‘Medusa Deluxe’ Trailer Invites You to a Murderous Hairstyle Competition in a Long, Unbroken Shot (Video)

Ready to get dolled up for “Medusa Deluxe?”

The nearly unclassifiable new feature from writer/director Thomas Hardiman, which is equal parts murder mystery, dark comedy and family drama (of sorts), is set to be released by A24 on August 11 in theaters and on VOD. And the first trailer is here to dazzle you. Watch it above.

“Medusa Deluxe” premiered last year at Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival and won a prize at Fantastic Fest in Austin for Best Direction. And it’s no wonder, either, since “Medusa Deluxe” plays out in a single “unbroken” shot, with the events unfolding almost in real time. It was shot by the great Robbie Ryan, an Irish cinematographer who also did “The Favourite,” “Marriage Story” and “C’mon C’mon” among many others (he’s re-teaming with Yorgos Lanthimos for “Poor Things,” out this September).

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This is Hardiman’s debut feature, after working on shorts for the past decade and it is quite the first movie – it’s overflowing with life, energy and a clear love for his characters (it’s almost Almodóvar-esque in that way). And the single take format doesn’t feel like a gimmick either; it’s there to establish the geography and spatial relationships of the characters and their environment (in this case a dodgy warehouse where the hair competition is taking place). But it is also used to fortify how close the characters are to one another emotionally; their anger, resentment, jealous (and more) is expressed by their relationship to the roving camera and how they are captured by that camera says just as much. It’s a trip.

“Medusa Deluxe” is the latest A24 film released in 2023, part of the victory lap established by the Oscar sweep of their multiverse-hopping “Everything Everywhere All At Once” earlier this year (yes, that was earlier this year, which is insane). They’ve released such diverse works as Ari Aster’s “Beau is Afraid,” Nicole Holofcener’s “You Hurt My Feelings,” Celine Song’s “Past Lives” and Kelly Reichardt’s “Showing Up.” On the horizon they have Australian horror movie “Talk to Me,” Julio Torres’ “Problemista,” and new movies by Alex Garland, Rose Glass, Sean Durkin and David Michôd, plus Jonathan Glazer’s Grand Prix-winning “Zone of Interest.”

“Medusa Deluxe” is in theaters and on VOD on Aug. 11.

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