My Horror Anatomy: Alexandra John search for healing in the darkness
The pop duo share their favorite horror movies.
Welcome to My Horror Anatomy, a terrifying series in which artists and creators dissect their five most influential horror films.
The moment a throbbing heartbeat kicks into the eardrums on “Demons,” you know you’re in for a real spooky treat. Pop duo Alexandra John cast a darkly sinister web, tossing synths around your body and snatching you away into the night. Siblings Liza and Weston Cain are magnetic together. Liza’s voice tempts you forward and you then become hypnotized by Weston’s masterful production style; both together piece into a flashy array of pop excellence. That’s generally the feeling radiating throughout the duo’s new EP, Healing, a seven-piece declaration for newness and liberation. “I’m done being afraid,” calls Liza through a neon haze on “Strung Out.”
Later, with the titular cut, Liza sends out a bursting flare of encouragement, singing, “Happiness is freeing / We all need some healing.” The rallying cry lies central to the EP’s overarching threads, steeped in personal reckoning that occurred during the pandemic. “We were all grieving our old lives and accepting the new,” explains Weston. “Everyone goes through healing, every day. The EP lyrically breaks down the process of grieving from denial to acceptance.”
Liza adds, “Each song on the EP adds a new layer of acceptance. It’s really about the growth we all go through while experiencing this crazy beautiful thing we call life.”
To celebrate the EP release, Liza and Weston walk us through their picks for Top 5 horror movies that have influenced their lives. Grab some popcorn and let’s take a little stroll below.
Gremlins
‘Gremlins’ is from the 80’s and an absolute classic for us growing up in the 90’s. Gizmo is this adorable little creature, and if fed after midnight, he becomes his alter ego self. For us, when you’ve been at a moment in life when you don’t recognize yourself, we feel like we have all felt like Gizmo/a Gremlin seeking to find who we really are.
Interview with a Vampire
‘Interview with a Vampire,’ another childhood favorite from the 90’s. This film is a prime example that everything comes with a price and ultimately you can’t cheat life.
Beetlejuice
Filled with wild and spooky energy, ‘Beetlejuice’ captures a dream-like dimension that feels uncomfortably nostalgic. It really makes you think of life and death and the under appreciation we have for the present today.
American Psycho
Christian Bale, being one of our favorite actors, kills it literally and figuratively in being the sociopath that is Patrick Bateman. With so many memorable moments, it continues to be burned into viewers’ minds.
A Quiet Place
Anything involving the people you love in a dangerous environment is the scariest of all. Not only does this movie have silence be a key factor to surviving in this post-apocalyptic world, but if any noise is made, you can be eaten by the blind monsters in seconds. This movie hits the nail on the head with our society feeling like they have to stay quiet but when you speak or make noise, you never know what you may be up against.
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