This article delves into the etymology of "keta" and explores the genesis of the 2023 film Strange Darling, directed by JT Mollner.
Keta: A Word with Oceanic Roots
While the user's prompt includes a list of geographical locations and station IDs, these appear unrelated to the word "keta." Without further context, it's challenging to pinpoint a specific origin. However, "keta" is commonly known as a species of salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), also known as chum salmon or dog salmon. The name likely originates from a language spoken in the region where these salmon are found, such as a language of the indigenous peoples of the Russian Far East or North America. Further research into the etymology of the word within these language families could reveal its deeper origins.
Strange Darling: A Thriller's Conception and Creation
Strange Darling is a 2023 American psychological crime thriller film, the brainchild of writer-director JT Mollner. The film features Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Madisen Beaty, Steven Michael Quezada, Ed Begley Jr., and Barbara Hershey in its cast. The story unfolds in rural Oregon, following a man (Gallner) and woman (Fitzgerald) whose one-night stand spirals into a deadly game of cat and mouse.
From Idea to Script: A Swift Genesis
JT Mollner conceived of Strange Darling in 2021, as the film industry began its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Remarkably, he completed the script and commenced shooting within six months, marking it as his fastest film production to date. Mollner described the writing process as remarkably easy, driven by a compelling image of a "final girl running through the woods." This image, combined with specific visual elements like scrubs, music, frame rate, slow motion, and lens choices, made the concept unique to him.
Securing Production: Miramax's Decisive Move
Upon finishing the script, Mollner received three offers from different companies. His meeting with Miramax proved decisive. According to Mollner, Bill Block, an executive at Miramax, declared they were making the film just three minutes into his pitch.
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Narrative Structure: Chapterized Intrigue
The film's chapterized structure is a deliberate choice designed to captivate audiences and maintain their intrigue. Mollner believed this approach would appeal to both those familiar with the script and new viewers, sparking curiosity about the unfolding narrative. The reveals within the chapterized structure are intended to immediately draw viewers in.
Inspiration: Fact or Fiction?
The director has neither confirmed nor denied whether the film is based on real events, simply stating "perhaps." However, the standard disclaimer appears at the end of the credits: "The characters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictitious."
Production Hurdles and Creative Tensions
Deadline Hollywood reported on September 27, 2022, that the film was being shot in Portland, Oregon. The production faced significant challenges early on, shutting down just two days into filming due to negative feedback from film executives. These executives expressed dissatisfaction with the initial footage and questioned the project's viability and even asked that Willa Fitzgerald be recast. Mollner described this experience as "traumatic," fearing it would jeopardize his future as a filmmaker.
Tensions continued after filming wrapped, centering on the film’s non-linear narrative. Without Mollner’s awareness, Miramax hired another editor to re-cut the film into a linear story. However, Mollner's contract allowed him a test screening of his cut.
Plot Summary: A Descent into Darkness
Strange Darling employs a non-linear structure, but the following is a linear summary of the plot:
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Chapter 1: "Mister Snuffle"
In rural Hood River County, Oregon, a woman ("the Lady") meets a man ("the Demon"). They go to a motel for a sexual encounter. The Lady makes the Demon answer whether or not he is a serial killer. After he says no, the Lady agrees to proceed, and asks that she and the Demon engage in hyperrealistic sadomasochistic roleplay in which he pretends to be a murderer, and she his victim.
Chapter 2: "Do You Like to Party?"
After hours of roleplaying, the Lady insists they use cocaine before sex, to which the Demon agrees. The Lady, a serial killer known as "the Electric Lady," carves her initials into the Demon's chest. Discovering he is a police officer, she prepares to kill him. He shoots her ear off with a concealed pistol. The Lady flees in a stolen car after stabbing the desk clerk to death, pursued by the Demon.
Chapter 3: "Can You Help Me? Please?"
The Demon shoots at the stolen vehicle, causing a crash. The Lady flees into the woods and finds the farmhouse of Frederick and Genevieve, two eccentric hippie doomsday preppers, who take her in.
Chapter 4: "The Mountain People"
While Genevieve retrieves medicine, Frederick tries to call the police, but the Lady stabs him to death and forces Genevieve outside. The Demon arrives, and Genevieve flees into the woods as the Lady hides in a chest freezer.
Chapter 5: "Here, Kitty, Kitty …"
The Demon searches the house, shooting into objects where he thinks the Lady might be hiding, tauntingly calling out "Here, Kitty, Kitty."
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Chapter 6: "Who's Gary Gilmore?"
The Demon handcuffs the Lady to the chest before calling fellow sheriff Pete and his deputy, Gale, for backup. The Lady says she had always hoped to die like Gary Gilmore, she tearfully confesses that, during their earlier sexual encounter, she felt a fleeting moment of true love for him. She then sprays him with bear spray. A struggle ensues, and the Lady bites into the Demon's neck, severing his carotid artery, causing him to bleed to death. Pete and Gale arrive and find the Lady handcuffed to the freezer. She claims the Demon, high on cocaine, kidnapped her to rape and murder her. Gale convinces Pete that the Lady needs immediate medical attention. As the officers escort the Lady by car toward town, Genevieve appears along the road and flags them down, but the Lady shoots her before she can explain what happened. The Lady then confiscates both of their guns before ordering Gale out of the car.
Epilogue: "The Electric Lady"
Pete drives the Lady farther down the road before she has him stop so she can consider her next move. When Pete asks her why she kills, she tells him that she sometimes "doesn't see humans, just devils". The Lady then kills Pete. The Lady stumbles on foot farther down the road, when another woman driving a truck picks her up. Gazing at the sideview mirror, the Lady sees a brief flash of "a devil" in her own reflection. When the Lady draws her pistol, the driver quickly fires first, shooting the Lady. The driver calls police from her cell phone, explaining she just shot a stranger in self-defense and that she is en route to the local hospital.
Reception
Strange Darling premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 22, 2023, and was theatrically released in the United States on August 23, 2024. The film has garnered positive reviews from critics, who have particularly praised the cinematography and the cast's performances. Critics have described the film as electric, unforgettable, terrifying, hilarious, heartbreaking, sexy, and wild.