B-I-N-G-O
The genre of horror never ceases to amaze me. Taking over ordinary life situations and holidays and completely upending the safety of said event. That is the case with the newest Blumhouse feature directed by Gigi Saul Guerrero titled Bingo Hell, which is streaming now on Amazon Prime. What drew me to this picture first was Gigi because women directors are so few and far between in this genre, I try to consume everyone I come across. Also, the idea of a Bingo Game that possess its players was so fresh and inviting! Coming back to my July post about dressing older women, I thought that this would be yet another perfect example of women over fifty commanding the screen in ways that before the last decade were unheard of. The ideas of older women have been in the forefront of my mind the past month as well, as the Geena Davis Institute has had quite a few talks and round tables about opening up the conversations for women in film who are over fifty. Seeking a broader spectrum of representation by not only seeing themselves on screen but playing an active role and gaining agency within the story.
As I spoke to in my last article on the subject the story telling of older women and how we are expected and shown to visualize them are heavily influenced in the way they are dressed. Have you ever picked up a garment and had someone tell you that you look dowdy? I know I have since my closet consists of a lot of prairie dresses. How come these pieces of ruffles, and high collars have been assigned to older women? It is no surprise as to where I’m going with this, clearly the male gaze that has shrouded our film watching experiences within the last 100 years has influenced this greatly. When women hit the dreaded thirty-year-old mark (gasp!) some how the buttons on their blouses seem to magically find their way to the neck never exposing a shed of skin ever again, well maybe a tantalizing ankle in capris (how naughty).
In the film Bingo Hell these ageist ideas are completely challenged by costume designer Eulyn Colette Hufkie. In a story which allows our two protagonists over fifty, kick ass and fight demons, Eulyn brings in real elements that allow these women to stay grounded and feel like actual older women. Lupita played by Adriana Barraza and Dolores played by L. Scott Caldwell are brought to life in a fantastical story about an evil demon named Mr. Big (Richard Brake) who comes into the community of Oak Springs (which is already undergoing its process of gentrification) to set up a bingo hall to rival the community center. What draws people in is the large cash prizes that are advertised on flyers around town. In a community where money is tight, and things like plumbing and electrical work seem faulty, the idea of large cash prizes is enticing to its members. Lupita however is a stubborn defender and protector in this town, and immediately is suspicious of the sudden “get rich quick” prizes. We soon find out that every prize has a cost, and it is up to Lupita and her friends to save their community and each other from falling prey to Mr. Big’s games.
Hufkie created a wonderland of colors and textures that combined with the incredible cinematography of Byron Werner allows you to almost feel what is on the screen before you. As I mentioned before when you dress older women, in my experience, I have found that they can be sometimes more self-conscious in what they are wearing. Everyone has their own battle with their body, but I believe that the stigma of how we treat older women influences this and doesn’t help with their confidence. The layers used by Hufkie achieve two purposes in this film the first is to which I spoke to above, you want your actors to be comfortable and feel confident in what they are wearing, but it also brings the element of warmth and personality to it. For the character of Lupita is adds a layer of protection from Mr. Big. It also allows her to play with patterns and mix and match garment texture. I keep referencing texture, but upon first watch I was blown away by that level of detail within the film. Not only did I feel what was happening on screen the marital elements between each department only enhanced the other persons work (i.e. DP/SFX/Costumes/Set etc.) This world was carefully crafted, and no detail was forgotten. You can even see the cultural influences of Gigi’s Mexican heritage come into Lupita, calling back to the look we meet her in. That beautiful sarape shawl, floral embroidered blouse and colorful headband allow you to see exactly who this woman is, where she came from, and what she holds close to her heart.
What also strikes the viewer is that every character is uniquely their own person. Yolanda (Bertila Damas) is the hairdresser of the community. She has a beautiful vintage pinup aesthetic to all of her outfits, fitted cropped cardigans, with pencil skirts and clam-diggers, and of course as a hairdresser she would not be complete without those victory rolls and bright red lips! Which after she becomes possessed begin to droop and wilt, fantastic touch. Morris (Clayton Landey) is a typical retired Vietnam Vet, fitted with what we would call “dad shirts”. Printed short sleeve button downs with cargo pocket fishing vests on top. Of course, I could not forget Dolores, who is Lupita’s best friend. Her performance captivated every scene and drawing from African colorscapes and patterns with modern cuts and elements, her wardrobe was comfortable but wise. She was the grounded element to Lupita’s full throttle charisma. Each character completely stood alone in who they were but then came together when you saw them side by side. You could feel through the colors the life in this community and the fights for their lives that Lupita spent the whole film upholding.
The contrast to Mr. Big allowed him to feel isolated from the community. He was always shown in a crisp black and white suit, open button to show skin and no tie. This small detail allowed you to lower you guard that he came off a “relaxed” money guy. With the addition of the cowboy hat, it really allowed the auctioneer element of his character to come through. His clothing was stiff and pressed, most likely dry clean only, so you can tell that money is no object. The perfect representation in demonic figure. What Mr. Big cares about is collecting souls and putting a bounty out on his winners. Richard Brake is no stranger to the horror genre and allows the script to take shape right in front of you through his choices. He does sinister well and is both tantalizing and horrifying.
Eulyn Colette Hufkie herself is no stranger to the genre after designing costumes for 77 episodes of AMC’s The Walking Dead and ten episodes of The Purge series that was on USA. She is one of the most effective designers out there right now and really understands how to piece together each element. From base layers to accessories, no detail went untouched. It really excites me as a designer to see when another designer can work at this caliber. When they are so clear in their designs you know exactly what they are trying to say, and this film hit that mark. Effective collaborating with the hair and makeup team, the use of Special Effects and how they effected the costumes was present and accounted for and even the contrast between the lighting and the tone of the piece. No element showed the other up and they worked together in harmony.
Bingo Hell brought a new perspective to what it is to be over 50 in films. We saw older women kicking ass and driving the story in ways that I know mean a lot to women in that age bracket. The idea that women over 30 can be sent out to pasture is the thinking of the past and I am excited to usher in this new era of telling stories, all stories.
