If You Thought “Saltburn” Was Bad, You Weren’t Paying Attention

–THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR Saltburn (2023)--

According to Google Trends, the web search for Saltburn in the U.S. hit peak popularity of 100 points (on a scale from 0-100) on December 27th, 2023, and again on January 7th, 2024.

The film, starring the global heartthrob Jacob Elordi, was released on November 7th, 2023, but I doubt I need to tell you what Saltburn is (unless, of course, you live under a rock). The film quickly took over the new movie scene and was undoubtedly a topic of conversation at holiday gatherings worldwide. People everywhere were subconsciously humming "Murder on the Dancefloor," the song made famous by the film's unforgettable closing scene. 

One thing about Saltburn is this: it was controversial. From the bathtub scene to the graveyard scene and every quirky comment in between, fans had a lot to say. 

One comment I don't understand, however, is the critics claiming the movie "traumatized them." 

When I first watched Saltburn, I knew it would be a quirky indie film that makes you slightly uncomfortable. I mean–it was all over the trailers: the dark lighting, the dramatic music, the strange dialogue…the signs were there. 

In a video with Vanity Fair, the director of Saltburn, Emerald Fennell, carefully explains just a few of the small details weaved into the film, which, quite honestly, could be easily missed if you really weren't paying attention. 

Perhaps the most prominent example of careful art execution is explained in the video. Fennell dissects the frame just after Oliver enters Saltburn for the first time. To a normal, unsuspecting eye, all you might see is the chandelier and the figure of Oliver entering the room. 

However, there's so much more that goes behind it. Fennell gives a shout-out to the art team because of their choice to include a fly strip – filled with dead bugs – hanging from the chandelier. 

Fennel said the scene needed "something old, something shabby, something that's been missed." The scene was also shot wide enough to include the extremely tall ceilings–a feature Fennell wanted to point out. After all, the house had never been used in a film before. Fennell was adamant about using a location the audience had never seen. The sprawling estate, officially named the "Drayton House," was built in the 1300s. It is located in Northamptonshire, England, and is nothing short of spectacular. The production and art team created some elements of the estate, like the garden maze where Felix meets his death. Still, most of the elements of the home were left in their original state, capturing the timeless architecture and setting of the chateau-like home. 

At the heart of the movie, its theme surrounds obsession with beauty and humanity's materialistic and toxic nature. The glamorization of the wealthy lifestyle, the "savior complex" Felix and his family possess, and Oliver's manipulative nature all represent humanity's worst vices.

The hardest scene to watch–in my opinion–is the bathtub scene. I won't get into the dirty details to spare those who watched it, but Oliver drinks Felix's bathwater to keep it short and sweet. But even that scene–possibly the most grotesque in the film–had an essential purpose. Until then, Oliver's fascination with Felix seemed unattainable to us as the audience. It was more of a fantasy, but the bathtub scene brought it to the horrific nature that it indeed was. 

There is a reason behind all the creepy, unsettling scenes in the movie. They're not there to "traumatize" you, but they are there to make you think, and Emerald Fennell was really trying to make the audience use their brains. Art is not supposed to make you feel comfortable. 

Given this, it's beyond my comprehension that this movie only has a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has met so much backlash from the film community. The star-studded cast and overall eeriness were intoxicating and captivating. 

I could go on about all of the small details and artistic choices sprinkled into the movie, but instead, I will invite you to watch it for yourself. Try to shed this film's outer shell of uneasiness and pay close attention–it is a stellar example of film direction. 

In the meantime, you can find me running around my house naked and singing "Murder on the Dancefloor." 

Strike Out, 

Haley Dockendorff 

Boca Raton 

Haley Dockendorff is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. Loud and proud, this Virgo loves writing just about anything that will cause a bit of commotion. If you can’t find her, she’s probably somewhere on a beach with a camera in hand. You can reach her at haleydockendorff143@gmail.com