Or Girl meets Boys, Girl seduces and kills all the Boys, Girl decides she like all the Boys really, Boys are Bastards. You know, your typical Girl meets Boy story.
You can watch the trailer here.
Warning: There will be swearing, and there will be penis. Lots of penis.
Under the Skin (2013) was certainly interesting. I'm constantly fighting against myself with this one. I hated it. Then it grew on me the more I thought about it. Then I kept remembering the ending and chastising myself for starting to like it.I wanted to love it, and for a while I did. But then it all went wrong.
When I decided I wanted to watch the film, this was all I knew about it. Synopsis courtesy of Flixster;
A voluptuous woman of unknown origin combs the highway in search of isolated or forsaken men, luring a succession of lost souls into an otherworldly lair. They are seduced, stripped of their humanity, and never heard from again. Based on the novel by Michael Faber, this film examines human experience from the perspective of an unforgettable heroine who grows too comfortable in her borrowed skin, until she is abducted into humanity with devastating results.
I'm just going to get straight into spoilers here so don't go any further unless you really want to know.
I'm just going to get straight into spoilers here so don't go any further unless you really want to know.
Under the Skin can be clearly marked into three parts: 'Alien abducting humans', 'Alien wants to be human', and 'Shit just got real'. It is from this stance that I will separate what I am afraid will be an intolerably long review. Get yourself a cuppa and some snacks.
The Beginning - Alien Wants to Destroy Humans
The opening sequence was perhaps one of my favourite sections from the film and set it all up so wonderfully in context and tone. We watch a series of shapes and colours slowly assign themselves into an eye, all the while hearing a sequence of inaudible sounds slowly form themselves into words. It was completely alien, completely without threat and yet intolerably sinister. As a stand alone sequence, definitely one of my favourites in the film. It was like we were being born into it ourselves through the confusion and trying to make sense of all the shapes and sounds around us.
Scarlett Johansson plays our 'voluptuous woman' who is actually an alien, sent to assimilate herself into Earth culture in order to kidnap unsuspecting human males.
It is never quite clear what they want from us, though it is clear that Voluptuous Woman, (I shall call her VW from now. IMDB lists her as Laura but I like making her sound like an empty metallic shell we drive around in) is just one agent of an unknown number. To be fair, what they want isn't the point. We never see nor hear from the organisers of this invasion. We view humanity and the world blankly, as VW does upon first meeting them. We have no strong judgements about them or the alien's intent with them. We are just things.
If you want to know exactly what is happening and why, it seems clear that you need to read the book beforehand. However, if you need this kind of justification from film, then I would advise not attempting to see Under The Skin at all. The whole point is the empty, context-less experience. The more you know, the less you see, and the more frustrating the film becomes.
Throughout Johansson is perfect. Though I have yet to decide whether that is due to any particular brilliance on her part, or some very fantastic editing around her from director Jonathan Glazer. Johansson has an often blank but highly appeasing face which worked perfectly for the dispassionate alien in Under the Skin or the highly scheming and unusual Rebecca in Ghost World (2001) . There is something eternally entrancing about her visage and the way Glazer builds the film around her is nothing short of remarkable. This film is an intriguing case study in Soviet Montage. If Lars Von Trier can describe himself as 'but a simple masturbator of the silver screen', can Johansson be a 'simple masturbator of the camera'? Is this too generous? Perhaps she is just the camera's fluffer?
To be honest I don't really know. I think I need to do a big Johansson marathon at some point to sum up my feelings about her. Either way though, is that enough? For me so far, yes, and now I feel a little dirty.
I loved that VW spoke in perfect RP while driving around Scotland. Her overtly eloquent and pronounced tongue really set aside this strong sense of alienness, not just from the Glaswegian people whom she was trying to live amongst, but also Britain as a whole. It was the kind of accent we only tend to experience when a 'British' person (FYI America they aren't British, they are English) appears in US TV. It is an accent we never hear in our day to day lives. American media manages to make Britishness alien to even the British, it really is quite impressive.
