Cheryl Eddy
Anna Diop—so haunting in 2022’s Nanny—made another chilling horror film that same year: Posies, a short from writer-director Rachel Stavis. While Posies received positive reviews upon its first release, it’s getting a re-promotion on horror streamer Alter because of a certain name in its credits: pop superstar Chappell Roan, who composed its score before breaking big with her 2023 album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Roan’s 2018 song “Bitter” is also in the movie.
Here’s the premise for Posies: “As people begin to ‘devolve’ into monsters, one woman attempts to hide her transformation by placing flowers under her skin.” You can watch the trailer below.
“Having Chappell Roan’s creativity and intensity strewn throughout Posies by way of the score that she so eloquently created was a dream come true,” Stavis, who wrote Posies and co-directed with Katherine Fisher (and is also a “non-denominational exorcist,” according to her official bio) said in a press release. “Our earliest discussions about this project centered around using her greatest instrument—her voice—to create a haunting, emotional, and atmospheric depth to the film. She captured exactly what we envisioned for this and did it virtually on her first try. It was extraordinary. She has an amazing gift of storytelling through music, and her composition remains one of the most unique and unforgettable elements of the film. We’re beyond grateful that she was able to create something so special—specifically for me and my audience—before her inevitable rise to fame.”
In 2022, Roan was on the cusp of the major fame she’s now currently experiencing, with bangers like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Hot to Go!” becoming staples on pop radio, and the star herself grabbing headlines for her appearances at music festivals. It was just announced that she’ll make her Saturday Night Live musical debut as part of the show’s upcoming 50th season. Could creating more film scores be in her future? From what Stavis said above, it’s clearly a branch of her talents that she enjoys and has an innate knack for. As for other endeavors in Hollywood, in a recent Interview piece Roan admitted that while she’d originally planned on pursuing an acting career, she’s definitely veered off that path in favor of music—so don’t hold your breath to see her onscreen as a final girl anytime soon, as cool as that sounds.
Head to Alter’s YouTube platform starting October 9 to watch Posies in its entirety.
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