video and have the folks on patreon! I hope despite everything you have a lovely Holloween.
This essay is so good! You understood the assignment. Thank you so much for creating!
Thank you for being here Ang!
Putting this is my autism playlist.
Great breakdown! I live this movie. I felt the movie was the disillusionment of transitioning between child and adult. Things we once, as children, fancied as romantic and idealistic we now see are transactional or done through necessity. It’s a nihilistic lens but the ending can fit with people who are settled in relationships, together no longer because they are in love but because it’s necessary financially, mentally, or just because we feel there are no other options. That’s a bummer, but it’s just as unsettling as the ending of the movie.
Anyway, loved your analysis and I’m sorry for what you are going through. I know you will come through it for the better. Take care and I hope you are able to enjoy Halloween.
The way this showed up in my recommendations right after listening to the ost again was so well timed
Oh wow! I swear you only just came out with a video and now here's another, lookit us getting spoiled! I haven't watched it yet I'm about to put it on while I do chores but I'm oh so very confident that it's gonna slap. Thank you!
Thank you Bear! I have another one out tomorrow, and then nothing for a while. I need to schedule myself a bit better
@@MertKayKay lol sounds like me with my writing, I'll do 3 chapters in a day then not write anything for a week. ADHD is a pain like that, in my case.
I think a couple, a polyamorous group or a tight group of sex friends could theoretically take turns running away from the monster, thus allowing everyone to live a semi normal life most days and deal with it through the power of cooperation, there's no need for it to be an individual problem, and in this way their bond and intimacy can be somewhat maintained, if not strengthened.
I'd say that the makers of this film did not plan for the rabbit hole to go down this deep. Still, it's fun to make up different theories.
Liked your review. Thumbs up!
love everyone of your videos, thank you for the upload and I hope you get lots of patrons and a good new job
Thank you for covering this film. I'd never watched it, but am now resolved to.
I got laid off on 9/11 of this year. We will get through this!❤️
Omg Brock, we are twinnies ; - ;
one of your finest videos frankly
Really?? 😭 thank you
genuinely & the pleasure's mine as the viewer @@MertKayKay
The end of this film reminds of the end of the Bachelor. Like the characters all become very aware that what is ahead is unknown and possibly terrifying.
How would the white underwear scene represent her losing her virginity when there is literally a line of dialogue in the movie where Jay mentions she slept with Greg in high school? Every analysis video misses this
I really appreciate this fantastic video! You gave me so many more perspectives to consider on this movie. It’s so great and like you said, so deep, it’s really fun to dive into all the details! Well done, and I’m sorry about your job. 😫
I remember there being a lot of hype for this film when it came out, and I think I built it up too much in my head because I didn’t particularly enjoy it. Didn’t dislike it, either, just didn’t feel much of anything for it. Deffo gonna give it a rewatch though I think after this.
Sorry to hear you got laid off and all, that’s rough. You most likely don’t need it, as you’re clearly talented at writing scripts, but I do a lot of work with professional CVs so sling me a line if you needed/wanted any help/advice with a CV before you start job hunting/applying for new roles.
[comment for support and engagement]
Also, back in the day this movie was the one to really super change my love for horror media.
Honestly. I imagine the demon transfers through the intimacy of sex. Since intimacy is a big theme and is important. So regardless of how you sex, as long as you sex *with someone* it transfers.
Ahh, nice. It follows that you would cover this film. ;)
So sorry about the job stuff 😔 wishing u a good new one soon.
Thank you Queerly!
As always, very holistic, on-point analysis of such topics. Great video! ❤️❤️
The only thing that made this movie scary was the damn music😭😭😭😭 but the symbolism, the story telling the visuals of this movie goes CRAZYYYY
Subscribed today and new video! Thanks for the great content!
No worries Oliver, thanks for the sub! 😁
I have to say that I'm glad to see this film took the high road and didn't make the sexual interactions sleazy and exploitative. I also think that decision lends itself well to the peer pressure theory well. I think this film could lend itself well to the trauma angle, and possibly may symbolize both trauma and peer pressure at the same time in a way. I also think it's interesting that it kind of provides commentary on the idea of promiscuity without necessarily condemning it, at least that's how it seems from what's shown in this video given I haven't seen the film as of yet, although now I would like to given this analysis. It seems to me that in the case of Paul and his desires towards Jay he is sort of pressuring her by making his desires known so openly and incessantly displaying them to her.
