Symbolism in THE BLACK PHONE

Video essay about 'The Black Phone' (2021), directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan Hawke and more. In this video I explore its deeper themes; symbolism, the twisted ritual of The Grabber, why The Grabber's mask changes, contrasting revelations and resolutions and more.
'The Black Phone' movie review, 'The Black Phone' explained, 'The Black Phone' analysis, 'The Black Phone' deep dive
Join our online Discord community: / discord
Support the channel: / thomasthorogood
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
02:20 The Grabber
08:27 Contrasting Pairs
18:14 Outro
Check out the Scott Derrickson interviews in full...
• Scott Derrickson retur...
• In the Room with Scott...
• REEL FAITH Interviews ...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright Disclaimer: under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, allowance is made for 'exceptions to copyright' such as...
Criticism, review, quotation and news reporting
Caricature, parody or pastiche
I believe that the use of content in this video/thumbnail is fair use. If any content owners would like to dispute this, I will be glad to immediately remove the content in question. I do not wish to infringe on anyone's content ownership.

[@ThorogoodFilms]

Hi everyone! I'd love to invite you to my brand new online Discord community. You can join right now for free by clicking this link: discord.com/invite/s99tWKJgu7

[@xxxjordandangerouslyxxx]

New Sub here,get a background. It doesn't have to be permanent.

[@zooweamama5799]

Personally I really like the way the movie doesn’t tell you too much about the grabber but tells you quite a bit about the kids he’s killed, it’s like the inverse of true crime culture and its intense focus on the ins and outs of the killer, their psyche, exactly how they killed people, and “why” they did it, while ignoring the killer’s victims

[@aroha9090]

Agreed, same with the story it's based on. You really get a sense of the grief, anger & loneliness of the children. But you get such a deep sense that somehow, they've held onto just enough of themselves to try & stop others from dying the way they did. The strength that must have taken, to linger there, memories fading, hoping for some kind of justice, some way to stop their own killer. Always just hanging onto the need to help the next kid. To stop the monster. I loved this story & I have such a soft spot for the film

[@harizbadrulhisham3805]

You forgot one thing... The move finn used to break the grabber neck, was the same move Robin wanted to use on the bully, but Robbin didnt follow through with the move as it was just a bully,

[@HighImChatt]

This movie just get better and better…

[@BadgerMusicLabs]

Found this channel before it blows up. Because holy shit you have some 10/10 videos

[@ThorogoodFilms]

Aw that's very kind, thank you!

[@aryana6400]

Wait i clicked on this video before looking at the views and subcribers and i thought that it was popular channel based on tge video until i saw your comment

[@itzskye7074]

I was expecting like 564k subscribers but 16k only?? Bffr 😭😭🙏

[@marisrom858]

Your videos are insanely good quality and you have a perfect voice for voiceover! I can’t wait for this channel to blow up.

[@ThorogoodFilms]

That's very kind, thank you!

[@noitspatrick3637]

I love the Christian in the horror genre question. It is indeed a great genre for any religious person because it conveys the human condition. The fear, loss of faith, strengthening of faith, the abandonment or resilience of one's morals and ethics. Its my favorite genre simply because it uses the monster, the chase, the survival, the happy and, most times not so, happy endings to impact the viewers in areas most genres do not.

[@donovanfaust3227]

When done correctly Christianity fits very nicely in the horror genre. Too bad like 80% of Christian movies fall into the more conservative category and we end up with terrible writing. I loved The Black Phone and was glad I saw it in theaters, I'm not Christian but I could appreciate the themes throughout and would suggest it to any fan of horror.

[@akirashope6198]

@@donovanfaust3227 I agree. I also think sometimes horror movies use religious themes and imagery as a cheap and lazy way to add depth, but rarely every expounds in a meaningful or interesting way.

[@mochabroka]

this is the exact kind of video i wanted to see. not the videos just explaining what happened in the show, but explaining the deep symbolism behind everything shown in the movie. thank you!! :)) brilliant video!!

[@xdaisy3408]

5:20 icl blud was so silly giving himself away by literally asking "are those black balloons in there"

[@twinturbo3461]

They took elements of a real serial killer for this film - John Wayne Gacy. John Wayne Gacy was a clown and entertained kids, and he would keep them entrapped before killing them and he buried them in the crawl space of his home, and his victims were also many young boys.

