Phantasmagoria in Isolation: A Surreal Journey Through Eric Stanze’s ‘Anxiety!’
Anxiety, directed by Eric Stanze (Scrapbook, In Memory Of, Ice from the Sun), presents a harrowing and surreal portrayal of the struggles with alcoholism amidst the isolating backdrop of the pandemic. The film follows Renee (Jackie Kelly, Tennessee Gothic, In Memory Of), a video editor in recovery from alcoholism, as she navigates her turbulent inner world and the external chaos wrought by the pandemic.
Renee’s life takes a drastic turn when her primary source of editing work, Dave, informs her through a series of troubling texts that all projects are postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic. Isolated in St. Louis under stay-at-home orders, Renee’s fragile sobriety is put to the test. Her close friend Alan (Jason Christ, Ratline, Ice from the Sun), whom she met while working at a supermarket, provides some solace. Allan, who runs a YouTube channel and shoots his own gay porn, becomes a critical part of Renee’s support system through their frequent video communications.
The narrative unfolds through Renee and Alan’s shared experiences and video exchanges, detailing how they cope with the pandemic’s effects. Renee’s concern for her half-sister Abby (Marcella Miller), who lives across the country and shares a history of familial alcoholism, adds another layer of anxiety to her life. The film takes a darker turn when Renee has a disturbing nightmare about Abby collapsing and dying whilst taking a shower, followed by surreal imagery involving a bear suit and a solar eclipse, symbolizing her sister’s descent into oblivion.
Stanze uses vivid surrealist imagery to depict Renee’s mental struggles. Renee experiences visions of a priest (Gus Stevenson) as well as an evil nun via a cameo from Emily Haack (Scrapbook, I Spit on Your Corpse, I Piss on Your Grave). One day, to find peace and maintain her sobriety, she decides to go camping. During her camping trip, Renee encounters bizarre and unsettling scenes: a human skull in the woods, a doppelganger named Connie, and a nude figure in tattered rags wearing a gas mask. These elements underscore the film’s exploration of inner turmoil and identity.
The introduction of Paxton Cain (played by Eric Stanze), who appears at Renee’s campsite to discuss her father, adds a layer of religious symbolism and the quest for a higher power. The film weaves in themes of cannibalism and gore, with graphic scenes such as an eyeball gouge and the biting off and ingestion of a finger.
An emotional moment in the film is Renee’s recollection of the last time she saw Abby in person, during the solar eclipse on August 21st, 2017. Abby referred to the eclipse as “like looking into the eye of God. And letting him look back into us,” a powerful metaphor for self-reflection and the divine gaze. This moment ties into the film’s exploration of alcoholism, with the eclipse symbolizing Renee’s struggle to confront her inner demons and the stark reality of her addiction.
Anxiety effectively captures the psychological and emotional toll of addiction and isolation. The use of the solar eclipse as a metaphor for Renee’s struggle with alcoholism is particularly poignant, representing moments of clarity and darkness in her battle for sobriety. Eric Stanze’s direction brings a raw and unsettling phantasmagorical vision to life, making Anxiety a deeply impactful film that resonates with the challenges of the times.
Directed by: Eric Stanze
Written by: Eric Stanze, Jackie Kelly, Jason Christ
Produced by: Jackie Kelly, Gus Stevenson, Jeremy Wallace
Cinematography by: Eric Stanze
Editing by: Eric Stanze
Music by: Gus Stevenson
Special Effects by: Eric Stanze, Adam Holloway, Jackie Kelly, Gus Stevenson
Cast: Jackie Kelly, Jason Christ, Marcella Miller, Gus Stevenson, Emily Haack, Eric Stanze
Year: 2024
Country: USA
Language: English
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 1h 37min
Studio: Wicked Pixel Cinema