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45-570: MaXXXine is a 2024 American psychological horror film written, directed, produced, and edited by Ti West . It is the third installment in West's X film series following X and Pearl (both 2022), serving as a direct sequel to the former. Mia Goth reprises her X role as Maxine Minx, starring alongside Elizabeth Debicki , Moses Sumney , Michelle Monaghan , Bobby Cannavale , Halsey , Lily Collins , Giancarlo Esposito , and Kevin Bacon . In

90-410: A weighted average , assigned the film a score of 64 out of 100, based on 50 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale (up from Pearl 's "B-"), while those polled by PostTrak gave the film a 76% positive score, with 59% saying they would definitely recommend it. MaXXXine was originally developed as

135-402: A biographical film about her. Returning to reality, she shoots her father, telling him he gave her what she needed – divine intervention . A month later, Maxine continues her work on The Puritan II , hoping her success will never end. In March 2022, West announced that he was working on the script for a third film in the X series, to be set chronologically after the events of X . The project

180-581: A character in a movie or show, the music exemplifies the emotion of the character, the viewer feels what the character feels, creating a synergy between character and viewer. The addition of music breathes more depth into emotional response that visual stimuli can not accomplish on its own. Music can subconsciously influence the viewer, further intertwining them emotionally with what they are watching forcing them to feel more deeply whatever emotion they are feeling from watching making it an important piece of psychological horror and its success in inciting emotions in

225-471: A corpse on set, for allegedly kicking him intentionally in the head and then taunting him about it. The suit also includes a wrongful termination claim against A24 and West. On September 13, 2022, a teaser trailer announcing a sequel to X , titled MaXXXine , was released shortly following the premiere of Pearl at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival . It featured the 1984 synth-pop song " Obsession " by Animotion . Scott Wampler of Fangoria

270-465: A junkyard compressor. Maxine visits the address Labat gave her, which leads her to a house in the Hollywood Hills. She finds Molly's dismembered body inside a suitcase and learns the murders have been committed by her estranged father, a televangelist named Ernest Miller, with the assistance of the fundamentalist members of his ministry. Miller reveals he and his followers have been filming

315-428: A protagonist, thus confusing or unsettling the audience and setting up an ominous or disturbing overarching tone. In other cases, the narrator or protagonist may be reliable or ostensibly mentally stable but is placed in a situation involving another character or characters who are psychologically, mentally, or emotionally disturbed. Thus, elements of psychological horror focus on mental conflicts. These become important as

360-702: A sound is added. Additionally, the replacement of soundtracks with sound effects highlights the role of noise in the plot of movies, such as A Quiet Place , where the blind extraterrestrial monsters are programmed to attack noise sources. The novels The Golem written by Gustav Meyrink , The Silence of the Lambs written by Thomas Harris , Robert Bloch novels such as Psycho and American Gothic , Stephen King novels such as Carrie , Misery , The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon , The Shining , and Koji Suzuki 's novel Ring are some examples of psychological horror. Shirley Jackson 's We Have Always Lived in

405-441: A specific address on Starlight Drive later that night or risk repercussions. LAPD detectives Williams and Torres question Maxine about Tabby and Amber, but she refuses to answer them. She later sees Labat following her and attacks him, warning him to stay away from her. Maxine confides in her agent, Teddy Knight, who agrees to help her. Ignoring Labat's demands, Maxine begins learning the script for The Puritan II . Meanwhile, Leon

450-496: A subgenre of horror video games . While such games may be based on any style of gameplay , they are generally more exploratory and "seek to instigate a sense of doubt about what might really be happening" in the player. Phantasmagoria (1995), D (1995), Corpse Party (1996) and Silent Hill (1999) are considered some of the first psychological horror games. Sometimes, psychological horror games will simulate crashes, file corruptions, and various other errors, such as

495-411: A subtle escalation of suspense and horror of what can not be seen. Hitchcock's Rear Window places the main character as the primary information source for the viewer; their confusion is pervasive. The viewer lacks an omniscient understanding of events, resulting in an suspenseful and slow then explosive revelation. Shadows hide events or truths yet to be revealed, sometimes foreshadow events, and notify

