While its title is a glaring reference to the paralleling proscription of horror and porn in the eyes of a conservative censorship (and censorious consumership), the ironic intersections of these two formative genres of Ti West’s salacious slasher comedy are far more subtle than their shared rating. The skin flick which amateur producer Wayne (Martin Henderson), his ambitious actress girlfriend Maxine (Mia Goth), veteran couple Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow) and Jackson (Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi) and soon even pious sound girl Lorraine (Jenna Ortega) are shooting and the real-life horror film they find themselves in both confront viewers with impulses deemed socially inaccessible.
This is even more true for the late 70ties setting the director-writer honors with a stylish and – given the small crew’s pretentious young director RJ (Owen Campbell), rather sarcastic – split screen sequence, as well as numerous pointers to cult horror movies and the rural setting. Here they encounter geriatric Howard and his withered wife who ogles the ongoings in their rental cabin with as much indignation as desire. The fact that the skeletal old lady is also played by Goth puts a vanitas spin on this equally amusing and acerbic observation of the origins of puritan condemnation and its blending into sexual aggression.
- OT: X
- Director: Ti West
- Screenplay: Ti West
- Country: USA
- Year: 2022
- Running Time: 105 min.
- Cast: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, James Gaylyn, Simon Prast, Geoff Dolan, Matthew Saville, Bryony Skillington
- Release date: 18.03.2022 (US)
- Image © Cape Light Pictures
- Alternative Poster © Woodsboro Design
