Holy Terrors: Jewish Horror Ic-n of the Month
Holy Terrors is a monthly column highlighting the Jewish talent behind some of our favorite horror films.
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L'shanah Tovah, Lisa Bonet
After recently observing yet another Rosh Hashanah (my goodness, how time flies), I can’t think of a better way to start the new year than to gush about the artful brilliance of actress Lisa Bonet. Bonet, whom I consider being one of the greatest talents in the entire industry, has worked in a plethora of acclaimed productions from ‘80s classic High Fidelity to the more recent television crime drama Ray Donovan (which also happens to feature our last Jewish Horror Ic-n Liev Schreiber).
While Lisa Bonet, with her extraordinary range and unmatched skill, is involved in a vast array of genres, it’s important to note how equally exceptional she is within the horror realm. Even though she’s only worked in a couple of horror productions, the impact of these performances has been profound and resonant, showcasing her unique ability to layer intricate and gentle depth amidst every character she portrays.
Her first horror role was within the scary story anthology series Tales from the Darkside in 1985. Only 18 years old when the episode aired and with the show being one of her very first performances on screen, it’s immediately clear Bonet’s abilities were immense, even from a young age. The episode, entitled “The Satanic Piano,” stars Bonet alongside the additionally magnificent actor Michael Warren, who also appears in such classics as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Criminal Minds.
Lisa Bonet and Michael Warren having a heart-to-heart in Tales From the Darkside
The plot revolves around an uninspired aging musician, Pete Bancroft, and his young musically inclined daughter Justine. While Bonet’s Justine is initially implied to be the secondary star of the episode, her character, ultimately, shines through as the heart of the show and acts as the perfect complement to Warren’s emotionally striking portrayal of Pete. As the premise goes, Pete, who’s in dire need of a new hit song, makes an inadvertent deal with the devil, nearly costing him his daughter’s life. But Justine, who’s become accustomed to her father’s prioritization of career over family, responds with complexity rather than plain hurt and emanates vibrant rays of love, exasperation, fear, and forgiveness all at once. In a show only 30 minutes long, and with Bonet’s performance a fairly brief one even within that short time frame, her portrayal of Justine is wildly moving and left my heart beating loudly way beyond the outro music and end credits. Truly, Bonet is an expert sculptor in the delicate molding of tenderly raw emotion.
Bonet’s Justine in peril in Tales From the Darkside
While we acknowledged earlier that Bonet’s roles in horror have been fairly limited (although I desperately hope she does more someday), another one of her horror roles was in the blood-soaked ‘80s chiller film Angel Heart.
Released only two years after the premiere of “The Satanic Piano,” the still very young Bonet stars opposite Mickey Rourke in one of the most spine-tingling films I’ve ever seen. Angel Heart follows Rourke’s Harry Angel, a crooked private eye investigating the whereabouts of a singer called Johnny Favorite. The film, with its delirious descent into madness and harsh plummet into Hell, exudes relentless brutality. But Lisa Bonet’s Epiphany Proudfoot, whose curious kindness lies in stark contrast to Angel’s frequently violent hostility, is a game-changer for the film as a whole. Her portrayal of Epiphany delivered a welcome soothing reprieve from the otherwise gritty essence of the film, turning an already stellar film into one even more stellar.
Epiphany and Harry sharing an intimate moment in Angel Heart
Whether Bonet is in horror, comedy, drama, or otherwise, her ability to transform Great into Greater makes her an incredible asset to any production. Her affinity for character world-building is unmatched, and she brings a depth to her characters that just draws you right in. While I could wax poetic about Lisa Bonet all day, however, I can’t wait to see what’s next for her, and my fingers are crossed that it’s horror.