dittoapokemon

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Lottie who never asked to lead. Lottie who never spoke up to say she had these powers. Lottie who does things simply because “you keep coming back”. Lottie who fears the group. At least the ones that believe in her. Lottie who watched herself be hoisted up to godhood without her input. Lottie who watched them rip Jackie down from the same pedestal. Lottie who watched her be cannibalized long before her death. Lottie who displays clear panic when Mari says she doesn’t need a gun. Because yes she DOES. Lottie who knows Mari can’t hunt because that’s Natalie’s job. Lottie who has no clue what she’s doing but knows the group needs something to believe in. Lottie who says nothing to let them believe they are protected. Lottie who knows what happens if she fails. Lottie who watched it happen to the leader before her. Lottie who is more afraid than anyone.

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People accusing the MCU of queerbaiting has always seemed off base to me because queerbaiting implies a level of emotional character interaction that the MCU has overall staunchly refused to feature. Nobody is even friends 

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as far as i'm concerned all gore is necessary

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Queen

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who is telling men that having gray in their hair is ugly. why are they fucking lying

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The thing neurotypicals tend not to understand about the ADHD brain is that it really only has two gears

I turn to the chalkboard and carefully write out

WORKIN' HARD

HARDLY WORKIN'

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you cant fucking hurt me bitch im protected by the migratory bird act

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Say hello to mechanically separated chicken. It’s what all fast-food chicken is made from—things like chicken nuggets and patties. Also, the processed frozen chicken in the stores is made from it. Basically, the entire chicken is smashed and pressed through a sieve—bones, eyes, guts, and all. it comes out looking like this. There’s more: because it’s crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia, soaked in it, actually. Then, because it tastes gross, it will be reflavored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color. But, hey, at least it tastes good, right? High five, America!

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legally blonde from warner’s perspective is so funny

One day you’re dating this gorgeous but ditsy girl but your family pressures you to break up with her once you go to harvard so you do and it ends in tears but whatever.

Next thing you know, she’s at Harvard, dressed in entirely different clothes, saying its easy to get in and she’s pretending she forgot you go there. But you payed your way in and she’s rich too so you kind of assume she did the same thing and fine, so you have a stalker now.

There’s a mixer at the start of the school year. She shows up in a playboy. bunny. costume.

She tries to flirt with you while your fiance is in the next room. You tell her enough is enough and she gets like really angry at you.

Suddenly she is kicking ur ass in class, she steals opportunities away from you, she steals your girlfriend, she starts winning cases, she’s on the news now, she graduates as valedictorian

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The major discourse I see about Saltburn is whether it’s about class or queer obsession. Surprise! It’s both! Spoilers below.

So at the start it’s definitely about queer obsession. Ollie is enthralled by Felix and as we learn at the end is happy to play the hapless little damaged boy to get his attention. We see a lot of affection and intimacy between the two. And at this point Ollie has never seen Saltburn. He knows Felix is rich and has a castle but that’s it. @magicspeedwagon7 has a great post about how we get a tour of Saltburn but not really. The whole scene is focused on Felix. He points to things out of frame and we don’t see them because we are watching him through Ollie’s eyes. We see him impressed by the house but once Felix is in the room he is all that matters. Here is where we see the major theme being his obsession with Felix.

And we see this building obsession with Felix. Leading to the bathtub scene. I think here and the grave scene is where we see Oliver at his truest. His most uncontrolled. He just can’t stop himself. He is alone and can act on pure emotion and simply do whatever he desires. He doesn’t just love Felix. He wants to ABSORB him. He wants to become one with him. Of course these are interspersed with scenes of him manipulating the family. This is when we see him desire both the house AND Felix. And the way to get the house is through Felix. We see the mingling of both themes, his obsession with Felix and his obsession with having more in terms of wealth and status.

He is being taunted constantly that Felix will throw him away because he simply enjoys broken toys until a new, more broken object comes along. He tried to disregard it. And then Pamela dies. And he watches how easily the family disregards her. She had lived with them for months and they threw her out.

