Anybody with eyes can see that shared universes are all the craze nowadays, and have been ever since Nick Fury invited Tony Stark to speak concerning the Avengers Initiative again in 2008. Whereas some shared universes are persevering with to persevere (like Marvel and the DCU), others put their cart just a little too far earlier than the horse (RIP, Darkish Universe). Certain, it is gotta be good for studios and filmmakers alike to construct a big sandbox to play inside, however most of the time, it is higher to simply begin taking part in and reveal a sandbox later. That is how a couple of auteur filmmakers named Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith did it within the Nineteen Nineties, peppering in connections between their movies that, in Smith’s case, resulted in a full-blown “Avengers”-style crossover film within the type of “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Again.” In fact, the horror style kicked off this whole cinematic shared universe factor, starting with the Common Monsters crossover movies of the Forties.
The newest occasion of a shared universe combines each of those examples. It is a crossover between two of A24’s finest horror motion pictures, “Discuss to Me” and the latest “Deliver Her Again,” and a affirmation that these movies from administrators Danny and Michael Philippou do certainly share a universe. It makes logical sense that the films would share an precise connection, as a result of, because the brothers have mentioned, each movies had been written concurrently earlier than “Discuss to Me” was given the inexperienced mild. But regardless of the tonal and thematic similarities between the films, they weren’t tied immediately collectively till now. What’s extra stunning — and pleasant — is that they have been tethered through an in-universe web site that A24 launched immediately, one which builds out the lore of each movies, in addition to cheekily references a couple of others.
The story of the Black Angel Tapes
In “Deliver Her Again,” Laura (Sally Hawkins) is a grieving mom who just lately misplaced her daughter, Cathy (Mischa Heywood), in a tragic home accident. Her overwhelming loss drives her to someway monitor down a sequence of videotapes that supposedly define an occult ritual by which the soul of a deceased individual may be transferred to a number and resurrected. Whereas the movie reveals some snippets of footage from the tapes, we have now to place the items of this ritual collectively ourselves, which is how the Philippous hold the viewers concurrently in Laura’s perspective (who is totally new to this follow, regardless of having the “directions”) and the perspective of her potential victims Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) and Piper (Sora Wong), who’re crucial items in her try and convey Cathy again.
Whereas the origin of the tapes (they appear to return from Russia) and the identification of the individuals seen in them stay a thriller, the Black Angel Tapes web site does reveal how Laura got here to own some copies. It appears she was turned on to the occult black market website by a tarot reader and medium with the deal with of “Empress,” who lives in Laura’s native Australia. The location has a list for the “Tari Resurrection Tapes” nonetheless up, together with a thread of messages from a consumer named “PomPom,” who may be very possible Laura. The messages present that Laura, as within the movie, is in over her head in relation to this ritual.
The itemizing proper above the Resurrection Tapes is searching for a “Demonic Embalmed Hand,” and the lister is promoting a tape of footage of some teenagers utilizing the hand for a music video for his or her band. Sure, this seems to be the cursed hand from “Discuss to Me,” the one which permits the consumer to talk to the spirits of the lifeless — and to allow them to in, if they are not cautious. Not solely does this affirm that “Deliver Her Again” and “Discuss to Me” exist in the identical universe, however it additionally confirms that the hand remains to be lacking after the occasions of that movie. Might this be a tease for the already-announced sequel? Would possibly any of the opposite objects listed on the positioning discuss with parts we’ll see in that movie, or maybe one other future Philippou horror flick? Solely time will inform.
The Black Angel Tapes website recollects the glory days of web film advertising (and has a couple of easter eggs)
Whereas the Black Angel Tapes website is much from the primary in-universe web site in a very long time — 2022’s “The Batman” had a really efficient one — its presentation recollects the golden age of metafictional web sites selling a film. Websites selling movies like “The Blair Witch Undertaking,” “Memento,” and “Donnie Darko” weren’t simply mere advertisements, however felt like real extensions of the world of the movies and their narrative. The identical may be mentioned of the Black Angel Tapes website, as nowhere inside it does it break the “actuality” that it is an precise black market website for occultists. Even following the hyperlink to “This Is Not a Cult” (a hyperlink that the positioning claims has been “taken over by one thing” and should not be visited) results in an eerie, cryptic video loop moderately than, say, a trailer or clip from “Deliver Her Again.” With “This Is Not a Cult” being the primary picture you see after the manufacturing logos within the movie, the entire expertise begins to really feel of a bit and eerily actual, although you recognize it is not.
One can even respect the extent to which the designers went to flesh out the web site past the connections to “Deliver Her Again” and “Discuss to Me.” There are listings for different objects, a few of which really feel like easter eggs linked to different latest horror movies. The itemizing for a cursed “Timmy Tiger Puppet” seems like a reference to “Annabelle” and “The Conjuring,” simply because the itemizing for “The Schizo Home Tapes” recollects 2022’s “Skinamarink.” Granted, these are simply cheeky allusions and never absolutely fledged references, however the web site as an entire does have that “all the pieces is linked” vibe. As a result of, in any case, what’s actuality however merely the grandest shared universe ever? Who is aware of if the Philippous subsequent movies will formally be a part of their cinematic universe (The “Discuss to Me” sequel most actually will), however I am glad that all of us get to play a small half in it now.
