Over the years, Peter Strickland has deconstructed art, asking us to explore the absurdity, diversity, and horror of the world around us through genre-defying films that engage with art in its broadest context. Flux Gourmet and In Fabric place art, horror, fashion, food and plenty of bodily gas centre stage.
Art is in the eye of the beholder, whether it be a bed surrounded by junk, a meticulous oil painting depicting a historical scene, or a deconstructed cottage pie coated in a silky, thick Jus. Surrounded by his regular troupe of performers while welcoming a grungy Asa Butterfield to the clan, Peter Strickland’s Flux Gourmet is a bizarre, absurd and delightfully strange journey into the world of culinary theatre. Here, digestion and discomfort are just as important as the food on the table as we join the Sonic Catering Institute, led by the flamboyant Jan Stevens (Gwendoline Christie).
From Elle di Elle (Fatma Mohamed) writhing around naked, covered in red sauce, to Billy and Lamina (Ariane Labed) making jarring sounds, to the foul stench emanating from journalist Stones (Makis Papadimitriou), Flux Gourmet is vile, creative, and downright bizarre. As with all of Strickland’s work, Flux Gourmet may not appeal to everyone’s tastes. But for those willing to dine at its table, it’s a delicious, magical mystery tour of food, flavour and frankly fucked up art.
Meanwhile, just up the road in Thames Valley on Thames, it’s fashion, desire and consumerism that’s centre stage in Peter Strickland’s In Fabric. At the heart of this very bland British town, where the traditional ’70s British high street remains intact, is Dentley & Sopers. The department store is a vast cavern of wonder, encouraging residents to spend their hard-earned cash. In Strickland’s world, the classic British department store of Are You Being Served is subverted into a gothic nightmare of secrets and desires with a staff team dressed in Victorian attire. In Dently and Sopers, Mrs Sloacombe and Mr Humphries are replaced by Hammer Horror-inspired creations that send a shiver down the spine as they fornicate in the basement after the lights go out.
A beautiful red dress sits at the heart of Dentley & Sopers, its elegance and grace reflected in its flowing curves and luscious material. However, the dress is tinged with tragedy, its enchanting allure holding a deadly spirit. But, for single mum Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), the dress captures her attention as she plans a dinner date. After purchasing the red dress from the creepy staff at Dentley & Soper’s, Sheila feels confident that her life can be better. However, the dress has its own plans.
The dress at the heart of Peter Strickland’s film burns with ferocious energy as it glides through a blood bath of humour and terror. But, when the arresting visuals and tongue-in-cheek comedy are combined with a score composed by Cavern of Anti-Matter, In Fabric transcends the usual boundaries of horror and comedy to become a gloriously absurd exploration of British consumerism and desire.
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