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540-516: A trip through a cinematic dark ride." Academics and historians have stated different origin periods to the psychological horror film. Historian David J. Skal described The Black Cat (1934) as "being called the first psychological horror movie in America." Academic Susan Hayward described them as a post-World War II phenomenon and giving examples of psychological horror films as Psycho (1960) and Peeping Tom (1960). Hayward continued that

585-483: Is enough to inform the viewer that something or someone is there, but reveals nothing else, manipulating the viewers fears of what could be. Studies by Thayer and Ellison in the 1980 studied the effects of different types of music layered on top of stressful visual stimuli, they used dermal electromagnetic to capture information about physiological stimulation while watching and listening. They found that with stressful music and composition laid over top stressful images

630-633: Is slaughtered in his video store by the mysterious, leather-clad figure. On the set of The Puritan II , Maxine meets the star of the first film, Molly Bennett, who mentions a similar party in the Hollywood Hills. Soon after, Labat, angered by Maxine attacking him the previous day, chases her across the Universal Studios Lot with a gun before being caught and escorted away by security. Maxine tricks Labat into following her, during which she, Knight, and her friend Shepard Turei ambush Labat, and subsequently trap him inside of his car to be crushed by

675-482: The Castle is often viewed as one of the best examples of psychological horror in fiction. Bill Gibron of PopMatters declared a mixed definition of the psychological horror film, ranging from definitions of anything that created a sense of disquiet or apprehension to a film where an audience's mind makes up what was not directly displayed visually. Gibron concluded it as a "clouded gray area between all out splatter and

720-471: The Prairie –esque look" to a "tousled blonde mane and iridescent green windbreaker." Tyler Bates composed the film's score, as he did for X and Pearl . With MaXXXine 's score, Bates aimed to create a "bespoke" atmosphere with synthesizers and vocal manipulation, as well as various instruments brought together to create an "unorthodox" sound, with primary focus on the saxophone. It was released alongside

765-469: The adult film Maxine and her now-deceased friends had attempted to make six years prior. Upon watching it, she asks a confused Leon to find out where it came from. Meanwhile, in the Hollywood Hills, Amber and Tabby are killed and have their bodies branded with Satanic symbols. Maxine is invited to meet with John Labat, a private investigator who informs her that her previous crimes will be revealed unless she meets with his employer, telling her she must appear at

810-467: The characters face perverse situations, sometimes involving the supernatural , immorality , murder , and conspiracies . While other horror media emphasize fantastical situations such as attacks by monsters , psychological horror tends to keep the monsters hidden and to involve situations more grounded on artistic realism . Plot twists are an often-used device. Characters commonly face internal battles with subconscious desires such as romantic lust and

855-492: The characters' and audience's view of potential danger through strategic lighting and visual obstructions—like in Bird Box (film) —can heighten suspense and engage the imagination, leaving much of the threat unseen. In many cases, and in a similar way as the overlapping genre of psychological thriller , psychological horror may deploy an unreliable narrator or imply that aspects of the story are being perceived inaccurately by

900-425: The complexities of human experiences that prompt viewers to connect with characters confronting conflict. Modern research reveals the relationship between empathy and fear or the lack thereof with interest in horror. Research shows that the effects of psychological horror affects females more than males.  A current hypothesis for this difference between the genders is that it relates to social expectations and

945-505: The desire for petty revenge. In contrast, splatter fiction and monster movies often focuses on a bizarre, alien evil to which the average viewer cannot easily relate. However, at times, the psychological horror and splatter subgenres overlap, such as in the French horror film High Tension . Fascination with horror films lies in the unreasonable, irrational, and impossible. Jung and Nietzsche 's theories exemplify humans need to escape

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990-456: The detectives are fatally wounded while pursuing Miller. Armed with a shotgun, Maxine eventually confronts her father at the Hollywood sign but is interrupted by a police helicopter. Maxine envisions herself as a celebrity credited for helping stop her father, attending the premiere of The Puritan II and revealing in an interview that the film's director, Elizabeth Bender, will be directing

