Saltburn

Saltburn is not quite what I expected.

Part of this is deliberate. It looks like a film where the poor shy kid at boarding school is devoured by the handsome rich ones.

Well, if you’ve seen it...that’s not what happens.

But I was expecting a sort of straight-ahead thriller. And as we met the rich kid’s family in their castle home, who are unbelievably, dryly absurd, it sort of clicked that this was really a send-up of the whole concept.

Taken in that light, it’s brilliant.

I am envious of the cast. Rosamund Pike is hysterically funny. Carey Mulligan is there practically in a throwaway role. Jeez, when you win an Oscar, you can really get people to sign on!

There’s a really good score by relatively newcomer Anthony Willis, and some great needle drops. Apparently, when I was working on a Logan’s Run CD in 2001, the rest of the world was grooving to “Murder on the Dancefloor,” which features in an unforgettable solo dance scene at the end of the film.

Here is its 2001 video, what a good song!

One of many interviews online with writer/director Emerald Fennell:

This was, coincidentally, the second movie in a row I saw (the other being Maestro) which was filmed (or mostly filmed) in the old TV (or Academy) aspect ratio of 1:33 to 1. In Saltburn, it was to make it feel like we were spying on the characters.

Well, I hate it. It just reminds me of pan and scan, which I loathed.

I would like to see The Holdovers next, which is apparently on Peacock. Oh man, I am not paying for Peacock.