British auteur Peter Strickland merges the high-style horror pastiche of Berberian Sound Studio with the dangerous erotic charge of The Duke of Burgundy in this fascinating and unpredictable ensemble tale, which revolves around the saga of a haunted dress. Yes, you read that right: Strickland’s subterranean deadpan odyssey centers its narrative around an eerie department store equal parts David Lynch and Dario Argento, as unsuspecting clients purchase cursed outfits that lead to supernatural horrors that defy any rational explanation—even as they take on dreamlike specificity in Strickland’s homegrown universe.

His distinctive lineup includes a middle-aged single mother (Secrets & Lies star Marianne Jean-Baptiste) whose dating life takes a series of odd turns, and a clueless washing machine repairman (Leo Bill). All of these would-be victims operate at the whims of a deranged saleswoman (Fatma Mohamed) as the movie winds toward a mesmerizing climax that suggests Lost Highway folded into the Italian giallo tradition. Strickland’s command over disorienting audiovisual tapestries reaches new heights of sophistication in this hypnotic and wondrous head trip.

—Eric Kohn

Directed by

Peter Strickland