The Stylist

Last updated
The Stylist
The Stylist (2020 film).png
Official release poster
Directed byJill Gevargizian
Written by
  • Jill Gevargizian
  • Eric Havens
  • Eric Stolze
Produced by
  • Jill Gevargizian
  • Robert Patrick Stern
  • Sarah Sharp
Starring
CinematographyRobert Patrick Stern
Edited byJohn Pata
Music byNicholas Elert
Production
companies
  • Sixx Tape
  • Claw Productions
  • Method Media
  • The Line Film Company
Distributed by Arrow Films
Release dates
  • September 25, 2020 (2020-09-25)(Fantastic Fest)
  • March 1, 2021 (2021-03-01)(United States)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Stylist is a 2020 American horror drama film produced, co-written and directed by Jill Gevargizian. The film is based on the director's short film of the same name and stars Najarra Townsend and Brea Grant. [1] The film premiered at the 2020 Fantastic Fest. [2]

Contents

Plot

Claire, a lonely hairdresser based in Kansas City, Missouri, is a murderer who discreetly kills and scalps her clients, storing their scalps in her cellar as a way to cope with feelings of self-loathing. Her friend Olivia asks Claire to do her hair for her upcoming wedding, which Claire agrees to. [3] Claire tries to fit in with Olivia's friends, but is mocked for being socially awkward. After several failed attempts at suppressing her deadly urges, Claire finally gives in and murders Olivia. She then puts on Olivia's scalped hair and dress, and walks down the aisle pretending to be her. When the groom unveils her, he panics and the audience runs away in terror. Claire stays alone in the church crying, because even with Olivia's scalp, she can't get what she wanted.

Cast

Release

The Stylist premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 25, 2020, [4] and was subsequently screened at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival on February 5, 2021, [5] as well as screening in a Narrative Feature Competition at the Florida Film Festival in April 2021. [6]

The film was released on Arrow, Arrow Films' streaming platform, on March 1, 2021, in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. [7] On June 8, 2021, it was released on Blu-ray, DVD, and video on demand platforms via Arrow Video. [8] [9] The Blu-ray version features a short film titled "The Stylist" (which was director's short film in 2016) and a new short "Pity" and "The Invisible Woman", a visual essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. [10] It also includes behind-the-scenes footage, outtakes, and location scouting. [11]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes the film has a score of 90% based on reviews from 40 critics, with an average rating of 7.3/10 rating. The website's critics consensus reads, "A slasher with flair and crafty patience for the kill, The Stylist marks writer-director Jill Gevargizian as an uncommonly sharp genre filmmaker." [12]

Not all critics reviewed the film positively. According to TheGuardian 's Peter Bradshaw, who gave the film one star out of five, "The acting and directing are entirely terrible, the editing and pacing are so sluggish you’ll feel as if you’re going into a persistent vegetative state, the plot is tiresomely unthought-through ... and the musical score is so pointless and undifferentiated it sounds like elevator muzak." [13]

Starburst 's Andrew Pollard called The Stylist "a brilliant movie", [14] while Noel Murray of the Los Angeles Times described the film as a "treat for the eyes, making great use of color, lighting and women's fashions to create a world where attractive surfaces mask something ugly." [15]

Kristy Strouse of Film Inquiry wrote, "The Stylist has everything one can want from a horror film; a talented female lead, lots of chills and bloody enticements, and a wickedly impressive style". [16]

Simon Rother of The Horror News Network wrote, "The Stylist is nonetheless an interesting film that portrays the life of an extreme introvert who has difficulty coping with the social world, all while concealing a disturbing hobby and obsession". [17]

Kat Hughes of The Hollywood News praised the film for its "[i]nherently feminine, gorgeously shot and styled [visuals]", as well as "[its] killer performances, sticky scalping's, and costumes to die for". [18]

According to Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting , "Gevargizian demonstrates a strong, clear vision for her sympathetic psychopath, and The Stylist presents as one of the more sophisticated depictions of a burgeoning serial killer". [19]

Following film's screening at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, Erin Grant of the Fear Forever wrote "The Stylist is an incredibly insightful slasher with the right mix of sincerity and comedy". [20]

Related Research Articles

<i>Faust: Love of the Damned</i> (film) 2000 Spanish film

Faust: Love of the Damned is a 2000 Spanish English-language superhero horror film directed by Brian Yuzna. It is adapted from a screenplay by David Quinn and Miguel Tejada-Flores based on the comic book of the same name by Tim Vigil and David Quinn. It was produced by Ted Chalmers, Carlos, Julio and Antonio Fernández, Bea Morillas, Miguel Torrente and Brian Yuzna. It premiered at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival on 12 October 2000.

