B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Possibly in Michigan into the ol’ VCR.

CWs/TWs: DV, violence against women, murder, and all like topics 

Welcome back to Internet Oddities, a series here on B Movies where we talk about little internet mysteries and odds and ends that I enjoy! 

The subject of today’s Internet Oddities is none other than Cecelia Condit’s musical horror short film, Possibly in Michigan. 

If you’re not familiar with Possibly in Michigan, let me give you a quick primer: 

Friends Janice and Sharon are stalked by a murderer/cannibal, Arthur, as they go about their day. However, the two might not be as helpless as their stalker thinks. 

Oh yeah, the whole thing is also a musical. 

Now, let’s break it down a bit further. 

With me so far?

Okay? Okay. 

Video source: ceceliacondit

Early on in the film, there’s a line about how Janice and Sharon are both attracted to violent men, which sets the tone for this short film and all of its symbolism. 

After the two women evade Arthur at the mall, he shows up at Sharon’s home, and then materializes with a different mask each time he blinks closer to the house. Once he appears at the door, Sharon calls Janice, terrified. 

When he eventually breaks in, Arthur doesn’t have a mask on, but rather presents himself as a stereotypically attractive man, aka, as he refers to himself in this moment, a “Prince Charming.”

Arthur and Sharon then kiss and become affectionate as he tells her that she can choose to be eaten immediately or he can cut off her limbs and eat them to prolong the process. Then, Sharon responds, “But love shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.” 

Janice shows up, kills Arthur, and the two proceed to pull off a more graphic (and sapphic) version of “Goodbye Earl” (I promise I’m not making light of a short film meant to symbolize violence against women, but it’s sincerely the best way I can think to describe this scene). 

Possibly in Michigan represents violence against women and the predatory behavior of some men. 

And, to be clear, men can also be the victim of stalking and DV. It’s just that this particular piece of work focuses on the violence against women perpetrated by men. 

I think it could also be argued that Sharon and Janice love perfume and talking in sing song because that’s how women can be viewed by men—materialistic, delicate, etc… 

Additionally, Arthur wearing a variety of masks and asking Sharon if she’d like to be eaten fast or slow is metaphorical for an abusive relationship. 

As someone who grew up in a house with DV, I can tell you that abusers wear all kinds of figurative masks to isolate their victims and keep up outward appearances. Also, Arthur is saying he’s eating her for the sake of love. 

This represents abusers stripping away and wearing down their victims, followed by love-bombing and/or saying the abuse they’re inflicting is in the name of “love.” 

The last big thing I want to touch on is the ending of Possibly in Michigan because there are a couple of different interpretations. 

The first is that Janice and Sharon are besties who fought back and are able to feel safe and secure in the wake of Arthur’s absence. 

The second is that Janice and Sharon are lovers who fought back and are able to feel safe and secure in the wake of Arthur’s absence. 

And honestly, I subscribe to the second. Here’s why: 

Whenever Sharon is with Janice or talks about Janice, we see her lying on the ground with these beautiful flowers in her hair and surrounding her. 

However, whenever a man is near, an image of a corpse is often superimposed over her face. 

I think that Janice and Sharon are closeted and/or don’t realize that their feelings aren’t just platonic, and they can finally be together with Arthur gone. 

But again, that’s strictly my opinion. 

Possibly in Michigan is an avant-garde horror musical that I fear would eat as an Adult Swim Infomercial. 

It might be creepy as hell, but it’s also extremely well done. 

If the CWs/TWs I mentioned up top don’t bother you, I would recommend checking it out, as well as some of Cecelia Condit’s other work on her YouTube channel. 

She also has one of the most badass channel descriptions I’ve ever read. 

I digress.  

In my humble opinion, there’s so much to dissect that I could spend hours talking about it. 

But, most importantly, it’s an internet oddity.