Thelma Film Difficulty Ranking: 2
If you’re looking for a Norwegian update on Stephen King’s Carrie, you’ve come to the right place. In Thelma, just like in Carrie, there’s Christianity, madness, and strict parents. However, Thelma also boasts a lesbian awakening and enough subtlety to keep you questioning long after the ending.
From: Norway, Europe
Watch: Trailer, Amazon Buy
Next: Carrie, Gone Girl, Call Me By Your Name
Why Watch Thelma?
- For the suspense!
- If you like Stephen King novels/films
- If you’re into coming-of-age films
- A horror twist on the coming-of-age story
The Breakdown
Thelma starts on a frozen lake by Thelma’s house. She’s walking across the lake with her father to go hunting in the woods on the other side. Everything appears normal and sweet: she’s a cute 6 year old girl, and he looks like a loving father. However, as they spot a young deer, the father raises his gun to look down the sight. As Thelma keeps her eyes on the deer, her father moves the sight of the gun to the back of her head. He’s about to pull the trigger, but can’t.
Why did he try to shoot her and why didn’t he shoot her? Thelma leaves these questions unanswered and flashes forward to Thelma starting life at university.
The camera slowly tracks her moving around campus from above – it’s a classic aerial shot which slowly gets closer until the viewer can see which figure it is tracking. This aerial tracking shot is a metaphor for how controlling her parents are. No matter where she goes, or what she does, she has to call them every night and tell them everything she has done during the day, or they’ll panic and take her out of university.
It seems a little strange, but that’s before you start learning about who Thelma is and her past. As she slowly grows more independent she opens up a world she isn’t quite ready for.
What to Watch Next
If you’re looking for another coming of age film with a horror-film structure, check out:
- Carrie: the inspiration for this film
- Scream: a fun satire of the high school horror film
- It Follows: a group of school kids and some eerily resilient stalkers
I’d also recommend you check out Call Me By Your Name.
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