Today marks the arrival of Emerald Fennell's third (and arguably most talked about) movie Wuthering Heights. The two-hour-long feature is Fennell's reimagining of the classic Emily Brontë novel of the same name, focused on the 'love story' of Heathcliff and Cathy, and inspired by the initial feelings Fennell had when she read the book aged 14.
It's full of pleasure, pain, and a shirtless Jacob Elordi. Which, coincidentally could be said about the majority of Fennell's movies.
Fennell, 40, started out her career as an actor, starring in shows such as Call the Midwife and The Crown, before transitioning into writing, producing, directing. In 2021 she released her directorial debut movie Promising Young Woman, which earned an Oscar for Best Screenplay. And since then she's gone onto bring us movies we can't stop talking about.
Her second movie was the sensational Saltburn and now of course Wuthering Heights is coming to screens. Like many directors before her, Fennell has a signature style, and while these movies are all different in plot, there are a number of common themes, movie telling devices and Easter Eggs that often pop up in Emerald Fennell's movies, and these are the seven most common.
7 common themes in Emerald Fennell's films
Provocative scenes
Whenever you come away from an Emerald Fennell film, you're going to feel something. It could be disgust, frustration, pain, pleasure or all of the above. She's a master at creating images that shock and appall, but that you can't help look away from, and crucially make you think more deeply.
This could be down to the movie's plot itself, such as Promising Young Woman, which was all about a young woman named Cassie who took it upon herself to entrap and then confront men after feeling like she didn't do enough to protect her friend from sexual assault.
Or often, such as in the case of Wuthering Heights and Saltburn, in taking images and twisting your perception of them. Wuthering Heights is full of non-sexual objects that then get another layer added to them, such as those egg scenes.
Margot Robbie, who plays Cathy in Wuthering Heights, explained this is the "genius" of Fennell's filmmaking, while speaking to Cosmopolitan UK.
"She can take an item or thing that we're so familiar with, and have never associated in any sexual and suddenly it becomes [sexual]," she said. "There's this great moment where Cathy has this sexual awakening, and suddenly everything she sees seems sensual or sexual - the pig's feet, a snail on the window, kneading the dough."
We'll never look at eggs the same way.
All the yearning
A lot of the above provocative scenes also stem from a very physical manifestation of yearning. In Saltburn, it was Oliver's obsession with university friend Felix, and we of course all watched from behind our hands that bath scene, where he um *licked* the bath. Oliver's obsession and unreciprocated yearning for Felix, ultimately leads to his catastrophic actions.
Wuthering Heights is a movie that from start to finish is all about yearning with a capital Y as Cathy and Heathcliff's mutual obsession for each other causes pleasure and destruction for all those around them.
Dividing opinion
Emerald Fennell is just as controversial as Marmite, with film fans and critics strongly divided over their opinions of her. The recent reviews for Wuthering Heights were both scathing and glowing, with The Independent giving it just 1 star, while the Telegraph gave it 5 stars.
And Saltburn had a similar reception, with middling star reviews from the critics, but an outpouring of love from the general public, who were quite frankly *obsessed* with it on TikTok.
An iconic soundtrack
One thing about an Emerald Fennell movie? You're going to leave the cinema instantly adding the soundtrack to your Spotify.
Promising Young Woman kicked things off with a soundtrack that included Charli XCX, Carole King, Paris Hilton, and the song 'Raining Men'. It also featured an orchestral rendition of Britney Spears' 'Toxic'. Iconic.
And then of course there was Saltburn which reignited everyone's love of Sophie Ellis-Bextor's 'Murder on the Dancefloor' and became a viral moment after the song was featured in the final scene of the film.
For Wuthering Heights, Emerald worked again with Charli XCX, but this time having her in complete control of the soundtrack.
Epic sets
You can't not watch Wuthering Heights and instantly be impressed by the sweeping scenery of both the moors and the houses too. Every set is rich with detail, from Cathy's 'skin' bedroom, to the haunting first look at Wuthering Heights, to the red drenched room in Thrushcross Grange.
And in Saltburn while not as theatrical, it's still as breathtaking, especially that moment when we as the audience and Oliver get our first look at the facade of Saltburn. And can we talk about the use of colour in Promising Young Woman? There's gorgeous rich pops of pink everywhere.
Repeat actors
It's safe to say Emerald Fennell has a type. Over the course of three movies, she's gone onto cast multiple actors in at least two of her movies. The first is Carey Mulligan who lead her first feature length movie Promising Young Woman. Fennell then brought Mulligan back to star in Saltburn as Poor Dear Pamela.
Jacob Elordi has starred in two out of three Emerald Fennell films. The first being as the character of Felix in Saltburn, and now of course as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. Alison Oliver and Ewan Mitchell have also both starred in both Wuthering Heights and Saltburn. In Saltburn Alison played Felix's sister Venetia and now she's playing Isabella in Wutheirng Heights.
Ewan Mitchell meanwhile plays the role of Joseph in Wuthering Heights and Michael Gavey in Saltburn.
Easter eggs to other films
Hidden nods to other existing media is one part of the fun of films, and Fennell often gives away hints to other movies in her films.
In Wuthering Heights, she includes a Little Red Riding reference with Cathy's red cape, and there's also plenty of imagery that mirrors Romeo and Juliet throughout the movie. In Promising Young Woman, there's a moment where Cassie smudges red lipstick across her face and this was said to be a direct reference to the Joker.
Saltburn is also filled with references to novels and films, interestingly including Wuthering Heights, with that graveyard scene meant to be a direct nod to Wuthering Heights.
It's all so full circle.
Wuthering Heights is in cinemas from today in the UK and Ireland
