A Monkey's Paw Sparked the Idea
Curry Barker has traced the basic inspiration for Obsession to watching a Simpsons episode involving a monkey's paw and the chaos produced by wishes going wrong.
Movie
Obsession
Be careful who you wish for…
After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.
Why it's in the Vault
Obsession is one of those films whose ecstatic critical reception can create expectations that are almost impossible to satisfy. The central idea is strong, the gradual corruption of a desired romance into something deeply unhealthy works remarkably well, and Inde Navarrette gives the film much of its unsettling power. But its horror operates primarily through discomfort, dependency and the loss of control over another person's desire, a psychological register that may not affect every viewer with the same intensity. A good, intelligent and distinctive modern horror film, even if it does not necessarily feel like the revelation its reputation might suggest.
— Matty, Curator of the Vault*
Atmosphere
Uncomfortable, intimate, obsessive, unpredictable, claustrophobic
Psychological unease
Romantic obsession
Body horror
Dark humor
Contains obsessive and coercive relationship dynamics, violence, gore, body horror, sexual material, emotional manipulation and disturbing loss of personal autonomy.
Dans les coulisses
Ce qu'on ne voit pas à l'écran
A YouTube Short Opened the Door
Producer James Harris discovered Barker through his horror short The Chair and initially approached him about expanding it into a feature, but Barker instead pitched Obsession.
Finding Nikki
Barker auditioned numerous performers before casting Inde Navarrette, believing she could balance the character's frightening intensity with the emotional qualities necessary to keep her human.
Designed to Feel Lonely
Barker and cinematographer Taylor Clemons frequently used centered compositions with unusual amounts of headroom to make the images feel subtly uncomfortable and isolated.
Too Many Head Smashes
One particularly violent sequence had to lose several impacts to avoid an NC-17 rating.
Palette
Les couleurs du film
Sickly Green#77816B
Romantic Red#8B4448
Domestic Beige#A7977E
Bruised Purple#665766
Night Blue#465363
Obsession Black#292829
Images
