How deeply does fashion affect your life and identity? These two films about malevolent red dresses take the phrase “dressed to kill” to a whole new level.  

On Friday, October 11, our Halloween edition of Make it Double features two chilling tales of cursed clothing that are “cut from the same cloth” in more ways than one, and a vintage pop-up shop in our Studio where you can find a haunted dress of your own! 

Peter Strickland’s In Fabric (2018) follows a divorced bank teller whose purchase of a sinister dress sets off a horrific chain of events as it passes from wearer to wearer. Meanwhile, Tobe Hooper’s I’m Dangerous Tonight (1990), starring Twin Peaks‘ Madchen Amick, explores the dark side of burgeoning female sexuality through a cursed garment, making it a hidden gem in Hooper’s made-for-TV era. 

Both films delve into the themes of women-centric horror and the transformative power of clothing. They feature red dresses that possess their wearers, reflecting on personal identity and societal expectations. In Fabric critiques consumerism and identity through its malevolent garment, while I’m Dangerous Tonight distorts and amplifies its protagonist’s sexual desires. These movies use horror and fashion to reveal how clothing can both liberate and constrain, mirroring our deepest fears and desires. 

Join us on October 11 to explore how these haunting narratives weave fashion into the fabric of personal and psychological horror and discover how the clothes we choose can profoundly shape our lives and identities. 

This screening was programmed by DePaul professor & CineFile contributor, Megan Fariello with support from FACETS’ Marketing Manager, Emma Greenleaf.