In releasing his ‘X’ trilogy, Ti West has delivered three very powerful, yet different films that have each left an indellible mark on horror and modern cinema more widely.

With MaXXXine, the grand finale of this project, West takes us on a visceral journey through 1980s Hollywood, weaving a tale that is as much a slasher as it is a critique of the very industry it depicts. This third installment sees Mia Goth reprise her role as Maxine Minx, the ambitious survivor from X, now thrust into the glitzy yet perilous world of Los Angeles.

Set in 1985, MaXXXine opens with a montage that situates us firmly in the cultural milieu of the period, a time of moral panic, sensationalist media, and the burgeoning home video market. Clips of Ronald Reagan pontificating about American values juxtapose with news reports on the ‘Night Stalker’ and the satanic panic, creating an atmosphere thick with paranoia and fear.