The body-horror film "Eat, Pray, Lose Weight" opens in Russian theaters on August 13, and film critic Yefim Gugnin says it likely will not become a box-office phenomenon on the scale of Russian fairy-tale films, though it has a chance to earn back its costs.
Gugnin, chief editor of the Pop-culture section at the Russian outlet T-Zh, spoke to the National News Service. He said director Natalie Erika James adds interest to the project, having previously made "Relic," which he called underrated but very good and a strong example of a new wave of horror films.
Gugnin said body horror's rising visibility owes much to "The Substance," starring Demi Moore, which earned more than 550 million rubles at the Russian box office. He does not think "Eat, Pray, Lose Weight" consciously tries to repeat that film's plot or look, but said it likely exists partly because "The Substance" succeeded. The film had its world premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States.
Why horror keeps drawing crowds
Gugnin said horror overall draws heavy investment from distributors in Russia and abroad because it is cheap to produce and license. He said the genre reliably attracts even people who dislike cinema, and audiences are indulgent toward it because it triggers a primitive, visceral reaction. Horror traditionally draws groups of friends out together, he said, and while most genre films target young viewers, "The Substance" also drew older audiences into theaters.
Separately, critic David Schneiderov earlier told the Telegram channel Radiotochka NSN that the Russian success of the low-budget independent horror film "Obsession," which grossed about 500 million rubles, is linked to Generation Z audiences.
