A FEW WORDS ON THE CINEMATIC INFLUENCES ON SALTBURN

The Shining / Saltburn

The biggest praise I have for Saltburn is that Rosemund Pike was finally given a role worthy of her talents. I don’t care if you like Saltburn or not (I thought it was “fine” overall). But I don’t think it can be denied that once she appears in the film around the 30-something minute mark - the tone completely changes. I mean that in the best way possible. The movie just instantly becomes better. It’s a testament to her aura. Richard Grant’s performance shouldn’t go unnoticed nor should Barry Keoghan’s (this is yet another example of how he shines best when he plays a deceptive little freak like in The Killing Of A Sacred Deer).

But this isn’t a review of Saltburn. Enough has already been said about the movie. We don’t need another opinion on it floating around. I also get that some folks don’t like Emerald Fennell or her films because she’s a privileged white person that has said some weird things in interviews but we’re not here for that. I don’t care. Please save those think-piece criticisms for Letterboxd, tik tok or an extra long Twitter/X thread that I will be sure to scroll past.

What I’m most fascinated with are the film’s influences and how open Fennell has been about her cinematic reference points (while not every film referenced in Saltburn is easily recognizable - the amount of reference points are almost on the same level as something like Pulp Fiction). 

I found it strange that there were so many video packages of her talking about her influences with almost no actual side-by-side comparisons in said video packages so I went ahead and complied some. I’m sure I missed a few so please make sure to share some you feel I may have left out (again - this is just about references. I don’t care if you hated Saltburn or not).

Kubrick’s dedication to building a world to making a film is something that I have always kind of looked to - Emerald Fennell, IGV Presents 

The Shining / Saltburn

Even without these quotes it’s pretty obvious that just about any modern thriller that takes place inside of a big mansion is going to get some comparison Kubrick’s The Shining… 

The Shining / Saltburn

The Shining / Saltburn

Fennell is also just big fan of Kubrick all together:

We can thrill to the transgressive behaviour of [violent gang] the droogs in the way we can thrill to the transgressive behaviour of Saltburn's utterly entitled snobs - Ermerald Fennell, The Face Magazine 

A Clockwork Orange / Saltburn

A Clockwork Orange / Saltburn

But putting the obvious Kubrick/Shining influence aside, Fennell pulls from other classic psychological thrillers that take place primarily within a home/mansion like The Servant and The Innocents

  

I think it [The Servant]’s one of the all-time great movies - Emerald Fennell, IGV Presents 

The Servant / Saltburn

The Servant / Saltburn

If you're familiar with both films then you might notice that Fennell essentially splits up the Hugo Barrett Servant character in to both Oliver and Duncan from Saltburn

The Servant / Saltburn

The use of space in the house itself is kind of unbelievably well used and is very much like a character in its own which is kind of very important to me when thinking about something like Saltburn - Emerald Fennell, IGV Presents

The Innocents / Saltburn

The Innocents / Saltburn

The Innocents / Saltburn

there's a very famous shot across a pond with a woman across a pond with a woman just sitting in some reads that I think it is one of the most brilliant horror shots ever made - Emerald Fennell, IGV Presents

The Innocents / Saltburn

She also pulls from older British films like Kind Hearts and Coronets…

I think it’s really sort of perceptive about the British class system and kind of quite a dangerous satire - Emerald Fennell, IGV Presents

Kind Hearts and Coronets / Saltburn

Kind Hearts and Coronets / Saltburn

Kind Hearts and Coronets / Saltburn

Kind Hearts and Coronets / Saltburn

Fennell does draw inspiration from more modern filmmakers like Sofia Coppola...

Sofia Coppola is a great example of the modern American Gothic - Emrald Fennell, Glamour Magazine

The Virgin Suicides / Saltburn

Marie Antoinette / Saltburn

Marie Antoinette / Saltburn

To my surprise Fennell was also influenced by a personal favorite of mine: Peter Greenaway…

The cook the thief, the Wife, and his Lover and The Draftsman's Contract were huge - Emerald Fennell, Tumblr

The Draughtsman's Contracts / Saltburn

The Draughtsman's Contracts / Saltburn

Hitchcock can also be found all over her latest film… 

That's the thing I love so much about Hitchcock, obviously bar the slightly unsavory elements of his character, but as a filmmaker, he loved doing it. He had such a fun time. We did too with this movie. I mean, it was hard going, but we had the best time making it - Emerald Fennell, Forbes

Psycho /
Saltburn

Vertigo / Saltburn

THE FAVOURITE

This one is a unique creature. In my personal opinion, The Favourite doesn’t even crack Yorgos Lanthimos’ top five (which means it ranks “last” within his filmography considering he’s only made six features).

