Possibly in Michigan
A 1983 musical horror short about cannibalism and revenge.
Possibly in Michigan is a 1983 American short film that blends horror, music, and a shot-on-video style. Cecelia Condit wrote and directed it, while Karen Skladany composed the music and also played the character Janice. The story follows two women, Sharon and Janice, as they browse for perfume in a department store. A masked man who eats people stalks them. Condit groups this film with two others—Beneath the Skin and Not a Jealous Bone—calling them her "Jill Sands trilogy," since actress Jill Sands appears in all three.
In the plot, Sharon and Janice shop at an empty store, trailed by a man in a black suit and a mask with an open mouth. Both women are known for attracting violent men and making the violence seem like the man's idea. The stalker, credited as "Prince Charming" and named Arthur, shares their interests in violence and perfume. Janice spots Arthur and thinks she might have met him in Michigan, so the two women flee. They drive home and separate, but Arthur follows and waits outside Sharon's house for Janice to leave. A voiceover explains that Arthur has worn so many masks he no longer knows himself, imagining he is a frog turned into a prince. He approaches the door as a normal man and rings the bell.
Janice shoots at multiple masked figures in her home; each time she hits one, it vanishes and another appears elsewhere. Sharon wakes from sleep and answers her door, but drops to the ground when she sees who it is, then calls Janice. While they talk, Arthur picks up a stone in Sharon's yard, revealing a rotting mask underneath. He breaks the bedroom window and crawls in, leaving glass and worms on the bed. As Sharon describes his appearance to Janice, Arthur comes up behind her and says, "the better to eat you with, my dear," in a distorted voice. He kisses her.
Arthur repeatedly pushes Sharon onto the bed, telling her she can either be eaten immediately or slowly dismembered and then eaten, claiming he does this for love. She protests, but he ignores her. Janice shoots another masked figure and arrives at Sharon's front door. Arthur, now holding a knife, pins Sharon down and chokes her, saying he has done this to six other women. Janice aims her pistol and fatally shoots him. Sharon gets up and looks at his corpse with disgust.
The women lay Arthur's body on spread newspapers and dismember him, making soup from his parts.
- Release year
- 1983
- Country
- United States
- Director
- Cecelia Condit
- Genre
- Musical horror short film
- Format
- Shot-on-video
- Notable cast
- Jill Sands as Sharon, Karen Skladany as Janice, Bill Blume as Arthur
Lore & Background
The plot centers on two women, Sharon and Janice, who are shopping at an empty department store for perfume. They are followed by a man in a mask with a gaping mouth, wearing a black suit. Both women are said to have a reputation for attracting violent men and making the violence seem to be the man's idea. Arthur, credited as 'Prince Charming,' shares their inclinations toward violence and perfume. Janice recognizes him as someone she may have met in Michigan, and they flee. After parting ways, Arthur stalks them, eventually breaking into Sharon's home. He threatens to eat her, either immediately or after dismemberment, claiming he does so for love. Janice arrives and fatally shoots him. The women then dismember Arthur's body, make soup from his parts, eat his limbs, and feed scraps to their dog. They wrap the bones in newspapers and dispose of them in a garbage truck.
Reader's Guide
Possibly in Michigan received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council. Upon release, its final scene was shown on CBN and The 700 Club, where it was described as gay, anti-family, and anti-men. A year later, the short film was read as lesbian by the National Endowment for the Arts and was shown at the Museum of Modern Art. The film first gained notoriety on social media in 2015 and has gained popularity among Gen Z. Joanne Morreale called the film an example of a revenge fantasy for feminists, and Chris Straayer said the film was about male violence against women. The film is noted for its avant-garde musical elements and its subversion of fairy-tale tropes, particularly the 'Prince Charming' figure.
Did You Know?
- Cecelia Condit played Arthur throughout the entire time he is masked, but is uncredited in the role; Bill Blume only appears at the very end as Arthur.
- The women in the film dismember Arthur and make soup from his body parts, feeding scraps to their dog.
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