A fuller trailer for Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” has been released and it looks delightfully deranged.
It really feels like an old-school Terry Gilliam movie. Dreamy, surreal, deadpan. But also unlike anything Lanthimos has released before. With the Gilliam influences, there is also a hint of Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s films.
Fish eyed lens, anachronistic sci-fi and some low-angled shots. The visuals look stunning. Emma Stone seems to be having the time of her life — is she overacting? I don’t care.
This could either be very good or a major misfire. Lanthimos seems to be taking big risks with this one. I’m not sure how Searchlight will be marketing it to a mass audience, but who really cares.
Official synopsis:
From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.
The film stars Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott.
“Poor Things” was spitballed for a Cannes premiere, then it didn’t show up when the lineup was revealed. What happened? Searchlight dated the film for a September 8th release date. That means probably no TIFF, but Venice is now very much a possibility.
Lanthimos is the filmmaker behind “The Favorite,” “Dogtooth,” “The Lobster” and “The Killing of A Sacred Deer.”