1035-513: The end of the X trilogy; however Ti West later stated in February 2024 that he has plans for a fourth film, which would depend on the third film's reception. In May 2024, West confirmed that he was working on a fourth film and that he may develop it as his next project. However, in August 2024, during a Reddit AMA , he stated that he is "happy with where [he] left it" and that MaXXXine is likely

1080-470: The end of the series. Psychological horror Psychological horror usually aims to create discomfort or dread by exposing common or universal psychological and emotional vulnerabilities/fears and revealing the darker parts of the human psyche that most people may repress or deny. This idea is referred to in analytical psychology as the archetypal shadow characteristics: suspicion , distrust , self-doubt , and paranoia of others, themselves, and

1125-691: The film on July 5, 2024, by A24 Music. The film also uses several songs from its time period as its soundtrack, such as " Gimme All Your Lovin' " by ZZ Top , "Obsession" by Animotion, " St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) " by John Parr , and " Bette Davis Eyes " by Kim Carnes . MaXXXine had its premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on June 24, 2024. It was released in the United States by A24 on July 5, 2024. The film

1170-520: The film, Maxine sets out for fame and success in 1980s Hollywood while being targeted by a mysterious killer. MaXXXine had its premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on June 24, 2024, and was released in the United States by A24 on July 5, 2024. The film grossed $ 22 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of the series. In 1985 Los Angeles , amidst the Night Stalker murders, Maxine Minx successfully auditions for

1215-552: The first movie. Taking place in 1985 and titled MaXXXine , the plot was confirmed to centre around Maxine, the only survivor of the "Massacre of X, " as she continues to pursue her future in Hollywood . The teaser trailer was shot with the film fast-tracked to being green-lit by A24, following the successes of the previous two installments. Jacob Jaffke, Kevin Turen, and Harrison Kreiss were tapped to serve as producers, with Goth being listed as an executive producer. According to West,

1260-493: The gender roles we are exposed to during childhood. As a result of the lack of cross-cultural research on the psychological effects of horror, one hypothesis is that individual cultures develop their own unique sense of horror, based in their cultural experiences. Hitchcock 's Rear Window used light and deliberate shadows to incite suspense in the viewer. Suspense is a fundamental part of Hitchcockian horror. The use of shadows through light to cover up information results in

1305-525: The lead in a new horror film, The Puritan II , despite all of her previous film credits being in adult films . After sharing the news with her friend Leon and colleague Amber James, the latter invites Maxine to a party in the Hollywood Hills , which she declines. Maxine goes to work at her second job, a live peep show , where a mysterious, leather-clad figure watches with anger. She meets another adult entertainer, Tabby Martin, who also invites her to

1350-425: The murders to create a snuff film intended to expose Hollywood for what he sees as its sinful and corrupting nature. Thinking he can still "save" his daughter, Miller has his followers tie Maxine to a tree for an impromptu exorcism , which he also films. Detectives Torres and Williams interrupt the ceremony and cause a shootout, killing Miller's cohorts, injuring Miller, and giving Maxine time to free herself before

1395-479: The original ending involved a supernatural element involving haunting in regards to the character of Pearl but he elected to take it out because it "just felt like going backward". In January 2023, Goth stated that the script was complete and that the story was (in her opinion) the best of the series so far. The actress stated that many of the previous production team members would return, with principal photography scheduled to commence later that year. In April 2023, it

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1440-435: The party that Amber mentioned, but Maxine declines again. As she walks home she is followed by a figure dressed as Buster Keaton , who corners her in an alleyway, brandishing a switchblade. Maxine pulls a gun on him, makes him strip, puts the gun in his mouth and forces him to perform fellatio on it, before stomping on and crushing his testicles with her boot. The leather-clad figure leaves a police evidence VHS tape containing

1485-407: The project. In September 2022, at the first Midnight Madness showing of Pearl for the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival , a third film was officially announced, with a short teaser played after the post-credits . The clip was later released online for those not present at the event. West once again serves as writer/director and one of the producers, while Mia Goth will reprise her role from

1530-450: The psychological horror films and slasher films are both interchangeable terms with "horror-thrillers". Hayward said the genre resembled the slasher film with both being "vicious normalizing of misogyny ". She wrote that in both film genres, the male had a dependence on the female for a sense of identity derived from his difference from her, and often killed them with items like knives or chainsaws. Psychological horror video games are

