Much of the buzz surrounding the upcoming horror movie Strange Darling has been in regard to the secrets of its twists and turns, and a key tool the film uses in achieving those surprises is a non-linear narrative. The plot plays out in six chapters, but they aren’t in order, and each one delivers a new development that changes the way that you think about everything that precedes it. It’s a clever bit of storytelling that has earned the love of the legendary Stephen King – and writer/director JT Mollner never wants you to see the version of the movie that is recut to be in chronological order.
Late last month, I had the chance to dig deep into Strange Darling during an interview with Mollner, and while dipping in and out of spoiler talk, one subject we discussed was the film’s structure. I asked if he ever had a bit of fun in the editing room by seeing what the movie would play like in chronological order, and he surprised me by explaining that there was a cut like that put together, but it was actually against his wishes and the subject of some strife behind the scenes. Said the filmmaker, I didn't do that because I had a feeling it wouldn't be great.
But there was a point during the edit when one of the executives in charge of the movie at the time said, 'This movie is never gonna be understood by the public.' And it was when I just turned in a director's cut. And they said, 'We've brought an editor on, not your editor, but a different editor, to put this thing in .