In what might come as a surprise to some, legendary director, producer, screenwriter, and actor Martin Scorsese is a huge fan of Ti West’s horror-filled prequel moviePearl: An X-traordinary Origin Story.The industry veteran revealed his deep appreciation for the film in a glowing review that outlines his enthralling experience while viewing the finished project.
Pearl: An X-traordinary Origin Storyis a prequel to another one of West’s projects, the critically acclaimed slasher filmX, with the former being secretly filmed back to back with the latter and announced shortly afterXdebuted.Xtakes inspiration from the Psycho-biddy genre, featuring a story centered on the horrifying deeds of an old married couple living on a farm that terrorizes a group of aspiring stars looking to shoot an adult film on their property.Pearlserves as a prequel to this, exploring the sinister origins of the central character inX,Mia Goth’s elderly Pearl.
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In a review given to A24 and reported bySlashFilm, Scorsese expressed his immense satisfaction for both ofWest’s highly inspirational horror films. “Ti West’s movies have a kind of energy that is so rare these days, powered by a pure, undiluted love for cinema. You feel it in every frame. A prequel to ‘X’ made in a diametrically opposite cinematic register (think 50s Scope color melodramas), ‘Pearl’ makes for a wild, mesmerizing, deeply — and I mean deeply — disturbing 102 minutes.” He also extended his praise to Goth, who plays the lead role in both films, saying that “West and his muse and creative partner Mia Goth really know how to toy with their audience … before they plunge the knife into our chests and start twisting. I was enthralled, then disturbed, then so unsettled that I had trouble getting to sleep. But I couldn’t stop watching.”
Fans ofXandPearlare likely in agreement with the stellar review and can look forward to a continuation of the intriguing, violence-filledstoryline in the form ofMaXXXine, a sequel film toXthat is already in the works. Announced in early September by West, it will follow the character Maxine Minx, originally portrayed by reprising actress and West muse Goth, chronicling events that happen after the happenings of the precedingXfilm. Set to depict 1980s Los Angeles, this third installment is sure to leave Scorsese, and other fans, satisfied once again.
BothXandPearlhave received critical acclaim, though none quite on the level of the legendary Scorsese’s glowing review. With a long backlog of groundbreaking and well-loved titles such asTaxi Driver,Raging Bull, andGoodfellas, as well as current projects and futurecollaborations with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprioin the works, there are few, if any, that can claim to have an authoritative grasp of what makes for great cinema.
While many fans will be delighted to share common ground with Scorsese, not every franchise or creative team is so fortunate. As a prime example, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have had to abide by Scorsese’s dissenting opinion regarding its phenomenally popular movies, withGuardians of the Galaxyshowrunner James Gunnfeeling strongly enough to speak out against the older filmmaker’s harsh critique.
Pearlis currently playing in theaters.
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