It seems to me on first impression that he is insisting that he wants her anyway and is willing to take on this curse and that seems like he is pressuring her to give in and make him the next carrier because his means to an end is that he is looking to have sex with the literal girl next door so to speak. He tries to initiate (I assume multiple times) and Jay is pressured to pass this on by giving him what he wants, eventually giving in.
She is pressured to give in to not only peer pressure, but to give into this curse that also makes her seem to others who don't know as being a promiscuous being, a common form of judgement that occurs when one does become sexually active, especially for women. I personally think that this curse may be symbolic of trauma as well as peer pressure to behave a certain way, although sexual in this example, it can apply to many other forms of peer pressure teenagers typically face, or at least I think so.
One event that can cause someone to be traumatized is being pressured into sex. I should know because I've been there. I'm about to get a little personal here, and oddly enough I've rarely ever talked about this with anyone else before. When I was nineteen, I began a relationship with a girl I met on a dating site. We spent a long time chatting and getting to know each other, so long that I was less than a month away from turning 20, and we had begun talking at the beginning of the year. (My birthday is in November, so it's late in the year.)
We eventually met and I stayed at her house for the weekend because I can't drive for medical reasons, and she lived a state over from where I was living at the time. I was convinced that I was in love with her and that she really loved me back. She was my first, and I was her third, or so she claimed. It wasn't until I had gotten home that I realized she had stolen my money as well as my credit card. I was just a mark for her, and she took more than just my money.
To this day I'm suspicious of anyone that wants to engage with me, at least at first, so it takes a long time for me to really trust someone enough to be intimate with them because I have to get a feel for whether or not they really love me or if they are just looking to pull something on me. I've only had one partner since then even though I've been in relationships after the second partner I've been with. I'm a very guarded person for many reasons given I grew up being bullied and forced to defend myself on a regular basis so to feel that I have to be careful around strangers as well as someone I'm in a loving relationship with isn't easy and makes me feel like there's no one I can be entirely unguarded around outside of a select few.
I still am a very emotionally open person with those I trust as well as those I have been in relationships with during said relationships, but it takes me a while to feel comfortable enough in a relationship that I can be physically intimate when it comes to intercourse. I mention this not only to illustrate my point because of my own experiences, but because this is usually a problem that women face more often than men, but as a man who is nearing the age of 31, I felt the need to share this because you don't hear about this stuff as often from a man's point of view who has experienced the trauma of sexual pressure and usury as the victim. I mention my age because I think it's also important to show that yes, these kinds of things can indeed haunt you many years after the fact and affect your behavior and psyche a long time after the event, even for life.
I don't consider myself truly haunted as such, but my experience has changed the way I handle situations in my romantic experiences to this day just as my experiences with being the intended target of bullying and violence has affected me and still does as well. I would really like to see this movie to see if my assumptions based on this analysis and my own experiences are similar to the possible symbolism in this film or if my thoughts on it thus far are off-track and I'm just reading too much into it preemptively.
Anyway, for anyone who might read this, thanks for sticking with me on this diatribe. I don't know why, but I feel like sharing this has helped me in a way. For some reason discussing this kind of thing openly is therapeutic for me on certain subjects and mediums like film, books, etc., seem to allow me to express my own feelings on things in a way few other forms of expression do. I guess when I can relate my struggles to examples of similar experiences in film and other creative works it makes it easier for me to properly relay and describe my experiences to others and gives me a sort of peace I didn't have before. Thanks for bearing with me.
That person sounds like she was horrible :( I'm so sorry she ruined your trust like that. Also thanks for sharing thoughts on the movie as a whole, this was an insightful comment and I am flattered that you opened up here
@@MertKayKay Thanks so much! I'm glad you found something of value from my comment and I really appreciate the work you do. You're very good at creating videos that invite discussion and I really enjoy hearing your thoughts. I'm glad you're on this platform doing the work you do, and I hope that all things go well for you in all aspects of life.
