Podcast Summary: "Strange Darling" Flips the Serial Killer Script

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Air Date: August 23, 2024
Host: Kousha Navadaraman (for Alison Stewart)
Guests: J.T. Molnar (Writer & Director of "Strange Darling"), Giovanni Ribisi (Cinematographer)
Episode Theme:
A deep dive into the making, aesthetics, and thematic ambitions of "Strange Darling," a new twist-laden thriller that upends serial killer and "final girl" archetypes—minus spoilers.

Episode Overview

The episode unpacks how "Strange Darling," a first-date-gone-wrong thriller, challenges classic horror conventions, with particular focus on its visual language (shot on 35mm film), use of archetypes, and soundtrack. Host Kousha Navadaraman threads the needle of discussing a famously spoiler-sensitive film by focusing on process and creative decisions with director J.T. Molnar and actor-turned-cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Challenge of a Spoiler-Sensitive Film

• The film’s story depends heavily on twists, so cast and crew are intent on not spoiling details.
• J.T. Molnar explains that the surprises (including a major one mid-film) augment the experience but aren’t strictly necessary for enjoyment. Instead, the focus is on the characters’ journey.
  • Quote:

  "We wanted to make sure this was about these two characters, what they're going through and the ride they take you on... if you're surprised by the jarring narrative twists, then that's an extra. Added bonus." — J.T. Molnar (03:22)

Subverting Horror Archetypes

• Molnar sets out to flip the "final girl" trope, providing the archetype with more nuance and complexity.
• The film intentionally plays with audience assumptions around serial killer and victim dynamics.
  • Quote:

  "...she was a trope, essentially, that she was the quintessential final girl, Laurie Strode from Halloween. And I was wondering why this image was so compelling... what if we start creating an exercise in subverting expectations and playing with people's assumptions and stereotypes?" — J.T. Molnar (10:49–12:32)

• The story’s structure is designed for the audience to question their own perceptions throughout.

Shooting on 35mm Film: Artistic Choice & Message

• The opening prominently advertises that the film is shot on 35mm, which audiences noticed and even laughed at.
• Giovanni Ribisi:
  • Highlights the irreplaceable quality and "fabric" of celluloid film:

    "There's just something that over the last 150 years we got right with film and celluloid. And it's just something that we're drawn to." (05:37)

• Molnar adds the on-screen announcement is aimed not at cinephiles, but at "casual movie watchers" to help them connect their emotional response to the aesthetic:

  "...they'll feel something. The look will make them feel something... I want them to know why, you know, because we love film so much..." (06:52)

• Ribisi notes that film requires more intention:

  "There's something about shooting film that's not convenient. And it's, it's, it's a little bit more challenging. And you have to put a little bit more thought into the creative process." (08:39)

Visual Storytelling: Use of Color & Contrast

• The pivotal motel scene is drenched in blue neon; color is wielded as a narrative weapon.
• Ribisi states that Molnar and he wanted a fairy-tale darkness, guided by a creative mantra: "blood on the flower bed" (16:50–18:35).
• They intentionally rejected current "streaming" visual trends, aiming for bold, primary hues:

  "We knew we wanted to use color as weaponry here and we wanted to use primary colors... and really push certain emotional, emotional beats and, and, and character beats with those different primary colors throughout the film." — J.T. Molnar (19:14)

Actor-Turned-Cinematographer: Ribisi’s Approach

• Ribisi reflects on how his acting experience informs his cinematography, empathizing with how camerawork impacts performance:
  • Compliments the subtle influence of lens choices on actors' work.
  • Notes the editing room’s critical influence on film:

    "I mean, and I don't want to say that because... I'm an actor, but even just as a fan of movies, I'm watching a Hero's Journey, and that's an individual. And this becomes the focal point. // ...as far as the image is concerned with that, there really becomes only one place to put a camera." (20:55–22:45)

  • Draws a parallel between acting (inside-out, subjective) and cinematography (outside-in, objective).

Music as Character

• The cover of "Love Hurts" by Z Berg and Keith Carradine is pivotal to the film's mood.
• Molnar describes music—especially this track—as key to the story’s emotional register and gearshifts.
  • Quote:

  "...everything was about a feeling. I was listening to a lot of Chopin during the process, and it just. It invoked the feeling of what I was trying to get across in those gear shifts between chapters." — J.T. Molnar (14:07)

  • Z Berg’s involvement was foundational, with the idea to use a single-artist soundtrack.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the necessity of surprise:

  "You don't have to. Those don't have to surprise you for the enjoyment to still be there." — J.T. Molnar (04:57)

• On flipping tropes:

  "...create these characters that seemed like they were one thing... but then there's so much more to them..." — J.T. Molnar (12:35)

• On 35mm film's impact:

  "There's just something that's really not convenient... And you have to put a little bit more thought into the process… there's a sort of desperation there in the fabric of the film." — Giovanni Ribisi (08:39)

• On weaponizing color:

  "We wanted to use color as weaponry here..." — J.T. Molnar (19:14)

• On subjectivity in craft:

  "...from acting, you start from a subjective perspective... cinematography is the inversion of that..." — Giovanni Ribisi (22:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:09] – Molnar on the challenge of promoting a spoiler-driven film
• [04:57] – Molnar on the "final girl" archetype and subversion
• [05:21] – Discussion on 35mm film choice
• [08:39] – Ribisi on the creative rigor of film
• [10:49] – Molnar on imagining and flipping horror archetypes
• [13:48] – Introduction and context for the "Love Hurts" cover
• [16:43] – Ribisi and Molnar on the use of blue in the key motel scene
• [19:14] – Weaponizing color in visual storytelling
• [20:55] – Ribisi on actor-to-cinematographer insights
• [22:45] – The subjectivity/objectivity dynamic in the filmmaking process

Episode Tone & Closing Thoughts

The conversation is thoughtful, candid, and focused on the artistic and emotional ambitions behind "Strange Darling"—never veering into specifics that might spoil the film’s surprises. Both Molnar and Ribisi demonstrate deep reverence for both the horror tradition and the craft of cinematic storytelling, offering listeners a compelling window into how deliberate creative choices can reframe familiar genres.

Final note:
This episode captivates anyone interested in innovative filmmaking and genre deconstruction, providing a teaser-like glimpse behind the curtain while letting "Strange Darling" keep its secrets.