‘The Turtle’s Head’: Ari Aster’s bizarre noir comedy
Since the release of Hereditary in 2018, American auteur Ari Aster has been hailed by many as one of the pioneers leading a new wave of horror cinema. However, Aster has always maintained that he doesn’t think of himself as someone who exclusively works within the genre frameworks of horror. Instead, he often draws upon a diverse range of sources while developing a unique vision of horror cinema that refuses to submit to strict categorisations.
While this fascination with different genres is evident in Aster’s latest film Beau is Afraid, he was adamant about his rejection of the ‘horror director’ label from the very beginning. In a 2018 interview with Film Comment, he said: “When people ask if I consider myself a horror director, I’ll be quick to respond with a very clear no, absolutely not. Because there are so few horror films that, for me, live up to what the genre can do. That epidemic has given the genre a bad name. It’s one of those genres that, if its virtues are being effectively exploited, can be just the most amazing experience in a theatre. When they work, I get very excited.”
Aster added: “The South Koreans are so good at horror in general, and they’re also so good at mixing genres but in a coherent way. There’s this film called The Wailing. For me, that was an experience. It’s a police procedural that’s also a goofy black comedy about a police detective that turns into a serial killer film that then becomes a satanic possession movie that becomes almost Pinter-esque in its brand of existentialism.”
Despite the fact that Beau is Afraid is the most popular example of this genre-hybridity right now, Aster was dabbling in similar concepts even while he was making short films. Among his early output, one particular project that stands out is The Turtle’s Head. Structured as a parody of a film noir, it tells the bizarre story of a private eye whose world collapses around him when he realises that his most prized weapon, his penis, is rapidly shrinking.
Starring the incredible Richard Riehle, who delivers a fantastic performance as the misogynistic, sleazy detective, The Turtle’s Head demonstrates Aster’s early interest in combining weird subjects with a strong visual narrative. Making fun of all the “charming” sexist noir protagonists that have been immortalised in some of the greatest films ever made, Riehle’s character is a grotesque caricature fuelled by an anachronistic sex drive.
The Turtle’s Head obviously lacks the philosophical weight of the subsequent feature-length psychological horror films made by Aster, but it’s an important precursor because it sets the tone for Aster’s strange sense of humour. Although Beau is Afraid has received somewhat of a mixed reception compared to Aster’s previous works, it’s undeniable that he is always at his best when he manages to combine horror and humour.
Watch the film below.
