In Under the Skin, Scarlett Johannson plays a mysterious being whose seductive siren song leads to its share of tragedy for the humans who are caught under her spell. The picture is directed by British filmmaker Jonathan Glazer, a visualist whose previous movies (Sexy Beast, Birth) has led to frequent comparisons to Stanley Kubrick and Roman Polanski.
The picture is based on Michael Faber’s book of the same name, which centers on an alien who tracks down hitchhikers in the Scottish highlands, and for the production Glazer decided to shoot his film in Scotland. This creative choice led to a greater sense of anonymity during the production, and it’s this sense of space which should give the movie an added sense of atmosphere and narrative depth.
During the New York press conference for Under the Skin, Scarlett Johansson talked about how shooting in Glasgow helped Glazer fulfill his overall vision. “The way that Scotland looks itself, it’s so raw and is immensely beautiful, breathtakingly so,” said the actress, who was seen (or heard) last year in Her. “It’s almost other worldly.”
Click on the audio below to hear Johansson talk about working on the Scotland based production:
