Horns
Premise - Ig Perrish is falsely accused of raping and murdering his girlfriend, and he wants to find out who the real culprit is. As a blessing in disguise, one morning he wakes up with devil’s horns on his head, which give him the power to uncover people’s darkest sins and secrets.
Review - This is one of my all-time favorite books and films. The book stands in my top five, and the only reason the film doesn't is because certain scenes don't sit well with me (the drug scene with Terry takes WAY too long). But ultimately, I see this as a profound success in storytelling. It's hilarious to me how split the reviews for the film adaptation are, with people either saying "This is twisted and disgusting, what a disgrace of a film" and others saying "THIS IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN." There is no in between. I fall into the latter category but, of course, I'm biased because the film adaptation stars Daniel Radcliffe. This is some of his best acting, as he plays an incredibly complicated anti-hero. He's the literal devil, but he is exactly who are you are rooting for. He is able to capture both the scary and the charming side of the devil.
Daniel Radcliffe said himself that it wasn't the filmmakers' goal to make a universally loved film, but if Horns became at least one person's all-time favorite, then they had succeeded, so I think they did. I understand how some may struggle with the vast amount of genres being thrown their way, but I love how complicated it is. Every time I watch the film or read the book (which has been several times), I get lost in the symbolism and thematic genius. This story is richer in motifs than anything I have ever seen or read. The coloring in the film is particularly breathtaking, with the heavy use of primary colors (and of course, the most emphasis on a devilish red). And the cinematography and the music... like wow. It's so alive and creative and well put-together. I become even more emotionally attached because the film takes place in the Pacific Northwest so the landscape feels like home.
I always get self-conscious recommending this book or watching the film alongside other people because they're just like "Why... why do you like this??" I get it. It's almost sacrilegious. They make fun of sins. Priests are terrible. God and the devil are equivalent. There's murder and rape. I can see why it's disturbing but that is just part of why I think the story comes across as so strong. And it brings up an interesting question... if God is the judge and Satan is the executioner, aren't they both on the same side of justice? Isn't Satan actually well-intentioned for punishing the world's sins?
I also credit this novel to introducing me to Joe Hill, son of Stephen King. I have STILL yet to read a Stephen King novel, but I have read a hell of a lot of Joe Hill (pun intended). He is one of my all-time favorite authors - creepy, artistic, horrific, but most importantly a damn good storyteller - and I will return to this book for many years to come (98/100).
Quote - “Him and God are supposed to be at war with each other. But if God hates sin and Satan punishes the sinners, aren’t they working the same side of the street? Aren’t the judge and the executioner on the same team?”
What to watch for - Motifs! Look for the color red, cherries or apples, Eve, passages from the bible, tritones (the devil’s interval in music), horns other than the ones on Dan’s head (ie musical horns), fire and water… like I could talk for hours about how intentional every single piece of this story is. A scene in particular to watch for is Daniel Radcliffe’s love scene with Juno Temple because that is the spiciest sex scene he has ever had hahaha
If you liked this book/film, I'd recommend Imaginary Friend, which I'm about to finish reading!
Written by Joe Hill
Published by William Morrow
Directed by Alexandre Aja
Distributed by Dimension Films, RADiUS-TWC
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