Yorgos Lanthimos' 'Poor Things' Explores Monstrous Femininity
Yorgos Lanthimos' film 'Poor Things', based on Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel, features Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) who undergoes a brain transplant from a fetus into an adult woman's body by scientist Godwin. The film critiques patriarchal structures through Bella's journey of self-discovery, paralleling themes from Jude Ellison Sady Doyle's essay 'Il mostruoso femminile' on how patriarchy creates female monsters. Emma Stone won Best Actress at the Golden Globes for her role. The narrative unfolds in six chapters, blending grotesque and fairy-tale aesthetics to deconstruct gender roles.
Key facts
- Film 'Poor Things' directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
- Based on Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel
- Emma Stone plays Bella Baxter
- Stone won Golden Globe for Best Actress
- Character Bella Baxter has a fetal brain transplanted into adult body
- Film references Jude Ellison Sady Doyle's essay 'Il mostruoso femminile'
- Story structured in six chapters
- Themes include patriarchy, gender roles, and female monstrosity
Entities
Artists
- Yorgos Lanthimos
- Emma Stone
- Alasdair Gray
- Jude Ellison Sady Doyle
- Ramy Youssef
Institutions
- Golden Globe Awards
- Artribune