Jonathan Glazer hasn't made anything new since Birth, an intensely disturbing study of loss released all the way back in 2004. That's not necessarily for want of trying - the production of Under the Skin has been plagued by reshoots and missed deadlines but it now looks like it's finally on its way to cinema screens. Next week, it will premier at the Venice Film Festival and this will hopefully accelerate its release although, as of yet, no firm date has been set.
In terms of characterisation, Under the Skin is an exciting point of departure for its star, Scarlett Johansson, whose career since Lost in Translation hasn't quite brought her the acclaim she might have garnered. Her relaxed turn as Sofia Coppola's Charlotte made her the go-to girl for roles that required the ability to exude casual contempt and a kind of edgy, unapproachable sensuality. But then she seemed to become something of a self-parody and, great as I think Vicky Cristina Barcelona is, we could have done without all her deep sighing and hair tossing.
This makes her decision to play a flesh-eating alien in Under the Skin even more interesting. Stemming from the popular (and very of the moment) mythology of vampirism, creatures that consume human matter as a form of sustenance have long been associated with a darkly appealing sexuality. So maybe Johansson will regain some of her edge with this role, as she lures hitchhikers into her car in the gloomy recesses of the Scottish Highlands. Or maybe she'll just pout a lot and look like she'd rather be in a film with Bradley Cooper. Who knows. Her hair is fun though.
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