True stories serve as inspiration for plenty of movies. In movies likeMillion Dollar BabyandRay, the biographies of famous athletes and musicians are documented. While some scenes or events that take place in these films are fictionalized, the celebrities’ rises to fame are closely based on their real-life experiences. Of course, there are movies likeLes MisérablesorAnastasiathat take inspiration from historical events and fictionalize them. Indeed, historical fiction has plenty of real-life inspiration, and those movies bring in just as big of an audience as biographical films. But there are some stories that feel real, but aren’t based on anything real, like the genre of science fiction.
One of the greatest literary figures is Mary Shelley, most renowned for her novelFrankenstein.The novel created an entirely new genre, which has sparked inspiration for shows likeStar Trek, movies likeCaptain America: The First Avenger, and a book calledPoor Things.Director Yorgos Lanthimosis behind the adaptation ofPoor Things, with actress Emma Stone staring in the film as well as producing.
WhilePoor Thingsisn’t based on real events, it draws inspiration from different genres of real literature. In addition, actor Willem Defoe went to mortician school, making his scenes feel realistic. Between the feminist perspective from Stone’s producer prowess and literature being the inspiration,Poor Thingsis sure to bring in audiences with its comedy and thrills.
The Books of Inspiration
According toMental Floss,author Mary Shelley was inspired by real scientists and explorers for the story ofFrankenstein. Captain Walton, an explorer intent on traveling to the Arctic and discovering the science behind magnetism, inspired the storyline and character of Victor Frankenstein. The ambitious scientist Doctor Frankenstein is driven to bring a deceased person back to life by using electricity, in Shelley’s book, and the science is a conglomeration of three famous scientists Shelley knew. Just asFrankensteinwas inspired by real life scientists, another author was inspired by Shelley’s story.
Thought Catalogexplains that Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novelPoor Thingsputs a feminist spin on Shelley’s science fiction work. As Gray’s story goes, a woman named Bella drowns and is brought back to life by Dr. Baxter, a scientist who replaces her brain with an unborn infant’s brain. Frankenstein’s monster learns through observing, whereas Bella is an active participant in her learning. Bella is also a stark contrast to her reviver in that Baxter is the monster, and she is the beauty, the opposite of Shelley’s narrative inFrankenstein.
Related:Emma Stone Reveals Why She Wanted To Be In Poor Things
Gothic Literature Inspiration
AsInvaluableexplains, gothic first described a form of architecture that was highly detailed. Over six centuries, the word evolved into a literary term thanks to writer Horace Walpole in his subtitle for his workOtranto. Yet in terms of literature, gothic is rather macabre and plays on the values of love, the supernatural, and death. Considering the intricacies of these experiences, especially in literary works, the original meaning has remained in spirit. Invaluable further demonstrates the elements of gothic literature, which is seen in Shelley, the Brönte sister’, and Gray’s works, respectfully.
The most important element of a gothic work is suspense which can show up as the villain or a monster. In the filmCrimson Peak,director Guillermo del Torobuilt suspense through a supernatural monster and a real monster. This is del Toro’s forte: he is able to construct an unforgettable suspense with all types of monsters. Yet, inPoor Things, Bella isn’t a monster in the traditional sense. Thus, the suspense her character brings is through discovering the pleasures of life and growing defiance with societal norms and romance.
Related:Poor Things Director Praises Emma Stone’s Incredible Performance
Willem Dafoe’s Stint in Mortician School
In the months leading up to filming, actors are preparing through various rehearsals and costume fittings to get into the groove of their characters. During the preparation period, actors are also known to go on extreme diets in order to make their character more realistic. Like when actor Jeremy Allen White ate non-stop to prepare for his portrayal of a professional wrestler inThe Iron Claw. Even if they aren’t necessarily preparing for a role, actors spend a considerable amount of time in the gym or taking exercise classes. For example, actor Chris Hemsworth stays lean by surfing.
Some actors spend a considerable amount of time in the make-up chair to complete the character. But physical transformations like physique and make-up are one part of the equation. Some actors even attend school in order to reframe their mind while portraying a character. In addition to spending time in the make-up chair, actor Willem Dafoeattended mortician schoolto prepare for his role as Dr. Godwin “God” Baxter inPoor Things. The actor is renowned for his portrayal of villains, but portraying the business genius Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin in a coupleSpider-Manfilms is not the same as a scientist who reanimates life, like Dr. Baxter. Since Dafoe can pull from his real experience in mortician school, his portrayal of Baxter inPoor Thingsis bound to add to his impressive repertoire.
Feminist Perspective
Although it may seem new, the feminist perspective in film has simply become more consistent. Throughout the genres and entire history of Hollywood, the portrayal of women now has more positive examples than negative. Yet the negative portrayals are ever-present and the underlying anti-femme messages are the crux of many genres. From rom-coms toeven horror films, women are often portrayed as damsels in distress, needing to be saved from financial duress or a murderer.
This is where gothic literature, and by extension gothic horror films, comes in like a force. While Shelley’s main characters might’ve been men, Frankenstein’s monster could arguably be seen as an allegory for being a woman. Regardless of who a woman appears, people have something to say about how she dresses or does her make-up. Shelley also wrote her science fiction work during a time when women were considered uncouth for being outspoken.
AsPoor Thingsreflects themes ofFrankenstein, it brings the ideas of womanhood to the forefront through Bella. She is not an allegory of being a woman, but she is a literal representation of how society sees women. In the novel, she unalives herself and has her brain swapped with her unborn child’s brain to bring her back to life. The symbolism of Bella is that, even in death, women are not enough and must be rescued. Hollywood has plenty of actresses who can take on a pivotal role, but as the film is a dark comedy, an alum to the genre reveals the power of perfect casting.
Actress Emma Stone, who portrayed Olive inEasy A, a feminist reimagining of the novel,The Scarlet Letter, not only stars as Bella, but she was brought on as producer of the film. With Stone in-front-of and behind the camera, the feminist perspective ofPoor Thingsis bound to be formidable.