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| Courtesy of BuzzFeeds '21 Things People Hate About British People' Thread. |
The lighting switches to red and we see the flesh being pumped into what looks like a furnace only with no fire. From reading the reviews and opinions of others who had clearly researched the novel after (which, once again I think ruins the point of the film which was only loosely based on the novel at best) I am told that the aliens are after our meat. My early reading was that they were trying to find a way to cleanly separate the skin from the flesh, so that others can don the mask and walk among us. I kind of liked the idea they all just wanted to hang for whatever sinister reason, not that they were shallowly just after a tasty rare treat. I'm going to stick to my reading.
The Middle - Alien Wants to Become Human
It was clear that the progression from huntress to humanity was never meant to be a sudden switch and I really respected Under the Skin for that, especially when it could have lost face in it as easily as it did the resolution. There are a series of chilling to wonderful moments that make up her assimilation. This is where VW starts to become Laura.
The Baby - The first scene, and the most memorable, was the baby. While attempting to abduct a hermit surfer, VW's seduction is interrupted by shouts of terror as a woman dives into the tumultuous sea in an attempt to save her dog. Her husband screams after her and rushes in in suit. The surfer, obviously the strongest swimmer, goes in after him in turn. It's like the more traumatic version of The Giant Turnip.
Surfer temporarily manages to save Husband, but he quickly dives back in again after his Wife, who has already long slipped beneath the waves. Surfer goes back for him, and although he manages to crawl exhausted from the waves, our mate VW decides to bash his head in with a rock. No good deed goes unpunished and all that.
It is only when she goes back that we realise Husband and Wife, were in fact Mummy and Daddy. Their very young child is left, screaming harrowingly over the roar of the sea and watching not only its parents drown, but VW drag a bloody corpse away in front of him. The baby is left in hysterics and desperately trying to hobble over the loose rocks. The screams are horrifying, but not only does VW not know how to be affected by them, she doesn't even realise she needs to process them. Later we discover with VW, over the van radio, that the baby was taken out to sea as well.
Clubbing - A small one, but still interesting. Johansson walks into a swarm of women on their way to a club, who sweep her up and take her with them. Her character's experience in the club is hugely unnerving. The constant sensual stimulation is too much and she instantly wants to escape. This is when she first realises she really doesn't really understand humanity, and I think this is why she starts to question them, and want to learn more about them.
Falling down - Another minor happening but an interesting one nonetheless. A lot of the intrigue in this film comes from the fact that the majority of the 'cast' didn't know they were in a construct. Johansson's seduction and luring of unsuspecting Glaswegians into her van was real, and there is a real determined vulnerability to it. If Johansson doesn't get them to take a ride with her then there is no film. Just as if VW doesn't get the men back to her apartment there will be no creepy skin dance.
There is a scene when VW takes a tumble while walking down the street. Johansson clearly knew that she had to make the fall obvious enough so that those around her would notice, but look at natural as possible. There is a real 'comedy fall' aspect to it which seems so deliberate and unreal. You can feel Johansson's desperation to be picked back up again, and they do. Instantly the crowds of Glasgow jump to her aid and pick her off the floor. Yay for humanity! We came through in the end! Not even being sarcastic, this actually made me happy. If this bit actually wasn't filmed secretly I don't want to know.
The Disfigured man - This was another of my favourite scenes. On another dark and sinister night VW comes upon a man with a large, dark hood pulled up over his face. For the first time we are worried for her. However, we soon realise that he is covering his face as he suffers from 'Neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that causes excess body tissue to grow on nerve ending, causing non cancerous tumors (called fibromas) to occur.'
Laura talks to him about his loneliness and asks him if he wants to touch her. The man mistakes this for pity, but at this stage we know they are both desperately reaching out for some genuine human contact. VW had never let her conquests come even close to touching her before. She had been canvassing for those who had nobody to miss them, yet the fact this one has never had anybody to miss him strikes a chord with her. She takes him home, but ultimately sets him free, naked into the world.
Ultimately motorcyclist handler alien tracks down the disfigured man and kills him, then sets off after Laura. She escapes, but as her identity crisis begins to weigh more and more heavily upon her, she eventually falls into a catatonic state.
