The Lot comes from Bad Idea, after a period of delays. This time, Marguerite Bennett of Animosity and Insexts (and Angela) fame works with Renato Guedes for a look at Hollywood. Also quick note and disclaimer: in earlier renditions of this post, I was flying by the seat of my pants in looking for meaning without full context. But in that look for meaning I forgot to say what I like and hate about this series.
The Lot of Stories
Hollywood has been a topic of discussion for generations. At its best, it’s a city of inspiration in movie making; at its worst is a sleazy world of corporate shame. Bennett decides to go into how these clashes surface in the battle of old vs. new fame.
The series follows Aviva Copeland, the young new head of a movie studio. Aviva knows all about the dark sides of Hollywood, as well as the expectations, but she doesn’t care. She just wants to tell her story by her actions and rules. It’s a feeling she shares with her college friend and her assistant, people desperately looking for authenticity.
Which brings them to the titular studio lot. Back in the 70s, a five member film crew in a bid for fame try their hands at creating authentic horror. To do so they find a cult and their devilish god (The Binder) for a ritual. But unlike the controversial Cannibal Holocaust to criticize Hollywood’s drive for sensationalism, this defeats the purpose of authenticity. What’s the point of creating actual fear and misery on screen when it means selling your soul?
Curse Terms and Conditions
A major appeal of The Lot is using the Binder to explore parallels with contracts and curses. The Binder stands in for Hollywood’s producers, studio executives, or “fixers” to give characters what they want for a price. As such a prayer to this being is just another contract that depending on the bindings have costs. Like most of these faustian narratives, there’s the lack of satisfaction, the addictions, and the dominance over others.
But like any contract, there are loopholes. The film crew have to pay in “Blood or Love”; with how vague those conditions are, there’s a real sense of desperation. A desperation the reader feels when trying to figure out the conditions for Aviva’s sake. Because when the crew’s actor tries to sacrifice Aviva’s friend Jaya, there’s relief and terror when he fails. Did he not love Jaya enough in that moment? Was he too self-absorbed? All those questions and not enough answers. Leaving Aviva and her friends trying to find the fine print to hold the crew responsible for the deaths they cause.
My Favorite Parts
Now I’m going to have to go over my gripes with The Lot. It has great commentary about show business and the scares are genuine; but I couldn’t feel myself connect with most of these characters.
The only threat I could feel was the attempt to sacrifice Jaya. Jaya unlike everyone else has her own life outside of show business and her personal branding. To me she seems aspirational in how she takes things in strides. Not to mention she helps Aviva out just because she wants to. So Jaya about to be killed just so some self-important actor can escape his penance scared me.
Breaking Down Hollywood Commentary
Everyone else including the Five, they’re more like vehicles than characters. The Five are your typical scuzzy Hollywood crew out for their own self-interests. Of them only the writer Ethan Whitby felt like a character; he looked terrified for his life and the desperation to fulfill the deal is apparent. I also dreaded how I related to someone who was relieved to sacrifice his wife who he fell out of love with; that’s very good horror. But I think I also missed something in regards to the producer Gordon Star’s sacrifice. I think I saw it happen, but it didn’t seem to be properly communicated.
Unfortunately that includes Aviva, who save for her moments of vulnerability feels problematic to root for. She’s just as driven to tell her story as much as the Five, and her attempts to expose them can come across as wiping her hands clean of their stains. Other than the attempt on her friend Jaya, Aviva had no threats on her life. If anything, Aviva’s actions are to remove obstacles to her career in a toxic environment. This is stuff I’ve learned to walk away from after being exposed to it; systemic problems can’t be solved by being a part of it. Even by the series’ end, I couldn’t help but feel that despite Aviva’s “promotion” a sequel to these events might happen.
Anything But Black and White
In the art department of The Lot, Renato Guedes uses his illustrations to bring a sense of a black-and-white movie. The retro usage of such an aesthetic feels both nostalgic and authentic. Before the normalization of color and special effects, filmmaking in this style relies on practical effects. For horror movies in particular, this style helps set the mood with atmosphere.
There are times when Guedes’ illustrations fit this mood perfectly, like the film reels on the original movie. It fits well with found footage spanning across time. Then there’s a spread where Aviva opens the lot. It gives the feeling that something woke up inside from long ago. The Binder in timed reactions showcases how powerful its influence is through an overwhelming assortment of projected imagery. The reader can’t help but fear for Aviva who’s too pumped up. Especially when Dave Sharpe provides specially designed word balloons that include Satanic text.
The Lot Is Out Now!
The Lot captures the reader’s attention like a movie’s first preview with its presentation and commentary. But in the full scope of the series, I feel like this is going to have a divisive fan base. There are some good scares especially when likable characters are under threat. Meanwhile, a couple of plot holes and the main character’s lack of a life outside of her job can turn audiences away. This series gets an 8/10.