Last night we had the chance to preview the new movie Saltburn thanks to a Cineworld Unlimited Screening, the new movie is written and directed by Emerald Fennell and stars Rosamund Pike, Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi and Archie Madekwe.
Struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton, who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family’s sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten.
One of the things that you pick up straight away about Saltburn is its screen ratio, the film is shot in a 1.33:1 (4:3) aspect ratio which is very much how we used to watch TV a good few years ago before widescreen became the norm for TVs, the format is very much ‘old school’ and director Emerald Fennel has said that the film was shot in this format to give the feeling of “peeping in”.
The 1.33:1 aspect ratio won’t be for everyone but if like me you love classic movies then it’s nothing new, although it does get a little used to when watching the movie on the big screen. I have to say that the aspect ratio works perfectly for Saltburn, the framing and cinematography looks amazing and it certainly gives you that ‘peeping in’ feeling that Fennell has mentioned.
I had seen the trailer for Saltburn several times during my trips to the cinema and I have to say that it certainly had me intrigued about the film, but what I wasn’t expecting was how Saltburn twists and turns and sets you up for something that you really aren’t expecting from the final act, but it certainly pays off and it is a bit of a shocker.
Emerald Fennell’s writing and directing of this movie was a sheer joy to watch, as I mentioned earlier the cinematography by Linus Sandgren (No Time To Die, La La Land) captures the feeling of the film and works very well that you do forget after a short while that Saltburn is shot in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio.
When it comes to the cast I have to say that Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin, Dunkirk) should be up for an Oscar for his performance, he really brought the character to life on the screen and you feel for his character Oliver as soon as you are introduced to him.
But when it comes to Oliver finally getting to Saltburn we are treated to even more great performances from Jacob Elordi as Felix who is a character that Oliver has connected himself to. But for me, the stand-out performances in the Great House have to come from Richard E. Grant and Rosamund Pike as Sir James Catton and Elspeth Catton, their comedic moments and wonderful lines just added to so many of the scenes that you probably wouldn’t expect.
I don’t really want to go into too much detail about what happens in the film as it could really give the ending away, but all I can say is that when you go and see Saltburn it’s going to take you through a journey of strong sex, nudity, sexual threat, drug misuse, very strong language and a couple of scenes that will either have your jaw on the floor or just staring at the screen and thinking, “what the…“.
Saltburn is a film that had me glued to the screen from start to finish, it’s got everything that makes a great film including a wonderful soundtrack from Anthony Willis (Promising Young Woman), but what I can say is that after listening to a certain track from Sophie Ellis-Baxter in the film, you will never think of the track the same ever again.
Missed Saltburn in the cinema? You can now catch the film on Amazon Prime Video.
A Strange and Intriguing Film that had me glued
Movie title: Saltburn (2023)
Movie description: A student at Oxford University finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate, who invites him to his eccentric family's sprawling estate for a summer never to be forgotten.
Date published: November 9, 2023
Country: UK
Duration: 2h 7m
Director(s): Emerald Fennell
Actor(s): Rosamund Pike, Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Archie Madekwe
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Summary
Saltburn is not only a beautifully shot film, it also takes you in and keeps you watching from start to finish.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
