"Saltburn" is a movie you need to see at least twice. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the hidden details and foreshadowing you probably didn’t catch in this viral hit film.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 "Do you know the story about Shelley's doppelganger?"
00:02 "His doppelganger?"
00:03 Welcome to Ms Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the hidden details and
00:09 foreshadowing you probably didn't catch in the viral hit film Saltburn.
00:13 Since we'll be discussing important plot points consider this your spoiler alert.
00:17 "Oh Oliver darling, so punctual."
00:22 Number 10. Superbad
00:26 The last thing you might expect from the Cattons is midday screenings of Superbad.
00:30 Sure enough, though, that's how Oliver Quick finds the Saltburn residents when he's introduced to
00:34 them. "Oh God."
00:40 Viewers were quick to point out that the majority of the film takes place in 2007,
00:44 and that's the same summer that Superbad was in theaters.
00:47 Any concerns of inconsistencies were quelled by director Emerald Fennell,
00:52 who explained that a screener would have been provided by one of Elspeth's many connections.
00:56 "So don't worry guys, I know everyone frets about things being real, but I did do my homework."
01:03 And if you assumed that this was a throwaway detail, think again. Some have pointed out
01:08 the similarities between Fogle's fake ID and Oliver's false identity throughout the film.
01:13 "Why would you lie?"
01:14 Either way, it was strange and entertaining to see an English aristocrat watching a Jonah Hill flick.
01:22 Number 9. Mr. Brightside
01:25 Though the film might be divisive, everyone can agree that Saltburn's soundtrack was a smash hit.
01:30 "Shawty had those apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur, the whole club was looking at her."
01:38 A number of songs even went viral online, some two decades after their release.
01:44 However, one classic 2000s anthem had the sneakiest influence on the plot.
01:48 On Oliver's birthday, the boys take a road trip to Prescott,
01:51 where Felix finds Oliver's parents sober, loving, and both very much alive.
01:56 "It's been hard not seeing him."
01:58 "Yeah, but it must be a lot of pressure though, I expect."
02:00 On the drive, the boys sing along to the Killers' track "Mr. Brightside."
02:04 "I'm not your killer, it's killing me."
02:11 Much like the song, the film has strong themes of deceit and betrayal.
02:16 The song is both a perfect fit for the time period, as well as the imminent reveal that
02:20 ushers in the end of Felix and Oliver's friendship.
02:23 "Ollie, just take a pill or something, for Christ's sake."
02:26 Number 8. Coronation Theme
02:28 The track that plays over the title sequence might sound familiar to music
02:31 aficionados or royalty watchers.
02:42 For the past three centuries, Handel's "Zadok the Priest" has symbolized the
02:46 anointing of the sovereign at every British coronation.
02:49 For Saltburn, the song preludes a similar rise, if not by divine right then by force.
02:55 Listen closely and you'll notice one crucial detail has been changed.
02:58 Zadok the Priest was replaced by Oliver Quick.
03:02 "Glory to thee, and hail the crown."
03:12 The lyric change reflects Oliver's slow ascent and eventual usurpation of the Caton family.
03:18 The film's director dropped the Easter egg on Twitter and praised composer
03:21 Anthony Willis for his work on the arrangement.
03:24 Long live the king, indeed.
03:26 "God save the Queen."
03:28 Number 7. The Professor
03:31 To say that Oliver and Farley's meeting with their Oxford tutor is awkward is an understatement.
03:36 "Nice to meet you. I'm sorry."
03:38 "Farley. Start, I take it."
03:42 Not only does the professor belittle Oliver for his hometown and summer reading habits,
03:47 but Farley's extremely late and barely acknowledges the fellow student.
03:51 While you are busy cringing at the scene, you likely miss the scene.
03:54 While the professor makes the connection that Farley's mother is a former classmate,
03:58 he is quick to note that he wasn't her friend so much as a distant admirer.
04:02 "Oh, no, not friend. More admirer."
04:08 Much in the same way that Oliver worships Felix and his family from afar throughout the film.
04:13 The professor might not harmonize with Oliver,
04:16 but the two have more in common than meets the eye.
04:18 "He's got you there, I'm afraid."
04:20 Number 6. Gothic Inspiration
04:24 Did Saltburn give you the heebie-jeebies?
04:26 You're not alone, and there's a very good explanation why.
04:30 "It's my house. I can go wherever I want."
04:34 "Oh, okay. And you want to be in a see-through nightdress underneath my window."
04:42 Without relying on the presence or threat of supernatural forces,
04:46 Emerald Fennell fostered an eerie film with only the setting and general atmosphere.
04:51 The film is largely inspired by literature of the same genre, such as Brideshead Revisited,
04:56 which Jacob Elordi read in preparation for production.
04:59 "Sounds like an Evening War novel."
05:01 "You know, a lot of those characters are based on my family, actually."
05:04 The settings of Oxford and Saltburn lend to the creepy aesthetic,
05:08 while devices like emotional distress, sexuality, and murder align the plot with the moody genre.
05:14 As the film progresses, the tension rises, and despite the lack of jump scares or gore,
05:19 we still find ourselves covering our eyes.
05:22 "Well, maybe we just need to be a bit more careful."
05:25 Number 5. 2000s Aesthetic
05:28 Although 2006 to 2007 might feel like yesterday to some,
05:32 Saltburn can be classified as a period piece.