[@indiamarie2952]

That’s what made it not just scary but sickening

[@sAINTDeVille]

"Jesus ! What the truck! I mean WHAT THE TRUCK!!" 😂 Imo some of the best parts of the movie were these little moments with Gwen, what a fantastic actress! Also i really love your videos, definitely got yourself a new sub!

[@silveringsky9032]

I just watched this movie and wanted to learn more about it on KZbin. The popular videos I searched for were pretty surface-level, leaving me feeling wow, I guess there really wasn’t that much else to The Black Phone besides what I picked up on by watching it. Then today KZbin recommended me this video, and thank God. I have a deeper appreciation for the symbolism and themes in the movie now. Thank you. Wonderful editing btw.

[@flames1502]

It took me this long to realize that the two actors were also in Sinister

[@Elizabelle79]

Absolutely brilliant. Please keep them coming.

[@ThorogoodFilms]

Ah thanks so much!

[@bloody_bunny_-]

Ooooooo this editing is FANCYYY, I really love the style and analysis!! 💕

[@Jonah-zy2ty]

Haven’t had your videos on my feed in a bit, love to see them 10/10❤

[@scorpiovenus6774]

This is exactly the kind of video I was looking for 🙌 Great analysis of a great movie!!

[@laurinjustlaurin1021]

Your Videos are extremely well done dude. Keep it up!

[@ThorogoodFilms]

Ah thanks so much!

[@ezzakennebba2090]

hey i need you to know that i have verbally lavished joe hill in praise for his writing without the slightest knowledge (a click away, mind you) that stephen was his father! it required a massive reframing of Joe's nostalgic little exerpts about motorcycle riding with his rapscallion father. thanks for the fun fact!

[@tbspromotions]

15:00 I was watching another video and it stated some of that scene was improvised

[@CarolPeletier96]

Gothika is also a serial killer and ghost story :)

[@terrellstreet2439]

Running scared is aswell

[@pyromaniac034]

Longlegs technically

[@indiamarie2952]

Tbh this is kinda similar to gothika in the sense that Gwen and Halle berry were being shown visions of the victims and their resting places and they both were labeled crazy

[@Acatandanomad]

Awesome job! This was a great video!

[@ThorogoodFilms]

Thank you so much!

[@kat_rina113]

I just watched this movie tonight and enjoyed it and wanted to know about the masks. Thank you for the video!

[@Nozferatuu]

Great video and channel, man! I’m excited to watch more of your stuff! Also… you look and talk like a young Jeremy Wade.

[@belluzinha7004]

great video. love how much you analyze it

[@mysteryman8579]

Great video, just subscribed!

[@Jojonitsiwa]

Youre video are great you will blow up one day continue bro

[@coachkira]

Love your analysis

[@johangomez6676]

Great content, just subscribed

[@qazedc3]

Wasn’t the movie the kids were watching at the beginning Baby Jane? I thought that was foreshadowing something and turns out it was a good and bad sibling dynamic

[@anamantics]

This movie is based on a short story by Stephen Kings son, Joe Hill. One of the greatest horror movies I've seen in a while.

[@AntoinettexKitten]

I think joe and stephen have a thing for esp and precognition. And with joe we have 2 characters who have visions in nos4a2 and the black phone

[@yung404error8]

Ethan hawke is now 2/2 with horror movies for me

[@Whosthis761]

Based on dean corll serial killer from the 70s and john wayne gacy the kid on the bike was based on dean corlls victim james stanton dreymala look him up who was out collecting bottles on his bike and the character who he was based on used a bottle to show finny a direction so errie

[@dapperwalrus1397]

Fantastic video

[@ThorogoodFilms]

Thank you!

[@braxtongray915]

I’m hoping he never got freaky with the victims because I like his character

[@zaryacrass9817]

Great video.

[@ThorogoodFilms]

Ah thank you so much!

[@aspiringjoker2883]

Love this film, and love this video

[@queenkreviews1999]

EXCELLENT DEEP DIVE !! This movie was so disturbing it made me cry lol

[@indiamarie2952]

For me it was the very realistic kidnapping, child murder. The boys being buried and their bodies never being found. It’s too real and that’s what made it so scary. There’s probably someone out there having a the same experience as finny unfortunately

[@ominous_light]

do the first omen huhu

[@Boctiguy]

I honestly thought since I knew it was Stephen King going in, they both were just psychics.

