Spoiler alert! This article reveals significant details about the horror film “Cuckoo,” currently showing in theaters.
In the new stylish thriller “Cuckoo,” Hunter Schafer, known from “Euphoria,” encounters one of 2024’s most terrifying characters: the Hooded Woman, played by Kalin Morrow. This striking figure, with glowing red eyes and a distinctive blonde updo, relentlessly pursues the rebellious teenager Gretchen (Schafer) at a picturesque resort nestled in the German Alps. The resort’s owner, Herr König (Dan Stevens), is secretly conducting bizarre genetic experiments on women.
The film invites viewer interpretation, incorporating sci-fi elements into familiar themes like grief, reproduction, and the patriarchy. As the storyline unfolds, Gretchen becomes determined to uncover the truth behind the nightmarish Hooded Woman, whose haunting call induces seizures and creates time loops for those nearby.
Writer and director Tilman Singer has described the Hooded Woman as an unsettling apparition reminiscent of a distorted Marilyn Monroe. He notes the ghostly energy of the character, which is challenging to articulate, but undeniably impactful.
Morrow’s journey to embody the Hooded Woman began with the decision to cast a professional dancer. Singer believed that dancers possess the ability to express movements that are slightly off-kilter or eerily robotic, creating an unsettling presence. Morrow, a 38-year-old trained ballerina from Oklahoma, now residing in the Netherlands, prepared for the role by studying insect and cuckoo behavior.
The Hooded Woman’s striking appearance draws inspiration from Hollywood icons. Her wardrobe—a tan trench coat, leather boots, oversized sunglasses, and a headscarf—pays homage to Audrey Hepburn’s outfit in the 1963 thriller “Charade.” Singer provided costume designers with Hepburn’s image to ensure a close resemblance.
The character’s luminous red eyes were designed to mimic a cat’s reflective gaze in the dark. Morrow’s chilling scream combines elements of music and animalistic rawness, courtesy of composer Simon Waskow, who collaborated with a voice actor to achieve the desired sound.
One of the film’s most suspenseful sequences features the Hooded Woman chasing a terrified Gretchen on a bicycle down a dimly lit street. Morrow humorously recalls the challenge of performing in heels during this scene, opting for the more authentic portrayal of her character’s movements.
Ultimately, the Hooded Woman meets a tragic end during a bloody confrontation with Gretchen, underscored by the Italian pop song “Il Mio Prossimo Amore” by Loretta Goggi. The climax reveals a poignant truth: Herr König has exploited the Hooded Woman’s eggs to impregnate the resort’s female guests, aiming to create a new breed with her extraordinary traits.
As Gretchen grapples with the recent death of her mother, she recognizes the Hooded Woman’s maternal connection to her numerous “children,” prompting a deeper reflection on the nature of motherhood and the origins of behavior.
Singer expresses hope that audiences will resonate with the film’s emotional depth, stating, “I wanted it to be a thrill ride, but it can also be very emotional if you’re open to it.”