Awards Season is in full swing, with a number of titles being nominated for Oscars. But there's another movie that continues to make headlines and go viral online: Saltburn. That black comedy is full of shocking moments, which were seen by a ton of people after it became available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription. Moments like Saltburn's infamous bath tub scene have been turned into countless memes and TikToks, and director Emerald Fennell recently reacted to the way the internet has reacted to her film.
While the discourse surrounding Saltburn started when it hit theaters, it got way more popular after being available to stream. CinemaBlend's Saltburn review praised it as one of 2023's best movies, and there's been a ton of chatter about its wild contents. In a TikTok by Indiewire, Fennell addressed the film's reception online, saying:
I mean, it's just the best ever. Because I always wanted to make a film, I wanted to make a film that was like the books and movies that I loved when I was a teenager. The gothic romances that made me feel something and made me feel the kind of raw emotion that I felt at that age and still do feel sometimes. I think what's so exciting is that people connected to it so deeply.
There you have it. It sounds like the Promising Young Woman filmmaker is over the moon that she's once again directed a movie that has people talking. And it's hard to imagine anything else happening, given outrageous moments like Saltburn's grave masturbation scene. I mean, how else were we supposed to react?
Fennell's movie is full of moments that were destined to go viral, especially the twist ending and Keoghan's naked dance scene. The song "Murder on the Dancefloor" has been used non-stop in TikToks and memes, and that's showing no signs of slowing down.
Saltburn is definitely a gothic story, as it's literally set in a castle. But the romance part that Emerald Fennell mentions is a bit one-sided, as the movie is about Oliver's obsession with Felix and his family. Later in that same interview, the actress/director/writer spoke about her movie's rewatch-ability. As she excitedly shared:
The number of people who have seen it two, three, four times. I made a movie with lots of detail and literary references and the stuff that people have really loved. And the stuff I loved nerding out about as a kid. So just thrilled.
Points were made. The twist ending of Saltburn definitely makes it worth at least one more watch, with moviegoers able to see Oliver's evil plan come together. Although smart money says that the nudity and outrageous scenes are also a big reason why folks have watched Saltburn more than once. Especially since Barry Keoghan didn't use a body double for his nude scenes.
Saltburn is streaming now on Amazon. We'll just have to wait and see if any 2024 movie releases end up being such a wild ride.
