Fennell's "Saltburn" Melds Hollywood & High Society in Cinematic Twist
Emerald Fennell's latest cinematic venture, Saltburn, was the topic of discussion at a post-screening Q&A held Tuesday night at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles. Fennell, the mastermind behind Oscar Best Picture-nominated and Best Screenplay-winner Promising Young Woman, channels her vast experience into a film that connects Hollywood and the British upper crust in surprising ways.
Saltburn, Fennell's second full-length feature, tells the story of Oliver, an Oxford University student portrayed by Barry Keoghan. Oliver finds himself thrust into a world of high society eccentricities when he befriends his classmate, Felix, an aristocratic Adonis played by Jacob Elordi. Oliver's journey takes him to Felix's family estate, where he becomes both an outsider and a silent observer. Throughout the film, we are introduced to Felix’s family, comprising parents Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant, alongside a cast of colorful characters including Archie Madekwe as Felix's cusin and Alison Oliver as his sister. Familiar face Carey Mulligan, lauded for her role in Fennell's Promising Young Woman, makes an appearance as a slightly unhinged houseguest.
Over the course of the film, Oliver struggles with an existential crisis all too familiar to Hollywood dreamers, Fennell explained: “wanting to be something, wanting to be someone.” Despite Oliver's hard work and determination to fit in, he continues to feel like an outsider. Costume designer Sophie Canale visually reflects Oliver's predicament through an intentional wardrobe that contrasts with the carefree fashion of Britain's elite.
Staying true to her creativity, Fennell described Saltburn as "a vampire film" due to its focus on Oliver's insatiable desire to assimilate into a life that he continually lusts for. Cinematographer Linus Sandgren collaborated with Fennell to enhance this theme, showcasing how the vampiric relationship doesn't only exist between Oliver and the high society, but within the society itself.
Though Fennell chose to reserve her thoughts on the film's script due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, she did echo her support by saying, “WGA strong.” U.S. moviegoers can catch Saltburn in theaters starting November 24th.
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Now, lend an ear to my take on this peculiar gathering of Hollywood and high society. Fennell's knack for bridging contexts is as awe-inspiring as it is hilarious. She has taken Oliver, a character as unsuspecting as a cat at a dog show, and plunged him headfirst into a world as foreign as Vegemite in an American diner.
Keoghan's portrayal of Oliver is as palpable as biting into a lemon: tangy, intense, and unable to be ignored. Elordi as the picture-perfect aristocrat Felix is remarkably apt, like casting a golden retriever to play... well, a golden retriever. The typecasting is spot-on, only because it dares to mock itself.
Fennell’s quip about Los Angeles fostering more 'wistful Olivers' than ever rings especially true in an era where fame and fortune seem only a viral dance video away. But even amid the bright lights and big dreams of Hollywood, an outsider's scarf: or in local terms, an audition-catastrophe: can still feel as glaring as an ink stain on a white shirt.
Yet, here’s where Fennell’s genius truly shines- yes, we're venturing into couture territory now. The "two-polo-shirts" and "bad extensions" may seem like mere costume choices but in reality, they act as a time capsule. They mirror society's cyclical and sometimes questionable tastes, momentarily making us all Oliver gawking at the outlandishly posh.
In conclusion, Fennell's Saltburn promises an exploration of identity, a good dose of British whimsy, all wrapped in a savvy commentary on societal hierarchies. So my fellow cinephiles, keep your popcorn at hand; we’re in for an entertaining ride.