I saw this movie when it first came out and absolutely hated it. I was nearly snoring in my seat, counting the minutes until it ended. I adored the concept but the execution was so boring and mundane that I couldn't help but resent it for wasting such a fantastic opportunity. Then again, few movies execute the idea of inevitable disaster and death as well as Final Destination, where the monster is truly inevitable, it's death itself, how could you possibly think you could outrun it? It Follows could have had the same effect and it heavily relies on your willingness to do its job for it and imagine a much scarier scenario with its concept.
Then again, your video did a lot to soften me towards the film. I'd never watch it again, but I look at it with a much kinder eye. Thank you for your wonderful work as always! It's a lovely watch every time!
I really enjoyed this video! It's fun listening to you rip media to shreds but it feels cosy to hear you review something positively, even if it's a chilling horror film about a sexually transmitted demon curse haha. Happy Halloween!
Glad im here early cause i was binging your videos, thank you for your work ❤
I am so glad you took such a deep dive into the subtext of this movie because clearly I missed a lot of it. I loved it but its weakest point for me was Jay herself, I don’t know if it was the acting or the direction but she just felt like such a blob of a protagonist for me. Like she didn’t seem to feel any particular way about anything that was happening other than the obvious fear and survival instinct. I might rewatch it because of this video though and see what I didn’t catch 😮
Well, yes, this movie is about trust and intimacy and how easily those things can be erased though it's about that for young adults who are transitioning from childhood innocence to adulthood with all the new responsibilities coupled with the extreme disappointments and pain that that entails!!
This is an incredible analysis. Well done ❤❤
Thanks Mike! 😍
i love this! 100% agree that the std theory is too easy and makes stds stigmatized. i do notice themes of SA in a sense, because youre esentially withholding information if youre gonna pass it to someone, even if the sex was consensual. i also liked the asexual theory someone else in the comments mentioned, of being forced to do something you dont want to do. i love how all the sex scenes are so awkward and uncomfortable
Honestly, fair analysis that gives multiple aspects, something we can all appreciate. One thing I would disagree with is something you said at the start, that there are metaphors to be found because trauma and horror are intertwined, and while I believe that to be true, I also believe there's art just for the sake of art, horror for the sake of horror without need for any deeper meaning behind it, we can always try to look for meaning and make our own interpretations which is actually something I encourage, give that good ol' noggin and exercise, however at face value it could be just horror for the sake of horror without any deeper meaning whatsoever even if we can make our own conclusions. That being said, great video!
I never thought about it before, but I kinda like the idea of Paul regretting getting together with Jay. It would kind of convey the idea that a lot of times we are so desperate for either sex or a connection with a particular person we think we want, but turns out to be way more complicated and damaging when we end up forcing it than we anticipated.
I remember this being the first movie to ever scare me to my soul, I was left trembling and looking around in a sort of panic. my friend who watched it later, on the other hand, thought the concept was hilarious e laughed for the entirety of the movie, which still gets me mad though it's funny to think of two people having such different reactions to the same media.
As a sex repulsed asexual, this movie is horrifying to me for more than one reason. I mean, I don't hate watching sex scenes, but the concept of being forced to have sex to escape a monster... shudder.
To be fair, it's highly unlikely that you would become afflicted by the demon in the first place by that same hand. As a fellow ace, I wonder if the demon could somehow translate to a metaphor for the societal expectation to be sexually active on pain of something bad happening (ditto being death isn't all that far fetched, apparently 😨). However, as with the other theories, this falls short because this expectation isn't necessarily transmissible nor does it affect one person at a time.
Damn Algorithm didn't tell me you covered this! Good thing I re-checked your channel.
About the movie:
I know it's cliché to say "I liked the cinematography" but I really admire it in particular with this film. Very immersive.
