Written by Peyton Brock, Photo courtesy of IMDB
Yes, it’s true. This movie is about a killer dress. But, it’s also about so much more.
The start of writer and director Peter Strickland’s “In Fabric” finds the recent divorcee Sheila Woodchapel in conflict with her passive-aggressive bosses at work, as well as her disaffected son at home. In preparation for a date, Sheila buys an enticing red dress due to a persuasive clerk at the enigmatic department store, Dentley and Soper’s. What follows is a trail of death at the hands of the malevolent red dress, as well as the sinister, bizarre and erotic after-hours activities of the Dentley and Soper’s staff.
With “In Fabric,” Strickland creates a film in the tradition of the Italian “giallo” horror movies of the 70s and 80s, not only in aesthetic style, but also in structure and subject matter. The film features a vibrant color pallet and expressive framing reminiscent of the films of Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci. In terms of plot, Strickland embraces the more loose, abstract and even incoherent nature of giallo. The plot is constantly interrupted so the audience can be shown bizarre scenes and characters that are left unexplained. In its second half, “In Fabric” even makes a jarring, momentum slowing shift in plot. The film features hallmark subject matters of giallo, such as murder, eroticism and even the supernatural elements of films like “Suspiria.” In addition to its giallo driven style, Strickland brings a keen sense of humor to the film, mainly in dry wit and quirky side characters, which serves to embrace its absurd nature.
The film is not all style over substance, though, with strong themes criticizing consumerism. The alluring power of the department store’s sale leads to the purchase of the evil red dress. Advertising’s hypnotic and manipulative nature is represented by the flashy graphics and pulsating music of Dentley and Soper’s TV ads, which seem to unconsciously compel the characters to shop at the store. Even the employees at the department store, who persuade customers into buying items with their eloquent speech, are shown to be secretly manipulative and perverse, alluding to the corrupting nature of corporate control.
To those unfamiliar with the giallo style, it is completely reasonable to find “In Fabric” unenjoyable and abrasive. It is not without flaw, as it falls to the usual faults of its style, whether intentionally or unintentionally, like the lack of a coherent narrative and abstract, unexplained scenes and characters. However, for the niche audience that has a love of horror and the giallo style, as well as an offbeat sense of humor, “In Fabric” is a passionate and unique experience that is not afraid to alienate to achieve its stylistic and thematic goals.
