Under the Skin (2013)

A mysterious young woman seduces lonely men in the evening hours in Scotland. However, events lead her to begin a process of self-discovery.

Director:

Jonathan Glazer

Writers:

Walter Campbell, Jonathan Glazer

Stars:

Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 25 wins & 101 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Scarlett Johansson	...	The Female
Jeremy McWilliams	...	The Bad Man
Lynsey Taylor Mackay	...	The Dead Woman
Dougie McConnell	...	Pick-Up Man
Kevin McAlinden	...	First Victim
D. Meade	...	Leering Man
Andrew Gorman	...	Second Victim
Joe Szula	...	Man at Club
Krystof Hádek	...	The Swimmer (as Krystof Hadek)
Roy Armstrong	...	Father at Beach
Alison Chand	...	Mother at Beach
Ben Mills	...	The Baby
Oscar Mills	...	The Baby
Lee Fanning	...	Motorcyclist #1
Paul Brannigan	...	Andrew

Storyline

An alien entity inhabits the earthly form of a young woman who combs the roads and streets of Scotland in search of the human prey she came to plunder. She seduces her isolated and forsaken male victims into an otherworldly dimension where they are stripped and consumed. However, existence in all its complexity begin to change the alien visitor. She begins to discover herself as human with tragic and terrifying consequences.

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Plot Keywords:

alien | female nudity | desire | human prey | femme fatale | 

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic nudity, sexual content, some violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Site

Country:

UK USA Switzerland Poland

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 March 2014 (UK)

Also Known As:

Pod kožom

Filming Locations:

Tantallon Castle, Auldhame, East Lothian, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$13,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$133,154, 6 April 2014, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,605,039, 3 August 2014

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film4, British Film Institute (BFI), Silver Reel

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Adam Pearson, who plays the disfigured man who is lured into the vehicle, broke his leg when he was struck by a cab on his way to audition for his role. Director Jonathan Glazer auditioned him the next day at the hospital and gave him the job.

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Goofs

When The Female descends down the escalator at around the 10 minute mark the camera angle switches from behind her descending the escalator with her to a fixed camera in front of her as she approaches. At that switch, the persons in front of her on the escalator are different in than in the prior shot.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Female Voice: [with a mechanical buzz over shadowy morphing orbs] T- D, S- Z- Th, B- T- V, H- T- D- K- G, S- Z- P- B, Ba-Ba- T- T, K- Kuh- Ch, Th- V- Th, Zzz- Sss- Bzz- Ch, B-B-Buh- V-V-Vuh, G-G-Guh D-D-Duh.
Female Voice: [now over a shiney white torus, slowly morphing] B-B-Buh- B-B-Buh, B-B-Beh, B-B-Beh, Bah, N-N-Nuh- N-N-Nuh, N-N-Nuh- No. N-N-Nuh, F- Feel- Field, Fill- Filled- Filts, Foil- Failed- Fell, Felds- Pill- Pills, Pall- Nall.
Female Voice: [now over a watery chestnut-brown eye] Foal- Foals, Fold- Fold, Pool- Pool, ...

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Crazy Credits

None of the characters are named in the closing credits: the cast-list is only a list of actors' names.

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Connections

References Space Invaders (1978)

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Soundtracks

C90
Performed by Soundtree
Written by Luis Almau (as Almau)/Peter Raeburn (as Raeburn)
Published by Soundtree Music Publishing Ltd
Licensed courtesy of Nowever Records

User Reviews

Superb

I don't usually write reviews, this is more a reply to the negative comments - because I'm a contentious little man.

The plot has been criticised as non-existent and this simply isn't the case...All you need to know is there's some kind of experiment going on, could be a prelude to an invasion, but it doesn't matter - there's plenty of research that has been done that isn't condoned (or known) by the whole of society and well is the Alien society homogeneous and united in cause? Hmmmm..see it would take an eon to get into all this detail about the organising principles of another world and the plot simply doesn't need it, neither do you: she's doing a job and leading a life that she becomes deeply conflicted about and her desire for change drives the plot within the crucible the poor Alien finds itself.

Enjoy the wonderful soundtrack, sublime camera work, the eeriness and Scarlet's stunning performance (all actors were great) and all the nuances and themes. A film is the sum of its scenes and this one has some excellent, excellent scenes. The visuals alone are to die for.

The pace? The film I felt was excellently paced, with one small judder at the cake part, but that's entirely minimal and I probably imagined it.

Scots have criticised the portrayal of Scots - it's not a tourist commercial though is it... and isolation (on which she preys) is an easy bed fellow of poverty and other difficulties. It just works. Please see this excellent film, there is so much going on and it is wonderfully dark and desolate.