Before I continue this whole thing hinges on the mirror scene. We watch him meticulously wrap his hand and then punch the mirror. Most people would just punch the mirror in a rage by Oliver takes the necessary precautions but in all that time still can’t calm himself. He still has to react with emotion.

And then his lies are revealed. And he tries to talk to Felix and he’s not having it. We see him cry alone, not for an audience, twice and one is when Felix first rejects him. He blows him off so he follows him to the maze. At this point he’s already dosed the bottle. So even though Felix is showing some tenderness. Even though he nearly kisses him. He shows concern. Ollie can’t see it. He has acted meticulously, dosing the bottle, taking a drink, throwing up, but he is acting on pure rage and fear. He’s been rejected by Felix and that’s driving him insane. And he’s scared that this is it, he’s being thrown away so Felix can go find his next fix. He can’t stop himself at this point. He can’t see the tenderness through his own emotion.

And so Felix dies. And Oliver doesn’t know what to do. The object of his desire is gone because of him. He killed him after being rejected. And he can’t handle that. He can’t accept that he reacted based on emotion. No! He’s a mastermind! The puppet master pulling the strings! But the only other time we see him cry while alone is over Felix’s death. All the times he cries in privacy are over Felix. He desired Felix and Saltburn and now there is only Saltburn. We have gone through him being obsessed with Felix, to being obsessed with Felix and Saltburn, and finally obsessed with Saltburn and convincing himself it’s always only been Saltburn.

It’s important to also understand the Cattons aren’t just rich. They’re British nobles. Oliver could only become one of them through marriage. And there’s a tendency of the middle class to appropriate the lives of those poorer while constantly desiring to the top of the food chain. Keeping up with the Joneses. They want to be the top 1% but while in America it’s possible to get there from the middle class (not easy, usually you still have to be born into that but you can do it) in Britain that’s the nobles. You can have more money than God you’ll still never be able to be them without marriage or birth.

It’s also worth noting that while killing the Catton women Ollie has no problem getting his hands dirty. He slices Venetia’s wrists, and he pulls out Elspeth breathing tube. But the men? James he simply waits to pass, I think he knew he’d never truly get an opportunity to kill him and not get caught. And Felix he poisons. He kills him in a way that not only requires no physical violence but one he also doesn’t have to witness. And he doesn’t kill Farleigh. He gets him kicked out. I think he knew Farleigh was the one who could truly see him. Not entirely, not the darkness, but he knew something else was going on there. So he was the biggest threat. So instead of neutralizing him himself, he convinces the family to do it.

Well Ollie has lost the man he loved/was obsessed with. Who could’ve been his ticket into this life. And he can’t stand he lost him to such a disgusting display of emotion. So he convinces himself it’s part of his plan. See he wanted the house. Never Felix, just Saltburn. Like so many middle class men he just wanted more. Greater. To be a part of that elite social class he never could. So he keeps going. Devising a plan to get everyone else out of his way. He’s willing to play the long game now. And if taking Saltburn allows him to also retain pieces of Felix, well that’s fine by him.

And he gets what he wants. But there’s the rub, he owns Saltburn. And all the money he could want. And he will still never be noble. He can never bridge that gap. The only way to become noble is birth or marriage. Because he lost what he truly wanted: Felix.

