“Poor Things”
Rising from the dead: Here’s how Emma Stone poses as the female version of Frankenstein
A child’s mind in a woman’s body. In “Poor Things,” Emma Stone slips into a female (much more attractive) version of Frankenstein.
© Poor Things Trailer / YouTube / Searchlight Pictures
It gets scary and funny: In “Poor Things” Emma Stone plays a young woman who is revived in an unconventional way after her death. All about the postmodern adaptation of “Frankenstein”.
In October 2023, Emma Stone shows an unusually dark side. The actress, who was last seen in ‘Bleat’ – a black-and-white silent film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos – takes on the role of a truly feminist version of Frankenstein’s monster in ‘Poor Things’.
Lanthimos, who recently received Oscar nominations for films such as “The Lobster” and “The Favourite”, is also directing “Poor Things”. And the first clips of his new project look promising.
Star cast and successful storyline
Because with “Poor Things” Lanthimos not only serves up an outstanding storyline, but also a star-studded cast. The novel also stars Avengers star Mark Ruffalo, Spider-Man actor Willem Dafoe, Once upon a Time in Hollywood actress Margaret Qualley, and comedian Ramy Youssef. filming with. The newly released trailer gives promising insights into the imaginative implementation and makes “Poor Things” the cinema highlight of the second half of the year.
The film adaptation, based on the 1992 novel of the same name by literary star Alasdair Gray, follows the young Victoria Blessington, who lives in Glasgow in the late 19th century. The pregnant wife of an overbearing, abusive husband, she drowns herself to escape his abuse. But after her death, her body falls into the hands of the eccentric scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter, who brings her back to life using unconventional, neuroscientific methods.
“She’s an experiment. And her brain and body aren’t aligned yet.”
He implants the brain of her unborn child in the dead Blessington – the woman comes to life. But nothing is the same as before.
Now going by the name of Bella Baxter, Blessington is mentally retarded, hypersexual and unpredictable in her behavior. “She’s an experiment. And her brain and body aren’t aligned yet,” the creator comments on his new creation in the trailer. Under his guidance, Baxter embarks on a journey to explore the world around him.
Emma Stone in postmodern “Frankenstein” adaptation
The story is a post-modern reworking of Mary Shelley’s 1918 classic Frankenstein, which tells the story of Swiss Victor Frankenstein who manages to create an artificial human out of body parts and electricity. This is both gruesome, evil and ugly and is ultimately directed against its inventor himself. The work is one of the most important British novels, and the character of Frankenstein is one of the most famous icons of cinematic pop culture. It remains to be seen whether the new interpretation can match this success, but it should definitely be entertaining.
© 20th Century Studios
The trailer already gives a first glimpse into the implementation of Lanthimos with unusual characters in a magical fantasy world, magnificent pictures and a unique stage and costume design. Elements of science fiction, comedy, satire and fantasy are combined to make Baxter’s “Way to Freedom” both entertaining and heartwarming. Because in the attempt to understand the world that was new to her, Baxter constantly questions the norms and values of society itself – and thus fights not only for her own freedom, but also for equal rights for women in those days.
“Poor Things” is expected to have its world premiere at the 80th Venice Film Festival in August 2023. The theatrical release is scheduled for October 12, 2023.