The black comedy film Flux Gourmet hit theaters on June 24, 2022. It is written and directed by British film director and screenwriter Peter Strickland. In an interview with Vulture, Peter Strickland described his cinematic fixations as “Tragedy, sonic psychosis, bondage, retail nightmares, and stomach problems,” which are themes covered in Flux Gourmet. The film stars Asa Butterfield, Gwendoline Christie, Ariane Labed, Fatma Mohamed, Makis Papadimitriou, Leo Bill, and Richard Bremmer. Flux Gourmet is a satire of the contemporary art world that explores the intersection of food, fetishism, and power. In a review by The Wrap, they gave particular praise to the film’s production design, saying,
“Here, production designers Harold Chapman and Fletcher Jarvis provide a lush, hermetically sealed environment where cinematographer Tim Sidell (“Berberian Sound Studio”) and Strickland’s editor Matyas Fekete (“The Duke of Burgundy”) collaborate with an extensive art department as well as a lengthy list of sound engineers and musicians (including Strickland himself, who contributed field recordings) all to thrilling, discordant effect.” Los Angeles Times also reviewed the film and wrote, “If this is satire, it’s satire so generously attentive toward its targets that mockery and love become virtually indistinguishable.” If you were drawn to the uniqueness of Flux Gourmet, here are five more films that also exude creativity and similar themes, including some of Peter Strickland’s work.
In Fabric
In Fabric is a 2018 British horror comedy film written and directed by Peter Strickland. The film follows a haunted red dress as it torments various owners. It stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill, and Gwendoline Christie, who also appeared in Flux Gourmet. The film premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2019, by Curzon Artificial Eye. In Fabric received mixed reviews from critics. However, many praised the film’s visuals, atmosphere, and acting performances. The Guardian published a review of the film and wrote, “Part consumerist satire (think a livelier version of George A Romero’s Dawn of the Dead) part magical fairytale (Phantom Thread with added phantoms), it’s a film designed to provoke the tingling sensations of an “autonomous sensory meridian response” (Google it) that will leave you laughing, squirming, and scratching your head, often all at the same time.”
Berberian Sound Studio
&ab_channel=TIFFOriginals
Another creative piece from Peter Strickland’s mind is the 2012 British psychological horror film Berberian Sound Studio, the second feature film by Strickland. The film is set in Rome in the 1970s and follows an Englishman hired to create sound effects for a horror film studio. However, the job takes a heavy toll on his mental health. Nevertheless, the film was well-received by critics, who praised its atmosphere and visuals. Vulture described the movie in their review and wrote, “Berberian Sound Studio is one of the strangest films you’ll see this year. And for much of its running time, it’s also one of the most beautiful. But it’s hard to say what, exactly, it is. On a superficial level, it’s an homage to the great, artfully schlocky.”
Climax
Similar to Flux Gourmet, the 2018 psychological horror film Climax also features performers as protagonists. Climax is directed, written, and co-edited by Gaspar Noé and stars an ensemble cast of twenty-four actors led by Sofia Boutella. Set in 1996, the film follows a French dance troupe holding a days-long rehearsal in an abandoned school. Through a series of strange events, the group members start to suspect that they have been drugged. As they become increasingly paranoid, they begin to turn on each other. Climax is a visceral and nightmarish exploration of group dynamics, anchored by a standout performance from Boutella. In a review by Rolling Stone, they commended the film’s soundtrack and gave special mention to the film’s single-shot sequence and wrote, “Set to a thumping Nineties techno soundtrack, the single-shot sequence is a blast-proof that, for all of his obsessive transgressiveness, the director knows how to capture movement and maximize his chops. It’s the first of a few showstoppers he’ll thread into the mix … as well as a bit of feint.”
The Duke of Burgundy
The Duke of Burgundy is a 2014 British erotic drama film written and directed by Peter Strickland. The film stars Sidse Babett Knudsen as Cynthia and Chiara D’Anna as Evelyn. The film is about an aging countess who lives in an isolated castle with her only companion, a maidservant named Evelyn. The Duke of Burgundy is a visually stunning film that explores the complexities of human desire and relationships. It will surely leave viewers contemplating its enigmatic characters and gorgeous cinematography long after the credits have rolled. Empire gave a five-star review of The Duke of Burgundy and gave particular praise to the lead performances saying, “Sidse Babett Knudsen and Chiara d’Anna are remarkable, especially since they are required to demonstrate the changes in their relationship by minute differences in performance as they go over and over a basic script.”
The Square
&ab_channel=MagnoliaPictures%26MagnetReleasing
Also set in the world of artistry, the 2017 internationally co-produced satirical film The Square is a sharp and witty satire that aims for the art world. It is written and directed by Ruben Östlund and stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, and Terry Notary. Claes Bang stars as Christian, the curator of a prestigious museum who finds himself at the center of a public relations nightmare. As Christian tries to contain the damage, he becomes entangled in an affair with a beautiful journalist (Elisabeth Moss). He finds himself increasingly drawn into a spiral of deceit and self-destruction. With its stellar cast and biting commentary, The Square is a thought-provoking film that will leave audiences talking. Vox featured the film in one of their articles and praised different aspects of it, especially its themes saying, “Ideas rule the day, though; every scene in The Square has an implicit idea about power dynamics and social norms, even the funny ones. (The odd effect is that The Square feels overstuffed, but it’s almost impossible to imagine what you’d take out — not, perhaps on purpose, unlike some big crowded art museums.).”
Follow Us