[@Boctiguy]

Oh and great video, he might use the expressionless bottom for burial too

[@MFLimited]

I was so upset by the drunk father beating his daughter in the kitchen (old style) that I couldn’t concentrate on the rest of the film.

[@KoltenNguyen]

Old style? Y’know there are worse ways to get beat

[@lolalady4761]

They GOTTA MAKE A SECOND ONE!!!! I have too many questions 😂 Their Mom number 1lol,why the father was so angry and assertive with just the sister and not Finn? Why the father was so In denial about his wife and daughters abilitys. How did the grabber choose his victims? Why, THESES BOYS?? They all had something unique that the grabber eyed. He kept a piece of every boy he kidnapped....why?? What happened to that boys house?? Where did his parents go after he went missing?? The parents really didn't see that the grabber was living across the street from them?? Lol TOO many questions 😂😂and they need an update to check on Finn and his sister after finding the graves...😢 I couldn't even imagine the Trauma

[@aroha9090]

Apparently one's coming out next year. Personally, I felt enough of those questions were answered or left deliberately & effectively vague. But I'm looking forward to seeing the sequel. Hope it's good

[@AntoinettexKitten]

Took a character described like john wayne gacy in the story and made him a dilf

[@Klz_Ik1]

🎉🎉

[@islandgyal3730]

💕💕💕

[@pIllowVent84]

0:58 🐻🐥🦊🐰

[@KuroGR]

I just watched your video. This is some really great work man (although i would have changed what you wear,when you want to talk about a movie and be super serious,you dont wear something that looks like PJ s,or at least that s what impression it gives me). None the less,you make some really valued and accurate points,i agree with you in a 75-80% ratio and i disagree with some stuff but thats irrelevant now (our differences). So,well done and keep making great content like this,congrats. Notes: 1)You dont analyse the masks completely (what about the L the mask has) and are we talking about a psychosis case (like batman villains have) in which each mask controls the human or the human controls the mask? Is he wearing the masks to terrify his victims? To hide his human self? To transend himself to something greater than the average human? Is he a human at all when he wears the masks? Did he make it to the point of no return? After so many victims abducted and killed..is he still human ?Is it that maybe the masks are his real face and not his human face? Did he ascend to something else far from being human? 2) You dont analyse his body language and the invinsible barriers they exist...each time he talks to Finn its like there is an invinsible barrier,thread,line that none can cross unless its time (at the end of the film),unless everything happens as it should (Finn,by not playing the naughty game...he doesnt allow the Grabber to cross that line and actually end the ritual and kill Finn). Also worth noticing is the fact that we only see the Grabber crossing that line...have physical contact with Finn at the start and at the end of the abduction...like a prologue and an epilogue. 3)The movie s symbolisms ...not only the obvious ones but the subconcious as well...the film is like a greek tragedy ,in which everything and everyone plays a part in order to come to a conclusion. Every conversation the grabber and Finn has inside the room and also every conversation Finn and the dead boys has,its full of lyricism and metaphors from the way they speak to the way they act to the way they accept Life,Fate,Death and more.

[@ThorogoodFilms]

Ah thank you so much for your comment! Those are some great points. I'll try not to wear clothes that look like PJs in future ahaha

[@KuroGR]

@@ThorogoodFilms You are nost welcome ! 😊 ...and yes,please do that,no more PJ's 😏😜 Thank you for your reply and thus the dialogue,really appreciated.😊😊 P.S. Is your Discord server legit? ...meaning,does it have lots of people and do you actually hang out there,talk with people,etc? ...just curious😜

[@ThorogoodFilms]

hi! sorry, don't know why I didn't see this reply before now. Yeah the Discord's quite small at the mo but I've been putting some bonus content in there and people share their letterboxd accounts :)

[@niteshanthony2324]

Hey everyone, hope u are doing well but as humans we are all gonna die one die so I just wanna say If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

[@Invincible_Falls]

And also read the bible and try to be a better person, be kind as Jesus would etc etc

[@Belial289]

no.

[@urban_chameleon6061]

I love that the director is Christian

[@665demondog]

One of the worst movies I have ever seen

[@aroha9090]

You mustn't watch many films. There are a lot worse than this one.

[@ivobanic4547]

Movie was great imo