Saltburn
Kim had been speaking to me about her preference for horror films. When I called in at the Odyssey today they were showing Saltburn. I thought I read ‘gothic horror’ so I thought “Let me have another go at horror”.
The last horror I recall watching was ‘Pet Sematary’ and I was so disturbed I had to say to ‘a couple’ while we were leaving “That film scared the life out of me!”
So what the film does for me is highlight the class issue particular to England. I am aware of more films dealing with this theme. The one that comes to mind is ‘Starter for 10’.
There is a twist in the plot (I can’t say) that for me realigned the class issue. Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) wins a scholarship to Oxford. He is awkward in dealing with the social setting which may have to do with class, his personality or both. It seems he develops a crush on another male student Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) who is the life and soul of the social group.
He succeeds in winning his friendship and he is invited back to the family estate for the summer. Quick is playing his own psychological game while the film tells the story of the affluent life and the culture shock experienced by the uninitiated.
There are several scenes that I found quite shocking.
I am sure I read it is a ‘Black comedy’, if it is I didn’t get it.
A couple of things that stand out.
The Liverpool accent
I was aware that Liverpool seems to sit alone within England. Posh people, at least according to the film, seem to know little about it and seem to psychologically disassociate from it.
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I could see that you may not get this nuance if from outside the UK.
“You are real”
My paraphrase of Venetia (Alison Oliver) the sister of Felix who suffers from an eating disorder.
This was her answer to her question about why Felix liked Oliver. It seems the further up the social tree the more acting you see.
The upper classes seem to have little originality
It seems they are admirers of what is happening at the grassroots yet they are no part of it.
Some treat those lesser than them as curious objects rather than equals.
The fraud
Oliver has a plan and the film is about that plan. I am not sure I discovered the why of it.
I endorse the quote below made on Rotten Tomatoes,
Saltburn is really intense and the cast does a terrific job, but if you’re easily grossed out or offended, this probably isn’t the movie for you.
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