<i>Hatchet</i> (film) 2006 American film

Hatchet is a 2006 American slasher film written and directed by Adam Green. The film has an ensemble cast, including Joel David Moore, Tamara Feldman, Deon Richmond, Mercedes McNab, Parry Shen, Joleigh Fioreavanti, Joel Murray, Richard Riehle, Patrika Darbo, Joshua Leonard, Tony Todd, Robert Englund, and Kane Hodder. The plot follows a group of tourists on a New Orleans haunted swamp tour, who accidentally get stranded in the wilderness, only to be hunted by a vengeful, supernatural deformed man who kills anyone that enters the swamp.

<i>Wrong Turn 2: Dead End</i> 2007 film by Joe Lynch

Wrong Turn 2: Dead End is a 2007 slasher film directed by Joe Lynch and starring Erica Leerhsen, Henry Rollins and Texas Battle. An international co-production between the United States and Canada, it is a sequel to Wrong Turn (2003) and the second installment in the Wrong Turn film series. The film received a positive response from critics and remains the best-reviewed film in the franchise. It grossed $9.2 million in home video sales.

Bloody Disgusting is an American multi-media company, which began as a horror genre-focused news site/website specializing in information services that covered various horror media, including: film, television, video games, comics, and music. The company expanded into other media including advertising, podcast networking, film, television, streaming media, and management.

Brad Miska is an American film producer and founder of Bloody Disgusting, a horror genre website known for covering horror films, video games, comics, and music. His films include the V/H/S franchise, Under the Bed, A Horrible Way to Die and Southbound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Wingard</span> American filmmaker (born 1982)

Adam Wingard is an American filmmaker. He has served as a film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, cinematographer, actor, and composer on numerous American films.

Radio Silence Productions is an American film and television production company, founded in 2011 by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Justin Martinez and Chad Villella. The group is known for the horror films Ready or Not, Scream and Scream VI, as well as their previous work together as Chad, Matt & Rob.

<i>Curse of Chucky</i> 2013 American slasher film by Don Mancini

Curse of Chucky is a 2013 American slasher film and the sixth installment of the Child's Play franchise. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini, who created the franchise and wrote the first six films. It stars Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, Brennan Elliott, Maitland McConnell, Chantal Quesnelle, Summer Howell, A Martinez, and Brad Dourif. The film grossed $3.8 million in DVD sales.

<i>The Town That Dreaded Sundown</i> (2014 film) 2014 American film

The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a 2014 American slasher film and serves as a metafictional sequel to the 1976 film of the same name. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon in his feature-length directorial debut, the film was written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and produced by Jason Blum and Ryan Murphy. The film stars Addison Timlin, Travis Tope, Spencer Treat Clark, Veronica Cartwright and Gary Cole and was one of the last films of Ed Lauter and Edward Herrmann before their deaths in October 2013 and December 2014, respectively.

<i>Blood Punch</i> 2013 American film

Blood Punch is a 2013 horror thriller film directed by Madellaine Paxson in her directorial debut, and starring Milo Cawthorne, Olivia Tennet, Ari Boyland. and Adelaide Kane. The film had its world premiere on 26 October 2013 at the Austin Film Festival, where it won the Dark Matters Audience Award. The film had a positive critical reception.

<i>Contracted: Phase II</i> American horror film by Josh Forbes

Contracted: Phase II is a 2015 American zombie-body horror independent film and the sequel to the 2013 film Contracted. The film was directed by Josh Forbes, based on a script written by Craig Walendziak.

<i>Kristy</i> (film) 2014 American film

Kristy is a 2014 American horror thriller film directed by Oliver Blackburn and starring Haley Bennett, Chris Coy, Mike Seal, Lucius Falick and Ashley Greene. The plot follows a college student who stays on campus alone over Thanksgiving break and finds herself terrorized by a cult of ritual killers. The film premiered on October 14, 2014, at the London Film Festival and also had theatrical releases internationally. In the United States, the film debuted on Lifetime on October 17, 2015, and was released on Netflix on November 5, 2015.

Brooklyn Horror Film Festival is an annual film festival in Brooklyn, New York. It was founded in 2016.

