Day 313 of the challenge! Under the Skin! FINALLY got to it! Holy hell is it weird, and I loved it!
Under the Skin is a film that really knows… how to get under your skin. On the surface, its a story about a predatory alien disguised as beautiful woman, one who seduces and lures unsuspecting men to their doom (for food I imagine, but that really doesn’t matter). There’s something really telling about watching a woman prowl around at night for male victims, wouldn’t you say?
Framed mostly from a wide and emotionally distant perceptive, and driven by a mesmerizing score, the horror sequences of the film are a stunning and surreal experience that stay with you for a long time. Underneath all the slow burning horror, however, Under the Skin is an exploration of human society from the perceptive of alien entity, one that slowly loses her sense of identity (it’s identity?) the longer she interacts with humans.
These quieter moments of self reflection and sexual exploration (you’d imagine an alien that uses her massive sex appeal to get the job done would eventually be curious about it, right?) are what elevate the story from being a generic Species inspired ripoff to the cultural dissection piece that it is.
Under the Skin has got to be one of the most underrated films out there. Heavy on the symbolism, and a nuanced visual/auditory treat to boot, I can’t recommend it enough. BUT ONLY to those of you that are into the art film scene.