The Stylist

Horror has always been ahead of the curve.  Its adaptability and profitability make it an ideal proving ground for fresh voices and new ideas.  And despite the historical lack of female representation, the genre seems to be making up for lost time with a surprising number of women getting behind the camera (enough for an entire category on the streaming service Shudder at least).  Adapted from her own 2016 short, Jill Gevargizian’s The Stylist (2020) pulls its inspiration from character-driven subgenres (most obviously Bill Lustig’s Maniac and the more mainstream Single White Female) that don’t rely on hashtags or social movements to prove its unapologetically gory point.

Claire (Najarra Townsend) is a talented hair stylist with a loyal client base.  But it’s the drop-ins who’re in real danger.  Their anonymous confessions inspire Claire to punish them for their transgressions, saving their scalps to add to her secret museum of alternate personalities.  When one of her regulars, Olivia (Brea Grant), asks for a new look for her wedding, Claire takes on the job and develops yet another unhealthy fascination.  What starts as a burgeoning friendship quickly disintegrates into a tragic obsession.

 

With a couple of tweaks, The Stylist could very easily have been a horror spoof.  So kudos to Gevargizian for using the genre to explore the difficulties of developing a true female friendship in a culture that encourages emotional sabotage.  There’s no denying that Claire is a psycho, but the circumstances that pushed her to that point are still relatably sympathetic.  And her desperate attempt to find a personality that the world will accept is chilling with or without the added gore.  

 

That said, the film doesn’t rely on political posturing to entertain.  It’s a product of its time, but not beholden to it.  And that’s perhaps the biggest accomplishment for a movie made by and starring mostly women:  it doesn’t even matter.   With its Argento color scheme and inspired music score, The Stylist would be an eye-catching piece of filmmaking no matter who made it.  When it comes to horror, the more people invited to the table, the better the experience.  

 

Arrow Video’s 2-disc limited edition includes an audio commentary, introduction, behind-the-scenes featurettes, outtakes, original 2016 short film (plus another by editor John Pata), and excellent visual essay exploring the female killers throughout horror cinema.

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