Edge of Art
It already drove everyone crazy at the Venice Film Festival from the day of its screening: "Poor Things!" by Yorgos Lanthimos reaffirms its importance by causing panic at the box office and racking up Oscar nominations. "Poor Things!" is an eccentric and shameless film, blending science fiction with historical reality. The film spares nothing: neither in the exceptional cast (starting with Emma Stone, continuing with Willem Dafoe, and Mark Ruffalo) nor in the richness of scenery, photography, and costumes.
An exclusive look at the first poster. Courtesy of Poor Things.
What would happen if we reset our brains? What primal instinct would be unleashed without any filter? One of the film's major themes is freedom, and the director answers all these questions by challenging the audience in the theater, immersing them in scenes of cruelty and significant violence along with deeply introspective scenes. Among the most impactful scenes are those of sex, experienced by the protagonist—free from any form of social conditioning—without any filter or shame. The female body has always been a battleground for ideologies, political and social battles, bearing meanings never self-determined but always imposed from above. Emma Stone, in the role of Bella Baxter, with her acting and her body, teaches us that there is nothing more powerful than the freedom to simply be. "Poor Things!" is a political manifesto, a disenchanted analysis of society that the Greek director observes through the lens of a gothic fairy tale.
Yorgos Lanthimos and Stone on the set of Poor Things. Photo: Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Bella embodies all our instincts; she is the childish voice we have forgotten; she is what we no longer dare to be. There is, in this sense, a fundamental passage in the formation of the protagonist, and it is the passage in which a fellow passenger she meets on a ship shows her all the ugliness of the world to teach her that life is misery, love is just an illusion, and there is no purpose in living. During her journey of growth, Bella will internalize some of those lessons; she will know cruelty but will never know love—except in deeply distorted forms—which is why she will become cynical and disenchanted. "Poor Things!" is a work of creative assembly that exploits many elements, and costume designer Holly Waddington interprets the characters' evolution in a supremely clever way. In fact, from the beginning to the end of the film, the costumes follow the emotional and cognitive twists of Bella, drawing inspiration from both the set's colors and the tenacity and intelligence of the protagonist. The designer, renowned for her work in hit films like "The Great" and "Lady Macbeth," brings her talent to Yorgos Lanthimos' latest film. She skillfully translates the protagonist's narrative arc into a palette of colors and silhouettes, drawing inspiration from Victorian stylistic codes while liberally straying from chronological constraints. Bella Baxter's portrayal unfolds in distinct acts, each marking the main transformations of the character. In the early pages, Bella is presented as an infant, adorned in nightgowns and white baby doll dresses that embody innocence. Her whimsy era is captured in playful bustle cages resembling mermaid tails; her bare legs and feet with her loose or braided hair echo a youthful freedom. Color bursts forth as Bella discovers liberation in Lisbon, shedding societal constraints in canary yellow shorts and a frilly blouse. Free from the constraints of a governess dictating her attire, Bella ventures into the city wearing canary yellow shorts and a frilly white blouse. In her Portuguese era, Bella discovers sex and freedom, and her wardrobe mirrors her youthful rebellion against societal norms. A significant shift occurs aboard the ship to Greece, paralleling her emotional evolution. Confronting the harsh realities of the world, her childhood whites reappear, now refined to match her burgeoning maturity, signaling her transformation into a self-assured woman. In the scenes depicting Bella's foray into prostitution, her attire reflects a delicate pastel palette, together with transparent fabrics. Anachronistic elements, like latex, lend irony to pivotal moments, such as the creation of her iconic yellow raincoat, inspired by Victorian-era condoms. This attention to detail adds layers of meaning to the film's narrative, enriching Bella's journey of self-discovery.