The Cake is a Lie - We see Laura visit a cafe and attempt to eat cake, which she chokes on. If the aliens really are here to get meat, this shows her once and for all that she cannot live among them.
The Boyfriend - This is when the true glimpses into humanity occur. She is found and looked after by a man who welcomes her into his home, and lets her sleep alone in his bed. Eventually they come to care and trust each other. We all knew she would never be able to live amongst humanity though, no matter how much she allowed herself to pretend. When they go to have sex, she realises to both her's the boyfriend's utmost confusion that she physically can't, and sets off on the run once more.
The End - Humans are Bastards.
The Baby - The first scene, and the most memorable, was the baby. While attempting to abduct a hermit surfer, VW's seduction is interrupted by shouts of terror as a woman dives into the tumultuous sea in an attempt to save her dog. Her husband screams after her and rushes in in suit. The surfer, obviously the strongest swimmer, goes in after him in turn. It's like the more traumatic version of The Giant Turnip.
Surfer temporarily manages to save Husband, but he quickly dives back in again after his Wife, who has already long slipped beneath the waves. Surfer goes back for him, and although he manages to crawl exhausted from the waves, our mate VW decides to bash his head in with a rock. No good deed goes unpunished and all that.
It is only when she goes back that we realise Husband and Wife, were in fact Mummy and Daddy. Their very young child is left, screaming harrowingly over the roar of the sea and watching not only its parents drown, but VW drag a bloody corpse away in front of him. The baby is left in hysterics and desperately trying to hobble over the loose rocks. The screams are horrifying, but not only does VW not know how to be affected by them, she doesn't even realise she needs to process them. Later we discover with VW, over the van radio, that the baby was taken out to sea as well.
Clubbing - A small one, but still interesting. Johansson walks into a swarm of women on their way to a club, who sweep her up and take her with them. Her character's experience in the club is hugely unnerving. The constant sensual stimulation is too much and she instantly wants to escape. This is when she first realises she really doesn't really understand humanity, and I think this is why she starts to question them, and want to learn more about them.
Falling down - Another minor happening but an interesting one nonetheless. A lot of the intrigue in this film comes from the fact that the majority of the 'cast' didn't know they were in a construct. Johansson's seduction and luring of unsuspecting Glaswegians into her van was real, and there is a real determined vulnerability to it. If Johansson doesn't get them to take a ride with her then there is no film. Just as if VW doesn't get the men back to her apartment there will be no creepy skin dance.
There is a scene when VW takes a tumble while walking down the street. Johansson clearly knew that she had to make the fall obvious enough so that those around her would notice, but look at natural as possible. There is a real 'comedy fall' aspect to it which seems so deliberate and unreal. You can feel Johansson's desperation to be picked back up again, and they do. Instantly the crowds of Glasgow jump to her aid and pick her off the floor. Yay for humanity! We came through in the end! Not even being sarcastic, this actually made me happy. If this bit actually wasn't filmed secretly I don't want to know.
Laura talks to him about his loneliness and asks him if he wants to touch her. The man mistakes this for pity, but at this stage we know they are both desperately reaching out for some genuine human contact. VW had never let her conquests come even close to touching her before. She had been canvassing for those who had nobody to miss them, yet the fact this one has never had anybody to miss him strikes a chord with her. She takes him home, but ultimately sets him free, naked into the world.
Ultimately motorcyclist handler alien tracks down the disfigured man and kills him, then sets off after Laura. She escapes, but as her identity crisis begins to weigh more and more heavily upon her, she eventually falls into a catatonic state.
The Cake is a Lie - We see Laura visit a cafe and attempt to eat cake, which she chokes on. If the aliens really are here to get meat, this shows her once and for all that she cannot live among them.
The End - Humans are Bastards.
The ending was where the majority, if not all, of my frustrations came from with Under The Skin. After trying, and failing to have sex, VW (yeah I'm bringing her back now) realises that she can never be human. The fact that this came as some kind of reverse sexual awakening, a sexual hibernation if you will, is annoying in itself. It is as if she realises that without sexuality she cannot be a functioning female in this society.
