5 horror movies with an iconic yellow cardigan

Yellow is often associated with sunshine, joy, summer, and a Coldplay song, considering people had a phase with alternative rock music in the early 2000s. So why are some of the saddest characters in the genre wearing yellow cardigans? And more importantly, why are these people the ones who lead the story to some pretty depressing conclusions? This occurred to me recently because I'm a cardigan queen who watches a lot of crap. Plus, I have a brain that notices costume pieces. I get stuck on sweaters and wondering what color tank top is reserved for the final girls. That means this fashion trend has been keeping me up at night. And that's why I thought it was time to make it a streaming guide problem.

It would be easy to excuse this trend because this color looks good on many attractive people. Or one could assume that the costume pieces simply caught the costume designer's attention and the choice was completely unintentional. That calculation would be simple enough. I would argue that it is too simple after sitting with the characters who stand out the most. These people are heading for a depressing end, carrying the heaviest burdens, and will never be the same again. If they survive. I think the costume designers are trying to tell us something by giving the darkest person the brightest color. I've chosen five films currently streaming to shed light on this phenomenon.

A Quiet Place: Day One (dir. Michael Sarnoski)

Costume Designer: Bex Crofton-Atkins

Where to watch: Paramount+

Aliens attack New York, and the survivors learn that you must be absolutely silent to survive. I love Sam's (Lupita Nyong'o) yellow men's jacket. Not only does it have pockets and look comfortable, but it tells us a story. We know this dying woman lost someone close to her and wears this garment alongside her memories. Long before it was revealed to be her father's, I knew the answer to the yellow question at the heart of the film. I knew from production photos that this sweater was a key element, and when I saw it on her co-star in press photos, I knew Sam wouldn't be in a sequel.

So it's not surprising that this interwoven moment found its way into her own final story. Sam knows she doesn't have much time left and she's on a mission, aliens or not. While that mission is bigger than the slice of pizza we've been led to believe, that doesn't stop her from pushing on against all odds. It's also why she signals that her time is up by passing it on to Eric (Joseph Quinn) like a cozy torch.

Monstrous (Director: Chris Sivertson)

Costume Designer: Morgan DeGroff

Where to watch: Freevee, Plex, Sling TV and Tubi

A woman and her son flee their abusive ex-husband, but their new idyllic life is haunted by their trauma. Admittedly, Christina Ricci and her wardrobe do a lot of the heavy lifting in this film. Although Laura (Ricci) lives in pastels, it's her yellow cardigan that supports this strange trend at certain moments. When we meet her, she's wearing the statement piece as she wakes up her son and she literally drives into her new chapter.

Towards the end, she is seen wearing the cardigan again as her Delululemon begins to disintegrate. She is forced to confront the horrific thing that has happened to her and force herself to continue living in the real world. More importantly, the cardigan becomes her ironic anchor, highlighting the torment she has been trying to escape from throughout the film. This statement piece means it is time to move on to her next chapter, literally and figuratively.

The Passenger (Director: Carter Smith)

Costume Designer: Eulyn Colette Hufkie

Where to watch: MGM+ and Prime Video

A co-worker's act of violence forces a young man to confront his past and his fears. Like most of the films on this list, two characters are at the center of the story. We spend the film reflecting on the relationship between Benson (Kyle Gallner) and Randy (Johnny Berchtold). However, Benson is the one who shakes the table, puts on the yellow cardigan, and then essentially drives the film's plot forward.

This remarkable fashion piece underscores that his actions come from grief and that there is more to Benson than meets the eye. It is also a constant reminder that he cares about his passenger, Randy, even as he commits shocking crimes. The sweater helps Gallner create a textured and nuanced character where in the wrong hands he could have easily been a one-dimensional asshole. The fluffy yellow sweater tells us the tragic story between the lines on the page. Especially because it turns out he is driving himself to his tragic death, leaving us wondering what could have been.

The Shining (Director: Stanley Kubrick)

Costume designer: Milena Canonero

Where to watch: Max

A family is trapped in a remote hotel where a sinister presence is out to destroy them all. We immediately feel for Wendy (played by the late and beloved Shelley Duvall). She's a woman trying to hold her little family together while doing the dance of a woman who is afraid of her husband. We see her trying to take things in stride, as if she can fix him with enough smiles and hugs. Although one of the reasons I love this film is its aesthetic, the thing that stands out to me about her wardrobe is Wendy's yellow cardigan, which appears about 47 minutes into the film.

She wears this garment when the audience realizes that Jack (Jack Nicholson) is probably a lost cause and this woman will soon be a single mother – if she and her son survive. We watch her do the work her husband was hired to do, searching for a lifeline on the CB radio. In this quirky patchwork piece, she struts confidently around while inadvertently slipping into the person she's always secretly been. She may have been afraid to leave her husband when she ignored the voice that told her to take her child and run. But she's stronger than she gives herself credit for. She's a force to be reckoned with, even if she can't show it as clearly in the film version as she can in the novel. Wendy is the woman who will ultimately survive the night and lead herself and her son to a better life.

Talk to Me (Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou)

Costume Designer: Anna Cahill

Where to watch: Kanopy

A group of friends play with spirits via an embalmed hand, but soon discover it's a much more dangerous game than they bargained for. We meet Mia (Sophie Wilde) after a heavy memorial day for her mother. She immediately slips on a fluffy yellow cardigan and jumps in a car to drive us into this tragic story. While this cozy piece seems like something many of us would wear when we need comfort, it becomes more than that. It's her armor as she silently navigates her grief and isolation. It helps her sell her lie that she's fine, and it's even with her when she invites the evil spirit in and changes her entire trajectory.

I also noticed that she was wearing her protective outfit when she let the evil into her body. The presence leaves a stain on the fabric of her soul while she's essentially wearing a fashionable comfort blanket. Importantly, Mia wears yellow shirts afterward, but she never puts that item of clothing on again. Not only that, she never wears anything comfortable again. It underscores that she's taken a passenger along as she rides to her inevitably depressing end.

I followed this thread that connects these five films before I realized how much these characters have in common. But now I can't help but wonder how many other sad characters in yellow cardigans drive their horror films. I wish more people would interview costume designers, because I want to know what they would say about the yellow badges of tragedy that adorn these poor souls.

Have you also noticed that the saddest horror characters wear yellow cardigans? Or have you noticed other weird fashion trends in this genre? Then find me at @misssharai so we can talk about it.

Tags: a quiet place, day one, Monstrous, Talk to Me, The Passenger, The Shining

Categorized: Editorial News Streaming Guides