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Rewatched Saltburn and I'm obsessed with Farleigh and Oliver's tutoring scene. The essay specifically. For those who don't remember: Oliver did his homework and all his assignments and genuinely gave a well thought out essay for their summer assignments. Farleigh shows up hungover and late and didn't even read the books. But the teacher immediately loves Farleigh and is chatting him up with an interest he barely tried to show Oliver. Even after Oliver gives his presentation and shows that he's clearly a much better student than Farleigh. Obviously this is the real start of their rivalry. But it's also such a beautiful look into their characters and how they mirror eachother. Farleigh understands Oliver's essay, I believe. But like the teacher he's bored by it. The knowledge and work is there, but the presentation of it is boring and strange. Academic and correct, but lacking the appeal to the audience. (Which, can we talk about the fact Farleigh was genuinely listening at all? The teacher zoned out and switched channels, but Farleigh was interested and paying enough attention to know the exact number of times Oliver used the word "thus" in his essay. They respect each other truly even if they despise eachother at this point, and refuse to acknowledge the grudging respect.) So Farleigh does what he does best, he gloats over Oliver. He picks apart the style of the essay and it's presentation rather than addressing the central argument or topic. This delights the teacher and frustrates Oliver who is like, "so you're going to critique the style of my essay rather than it's substance? Seems a bit lazy" and that's the core component of these two characters.

Farleigh is ALL about presentation. He knows how fragile his pedistal is placed up and in view for everyone to see. He's a charity project, just like every other rando of the month. Sure he has some familiar connection, and that's given him a leg up in this world. But it's still shakey at best. He always has to give the correct performance, say the right words, keep his audience on HIS side. Unless he wants to get knocked down with the rest of the common rabal that he knows he's belongs with, but can't stand the idea of. So yes, of course he picks apart the one thing he knows Oliver is failing at. He takes his one advantage over Oliver and uses it mercilessly to both entertain and secure his audience on his side. (I wonder if the positions had been different some how, if Farleigh would have had anything to say about the substance of the essay itself. He was paying attention to it, did he want to have a real academic conversation? Did he possibly want to try and connect to Oliver in that way? A real and non performative way with someone who's so similar to him?)

As for Oliver, obviously his character is intelligent. He does the readings. He does the research. He puts the time and effort in to *learn* in the way Farleigh never does. And it must infuriate him that his essay is so easily pushed to the side for a cheep critique that doesn't even address the central argument of his essay. Of course he would hate Farleigh from the start for that. It's such a quick negation of all that Oliver has to offer and give just because it's not wrapped up in a pretty bow. And that's just his character. The substance is there, the intelligence is there. But it's not enough. It will never be enough. Because Oliver doesn't know how to translate it to his audience in a way they'll care about. He learns and tries to mimic, but it always falls short because he just can't seem to figure out the way to blend in and present himself so seamlessly as Farleigh.

And that's why they're such perfect mirrors of each other. They're both intelligent and clever. But they've found different ways of getting what they want and proving themselves. Farleigh is the face and the presentation, Oliver is the substance and body. In another world imagine what these two could have done and been if they hadn't been pitted against each other for the same prize. And the fact Oliver definitely deliberately shoved Farleigh out at the perfect time so he wouldn't get hurt and killed? Oliver and Farleigh respect and admire the other. But their tragedy is they can never be on the same page or team because the world they're in says there is only room for one. And they'd both do anything to get that title.

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oh so when Ollie says he's a vampire, he really means it, huh

- has to be invited in to Saltburn bc otherwise he wouldn't be able to ever enter that world

-the place is called Saltburn-salt is often used as warding against evil forces (but once invited into the protected space it is too late)

-he's there to consume these people, take their lives so he may live on (as the version of himself he sees as his due)

-consuming bodily fluids that are regarded as carrying someone's 'essence'/life (blood, seminal fluid)

-he's visiting people at night to prey on them, using their weak points, in this position behaves more dominantly than his daylight self

- a lot of this 'vampiric' behaviour is also mixed with sexuality, which is very much part of the vampire image

-destroying the mirror that doesn't show him (how he wants to appear...in the ending scene he no longer has a problem with it, relishes his new image as sy with status)

- Venetia, who he originally calls himself a vampire to, dies losing a lot of blood

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new saltburn theory: the concept of "clownism" (is that even a word idk LOOOOL)

anyway the Cattons love whimsical things!! This is sort of playing off an analysis done by @/ artichokemami on tiktok, where they point out the styling of "poor dear Pamela". Specifically how her outfit has like a high frilly collar, her hair is like bright red and has blunt bangs, her eyebrows look really crazy etc etc. This sort of circus thing is also reflected in the Catton Players. They just love silly whimsical objects and people (even tho that ends up being their downfall).

