The eco-horror genre often presents a thrilling spectacle filled with high-energy and action-packed moments. Films showcase animals and insects driven to chaos by environmental shifts, monstrous transformations ranging from colossal creatures to minuscule threats, and dramatic weather phenomena wreaking havoc as the story unfolds. Yet, not every eco-horror film screams for attention. Some choose a subtler approach, exploring the psychological depths and implications of environmental calamities.
One example is Jeff Nichols’ Take Shelter (2011), which portrays the unraveling domestic life of a construction worker haunted by apocalyptic visions, leading him to prepare for doom while his loved ones suspect his sanity. Similarly, Ben Wheatley’s In the Earth (2021) delves into the indirect effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, unfolding in a forest where plants retaliate against human intruders.
In a broader sense, Todd Haynes’ Safe—marking its 30th anniversary this month since premiering at Sundance in 1995—offers perhaps the most unsettling form of eco-horror. Here, an invisible menace threatens the protagonist, Carol White, a housewife portrayed by the then-emerging Julianne Moore.
Set in 1987 Los Angeles, Safe follows Carol, adorned in pastels and pearls, as she navigates the mundane aspects of suburban life. Her days consist of running errands, managing her housekeeper, and attending aerobics classes. It’s a life that seems comfortable yet devoid of excitement, where conflict arises over trivial matters, like furniture delivery in incorrect colors or the recommendation of a trendy all-fruit diet.
Carol abstains from smoking and drinking, labeling herself a “milkaholic.” Her passive demeanor indicates a lack of an internal life, mirroring the restrained storytelling style Haynes employs. The audience witnesses Carol’s existence as if peering into a diorama, an observation devoid of emotional ventilation.
However, though Carol might appear to harbor unexpressed rebellion, Safe—released during the height of the AIDS crisis, with overt and symbolic references—complicates that notion. It’s not just a feminist critique of oppressive gender roles; it is a tale about a woman’s body beginning to collapse due to her otherwise uninspiring environment, threatening her mental and physical well-being.
Watching Safe with knowledge of Carol’s destination highlights the foreboding clues. The film opens with Carol’s sneeze, a gentle precursor to the coughing fits, vomiting, nosebleeds, hyperventilation, skin eruptions, and seizures that follow.
Her seemingly easy life is riddled with toxic triggers: wall-to-wall carpets vacuumed obsessively, varnished kitchen cabinets, car exhaust from congested LA traffic, planes overhead, noisy appliances, ringing phones, and blaring televisions. Carol visits the dry cleaner multiple times, one visit notably coinciding with a fumigation. Her attempt to enhance her beauty with a perm and manicure only adds to the mounting stress.
Unlike Carol, others in her San Fernando Valley community appear unscathed. Carol’s drastic reactions are dismissed, particularly by her husband, who initially attributes them to overexertion. “You seem fine,” her doctor dismisses, suggesting she avoid dairy and the fruit diet. Subsequent allergy tests yield no answers, and a psychiatrist, observing her from behind a substantial desk, asks, “What’s going on in you?”
As Carol’s condition deteriorates, she becomes defined by her illness and ultimately discovers a community of individuals grappling with similar experiences. They emerge through a health club flyer asking, “Are you allergic to the 20th century?” Seeking treatment leads her to a communal retreat in the desert, where she isolates herself from a life she rarely values despite occasional emotional confrontations as she adjusts.
The film never reveals the root of Carol’s crippling condition, implying it’s an insidious ailment capable of infiltrating anyone, anywhere—even in seemingly privileged surroundings. Safe takes her illness seriously, making the audience believe her plight, in contrast to other characters’ skepticism, while also critiquing the New Age industry that capitalizes on such suffering. Carol and her peers possess the means to pay for treatment but are naive enough to overlook why their program’s leader resides in a mansion that looms over their communal site.
The chilling aspect of Safe lies in its ambiguous ending. Even in her new environment, which enforces strict rules about chemicals and promotes organic living, Carol does not recover. She transitions from a rustic cabin to an igloo-like structure dubbed a “safe room,” isolating herself further from the outside world—a space she claims is free of contaminants as long as she’s the only one inside.
Despite insisting she feels better, the evident decline in Carol’s health is unsettling. As the film concludes, viewers are left to ponder whether she will ever recover and whether her choice to isolate herself—surrounding herself with an environment designed for those with environmental illnesses—was truly worthwhile.
Decades later, the answers remain elusive. Environmental illnesses continue to lurk among us, quietly insidious and inviting skepticism, as enigmatic as they have always been.
What can I do about environmental illness? Living in a polluted environment can expose you to various toxins. Though addressing it might seem overwhelming, identifying pollutants in your surroundings and reducing exposure is a crucial first step.
Is Safe based on a true story? While Safe isn’t directly based on a true story, it draws from the real experiences of individuals exposed to environmental toxins and the struggles they face in seeking understanding and treatment.
How does Safe address societal views on illness? The film critiques how society often dismisses women’s health struggles, portraying the protagonist’s condition as misunderstood and misdiagnosed, reflecting a broader societal issue regarding women’s mental and physical health.
What are some environmental triggers I should watch for? Common triggers include air pollution, chemical cleaning products, mold, and indoor allergens. Being aware of your surroundings can help you avoid potential health risks.
If you find yourself intrigued by the themes explored in Safe and want to dive deeper into similar fascinating discussions, I encourage you to explore related content at Moyens I/O.