10 Hidden Meanings Behind Confusing Horror Movies
9. In Fabric
Peter Strickland’s 2018 horror-comedy In Fabric owes a debt to Dario Argento's 1977 masterpiece, Suspiria. That’s true not only for its use of vibrant colours and cryptic visions, but also regarding its initial story about a lonely bank teller (Shelia) who’s sold a murderous red dress by a coven of witches.
At first, it tells a straightforward but engaging tale with a likeable protagonist, classy camerawork, eerie vibes, and even some pointed British satire of consumerism, materialism, and the retail industry.
That being said, the film's continued use of slow motion, abstract shots, bizarre dream sequences, odd sounds, and inanimate objects moving on their own could make the film difficult to decipher for some viewers.
Throw in the fact that the motivations of main antagonist Miss Luckmoore (who speaks in peculiar poeticisms and has sex with mannequins) aren’t always clear, as well as the the mysterious connections between Shelia’s story and the story of new protagonists Reg and Babs during the second half of the film, and it's easy to see how In Fabric could leave some horror fans discombobulated.
Ultimately, though, those curiosities contribute to In Fabric’s distinctively delivered thesis regarding the destructive power of trying to adhere to “perfect” beauty standards and social/professional etiquette, so there’s plenty to glean from it.