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Observance(2015): A deeply disturbing, must-watch body horror movie




The horror genre has evolved pretty decently. Today, the genre isn't a homogeneous entity. It has become diverse and some of the very interesting experiments are happening in the genre of horror.

Joseph Sim's Observance (2015) is an interesting film that shows us the immense possibilities of the horror genre. The film is about a cash-strapped private investigator accepting a job that requires him to spy on a woman and report back to the employer.

The detective, Parker, occupies a seemingly run-down apartment that provides him a proper view of  his subject and starts watching her through a DSLR camera with a long-range lens attached on it.



The premise reminds us about Alfred Hitchcock's voyeur thriller Rear Window. In Rear Window, the protagonist is physically unable to move due to a broken leg. In Observance, the hero seems physically alright but his mind is wounded. His son has died, his marriage is falling apart and is nearly bankrupt.

Parker feels something is wrong with the job. He doesn't know why the client wants to put the woman under surveillance. Parker requests his employer permission to talk with the client, but he refuses. The employer says just 'keep watching'.

Observance doesn't rely on cheap thrills and jump scares. The movie employs the techniques of 'body horror'. At the beginning of the movie, Parker accidentally cuts his finger and blood drips. The image of blood forms an integral part of the movie as it is repeatedly shown throughout the movie.

The blood motive



As the movie progresses Parker's body shows signs of decay, a key aspect of body horror as exemplified in films of David Cronenberg.



Parker feels something is wrong with the building he occupies. He hears a mysterious voice in a surveillance audio clip that yells at him "stop watching". Is there a dark force in the building that is about to devour him?

Observance is not an easy watch. It is moody and claustrophobic, shot within a limited space. These and  the 'colorless color palette' make the movie a disturbing experience. Observance easily fits among the 'most disturbing movies ever filmed.' It is also one of the best movies about surveillance.
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