05:35 "Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do?"
05:39 And when it comes to a period piece, nailing the aesthetic is of the utmost importance.
05:44 Students at Oxford can be seen with piercings, rugby shirts, and bootcut jeans,
05:49 but the naughty's aesthetic doesn't end when the characters go to Saltburn.
05:52 Even in a sophisticated setting, Emerald Fennell wanted to demonstrate the casual style of the upper class.
05:58 "Anything else I should know about?"
06:00 "No, no, just be yourself."
06:02 Felix's fashion was inspired by that of Prince Harry,
06:04 while Farley's hair seems to have been inspired by Corbin Bleu's signature high school musical do.
06:10 The film is a time capsule of a lost era of fashion and pop culture,
06:14 and we are definitely here for it.
06:17 "Oh, my God!"
06:19 Number 4. A Death Foretold
06:25 When it comes to foreshadowing, it doesn't get creepier than this.
06:28 Oliver adeptly knocks out the four main players of the Caton family
06:32 with the deed to Saltburn as the ultimate prize.
06:35 "Thank God, after all those terrible, terrible accidents."
06:40 While their demise may come as a shock to viewers,
06:43 two deaths were hinted at moments before they occurred.
06:46 In the aftermath of Felix's sudden death,
06:48 the remaining family members gather for the world's most uncomfortable lunch.
06:52 "Oliver, darling, why don't you tell us about last night?"
06:55 "Last night?"
06:58 "Did you have a lovely time?"
07:00 "Yeah, it was wonderful."
07:02 As the coroner moves Felix's body outside,
07:05 a dead-eyed Venetia pours over her glass of red wine.
07:08 Some pointed out the similarities between the spilled wine and her tragic death scene.
07:12 Shortly thereafter, Elsfette foretells her own death by choking on her food.
07:17 Only Sir James' death remains a mystery. Any guesses?
07:20 "I said it was a terrible shock."
07:23 Number 3. Oliver's Rock
07:27 Did you know that Oliver's lie was revealed in the first 30 minutes of Saltburn?
07:31 When Oliver meets Felix, he appeals to the aristocratic son's kindness
07:35 with an emotional story about a toxic upbringing.
07:38 "That was kind of dealing and stuff."
07:40 "Dealing? Sounds awful, really."
07:43 Oliver later confides in his new friend that his father passed
07:46 as a result of a substance use disorder,
07:48 a confession that prompts Felix's invitation to Saltburn.
07:52 "Why don't you come home with me? Come to Saltburn."
07:55 To support his friend, Felix invokes a family tradition
07:58 of throwing a rock in a river to honor the dead.
08:01 When Oliver tosses his father's rock, however, it lands in trash.
08:05 "Well, that can't be good."
08:12 His father isn't dead at all, and the unfortunate situation
08:15 is less unfortunate as it is a hint to what is yet to come.
08:19 Number 2. The Minotaur
08:21 The last thing one might expect from a psychological thriller
08:25 is a mythological callback.
08:27 "Mike, you should go to bed."
08:29 Nevertheless, the story of the legendary hero Theseus and the Minotaur
08:33 plays an important role in Saltburn.
08:35 The Minotaur is a half-bull, half-man creature slayed by the warrior Theseus,
08:39 who in turn betrays the royal family in order to secure the crown.
08:43 Sound familiar?
08:45 "I thought you noticed it, too."
08:47 The symbol of the bull appears numerous times throughout the film,
08:50 including on a pub sign in Oxford.
08:52 Later, when Oliver speaks with Elspeth,
08:54 a statue of Theseus killing the Minotaur is in the background.
08:58 Most striking is the giant Minotaur statue in the center of the maze
09:01 where Felix is murdered, meeting the same fate as his literary counterpart.
09:06 "Darling, darling boy. My darling boy."
09:11 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
09:14 and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
09:17 You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
09:21 If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings
09:24 and switch on notifications.
09:26 Number 1. Doppelganger
09:29 Wait, are we seeing double?
09:31 Throughout the film, the themes of doubles is constant
09:34 and frankly, pretty discomforting.
09:36 Mirroring is used symbolically to represent a double identity
09:42 or the idea that someone is always watching.
09:45 However, one particular double moment sets up the climax of the film early on.
09:50 During Oliver's first breakfast at Saltburn,
09:52 Venetia tells the family that Percy Bysshe Shelley's maid
09:55 reportedly saw Shelley walk past a window,
09:57 despite being in a different country.
10:00 "Shelley's housekeeper was cleaning one of the rooms
10:02 when Shelley walked past a window and waved at her.
10:06 So, she waved back before she realized that Shelley was in Italy."
10:10 A few hours later, he was dead.
10:12 If you look behind Venetia during this scene,
10:15 you can see an extra who looks almost exactly like Felix
10:18 walked past the window, foreshadowing his own death.
10:21 Much like Elspeth, the spooky scene gives us total chills.
10:25 A few hours later, he drowned.
10:27 Oh. Oh, that's just giving me goose bumps.
10:30 Did you catch any other strange or interesting Easter eggs in Saltburn?
10:34 Drop them in the comments below.
10:36 Thank goodness for you, Oliver. You're so perceptive.
10:41 Do you agree with our picks?
10:43 Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
10:45 And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
10:50 [♪♪]
10:53 [♪♪]
10:55 [♪♪]
10:57 (whooshing)
11:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]