Feminist readings of horror cinema is nothing new. Feminist slasher however, are another story. We meet Claire (Najarra Townsend) part cultured, warm, hairstylist and part serial killer scalp hunter.  When her regular client, Olivia (Brea Grant), asks her to style her hair for her wedding day, the urge to take more than her fee is overwhelming.

THE STYLIST is pegged as a film about obsession. But any logical film critic can see it is a visceral attack on the beauty industry. This female-led psychological horror, is based on co-writer/director Jill Gevargizian’s award-winning short film of the same name, where co incidentally, those tones were far more present. Some of the films selling points are heavily over done. Slow pans, slow tracks, push ins and the like are heavy. Though this is obvious from the film, that it is the work of a newer director, it is however a study in craft. Where actually the film really excels those is in its female interactions. They are led by Najarra Townsend is exceptional. She plays the role of Claire with a vulnerability that is palpable.

Arrow have brought us a well worked, if not average set of discs. The second is a soundtrack disc that is frankly a merge of DRIVE by way of Reznor. 80s synth waves craze and someone holds a key too long to denote dread and fear in equally uninspired measure. The first disc, has the film and a series of extras. The best is Audio commentary by co-writer/producer/director Jill Gevargizian and actress/producer Najarra Townsend. This is built on an excellent rapport between led and director. It infuses the use of subtle direction in performance and underlines good craft.  Then watch The original 2016 The Stylist short film, a tribute to direction and plain as day, attack on the industry and its vices.

2-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Limited Edition Blu-ray™ and Soundtrack CD collection
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
• Double-sided fold-out poster
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Emma Westwood and a gallery of exclusive location scouting photographs

DISC ONE (BLU-RAY) – THE STYLIST

• Audio commentary by co-writer/producer/director Jill Gevargizian and actress/producer Najarra Townsend
• Exclusive Blu-ray introduction by Jill Gevargizian
• The Invisible Woman, an exclusive visual essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, exploring the themes of women’s labor and female killers in The Stylist and horror cinema
• The Stylist – Behind the Scenes, a series of eight behind-the-scenes featurettes on different aspects of the film’s production, featuring interviews with the cast and crew
• Location scouting featurette
• Outtakes
• Original Kickstarter video
• The original 2016 The Stylist short film directed by Jill Gevargizian and starring Najarra Townsend, that inspired the main feature
• Pity, a 2016 short film directed by The Stylist’s editor, John Pata, and executive produced by Jill Gevargizian, with an optional introduction by Pata
• Teaser trailer
• Theatrical trailer
• Image galleries

DISC TWO (CD) – THE STYLIST SOUNDTRACK (LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE)

• CD containing the original The Stylist Soundtrack