THE NEON DEMON (2016)

Summary:

The Neon Demon plunges into the cutthroat world of the Los Angeles fashion industry through the eyes of Jesse, an aspiring sixteen-year-old model. Fresh-faced and seemingly innocent, Jesse quickly discovers that her unique, almost otherworldly beauty is both a powerful asset and a dangerous curse. As she rises rapidly through the ranks, she becomes the object of intense envy and obsession from older, more established models whose youth and natural allure are fading, and from a makeup artist with a dark, predatory fascination.

The film explores the grotesque underbelly of glamour, where beauty is a commodity to be consumed, and youth is relentlessly devoured. Director Nicolas Winding Refn crafts a visually stunning yet deeply unsettling narrative, blending elements of psychological thriller and body horror with a surreal, dreamlike aesthetic. Jesse's journey from innocence to calculated confidence, and ultimately to a horrific fate, serves as a chilling allegory for the industry's vampiric nature, where the pursuit of perfection can lead to literal and metaphorical cannibalism.

Keywords: The Neon Demon, 2016, Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee, Horror, Thriller, Drama, Fashion, Los Angeles, Beauty, Obsession, Cannibalism.

Plot:

The film opens with a stark, stylized image: sixteen-year-old Jesse, covered in what appears to be blood, lying on a plush sofa, her gaze vacant and doll-like. This unsettling tableau immediately sets the tone for the surreal and macabre journey to come. Jesse has recently arrived in Los Angeles, an innocent and wide-eyed transplant from a small town, with dreams of becoming a successful model. Her initial photoshoot, where she poses as a freshly deceased victim, highlights her striking, almost ethereal beauty that captivates photographer Jack. He notes her natural ability to project an aura that is both vulnerable and captivating, a quality that will prove to be her greatest asset and ultimate downfall.

Jesse checks into a seedy, desolate motel, a stark contrast to the glamorous world she aspires to enter. Here, she encounters Ruby, a mortician and aspiring makeup artist, who quickly develops an intense, almost predatory fascination with Jesse. Ruby's interest is initially presented as a desire to help Jesse, but a sinister undertone is palpable from their first meeting. Jesse also meets Gigi and Sarah, two established models who, despite their outward friendliness, immediately perceive Jesse's untouched youth and natural beauty as a threat to their own precarious careers. Gigi has undergone extensive plastic surgery, a testament to the industry's relentless demand for artificial perfection, while Sarah struggles to maintain her relevance against the influx of younger talent.

As Jesse navigates her new environment, she finds a semblance of normalcy and genuine connection with Dean, a kind and earnest aspiring photographer. Dean is drawn to Jesse's innocence and sees beyond her burgeoning professional persona, offering a stark contrast to the superficiality that surrounds her. He represents a potential escape from the industry's darker impulses, but Jesse, increasingly seduced by the allure of fame, gradually distances herself from him.

Jesse's career takes off with astonishing speed. Her first major photoshoot with a renowned fashion photographer proves transformative. Initially hesitant and uncomfortable, Jesse taps into an innate confidence, embracing her image and projecting an almost hypnotic allure. She quickly becomes the new sensation, overshadowing Gigi and Sarah at a pivotal fashion show where she is given the coveted opening spot. The contrast between Jesse's effortless rise and the older models' desperate struggle to maintain their positions becomes increasingly stark. Gigi and Sarah's envy festers, morphing into a palpable resentment as they witness Jesse's meteoric ascent.

The film delves deeper into its surreal horror elements. A chilling incident occurs when a puma mysteriously breaks into Jesse's motel room, an event that serves as both a literal threat and a symbolic manifestation of the wild, untamed danger lurking beneath the surface of glamour. Jesse's encounters with Ruby become increasingly unsettling. Ruby's obsession with Jesse intensifies, manifesting in lingering stares and unsettling advances. At one point, Ruby attempts to kiss Jesse, who recoils, further fueling Ruby's dark desires.

Jesse herself begins to change, internalizing the industry's values. Her innocence gives way to a calculated confidence, a cold self-awareness of her own power. She sheds her initial vulnerability, transforming into a more hardened, almost predatory version of herself. This transformation is visually underscored in a dreamlike sequence where Jesse bathes in a pool of blood, a symbolic rebirth and cleansing that signifies her full embrace of the industry's dark aesthetic and her shedding of any remaining innocence. She becomes the "neon demon" herself, radiant but lethal.

The climax of Jesse's career coincides with the peak of Gigi and Sarah's jealousy and Ruby's obsession. At a pivotal fashion show, Jesse is the undisputed star, presented as the ultimate ideal of beauty, flawless and untouchable. Her presence completely eclipses Gigi and Sarah, who are relegated to the background, their faces etched with envy and despair. This public triumph is the final straw for the two older models, solidifying their murderous intent.

The film culminates in a horrifying ritual. Ruby, Gigi, and Sarah lure Jesse to Ruby's secluded house under the guise of an after-party. Once there, they overpower her, sedate her, and proceed to slit her throat in a gruesome, ritualistic act. The scene is a visceral representation of the industry literally devouring its youth and beauty. They then dismember her body and, in a shocking act of symbolic cannibalism, consume parts of her, believing that by doing so, they can absorb her essence and reclaim her beauty and youth for themselves.

The immediate aftermath of the ritual is equally disturbing. Gigi, overcome by a mix of guilt and revulsion, or perhaps a different kind of hunger, is shown regurgitating Jesse's eye. Sarah, driven by a desperate, almost pathological desire to absorb Jesse's essence, finds the regurgitated eye and, in a grotesque act, consumes it. This act is presented as a desperate attempt to internalize Jesse's power. Gigi, unable to cope with the horror of their actions, later commits suicide by falling into a ravine. Sarah, now having "consumed" Jesse's beauty, receives a call for a photoshoot, suggesting that her horrific act has seemingly granted her the very success she craved. However, her internal state is clearly fractured, haunted by the macabre events, indicating that the consumption of beauty comes at an unbearable psychological cost. The film ends on a chilling note, leaving the audience to ponder the true cost of beauty and the predatory nature of an industry that literally feeds on it.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Elle Fanning as Jesse
• Jena Malone as Ruby
• Bella Heathcote as Gigi
• Abbey Lee as Sarah
• Karl Glusman as Dean

Crew:

• Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
• Writers: Nicolas Winding Refn, Mary Laws, Polly Stenham
• Producers: Nicolas Winding Refn, Lene Børglum
• Cinematography: Natasha Braier
• Music: Cliff Martinez

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: June 24, 2016 (USA)
• Language: English
• Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama
• Running Time: 118 minutes
• Accolades: Nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.