I suppose it is understandable this alien would feel such a way. She was designed to be the 'Voluptuous Woman'. She was taught that the best way for her to ingratiate herself into humanity and lure men back to her lair was to be sexual. Now that she realises her sexuality can only end in their incarceration, death, or disappointment. Without her sexuality she has no place in humanity.
At this point she runs into the woods, a clumsy fade edit shows her asleep on the ground, with the forest enclosing itself around her like a womb. She is safe now, right? If she cannot live amongst people, surely she can live amongst nature and Earth? Surely we can just leave her be like some magnificent lady Big Foot? Surely she doesn't have to kill any more? Wrong.
This is a woman we are talking about. She has been skanking it about all over the place, cock teasing oodles of strapping young Scotsmen left right and centre. Hollywood law demands she must be punished, goddamnit!
After a multitude of seductions, a plethora of strategically lit naked Johansson's and one botched sex scene, Hollywood does indeed demand to get its revenge, its satisfaction. But this isn't a Hollywood film? Why does Under the Skin abide?
While running about in the forest VW comes across a tree feller, (I don't want to call him a lumberjack as that is far too Little Red Riding Hood for my liking. Makes him sound all big and burly and rugged. This is some government stooge in a fluorescent jacket) He makes some small talk about her being alone, and the woods etc, much like the conversations she initiated herself in part one. He is instantly sinister but VW carries on about her merry way.
I loved this bit. I kind of wanted Creepy Tree Feller to amount to nothing. I wanted it to be that film equivalent of 'Woman walking at night, man is keeping step behind her so she instantly becomes terrified that he is a rapist. All the while man is frustratingly aware that he is following said woman, all the while completely terrified she thinks he's a rapist. If he speeds up to overtake she might think he is chasing her, scream, and he could potentially be attacked or arrested as a sex fiend. Perhaps he should sleep in this doorway tonight?'
It wasn't to be though. VW finds a small shack designed for those wandering in the woods to take shelter and decides to have a nap, only to wake up to Creepy Tree Feller removing her clothing.
She runs and a chase ensues throughout the forest and onto a road where his Creepy Tree Feller mobile is waiting, full to the brim of tree trunks. (He has got wood, lots of wood, possibly the entire culmination of wood from throughout this entire film. I really hope this isn't all too unsubtle for the audience. Maybe you should throw some round bushes at the base to make a cock and balls?)
Ultimately, VW is far too voluptuously womanly to live in this world without a vagina. There is this bizarreness to the whole chase, in that it feels like a punishment by penis, but we all know she doesn't have the biology to be punished in such a way. It is perverse, and seems to function on the assumption that the audience genuinely want some sexual gratification from her. It is almost as if Glazer is trying to reflect back on the audience, that they are indeed aggressively sexual, foul beasts and this is why the beautiful zoo exhibit of VW cannot live in this world. All that and we are cutting back the forest dammit. We are evil.
Of course, the audience cannot be satiated through her rape as she doesn't have the anatomy for it. How then, can we possibly punish this wicked witch for her sexy, sexy ways?
TO THE DEATH!
This is old school, 1930s treatment of women and sexuality in film. We cannot be sexually gratified by her, and therefore she must die.
As Mr Gotwood and VW grapple on forest floor he accidentally tears her skin at the pit of her back revealing a triangular black oil slick of alien flesh. (Read into that what you will.) This is the first point at which they actually confirm she is in fact an Alien. She crawls out of her skin, finally free from her responsibility to kidnap humans, and her delusions that she could ever live among them. At this point Mr Gotwood becomes repulsed, pours petrol over her and sets her alight.
How does the old adage go? If you can't fuck it, cook it?
