Let’s talk about that scene in Obsession. If you haven’t already seen Curry Barker’s box-office-smashing horror movie, look away now because there are heavy spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned. Speaking of smashing… that’s right, let’s get into that incredibly brutal head smashing scene that seems to go on for forever. Just when you think it’s over, Nikki (Inde Naverrette) gets another 4 or 5 heavy smashes in the mix.
If you’ve seen the movie, you know exactly what I’m talking about, and you've likely also clocked that there are some impressive practical FX at work. Obsession writer/director Curry Barker broke down the highly effective scene for us, explaining that there were three pieces of “glass,” meaning they had three takes to get it right. The first piece shattered before they even rolled the cameras, leaving two takes. The first take was going well… until a piece of “styrofoam falls and covers the whole shot.”
The pressure was on Navarrette to deliver in the one and only opportunity to smash her head through a car window. And yes, that was in fact Inde Navarrette doing the stunt. The whole damn thing. “ We didn't have a stunt double. It was her. It was her the whole time.” Barker confirmed.
Navarrette was fitted with a helmet and a wig, limiting her visibility. “All we had was one more take,” Barker continued, “and we're just like, ‘Inde, listen, you hit it hard as you-’”
Inde jumps in with her impression of Barker hyping her up for the one and only chance at getting the shot. “‘You got to get in there.’ I'm a little scared. ‘Don't be scared. You got this.’ He dance-mommed me into it, and I was like, we got this.”
Navarrette punctuated the recreation of their exchange with, “You've got to talk to me like a coach.”
So one piece of stunt glass, Navarrette in a wig and a helmet, and… “roller blades and all” to smash her head through a car window before violently attacking Megan Lawless’ character (Sarah), who has, in Nikki’s opinion, gotten just a little too close to Bear. As punishment, Nikki proceeds to bash Sarah’s face into the car's steering wheel, and it is brutal as hell. It’s almost hard to look at, in part because Barker went practical for the effect, cutting between Lawless and an FX dummy in various states of absolutely smashed.
The final scene flows together in the most bloody and diabolical way. Head back to the theater for a rewatch,, knowing Navarrette and Co. had just one take to get that running glass-smash just right, and it’s even more impressive. And maybe make sure to finish your movie snacks before it gets to the scene where poor Sarah is transformed into meatloaf in Nikki’s hands.
For more, check out our Obsession coverage in FANGORIA #31, read/watch our full interview with Curry Barker, Inde Navarrette, and Michael Johnston to learn about the most disgusting day on set.
Read our full Obsession review.
Obsession is now in theaters.
