Whether it’s down to brilliant marketing, an abundance of viral moments, or sheer film-making talent, there’s no getting away from the fact that nearly two months after its initial release, Saltburn has become – almost as an afterthought – the must-see film of the moment. It was Prime Video’s No 1 film over Christmas, featured song Murder on the Dancefloor is back in the charts, and TikTok appears to have gone beserk.
Saltburn took an unconventional path to get where it is now. Despite having a well-known director and a star-studded cast, including Barry Keoghan, Rosamund Pike, and Jacob Elordi, the film was not initially received with much fanfare. Unlike a big-budget movie with special effects and popular actors, Saltburn was hoping for glowing reviews and a chance at winning major awards, but this did not seem to materialize.
During the screening, opinions were not in agreement, particularly in the UK. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as “watchable but occasionally exaggerated and grandiose”, while Wendy Ide of The Observer criticized the lack of flow and payoff in the film. However, Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph praised its bold and fearless approach. The film quickly gained a reputation as the most polarizing of the year in Saltburn.
Ignore the advertisement for the newsletter.
after newsletter promotion
Although it received attention at various prestigious film festivals, such as its initial screening at Telluride (known for launching successful films like 12 Years a Slave, Moonlight, and Belfast), Saltburn’s release in cinemas was not as successful, peaking at only number 8 on the North American box office chart. Its worldwide earnings currently stand at a modest $20.6m.
In today’s modern era, the impact of word of mouth is no longer unseen. Saltburn’s popular online game, which spans across popular platforms such as TikTok, Spotify, and Letterboxd, has become a force to be reckoned with. According to Deadline, videos related to Saltburn have amassed over 4 billion views on TikTok alone. Writer-director Emerald Fennell’s talent for creating viral moments – such as the bath scene, the grave scene, and the dance scene – seems to perfectly align with this unconventional approach of promoting her film.
However, Saltburn is not currently receiving the same level of recognition and critical acclaim as Fennell’s first film, Promising Young Woman. While it is still early in the awards season, it seems that Saltburn is not gaining momentum. It did not receive any nominations at the prestigious Screen Actors Guild awards and only received two nominations at the Golden Globes, despite its glossy and comedic style, which would have been expected to do better.
Saltburn appears to be a prime example of a movie that is impervious to criticism, despite not relying on a popular action hero or comic book following to generate profit. Rather, Saltburn has taken the opposite approach, garnering attention as a potential award contender while also appealing to a digital-savvy audience. Could it be considered the modern-day Brideshead for the TikTok generation? That would not be a bad description.
Source: theguardian.com
