The Lure: essentially a film about sexual exploitation and substance abuse
a short very over the top analysis in a strange musical horror Polish genre bending film.
If you are familiar with the Polish horror/musical surrounding mermaids, you may think it is just a quirky movie with with a cult following and major critic respect. It feels a bit more than that. Here is my take on why The Lure (2017, Smoczynska) is essentially a film about drug abuse.
Barnes and Noble had their 50% off Criterion Collection in which every time I buy one movie I have never watched and this time around, this was my pick. That same day I watched it and I had thoughts…
The Exploitation of Extremism in Elitist Culture
Once these mermaids are discovered by a nightclub singer they are immediately put on display for the world to analyze, desire and study. Of course the nightclub chooses to exploit them by putting them in an act which ends up becoming a hit. They have these alienated subhuman undressed clueless creatures posing as a trade for opportunity. Soon enough, we see that these creatures become sex symbols to the people who are supposed to be supporting them and they all get entrapped in this sexual game where all extremes are welcome and desirable. These mermaids don’t even exactly have private parts like humans, making it strangely different. Symbolizing their dehumanization and how their bodies are used as objects of desire rather than as individuals with autonomy. While they see this as an exploration of sexuality and human behavior everyone else is aware of them just being victim to abuse.
This is a direct reflection of how our society treats porn, sex and desire. Porn has become extreme and abuse has become desirable to so many people, to the point that the normal or even slight kinks are considered boring. Leaving specifically many women and queer people vulnerable to hardcore sex culture and dehumanization that are mostly suffered at the hands of men.
Not just that, if you are aware of elitist nightclub culture, you know that sexual extremes are no stranger to them. I will spare you the details about what your favorite celebrities are enjoying and attending, if you are curious do your research on The Box in NYC.
The Phased Out Desire for Something New
Silver, our blonde mermaid starts an affair with the bass player at the nightclub. At first, it’s all new, kinky and exciting to him. Even though for Silver she needs to constantly push herself in order for it to feel semi pleasant considering it is unnatural for her to experience sex the way she is. He, however does not mind to keep pushing her boundaries. After they begin this intoxicating relationship, Silver undergoes some surgical changes in which he helps convince her to take. He gets bored and leaves. The extreme is undone and now he is ready to explore something new.
Another obvious reflection of how our society, can no longer experience average intercourse without the desire of wanting more. Our hardcore porn culture has allowed for many people to not longer be able to connect with their partners due to their parasocial relationships with pornhub. With limitless internet access, this behavior begins earlier and earlier in young age.
The Mermaids are More, They are the Drugs
The mermaids are unnatural and like them comes substance abuse. They become this huge addiction to the nightclub crew and their attendees. The more people watch them the more they want. Now, this comes with any “star”, it just tends to be a bit deeper than that. Specifically to the people who had the most of them, the nightclub crew.
At one point in the film, the mermaids disappear and when they do, the people who exploit them (the nightclub crew) begin to weaken, feel sick or even put their attention on other substances like alcohol. They lose life almost like they are suffering of withdrawal and appear sickly, reaching death. Once they come back into their life they look beat but still functional.
This emphasizes the drug culture we currently live in. How easy it is to be entrapped in abuse and how hard it is to move away from it. Most people who suffer of substance abuse never get the treatment or support they need, ending life in a vicious cycle.
The Effort of Beauty Standards and the Sudden Change in Them
Silver and her sister are at this point at the peak of being desirable. They are new, surreal and beautiful. They have created a new beauty standard. But, even the most beautiful suffer the consequences of beauty standards. She wants legs like every other girl and wants to fit in. Even if that means she will have to sacrifice walking for the rest of her life. After she regains her legs, she becomes average and no longer desirable and no longer participates in the nightclub shows, she no longer has anything to give them. They cannot benefit from her, she is now useless.
Silver’s transformation shows us that being a symbol of ideal beauty to becoming just average reflects how superficial our society currently is and how easy it is to dispose of the “average” based on societal perceived value. Not only did Silver change her anatomy, she also completely lost her sense of identity.
A direct example of the societal effect on loss of identity is showed in front of us the second we start a reality show, specifically a dating show. I am 22 and I no longer recognize the faces of my age. This new age of plastic surgery at a young age is absolutely extreme. People no longer stand out for their natural features but rather the amount of botox in their face. By no means, do I shame them. Unfortunately, it’s a reflection of how our society treats people, especially women.
After Every Film Analysis Comes a Book Rec:
American Mermaid by Julia Langbein is essentially following a an author who is getting her book adapted into film. As the script is being written her mermaid disabled main character comes to life.
This is a recommendation solely for the fact that is carries the fun mermaid vibes but it is also a strange captivating story.
Chlorine by Jade Song is about a high school swimmer who is convinced one day she will be a mermaid. This story is the closest to represent the film as it does deal with some themes on beauty standards, specifically for athletes, sexual exploitation and sexual desire and discovery.
The Pisces by Melissa Broder is just one of my all time favorite books. It follows a woman that begins a sexual relationship with a merman. Our main character is messy, confused and just living for the ride and to work through her traumas. This book specifically does explore that extreme unnatural desire that sometimes might make you cringe.