On a side note - this ranking kind of speaks highly to Lanthimos’ barely seen debut; Kinetta. I mean - so few people saw it that Lanthimos was able to get away with remaking it (with a few tweaks) in the form of Alps (both movies deal with service workers recreating/reliving the memories of other people).

Barry Lyndon / The Favourite

The Favourite is heavily influenced by Barry Lyndon which I've never been to crazy about (Yorgos Lanthimos appeared on an episode of Marc Maron's podcast and mentioned Kubrick's Barry Lyndon a few times). But I find it interesting & intriguing that one of my favorite recent filmmakers (Lanthimos) drew inspiration from a movie I'm not crazy about (I know I'm in the minority on that) and made me enjoy & appreciate it more. This may ruffle some feathers but I think The Favourite is the only way I can really enjoy Barry Lyndon (this review isn't about Kubrick's mostly critically acclaimed masterpiece - and it's been said already - but Barry Lyndon comes off as a very boring movie made by a bored person at the time. Sorry...)

Barry Lyndon /
The Favourite

At this point in my life a Kubrick influenced movie isn't a huge "draw" for me. Don't get me wrong - Kubrick is a master and probably one of my favorite filmmakers (on a very long list), but what major/critically acclaimed movie isn't influenced by him at this point (even movies that don't draw from Kubrick are still compared to his work). I'm also pretty lukewarm on films from the main culprits of the school of Kubrick (Christopher Nolan, Paul Thomas Anderson and every other Shining-influenced horror movie or 2001-influenced space movie with a few exception here & there).
I expect filmmakers like Christopher Nolan to draw from Kubrick. Not Yorgos Lanthimos. He's someone I've never associated with Stanley Kubrick. Until The Favourite he was a student of folks like Bresson (Alps), Haneke (Sacred Deer) and even a pinch off Todd Solondz (Dogtooth). And before that - he was self-admittedly inspired by films like Flash Dance & Rocky which are both referenced in Dogtooth.
A Kubrick-inspired Yorgos Lanthimos movie felt like a breath of fresh air (even if Barry Lyndon is the point of reference). While it isn't on the level of a Dogtooth or Sacred, The Favourite is still something different for him. There's no (outright) Bresson-ian deadpan performances or Haneke-esque darkness. And I might be ruffling some more feathers or triggering some so-called film purists but The Favourite has a soul that Barry Lyndon doesn't.

Now...Barry Lyndon isn't the only movie to influence elements of The Favourite. Yorgos Lanthimos has mentioned the work of Peter Greenaway as a major inspiration. Specifically The Draughtman's Contract...

The Droughtman's Contract / The Favourite 

There are also shades of everything from Persona 

Persona /
The Favourite

...to Jean Epstein's early experimental silent films...

The Favourite / The films of Jean Epstein (The Faithful Heart & The Fall Of The House Of Usher)

Set in early 18th-century England, the story focuses on the relationship between two cousins (Sarah Churchill & Abigail Masham) vying for the attention of the mentally unstable Queen Anne (Lanthimos based a lot of The Favourite on his own speculations and letters written to/from Queen Anne & Churchill).

If anything, The Favourite serves as an example of an “arthouse”/left-field director turning the corner in to a slightly more mainstream lane without compromising their style too much (there is some compromising in my opinion as the dark humor is somewhat toned down in comparison to his other movies). The Favourite doesn’t have dialogue about jerking off your dad (The Killing Of A Sacred Deer) or “rape humor” (The Lobster), but the humor in The Favourite is still darkly comical and somewhat fucked up (the way the man-boys in The Favourite treat the women is fucked up, funny, and serves as some obvious commentary on gender dynamics that we’re still dealing with today and probably always will).

Lanthimos’ transition has been an interesting decade-long observation. Dogtooth (2009) came out of nowhere and earned an Oscar nomination. The Lobster (2015) not only gained Lanthimos a second Oscar nomination, but this was his first English-speaking film with recognizable folks like John C Reilly, Rachel Weisz & Colin Farrell who, in my opinion, captured that Bresson-ian acting style that Lanthimos loves so much. That acting style was kind of abandoned in The Favourite so I understand why some Lanthimos fans didn't place this movie on the same pedestal as Dogtooth & Sacred Deer. It’s also difficult to follow something like The Killing Of A Sacred (probably one of the best films of the decade). As much as I enjoyed The Favourite it’s still "safe" when compared to Lanthimos' earlier work. But I’m honestly not mad at Yorgos for playing it safe. It’s kind of like the arthouse/auteur version of fast food which - like fast food - is fine every once in a while (plus his short film work that followed The Favourite was a return to form so we know he didn't abandon what makes him so great). I'm also not mad at The Favourite for putting Lanthimos on a more accessible level...