This next bit is more of a theory in development so very open to discussion and or rebuttal:

This ties back into the Catton Saviour Complex a lot of people have been discussing here. Like poor dear Pamela was a part of the circus and the Cattons "rescued" her, although she was a much more literal representation. It's like the same with Farleigh and Oliver but I reckon it's more hidden. Farleigh's mother running off was whimsical to the family/Oliver's parents being "drug addicts" was also very loopy cuckoo for them.

Part of the appeal of clownish things for the family is that they get to be the ones who save them from the circus. other people have previously discussed this more in depth and its like when the Cattons get bored, they move on quick!!!!!!!!! They WILL leave you for a more interesting spectacle if they find one!!!

I have too many thoughts about this movie. Send help rn.

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The thing that caught me after watching Saltburn a second time is when we see Oliver’s father. It all falls into place. Oliver has his father’s eyes, his father’s glasses, his father’s clothes. He sees his future staring back at him when he sees his dad, and it’s rubbed in his face when Farleigh tells him this is all a dream he’ll tell to his fat children someday. Oliver can see how his entire life will go and he can’t take it. Reminds me a little bit of the short story Paul’s Case by Willa Cather.

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Trigger warning: talking about the motif of thr*w up in Saltburn

Examples:

- Oliver’s dad’s stone lands in puke instead of in the water

- Oliver’s puke covers the mirror the morning after he drinks himself to sleep after being rejected by Felix

- Oliver mentions getting an upset stomach from runny eggs

- A girl throws up in the fountain at the party

- Oliver throws up in the maze

I think the vomit motif in Saltburn was so interesting. Oliver is the fingers down the throat of this family. He’s forcing his way in as they are forcing him out and it creates a purge.

It is the perfect motif for greed and overindulgence. It also reflects the contrast between Oliver and the Cattons. Oliver is not afraid to get down and dirty whereas the Cattons are squeamish and easily repulsed (Elsbeth choosing men over women simply because they are dry as opposed to wet). Oliver, as Venetia points out, is “real”. Her obsession with vomit is a shameful secret until it is exposed by Oliver. He continues to push their filth to the top until secrets begin to overflow and create a purging process.

Oliver is unafraid to clean Felix’s grimy room, drink his bath water, suck his sister’s blood, fuck his grave, or rip his mother’s breathing tube out.

In a reverse Romeo & Juliet turn of events, Oliver purges himself of the poison that he had just handed off to Felix. Felix will die. Oliver will live. Only one household can live on. This is where vomit almost plays the role of a rebirth. It is a purge of the past and an invitation for something new to begin.

Hope this didn’t gross you out too much.

Thoughts????

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saltburn rambles but. the scene where oliver carefully wraps his hand before punching the mirror is so emblematic of his character and decision-making. the way he can simultaneously seem so calculated and intentional and premeditated, while also being incredibly emotional and impulsive and reactive.

as much as oliver likes to convince himself his decisions are logical, he is fueled by his emotions. punching the mirror is purely a rage response; there's no masterminded ulterior motive to breaking the mirror. it's a destructive impulse that he can't control.

he can take the time to wrap his hand, to return to his room, to direct his anger. he can be smart about it and mitigate the damage. but it's still an emotional reaction. it's still impulsive. he's still not in control.

in the same way, he takes the time to poison the bottle of champagne, but that doesn't make him killing felix any less of an impulsive response to felix's rejection.

he isn't logical. he isn't a mastermind. he's a heartbroken kid, lashing out because he's feeling scary feelings, and lying to himself. because admitting he was in love with felix means admitting that he lost what he really wanted. and admitting he's not in control means that it was completely and utterly his own damn fault.

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my favorite lines from saltburn out of context

- the turnover rate is insane for footmen

- Times New Roman

- Elspeth! I could wear my suit of armor :)