Conclusion
I actually really loved Under The Skin and it really shows Glazer's talent as a director. I haven't seen any of his other films, but will certainly be making it an aim of mine now. Johansson was superb (again, I think, may do a post on 'Can Johansson actually act?'.) Also, a massive shout out to Mica Levi's amazing soundtrack. Turns out this is his first ever foray into composing for film or TV and he couldn't have been more perfect. It was eerie, yet curious. It constantly sounded like we were peeking through the keyhole, despite knowing we were going to see something horrific. Essentially, it really got 'under your skin' and that was what this film was about. VW lets humanity get under her skin, she finds herself too comfortable in their skin, but there was always something there itching to get out. There was always the threat lurking around the corner.
Ultimately, everything kept coming back to the ending for me. I really, really hated it. It felt like the complete undoing of all the subtle character development and plot progression with an all-of-a-sudden, 'oh crap, we need a dramatic ending to finish it off' moment.
If Glazer just had to have his attempted rape scene, fine, but that shouldn't be the culmination of all that he had built to. Personally, I would have ended the film having VW return to the beach where she had inadvertently left the baby to die and have her gaze out to where he had been dragged, having finally realised what it all meant. But hey, I'm just an asshole critic, I should get out there and do it myself if I want to judge.
The film grew on me more and more, and though I don't think it was until I started writing about it critically that I realised how much. My instant thought was, it all comes down to the ending, and if you hate the ending you cannot praise the film. However, then I realised I strongly dislike the ending to one of my favourite films Divine Intervention (2002), so can I really judge?
I think the thing with Divine Intervention was that the whole film was absurd, and the ending just took the absurdity too far, making it almost seem like a mockery. Still, it was in keeping with the tone of the film. The ending to Under the Skin felt like a contradiction to all that had come before. And thus I am back to not forgiving the ending. I originally started this review thinking I was finally going to let Under the Skin off the hook and I have flip-flopped again. Dammit.
If the ending had been different, Under the Skin would probably be quite easily in my favourite films list right now. Perhaps it may still end up there, but I just don't think I will ever forgive the ending. Maybe I should give it the Pheobe Buffay treatment?
Still, easily one of the most interesting films I have watched in a long while and I do love a film that annoys me so much I have to keep thinking about it. To quote Mr Von Trier again 'a film should be like a rock in the shoe.' It was great, just not as great as it could have been. Definitely watch it. Then argue with me about it. Please.
I suppose it is understandable this alien would feel such a way. She was designed to be the 'Voluptuous Woman'. She was taught that the best way for her to ingratiate herself into humanity and lure men back to her lair was to be sexual. Now that she realises her sexuality can only end in their incarceration, death, or disappointment. Without her sexuality she has no place in humanity.
At this point she runs into the woods, a clumsy fade edit shows her asleep on the ground, with the forest enclosing itself around her like a womb. She is safe now, right? If she cannot live amongst people, surely she can live amongst nature and Earth? Surely we can just leave her be like some magnificent lady Big Foot? Surely she doesn't have to kill any more? Wrong.
This is a woman we are talking about. She has been skanking it about all over the place, cock teasing oodles of strapping young Scotsmen left right and centre. Hollywood law demands she must be punished, goddamnit!
After a multitude of seductions, a plethora of strategically lit naked Johansson's and one botched sex scene, Hollywood does indeed demand to get its revenge, its satisfaction. But this isn't a Hollywood film? Why does Under the Skin abide?
While running about in the forest VW comes across a tree feller, (I don't want to call him a lumberjack as that is far too Little Red Riding Hood for my liking. Makes him sound all big and burly and rugged. This is some government stooge in a fluorescent jacket) He makes some small talk about her being alone, and the woods etc, much like the conversations she initiated herself in part one. He is instantly sinister but VW carries on about her merry way.
I loved this bit. I kind of wanted Creepy Tree Feller to amount to nothing. I wanted it to be that film equivalent of 'Woman walking at night, man is keeping step behind her so she instantly becomes terrified that he is a rapist. All the while man is frustratingly aware that he is following said woman, all the while completely terrified she thinks he's a rapist. If he speeds up to overtake she might think he is chasing her, scream, and he could potentially be attacked or arrested as a sex fiend. Perhaps he should sleep in this doorway tonight?'
It wasn't to be though. VW finds a small shack designed for those wandering in the woods to take shelter and decides to have a nap, only to wake up to Creepy Tree Feller removing her clothing.
