Written by Caroline Sluss

Photography by Rishita Nannapaneni

Modeled by Georgia Horsch, Hattie Gray, Lily Eclan, Olivia Cordero, Alayna Love

“Saltburn,” directed by Emerald Fennell, quickly gained popularity since its release in November of 2023. The film's stylistic choices as well as plot, characters, costumes, plot twists and many more have been a big rave since its premiere .

The film follows a young Oliver Quick, played by Barry Keoghan, and his life as a new student at Oxford University in England. After a few months of school, he notices Felix Canton, played by Jacob Elordi, and an obsessive fascination is born from there. The story continues when the two young men become closer after their first encounter: Oliver helps Felix with a flat bike tire. Felix invites Oliver to his home, Saltburn, where twisted lies will unfold and break the fantasy world that Oliver has been living in. A tale of friendship and trust infected by dark lies and ugly truths leads to the downfall of the two's bursting friendship.

In the film, Fennell makes very specific stylistic choices, such as lighting, set design, and shots to tell this story between the friends. One of the most popular qualities taken from the movie is the light, summer look of each shot. Filmed at Drayton House in rural England, the house is surrounded by fields and ponds, adding to the summer aesthetic of Saltburn. The bright colors of the landscaping and characters' costumes give the upbeat, warm party feel.

Fennell’s director of photography, Linus Sandgren, shot the film on 35mm film with a spherical Primo lens. For those not familiar with camera lingo, this results in making the image of the film more crisp, and focuses on the characters’ reactions and faces, giving the shots a deeper meaning. Many of the shots in the film use this technique, such as the dinner scene, when Oliver's character sits at the table and the camera pans down to show his reflection on the glass, along with his actual face. Another appealing shot in the film is that of the infamous maze. Similar to “The Shining,” directed by Stephen King, the visual aesthetic of having symmetry in a film represented by nature, such as the maze, helps catch the viewer's attention. The maze in “Saltburn” is later used as a metaphor for Felix being lost towards the end of the film, which builds suspense when Felix is found.

One of the more notable choices in this film is the costumes. The film's iconic "A Midsummer Night's Dream"-themed party references characters from the Shakespearean play. Oliver's deer antlers are a tribute to the changeling boy, and Felix's gold wings represent Oberon, the King of the FairiesThe general fashion choices further contribute to the upscale feel of the film. When Felix, Oliver, Venetia, and Farleigh are playing tennis, they don't wear formal tuxedos and sparkly coats..

The film's styling choices such as scene shots, costumes, landscaping, etc., made for a blockbuster hit by the end of 2023. Although many have argued the storyline can be disturbing and abnormal, the stylistic choices alone are worth the watch.

“A Journey To Saltburn”