The Rise of A24 - Talk to Me (2023) and Possession (1981)

In our second episode of The Rise of A24 series, we are covering the gonzo horror of the Philippou brothers in Talk to Me (2023) and the roots of elevated horror in Andrzej Żuławski's Possession (1981)

Special Guest - Returning to the podcast, Writer and Horror Film Aficionado, Andrea Gomez

A24 has built a reputation for edgy horror films. They helped to popularize the concept of elevated horror in the 2010s: The Witch, It Comes at Night, Hereditary. They have continued to nurture new voices in horror in 2020s with their patronage of the Philippou brothers. Talk to Me was produced without any A24 input or support. They stepped in when the film was screened to much shock and applause at Sundance in 2023. Before A24 became big producers, this is exactly how they built the brand and company. Find really interesting and exciting new films and take over the distribution. Talk to Me was a glam slam for A24, who acquired it for only single digit millions as it when on to make 92 million dollars at the box office.

Possession was not a huge success upon its released in 1981. The outlandishly wonderful horror film popped off at Cannes winning the Special Jury Prize along with Isabelle Adjani winning Best Actress. But outside the artistic bubble of Europe, the film was met with extreme skepticism and outright hatred. The USA release was shambolic with the original 124 minute run time being cut down to measly 81 minutes. The UK outright banned the film in the 1980s. But time has a way of mellowing reactions and opening minds. Possession slowly became a cult film thanks to boutique home video releases. With the rise of elevated horror in the 2010s, Possession reached its vaulted status as a horror classic.