A24 has given audiences thought-provoking bits of cinema with Hereditary, Midsommar, The Witch and, more recently, X and Pearl. X presents audiences with one of the most creative take on slasher and streak genres found in horror. Focusing on a group of indie filmmakers set to shoot the greatest adult film of all time, they rent the guesthouse on a desolate Texas farmhouse – unbeknownst to them that the owners, Pearl and Howard, are ready murderers. hitting. The motives of this murderous duo are subjective, but looking into their shared history helps to better understand their deviant behavior. Here’s a look at Pearl and Howard’s wedding.
Repression
A24
X focuses on the repression experienced by men and women due to social constructions. Pearl is suppressed by gender norms in the early to mid-1900s; she is expected to spend her entire life as a housewife in rural America; this ideology is strongly enforced by her mother, an oppressive woman who despises Pearl for the latter’s desire to become famous as a performer. Howard is expected to maintain the social standards of an upper-middle-class man; when he refutes said norms by running away from home, marrying a lower-class woman, and joining the military, he is relegated to lower-class expectations. Upon returning from the war, Howard spends the rest of his youth serving as Pearl’s emotional provider.
This extends to their sexuality; Pearl never fully explores her sexual nature outside of her marriage to Howard and her extramarital affair during it, which in itself is a unique encounter. Howard himself is sexually hampered by a heart condition he develops at some point in his life. Neither character ever satisfies their inherent intellectual or sexual needs.
Narcissism
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There is a varying degree of narcissism expressed by Pearl and Howard. Pearl hates having to spend her youth on a farm with no prospects for personal development in sight. She, in turn, dislikes caring for her invalid father and the farm labor needed to support their household. Howard was born into wealth, but rejects this inherited social status and joins the military to fight in World War I – Howard would rather die in a burst of glory than accept his birth privilege. Howard’s sexual inadequacy ultimately affects his mental health; feeling emasculated by Wayne and RJ’s male lead, Jackson, Howard kills him. Both of these characters destroy anything that invalidates their existence, even if that very thing is themselves.
Traditional marriage norms
A24
Pearl and Howard’s marriage is complex. They remain together for over sixty years despite Howard knowing that Pearl is a murderous psychopath. Maybe it’s his devotion to her, or maybe it’s a byproduct of their time; divorce was a taboo option regardless of the partner offering it. After murdering her family, there’s nothing stopping Pearl from pursuing her career in a metropolitan setting — she’s staying with Howard instead. These two characters, with their repressions and their aspirations, know only one reality: life in the countryside and the norms established for them, in their case, maintaining their marriage until “Death Do Them Part”.
Psychopathy
A24
Pearl and Howard are psychopaths regardless of their motivations. From farm animals to her parents, to her sister-in-law, Bobby-Lynne, and anyone representative of her shortcomings, Pearl revels in the bloodshed. Howard’s psychopathy stems from life experiences. The losses Howard witnessed during his service in World War I influenced his future murderous tendencies. While Pearl’s psychopathy stems from an innate desire, Howard’s is attributed to the circumstances of his life, from his harrowing ordeal in war to protecting Pearl by kidnapping and murdering anyone who goes against him. his sexual needs.
“Make the most of what I have”
A24
Pearl and Howard ultimately only have each other. Pearl’s dreams come crashing down the moment she fails her audition, and especially when she also feels repressed even without her parents present. Pearl’s short affair with the projectionist further influences her view of the world outside of her rural farm; the projectionist is a man of the world with in-depth knowledge of the film industry; his rejection, along with his failed audition, reinforces his mother’s philosophy, “Make the most of what I have”. All Pearl has in mind is Howard. Howard was slowly stripped of his worth in society, voluntarily and involuntarily. He abandons his pampered lifestyle to instead live a life of poverty and personal glory.
Although it brings him satisfaction when he meets and marries Pearl, his life takes a drastic turn when he discovers that she is a psychopath. From covering her tracks to committing degenerate acts to contain her, Howard spends most of his life serving while stripped of his humanity; first by an oppressive father; then by his wartime experiences, and finally, by his inability to provide for Pearl’s sexual needs. Pearl uses Howard as an emotional crutch that allows her to kill; for Howard, Pearl is the only person who will accept him despite his lifelong flaws. These two characters stick together to survive.
Breaking up Pearl and Howard’s marriage in horror film A24 | Pretty Reel