Film Difficulty Ranking: 2
Under the Shadow is a horror film with intelligence. It layers context of the Iraq-Iran war and female oppression onto a potent horror narrative. Therefore it’s perfect if you want something more from the horror genre without skimping out on the scare tactics. Ever heard of the Djinn? You will have by the end of this film and wishing you hadn’t.
Why Watch Under the Shadow?
- To see how horror can be done well outside of Hollywood and Japan
- Know anything about the Iraq-Iran War? Learn something about it by watching this film!
- Will be available on Netflix soon!
- If you’re a mother with a kid and don’t want to sleep at night!
The Breakdown
Under the Shadow starts with a montage of pixelated footage of the Iraq-Iran war. Meanwhile, in front of an office window a woman pleads a university official to let her return to her studies. Her pleas are rejected because of her former political activity (the reason she was expelled a few years earlier). As they talk a missile crashes into a building in the distance. This is a time of conflict.
Whilst Under the Shadow is a horror film, it also carries a very important message in disguise. Shideh, our female protagonist, becomes a symbol for female oppression. She is not allowed to restart her studies because of her political activity, her husband does not trust her with their child, and she ‘generously’ gets let off of some lashings after she is caught outside without a hijab. Under the layers of the horror lie a more telling critique in the items that go missing: a doll, a book on medicine, and a fitness video. These three items represent the things Shideh (a symbol of women in Iran) cannot be or do. She cannot be a kid any more, she cannot study medicine, and she cannot workout.
Elsewhere, the camera-work is particularly impressive at adding to the tension. Around the time something fishy happens the camera starts to shake and wobble, disorientating the viewer. So when things start appearing, we can’t see very clearly, leaving more up for interpretation. My favourite scene happens half way through when Shideh wakes up from her sleep. As she sits up, the camera rotates 90 degrees to match the angle of her body sitting up. The movement is unnatural and off-putting, and leads to something even more unnatural and off-putting (as you will see ;)).
After being happy with how much Blair Witch scared me a few weeks ago, I was on a horror high. Luckily, Under the Shadow matches the potency of Blair Witch (even at 11am on a Sunday morning). Even more impressive, is that the film is clever – it carries a political message (something that most horror film’s don’t even try to convey). Therefore this one comes certified. It will also be coming to Netflix soon – so no excuses for missing out!
Closed Curtain stands up for Iranian activists. To understand this film, you have to know a little a bit about the director, Jafar Panahi. After making a number of critically acclaimed films, Panahi was placed under house arrest after being charged with producing propaganda against the Iranian government. What was his reaction? To keep making films under house arrest and having them smuggled out of the country. So here’s Closed Curtain, the second film released under house arrest.
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