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After hitting theaters in September of last year, and receiving some of the best film reviews of 2022, Ti West’s most recent horror slasher film is finally available to stream from home. “Pearl” arrives on Showtime on Tuesday, May 16.
“Pearl,” the prequel to West’s retro slasher “X,” sees Mia Goth reprise her role as the eponymous Pearl in 1918 Texas as she tends to her ailing father on an isolated farm under the watch of her mother. After failing to escape the mundane for the glamorous life she dreams for herself, she spirals into madness, committing a series of gruesome murders before her husband returns from war to face the horrific aftermath.
In his review of the film, Variety film critic Peter DeBruge, writes that in “Pearl,” “the psycho not only survives but goes unpunished, as she must to set up the earlier film that took place later. Karma will catch up with her eventually, we know, but in the meantime, it’s sort of a blast to watch her unravel.”
Despite both “X” and “Pearl” earning critical acclaim, and receiving impressive 94% and 92% scores on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively, both films were effectively shut out of the 2023 Oscars race. The film’s snub continued a long-running conversation about the Academy’s distaste for horror.
However, the films’ cult fans — of which there are many — will now be able to stream both of West’s A24 films on Showtime, which costs $10.99/month but offers a 7-day free trial. The films are also available to stream on Hulu, which offers Showtime through their premium subscription.
Stream “X” and “Pearl” on Showtime starting May 16:
