Wuthering Heights (2026)
dir Emerald Fennell
Well folks, Emerald might have finally done it. I detested Promising Young Woman. I forgot about Saltburn. But Wuthering Heights, I enjoyed.
DISCLAIMER: I haven’t read the book. Gothic romance was never my genre of choice, but it was very much my cousin Emma’s cup of tea. I remember as children, she would do my makeup and show me how to dance like Britney Spears until my parents would walk in and accuse us of being harlots. Slowly those days became more rare as Emma stopped entertaining me and turned towards her own source of entertainment: Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, and Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, of course. The novels must have had a large impact on her, because she quickly decided that her singular goal and sole purpose was to fall in love with a man who would rescue her. From what? Poverty? Her family? Herself? I’m not sure. But today she lives in Ireland, married to a policeman, with at least three young children. We don’t speak, but at least she didn’t die of sepsis.
Things I found intriguing:
* Textural storytelling- lot of grotesque close ups. Skin, fabrics, the fish in jelly…
* Cathy’s black rubber ball gown
* Heathcliff’s gold tooth + earring combo
* Dogs everywhere! Everyone is a dog!
* Everything about Alison Oliver’s performance as Isabella Linton. Love her
Things I didn’t care for:
* Charli XCX’s original score. It did the job as an extension of beastly, droning desire but I look forward to never hearing it again. Get her away from John Cale.
* I felt like Fennell misshaped the story to lessen Heathcliff’s negative behavior and thrust the blame upon Cathy. Not sure what’s up here. I thought this guy was supposed to be a monster, but we kinda glossed over a lot to imply consent and overall neutralize his villainy. Okay, big guy!
List of influences I wouldn’t be surprised if Emerald Fennel drew from:
Blackbeard’s Castle by Anna Biller
Arrested Development seasons 1-4
Poor Things (2023) dir Yorgos Lanthimos
The Mesh by Lucie Marchal
Riverdale season 1
Viva (2007) dir Anna Biller
Suspiria (2018) dir Luca Guadagnino
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Nosferatu (2024) dir Robert Eggers
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