She runs and a chase ensues throughout the forest and onto a road where his Creepy Tree Feller mobile is waiting, full to the brim of tree trunks. (He has got wood, lots of wood, possibly the entire culmination of wood from throughout this entire film. I really hope this isn't all too unsubtle for the audience. Maybe you should throw some round bushes at the base to make a cock and balls?)
Ultimately, VW is far too voluptuously womanly to live in this world without a vagina. There is this bizarreness to the whole chase, in that it feels like a punishment by penis, but we all know she doesn't have the biology to be punished in such a way. It is perverse, and seems to function on the assumption that the audience genuinely want some sexual gratification from her. It is almost as if Glazer is trying to reflect back on the audience, that they are indeed aggressively sexual, foul beasts and this is why the beautiful zoo exhibit of VW cannot live in this world. All that and we are cutting back the forest dammit. We are evil.
Of course, the audience cannot be satiated through her rape as she doesn't have the anatomy for it. How then, can we possibly punish this wicked witch for her sexy, sexy ways?
TO THE DEATH!
This is old school, 1930s treatment of women and sexuality in film. We cannot be sexually gratified by her, and therefore she must die.
As Mr Gotwood and VW grapple on forest floor he accidentally tears her skin at the pit of her back revealing a triangular black oil slick of alien flesh. (Read into that what you will.) This is the first point at which they actually confirm she is in fact an Alien. She crawls out of her skin, finally free from her responsibility to kidnap humans, and her delusions that she could ever live among them. At this point Mr Gotwood becomes repulsed, pours petrol over her and sets her alight.
How does the old adage go? If you can't fuck it, cook it?
Conclusion
I actually really loved Under The Skin and it really shows Glazer's talent as a director. I haven't seen any of his other films, but will certainly be making it an aim of mine now. Johansson was superb (again, I think, may do a post on 'Can Johansson actually act?'.) Also, a massive shout out to Mica Levi's amazing soundtrack. Turns out this is his first ever foray into composing for film or TV and he couldn't have been more perfect. It was eerie, yet curious. It constantly sounded like we were peeking through the keyhole, despite knowing we were going to see something horrific. Essentially, it really got 'under your skin' and that was what this film was about. VW lets humanity get under her skin, she finds herself too comfortable in their skin, but there was always something there itching to get out. There was always the threat lurking around the corner.
Ultimately, everything kept coming back to the ending for me. I really, really hated it. It felt like the complete undoing of all the subtle character development and plot progression with an all-of-a-sudden, 'oh crap, we need a dramatic ending to finish it off' moment.
If Glazer just had to have his attempted rape scene, fine, but that shouldn't be the culmination of all that he had built to. Personally, I would have ended the film having VW return to the beach where she had inadvertently left the baby to die and have her gaze out to where he had been dragged, having finally realised what it all meant. But hey, I'm just an asshole critic, I should get out there and do it myself if I want to judge.
The film grew on me more and more, and though I don't think it was until I started writing about it critically that I realised how much. My instant thought was, it all comes down to the ending, and if you hate the ending you cannot praise the film. However, then I realised I strongly dislike the ending to one of my favourite films Divine Intervention (2002), so can I really judge?
I think the thing with Divine Intervention was that the whole film was absurd, and the ending just took the absurdity too far, making it almost seem like a mockery. Still, it was in keeping with the tone of the film. The ending to Under the Skin felt like a contradiction to all that had come before. And thus I am back to not forgiving the ending. I originally started this review thinking I was finally going to let Under the Skin off the hook and I have flip-flopped again. Dammit.
If the ending had been different, Under the Skin would probably be quite easily in my favourite films list right now. Perhaps it may still end up there, but I just don't think I will ever forgive the ending. Maybe I should give it the Pheobe Buffay treatment?
Still, easily one of the most interesting films I have watched in a long while and I do love a film that annoys me so much I have to keep thinking about it. To quote Mr Von Trier again 'a film should be like a rock in the shoe.' It was great, just not as great as it could have been. Definitely watch it. Then argue with me about it. Please.
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