Written by Sam White
This past week SCAD Film Fest honored director Emerald Fennell with the Spotlight Director Award before a sold out screening of her new film “Saltburn” (out November 17th). The excitement was electric as showtime approached with a line of patiently waiting attendees wrapping around the block. After an acceptance speech by Fennell, it was time for one of the most anticipated films of the festival, Saltburn. Just over two hours later when the film ended Fennell received a standing ovation from the enthusiastic audience at the Lucas Theater. In her latest film (only her second directorial outing) Emerald Fennell transports the audience to the English estate of Saltburn. Showcasing eccentric characters and wicked desires, Fennell has once again created a masterpiece.
Taking place in the beautiful Victorian-era English countryside, the events of Saltburn begin with two unlikely friends, Oliver (Barry Keoghan) and Felix (Jacob Elordi) who meet while attending the University of Oxford. Oliver, an ordinary college student, is enthralled by Felix’s wealth and popularity. When Felix invites Oliver to stay at his home, Saltburn for the summer, Oliver jumps at the opportunity. This is where the audience begins to see the dark side of Oliver’s love for Felix. As Fennell reveals the extent of Oliver’s lust for status and wealth, the film dives into darker and darker territory. Through black tie dinners and red-cup-on-the-lawn parties, romances and rivalries, Fennell spins a twisted tale of obsession through the lens of class struggle and old aristocracy.
After her directorial debut Promising Young Woman (2020) garnered 5 Oscar nominations and a win for best original screenplay, audiences have highly anticipated Saltburn, and for good reason. The film boasts an impressive cast, starring Barry Keoghan, and Jacob Elordi, who both offer incredible performances. They star alongside a supporting cast that brings the tenuous relationships and social politics of Saltburn to life. Supporting actors Rosamund Pike and Archie Madekwe deliver standout performances throughout the film. All together the cast of Saltburn masterfully portrays moral ambiguity, internal conflict, and selfish desire.
Saltburn features cinematography from Linus Sandgren, best known for his work on 2016’s La La Land which earned him the Academy Award for best Cinematography. With such a prolific cinematographer on board, it’s no surprise that Saltburn is a truly beautiful film. Sandgren captures the dream-like atmosphere of Saltburn, blending the beauty of the natural world with the early oughts U.K party scene in a way that gives the entirety of the film a consistent style, featuring brightly lit nights, and the landscapes of a summer’s day in the English countryside. It’s his beautiful use of style and contrast that reflects Fennell’s thematic messaging on the screen. I would be surprised if Sandgren’s work on Saltburn isn’t one of the main points of discussion come award season.
Saltburn will undoubtedly go down as having one of the best soundtracks of the year. Though not on the star-studded original soundtrack level of Barbie, Saltburn features a compilation of early 2000’s British pop and dance hits that set the scene perfectly. Tracks like MGMT’s Time to Pretend and The Killers’ Mr.Brightside stand in stark contrast to the dark content of the film. Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder On The Dancefloor soundtracks the final scene of the film in a brilliantly choreographed solo dance number performed by Barry Keoghan. Trust me, this scene is the ultimate showstopper and is one people will certainly be talking about.
With Saltburn Emerald Fennell has cemented herself as one of the great filmmakers of her generation, going two for two spectacular films in just three years. While the graphic content and at times fast pacing may not be to every audience’s liking, the provocative and attention grabbing nature of Saltburn is sure to garner even more praise once the film hits theaters.
