Ti West shot X on location in rural New Zealand to evoke the sun-baked isolation of 1970s Texas exploitation pictures.
Introduction
Ti West returned to feature filmmaking after a long absence with X, a 2022 slasher that deliberately recreates the look, pace and moral panic of early 1970s grindhouse cinema. The story follows a small adult-film crew who rent a remote farmhouse to shoot their project, only to discover the elderly owners harbour violent secrets. West stages the violence with practical effects and period-accurate framing while letting the performances carry the tension. The result sits comfortably alongside The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes without simply copying them.
Recapturing 1970s Grindhouse Aesthetics
West and cinematographer Eliot Rockett employed 16-millimetre film stock for many sequences, producing grain, flare and muted colour that match surviving prints of 1970s regional horror. Interiors were lit with practical tungsten fixtures to create the same harsh shadows seen in early Wes Craven and Tobe Hooper pictures. Sound design favours diegetic radio and wind rather than a constant score, allowing creaking floorboards and distant animal calls to build dread.
Production Design Choices
Production designer Tom Hammock sourced authentic 1970s furniture and vehicles from New Zealand collectors, then aged them to suggest long Texas summers. The farmhouse itself was chosen for its single-storey layout and surrounding flat fields, mirroring the geography that made the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre so claustrophobic. Costume designer Vicki Hales dressed the porn crew in flared jeans and synthetic fabrics that read as period accurate without caricature.
Director in the Spotlight
Ti West began directing features in the mid-2000s with micro-budget horror titles such as The Roost and Trigger Man. He developed a reputation for slow-burn tension and precise sound work before moving into larger projects including The House of the Devil and The Sacrament. After several years focused on television, West returned with X and its prequel Pearl, demonstrating renewed command of period detail and ensemble dynamics. His influences include early Hammer films, Italian giallo and American regional slashers of the 1970s. Filmography highlights comprise The Innkeepers, In a Valley of Violence and the two 2022 entries in the X trilogy.
Actor in the Spotlight
Mia Goth leads the cast as both the ambitious actress Maxine and the elderly Pearl in a dual performance achieved through prosthetics and performance capture. Goth trained in classical acting before entering horror with A Cure for Wellness and Suspiria. Her work in X showcases precise physical transformation and vocal modulation that distinguish the two characters without relying on digital de-ageing. Additional credits include Emma, High Life and the forthcoming MaXXXine.
Supporting Ensemble Dynamics
Jenna Ortega plays the production assistant Lorraine, bringing quiet intelligence that contrasts the more flamboyant crew members. Martin Henderson and Brittany Snow portray the director and his girlfriend, anchoring the 1970s porn-industry subplot with credible period attitudes. The elderly couple, played by Goth and Stephen Ure, deliver the physical horror while revealing unexpected emotional layers during the final confrontation.
Legacy and Influence
X arrived during a wave of retro slashers that includes Thanksgiving and Terrifier 3. Its commercial success encouraged studios to green-light further period-set horror projects while proving that practical effects and modest budgets can still deliver wide theatrical returns. The film has already been referenced in academic discussions of nostalgia cinema and the ongoing conversation around exploitation aesthetics in mainstream releases.
Conclusion
West demonstrates that a modern crew can inhabit 1970s genre grammar without descending into pastiche. X respects its influences while carving its own identity through committed performances and tactile craft. The picture stands as a clear example of how contemporary horror can honour its roots without sacrificing narrative clarity or emotional weight.
Bibliography
West, T. (2022) X. A24.
Rockett, E. (2022) ‘Shooting 16mm horror in 2022’, American Cinematographer, May.
Hammock, T. (2022) Interviewed by Dread Central, 15 March.
Goth, M. (2022) Interviewed by Variety, 18 March.
Hooper, T. (1974) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Vortex.
Craven, W. (1977) The Hills Have Eyes. Blood Relations Company.
Newby, R. (2022) ‘Ti West and the return of the regional slasher’, Film Comment, vol. 58, no. 2.
Box Office Mojo (2023) X (2022) – Financial Information. Available at: https://www.boxofficemojo.com (Accessed: 12 January 2025).
Got thoughts? Drop them below! For more articles visit us at https://dyerbolical.com. Join the discussion on X at https://x.com/dyerbolicaldb https://x.com/retromoviesdb https://x.com/ashyslasheedb Follow all our pages via our X list at https://x.com/i/lists/1645435624403468289 Visit our Immortalis horror fiction universe at https://immortalishorror.com