1575-402: The psychological response was greater than when watching the same visual stimuli with non stressful sound. Music with a positive tone results in viewers perceiving simultaneous visual stimuli as positive, and when negative tones are used viewers perceive visual stimuli as negative or more threatening. They made three hypotheses and were able to prove two with their research: When following

1620-419: The real world and live in a sublime space where anything is possible. Horror allows the watcher to escape mundane conventional life and express the inner workings of their irrational thoughts. H.P. Lovecraft 's explanation for the fascination of horror stems more from the lack of understanding of a humans true place and our deep inner instinct we are out of touch with, and the basic insignificance of ones life and

1665-406: The reviews leaned towards positive, while Uproxx described them as mixed. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 73% of 273 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Intoxicating with its maxxximal style, MaXXXine is an uneven but vibrant pastiche that drives a stiletto through Hollywood's heart." Metacritic , which uses

1710-447: The universe at large. Horror forces us to remember. Psychological horror further forces the manifestation of each individuals own personal horror. Our unseen humanity and our most basic human impulses forces us to seek out stimuli to remind us of our true nature and potential. Psychological horror not only ilicits fear, anxiety, and disgust but it also has the capacity to foster empathy in audiences. The genre allows audiences to navigate

1755-416: The viewer to hidden truths, resulting in suspense and the self reflection of known truths by the viewer. Light is used as a metaphor for what we know and can be seen, in the light, and what we do not know and are trying to figure out, what is in the shadows. Half illumination can be used to express a duality of emotions and uncertainty. The use of a burning cigarette or cigar, a tiny light in a sea of darkness

1800-537: The viewer. While sound design is deliberately crafted in the horror genre to evoke an emotional response, the absence of sound can be equally effective in evoking an emotional response. Soundtracks are utilized to build tension or accent a startling event, like a jump scare . However, in the film A Quiet Place , much of what builds suspense is the sparse, muted sound design. Films with minimalistic, limited soundtracks leave audiences unable to predict coming scenes and often lead to more pronounced emotional responses when

1845-526: The world. The genre sometimes seeks to challenge or confuse the audience's grasp of the narrative or plot by focusing on characters who are themselves unsure of or doubting their own perceptions of reality or questioning their own sanity . Characters' perceptions of their surroundings or situations may indeed be distorted or subject to delusions , outside manipulation or gaslighting by other characters; emotional disturbances or trauma; and even hallucinations or mental disorders . Additionally, restricting

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1890-446: Was announced that Elizabeth Debicki , Moses Sumney , Michelle Monaghan , Bobby Cannavale , Lily Collins , Halsey , Giancarlo Esposito , and Kevin Bacon had been added to the cast. Principal photography took place from April to May 2023 in Los Angeles for seven weeks. The film was towards the end of editing in February 2024. In January 2024, it was reported that Goth was being sued by background actor James Hunter, who played

1935-465: Was delighted by the surprise announcement and called the teaser "pitch-perfect, hall of fame –level." On May 1, 2023, a first-look image of Goth and Halsey in costume as their respective characters was shared on A24's and the film's social media accounts. They were captioned "The life she deserves", referencing the personal mantra spoken throughout X by Maxine. Glenn Rowley of Billboard noted Goth's dramatic costume shift from her " Little House on

1980-534: Was released on VOD on August 2, 2024. It was released on Blu-Ray and 4K Ultra HD on October 8, 2024. MaXXXine has grossed $ 15.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $ 6.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $ 22 million. In the United States and Canada, MaXXXine was projected to gross around $ 7 million from 2,200 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $ 3.1 million on its first day, and went on to debut to $ 6.7 million, finishing in fourth. Variety reported that

2025-449: Was stated to explore another sub-genre of horror and continue the depiction of cinema's influence on society, exploring how the development of home video releases did so. West stated that while a viewer can watch each movie independently without seeing the previous film, the films were made to "complement each other." In June 2022, executive producer Peter Phok confirmed that a third film was officially in development, with West attached to

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