<i>Cult of Chucky</i> 2017 American supernatural horror film

Cult of Chucky is a 2017 American supernatural slasher film written and directed by Don Mancini. The seventh installment of the Child's Play franchise, following the 2013 film Curse of Chucky, it stars Fiona Dourif, Michael Therriault, Adam Hurtig, Alex Vincent, Elisabeth Rosen, Grace Lynn Kung, Marina Stephenson Kerr, Zak Santiago, Ali Tataryn, Jennifer Tilly, Christine Elise, and Brad Dourif. Cult of Chucky began production in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in January 2017 and premiered at the London FrightFest Film Festival on August 24 the same year. As with the previous film, it was released direct-to-video by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment via Blu-ray, DVD and VOD on October 3.

<i>Rock, Paper, Scissors</i> (2017 film) 2017 psychological thriller film

Rock, Paper, Scissors is a 2017 American psychological thriller film directed by Tom Holland, and written by Kerry Fleming and Victor Miller.

<i>Hell Fest</i> 2018 American film

Hell Fest is a 2018 American slasher film directed by Gregory Plotkin and written by Seth M. Sherwood, Blair Butler, Akela Cooper and from a story by William Penick, Christopher Sey and Stephen Susco. The film stars Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, Bex Taylor-Klaus, and Tony Todd, and follows a group of teens who are stalked by a serial killer while visiting a traveling Halloween carnival.

<i>Terrifier</i> 2016 film by Damien Leone

Terrifier is a 2016 American independent slasher film written and directed by Damien Leone. The film stars Jenna Kanell, Samantha Scaffidi, David Howard Thornton, and Catherine Corcoran. The plot centers on partygoer Tara Heyes (Kanell) and her sister Victoria (Scaffidi), who become targets of the enigmatic serial killer known only as Art the Clown (Thornton) on Halloween night.

<i>Skull: The Mask</i> 2020 slasher film

Skull: The Mask is a 2020 Brazilian slasher film written and directed by Armando Fonseca and Kapel Furman. It stars Natallia Rodrigues as a detective investigating the ancient mask of Anhangá—a vassal of a Pre-Columbian era god—who is incarnated and embarks on a sacrificial killing spree. The film is an international co-production of Brazil and the United States.

References

  1. ↑ Puchko, Kristy (March 1, 2021). "Review: 'The Stylist' Brings Shocks, Gore, And Surprising Heart To Its Slasher". Pajiba. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "The Stylist". Fantastic Fest. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ Miska, Brad (February 8, 2021). "No Fairytale Here, 'The Stylist' Art Displays a Scalp as a Trophy". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  4. ↑ Millican, Josh (September 25, 2020). "First Clip from THE STYLIST Premiering Tonight at Fantastic Fest". Dread Central . Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Feature 4: The Stylist". Final Girls Berlin. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  6. ↑ "The Stylist". Florida Film Festival . Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  7. ↑ "ARROW Blooms Into Spring with March Lineup: "THE STYLIST," "THE INVISIBLE MAN APPEARS," "THE INVISIBLE MAN VS. THE HUMAN FLY," and more!". Rue Morgue . February 28, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ Latchem, John (June 8, 2021). "'Nobody,' 'City of Lies' Among New Digital and Disc Releases June 8". Media Play News . Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  9. ↑ @TheStylistFilm (May 16, 2021). "Behind the scenes with @Najarra Townsend in Claire Lair. Helping set the scene. Watch the film now streaming on @ARROW_Player. We release on VOD and Blu-ray on June 8. (USA/Can/UK)" (Tweet). Retrieved August 7, 2022– via Twitter.
  10. ↑ Tina (May 26, 2021). "Review: The Stylist". 60 Minutes With. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  11. ↑ Salmons, Tim (June 19, 2021). "Stylist, The (Blu-ray Review)". The Digital Bits. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  12. ↑ "The Stylist (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  13. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (2021-02-24). "The Stylist review – an insipid thriller three decades out of fashion". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  14. ↑ Pollard, Andrew (July 6, 2021). "The Stylist". Starburst .
  15. ↑ Murray, Noel (March 5, 2021). "Review: In horror films and thrillers, location, location, location often isn't enough". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  16. ↑ Strouse, Kristy (March 5, 2021). "The Stylist: A Haunting, Stunning Debut". Film Inquiry. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  17. ↑ Rother, Simon (July 25, 2021). "Film Review: The Stylist (2020)". The Horror News Network. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  18. ↑ Hughes, Kat (October 25, 2020). "'The Stylist' Review: Dir. Jill Gevargizian [FrightFest Halloween 2020]". The Hollywood News. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  19. ↑ Navarro, Meagan (September 26, 2020). "[Review] 'The Stylist' Evokes Bloody Sympathy for the Psychopath". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  20. ↑ Grant, Erin (February 21, 2021). "Film Review: The Stylist-Final Girls Berlin Film Festival". Fear Forever. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.