This movie is perhaps the best one to be in if you aren't a main character
32:12 wow I thought Paul was in the hospital looking at them, not at the cafeteira....
and he was also attacked by the entity so he for sure knew she was telling the truth
im sure someones already said this but i have a compulsion to express information whenever presented with an opportunity: jay is a college student not a high school student, shes 19, doesnt make much of a difference but yeah
You have the Lili and Sera plushes! I bought them to and really like Idolmantises' stuff
Aww excellent taste!
Sorry abt your job but this was a wonderful essay.❤ Ty as always for your hard work and research.
ugh I just realiced you also have a sera plushy! The couple in somplete! :D
I have Lili too but she's partially obscured by my big head. I love them!
@@MertKayKay oh I know you do! I comented about it when I saw it in your bg! :D I'm just happy to see you like the two silly lesbians too :]
No way you have not acknowledged that in the last scene, it appears behind Jay and Paul following them
Do you think so? I always felt like it was open ended
@@MertKayKay yes, I feel like it's a very important scene showing that Jay (and maybe Paul a bit) is trying to live normal life from now on, without looking behing her shoulder all the time. My second interpretation is that they are in a false sense of security and sooner or later it will get them. At first I was a bit dissapointed with the edning but now I actually appreciate that it did not end on them killing the demon with power of friendship
@@MertKayKay also can't wait for They Follow, which apparently is supposed to come out in 2026
This video makes me wonder if the curse is just... purposely written to be a symbol that can mean a wide array of different things instead of just one or two.
Like... the cold open with the girl fleeing from the threat inside of her house, then having to go back in to retrieve necessities for her actual escape. And the way Jay constantly has to rely on men to take on the curse for her and treat it responsibly to survive. Those make me think a lot about women who have made themselves vulnerable by becoming stay at home wives because they trusted their partners, just to then be abandoned by their spouses, have the spouse treat the union irresponsibly (putting them in debt, cheating) and/or being unhappy later on, but unable to leave. Because the time spent putting their trust in their partner slowly sucked them dry of all resources to strike out on their own.
But I also see parallels to financial debt in there. The slow creeping up, the devastating effects of passing it on, the need to step lower and lower on the societal ladder to ensure one's own survival. Hugh passed it on to vulnerable and sheltered-ish Jay, Greg exploited it to prey on her, Paul takes it on but immediately turns around and puts it on the shoulder of women he looks down upon.
It feels meaningful that the women keep getting stuck with the curse for long amounts of time in this and have to grant men what they want, while we never see a guy suffer it for long. And the guys are always the ones who are super quick to pass it on.
Another thing that seriously keeps me up at night about this movie is the water.
What's up with the water?
Water is so prevalent and emphasized in this movie that I keep mulling it over. Big scenes of Jay in pools, of rain falling as she hooks up with Paul, of the ocean... it feels like the movie is trying to tell us something when both the cold open victim and Jay flee to the sea, when the men Jay sacrifices are on a boat and she is still dripping and shivering once we see her again, when the last stand is in a swimming pool, when they rain falls as Paul's desires are realized...
But I can't quite sus out what it is. I've been thinking about that CONSTANTLY since watching the movie.
As an asexual, it felt like this horror movie had been made specifically for me. It's still the horror movie that's unsettled me the very most!
I think I've watched this film like 5 times it's always one I recommend to my friends if they mention not having seen it
Something tells me we’re getting spoiled this October
I watched it the other day because I saw that you had done a video on it, then came back to watch the video. I had so often heard that it was a metaphor for STIs that I did just sort of accept that - thinking harder about it now I agree with you that it's not. I guess it feels like the monster is maybe the societal pressure to have sex, when you're a teenager even if that pressure isn't going to kill you, it feels like it will. People will take advantage of the pressure you feel. Even if you do it, and get it over with, the pressure will come back in the form of "aren't you seeing anyone? why don't you ever date?" comments from people who care about you (hence the monster taking the form of your parents, your friends).
damn that ad segue was SMOOTH
one of my favorite movies ever. Love love love it.
That ad read snuck up on me like a jumpscare
I still wanna call it an sexeully transmitted demon.
Ahhh you have a Seraphim plush!!! ❤
(Sorry for the off topic comment, lol)
I have Lili too! But she is hidden
Excellent video. I always love your content.