History Film / PossiblyInMichigan

* Shout-Out: Sharon disposes of one of Arthur's bones by throwing it out the window, and we get a shot of it [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey spinning in the air]].

* AmbiguouslyGay: The fact that Sharon and Janice enjoy their pivotal meal together while apparently completely nude might mean nothing or it might mean everything (Condit's occasional show of support for comments claiming a queer intepretation suggests the latter).

* MindScrew: If [[spoiler:Arthur]] is dead, how is he stealing wine off the windowsill?

* TheMall: The primary setting at the beginning of the film. Namely Beachwood Place, located in suburban [[UsefulNotes/Cleveland]], Ohio.

%%* BadassInANiceSuit: Arthur, a.k.a. Prince Charming, who always wears a tuxedo.

%%* TheEighties: The early [[TheEighties eighties]] are on full display here.

%%* {{Gorn}}: The various scenes of Sharon fading away, replaced by ancient, desiccated corpses.

%%* MalevolentMaskedMen: Arthur. Also, shortly before the women become aware that Sharon is being stalked, there are several bizarre cuts of a room full of these dancing with women.

%%* RavenHairIvorySkin: Sharon.
%%* SanitySlippageSong: The "Animal, Cannibal" song that plays throughout the film.
%%* StalkerWithACrush: Arthur, though the "crush" part is more murderous lust than actual attraction.

%%* TitleDrop: During the theme song.

* SurrealHumor: Strangely enough, the short manages to achieve ''this trope'' as well, with the horror elements also possibly adding a sense of strange humor at times.

%%* MindScrew: If [[spoiler:Arthur]] is dead, how is he stealing wine off the windowsill?

%%* SurrealHorror: '''Oh yes'''. Between the janky synth waltzes, horrific premise, and the unnerving footage dispersed throughout the film, ''Possibly in Michigan'' has this trope nailed to a T.

[[caption-width-right:350:"Have we met before...[[TitleDrop Possibly in Michigan?]]"]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[SanitySlippageSong "Have we met before...]][[TitleDrop Possibly in Michigan?"]]]]

* AnArmAndALeg: Love costs this, apparently.
* AxCrazy:[[spoiler: Arthur, who claims he stalks, tortures, murders, and cannibalizes women "for love."]]
* BadassInANiceSuit: Arthur, a.k.a. Prince Charming, who always wears a tuxedo.

* BecomingTheMask: Stated word-for-word (and visually depicted,) to be what has happened to Arthur.
* BigDamnHeroes: Janice pulls one off.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: Sharon is attracted to [[DomesticAbuse violent men,]] but also likes "making them [[DrivenToVillainy think the violence is their idea."]] Arthur, meanwhile, thinks of himself as a "Prince Charming" but is actually [[spoiler: a [[SerialKiller serial killer.]]]]
** It is stated that what the main characters have in common is their [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking love of violence and perfume.]]
* CasualDangerDialog: Sharon's reaction when an intruder attacks and threatens to cut off her arms and legs? [[spoiler:"Love shouldn't cost an [[AnArmAndALeg arm and a leg!"]]]]
* TheEighties: The early [[TheEighties eighties]] are on full display here.
* EvilTastesGood: [[spoiler:Sharon and Janice]] aren't the slightest bit fazed by engaging in cannibalism. In fact, they seem to enjoy every minute of it.
* FreakyElectronicMusic: The entire soundtrack counts, being primarily comprised of eerie, janky DIY synth waltzes. Special mentiom goes to "Animal, Cannibal", a perfect representation of the mental state of both [[JerkassHero Sharon]] and [[SerialKiller Arthur]], which is rife with janky lower-pitched saw waves and unsettlingly high square waves. It's so early 80s DIY synth it hurts.
* {{Gorn}}: The various scenes of Sharon fading away, replaced by ancient, desiccated corpses.
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: After [[spoiler:eating Arthur]] the girls enjoy a very long smoke, to the point of coughing.
* HumanoidAbomination: The stalker is depicted as one with his unnatural gait and poses, and distorted, screaming face. It's made worse by the fact that there are several times when the women apparently can't see him even though [[InvisibleToNormals they should.]] [[spoiler:Once he finally arrives at Sharon's house he appears as a normal man.]]
* ImAHumanitarian: Arthur, [[spoiler:and Sharon and Janice later.]]
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:Arthur, a cannibalistic serial killer, meets his end by being murdered, dismembered and eaten by two of his would-be victims]].
* MalevolentMaskedMen: Arthur. Also, shortly before the women become aware that Sharon is being stalked, there are several bizarre cuts of a room full of these dancing with women.
* MicrowaveTheDog: Janice tells a story about her aunt doing this, much to [[JerkassHero Sharon's]] amusement.
* MindScrew: If [[spoiler:Arthur]] is dead, how is he stealing wine off the windowsill?
* TheOphelia: Sharon's dialogue/voiceover carries some implication that she's not quite there mentally; driven home by numerous shots of her lying in the grass, Ophelia-like, with flowers in her hair.
* RavenHairIvorySkin: Sharon.
* SanitySlippageSong: The "Animal, Cannibal" song that plays throughout the film.
* StalkerWithACrush: Arthur, though the "crush" part is more murderous lust than actual attraction.
* SurrealHorror: '''Oh yes'''. Between the janky synth waltzes, horrific premise, and the unnerving footage dispersed throughout the film, ''Possibly in Michigan'' has this trope nailed to a T.
* TitleDrop: During the theme song.
* ToThePain: Sharon's attacker gleefully explains how he is going to dismember her and eat her limbs in front of her.