OUR TIME: TIFF 2018 HIGHLIGHT #4

Carlos Reygadas has crafted a trilogy of films all dealing with couples putting their respective relationships to the so-called ultimate test. In Silent Light it was infidelity, in Post Tenrbras Lux it was a swingers bath house experience, and with Our Time, it’s an open relationship. Reygadas' latest doesn’t have any of the weird and/or surreal stuff that Post Tenebras Lux has but the two films are still visually similar. And while Silent Light belongs with Japon & Battle In Heaven in terms of execution, it fits more in line with his last two in terms of the basic plot. Our Time is still meditative, ambient and slightly transgressive in a broad sense.
Our Time is also an incredibly frustrating movie. But that’s the point. I imagine an open relationship between two frustrating people with kids (like in the film of discussion) would be a nightmare. Reygadas just validates this with his latest project.
Open relationships are far from my thing (I'm old fashioned when it comes to my lady). But if that is your thing - no judgment on my end. But...if you have the kind of open relationship that Juan & Ester have in Our Time, then I may judge you a little...

Juan (Reygadas) is kind of a bitch (sorry to sound so blunt & crass but it's true). He's certainly not the kind of person who can handle an open relationship and it shows. While he has been lied to by his wife (although I don’t understand how you can lie in an open relationship, but whatever...), he’s very naggy, hovering & insecure. Sure his current relationship situation - a situation he allowed to happen - has forced him to be this way, I still get the sense that he’s a naggy insecure person no matter what.
And on the other end of the relationship - Ester is incredibly selfish & bratty (also a bit immature for the open relationship she’s in). And again - they also have three children to take care of/think of about. There's no time for childish arguments and unnecessary jealousy.

But again - all of this is intentional. I know this movie sounds grueling & unappealing but outside of all the intentionally frustrating moments, Our Time is a beautiful film that shows a side of Mexico we don’t really see outside of Amat Escalante, Reygadas and a few others. Reygadas is also still interested in representing the rich/upper-class of Mexico. But that's his world. I'd prefer he focus on the kinds of people he knows.

The residue of Tarkovsky has yet to leave Reygadas which is evident in this comparisons below...

Our Time / Solaris

And while Peter Greenaway & Carlos Reygads couldn't be more different, I still found the idea of the insecure artist in a somewhat open relationship with his wife in Our Time to be reminiscent of Greenaway's Belly Of An Architect.

The Belly Of An Architect / Our Time

And to keep piling on - Our Time is also three hours long. And while it's beautiful to look at, it still feels like a real three hours. But this is still a brilliant piece of cinema. Along with High Life & Shoplifters, Our Time is easily one of the best movies I’ve seen at festival thus far (also Reygadas’ best film after Post Tenebras Lux).

THE SCHOOL OF GODARD PART 2: MOVING IMAGERY

I know it's been a while since we've looked at Godard's influence here at PINNLAND EMPIRE (check out part one if you haven't already) but we're back with an all new post.

In part two we're going to look at some obvious, yet overlooked examples ranging from Hal Hartey & Leos Carax (who, like Godard, wrote for Cahier Du Cinema prior to becoming a filmmaker and used some of the same actors that Godard used) to Xavier Dolan & Claire Denis (elements of Beau Travail are directly connected to one of Godard's classic films).

And, like usual, some of these examples are a little far out (White Of The Eye) and probably coincidental (Rocky), but the similarities are there nonetheless.

Enjoy...

Leos Carax's use of Black & White cinematography, plaid & striped clothing and dance in Boy Meets Girl (right) all seem very reminiscent of Godard's Band Of Outsiders...

It should also be noted that Leos Carax appears in Godard's King Lear

Band Of Outsiders / Boy Meets Girl

The French New Wave vs. the Czech New Wave...

Vivre Sa Vie / Loves Of A Blonde

Agnes Varda (right) ran in similar film circles with Godard (left) so perhaps there was some subconscious influence? You be the judge...

A Married Woman . La Bonheur

Rumor has it that Xavier Dolan has never seen a Godard film. That may very be well true but I find that hard to believe given the comparison below (note both the color schemes and the similar shots of the naked bodies)

Contempt / Heartbeats 

Alphaville / Les Rendezvous D'Anna

Michel Subor plays the same character in both films so this one isn't really up for debate...

Le Petite Soldat / Beau Travail

Alphaville / Lost Highway

The Cranberries are on record saying Alphaville was an influence on their music video for Linger...

Alphaville / Linger

Hal Harley was once dubbed "The Jean Luc Godard of Long Island" and this example below might be one of the many reasons why (I always associated Hartley more with Bresson but there is definitely a Godard connection in some of his work)

First Name Carmen /
No Such Thing

Passion /
Nightwatching

Vivre Sa Vie /
Rocky

Pierrot Le Fou / The White Of The Eye

Twin Peaks / Vivre Sa Vie

Vivre Sa Vie / Friday Night

Vivre Sa Vie / The Match Factory Girl