Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is a sequence that has given us eight chilling tales by eight good voices. Hosted by the titular acclaimed director, that is yet one more stable effort by Netflix to revitalize the anthology style, within the vein of Black Mirror and Love, Death and Robots. We’re given new variations of HP Lovecraft’s work, chilling gothic horrors, and, proper within the midpoint of the sequence, a stealthy, but nonetheless spine-tingling, Christmas particular.
Season one, episode 4: “The Outside.” Loosely based mostly on the webcomic Some Other Animal’s Meat by Emily Carroll and directed by Ana Lily Amirpour of A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, the story follows Kate Micucci as Stacey, an ungainly banker and novice taxidermist who struggles to slot in along with her enticing, self-obsessed co-workers and turns into more and more insecure of her look. Entranced by intoxicating commercials on the tv, and with nothing however a regularly absent husband (Martin Starr), the city sheriff, for firm, she turns into hooked on Alo-Glo, a new lotion that guarantees to completely reinvent her into one thing higher. The solely drawback is, she appears to be extremely allergic.
At its very core, this story is an uncomfortable physique horror. While not at Cronenberg ranges, it makes your pores and skin itch as you watch Stacey’s physique escape into worsening rashes in a approach that feels actual earlier than it tailspins into the surreal. There are definitely a lot of layers to this story, and whereas there have been discussions about its themes of physique picture and the wonder business, there may be a lot that may nonetheless be mentioned about “The Outside” as a new vacation horror story.
The Untapped Potential of Yuletide Horror
Being set shortly earlier than Christmas, the mise-en-scene of this episode is embellished with tinsel and caroling, with the inciting incident being set throughout a office secret Santa change. This is nothing new of course, Christmas has been a setting for horror films and TV episodes for many years now, with notable entries similar to Black Christmas, Krampus, and Silent Night, Deadly Night. These movies normally try to take the comforting aesthetic and iconically joyous symbols of Christmas and twist it into one thing that terrifies and disturbs: killer Santa Clauses and gingerbread males and murderers at Christmas events, subversion is essential right here. Simple, but efficient: what if this historically completely happy and child-friendly vacation was full of blood, guts, and profanity?
While these movies are efficient at the very best of instances, which admittedly may be few and much between, there may be a lot of potential for Yuletide terror that appears to be missed. Because as a lot as the vacations have fun the very best of humanity, charity, love, good will to all, that is not at all times the case in actuality. For many on the market, Christmas may be the loneliest, most aggravating time of the 12 months. For the folks dreading seeing their households again residence for causes private and political; the poor retail employees getting trampled in last-minute current rushes; for these that may’t afford to warmth their residence, not to mention purchase presents. Seasonal despair, monetary points, or having nobody to have fun with, all whereas being choked out by rampant consumerism and compelled merriment. There are so many expectations that include Christmas, that it must be excellent, that everybody must be completely happy, which normally finally ends up exacerbating points greater than it fixes them.
It’s why I vow to by no means host a Christmas get together. I’m no cynic concerning the holidays, however the weight of expectation may be terrifying. Walking throughout snow coated streets beneath glowing lights can really feel chilly and empty once you’re simply not feeling it. And whereas some movies like Krampus and The Lodge contact on the horrors of household dysfunction throughout Christmas, or a movie like Silent Night which depicts pressured pleasure whereas the world burns round you, however I’ve by no means seen the private and psychological dread that this time can deliver portrayed as nicely, and as subtly, as “The Outside.”
How “The Outside” Shows Us the Worst of the Season
While “The Outside” is extra set at Christmas than about it, it nonetheless manages to painting the themes beforehand acknowledged, primarily isolation and insidious commercialism. While the physique horror does not begin till Stacey first applies the Alo-Glo, the primary half that basically makes you itch is when she’s invited to the Secret Santa get together, seemingly by pure obligation as a coworker as a result of she’s normally ignored by the gossiping women round her. Outcast on the get together and neglected of any present-giving plans, her home made – if a bit disturbing – taxidermied reward is rejected by just about everybody. She is additional embarrassed by her allergic response to the Alo-Glo, after which thrown out of the get together. We’ve all been the place Stacey is, both in school or work, having to go to a get together the place you both do not know or don’t love anybody and are pressured to provide somebody a current regardless of having no concept what they like. But you must be good to them – it is Christmas, in spite of everything, even when that kindness is just not exchanged. It’s upsetting to observe her sit there, take it, and internalize the interplay.
This makes Stacey imagine, greater than ever, that there’s something improper along with her. Despite the insistence of those that really look after her, she needs greater than something to be anybody however herself. This is made worse when she activates the TV, her solely different escape, and the spokesman for Alo-Glo (Dan Stevens) appears to intimately faucet into her self-consciousness to, of course, encourage her to take out her bank card and purchase extra. When watching this, one might simply be reminded of the string of deeply sentimentalist commercials that may seem over Christmas. Make your holidays excellent by shopping for our product, Christmas is not full with out this, your children will love you when you purchase that. Especially with the lounge coated with tinsel, the industrial talking on to Stacey about how Alo-Glo will utterly rework her, thoughts, physique, and soul, you are reminded of all the opposite commercials that promise the identical factor.
This time of 12 months may be a heat and welcoming escape, the sights, tastes, and smells that include it are my private sensory heaven, however it’s an escape one can simply get misplaced in. It’s an escape that these with out your greatest pursuits at coronary heart can take benefit of, and of course it is one the place you will really feel the necessity to sacrifice your personal happiness for different folks, and even their notion of you. Blood coated tinsel and an axe-wielding Saint Nicholas is not what you ought to be fearing this vacation season, as this good episode of Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities exhibits us, what you really want to concern is what’s on the within.
And, probably, an axe-wielding Kate Micucci.
