Ready to get a little freaked out? The first teaser footage (originally shown at FrightFest) for UNDER THE SKIN starring Scarlett Johansson has arrived and it will likely leave you a little unsettled. Creepy, eerie, and chock full of grotesque imagery with no real sense of context is ripe within this footage and it's more than enough to pique the interest of anyone that finds this sort of material engrossing. Based on the novel by Michael Faber, the film is directed by Jonathan Glazer (SEXY BEAST, BIRTH) and stars Johansson as a mysterious character roaming the Scottish highlands in search of hitchhikers. But, with very strange intentions.
Freak out!:
Here's the book synopsis:
Described as a "fascinating psychological thriller" (The Baltimore Sun), this entrancing novel introduces Isserley, a female driver who picks up hitchhikers with big muscles. She, herself, is tiny-like a kid peering up over the steering wheel. Scarred and awkward, yet strangely erotic and threatening, she listens to her hitchhikers as they open up to her, revealing clues about who might miss them if they should disappear. At once humane and horrifying, Under the Skin takes us on a heart-thumping ride through dangerous territory-our own moral instincts and the boundaries of compassion. A grotesque and comical allegory, a surreal representation of contemporary society run amok, Under the Skin has been internationally received as the arrival of an exciting talent, rich and assured.
This is a very strange project for Johansson and I think that's a great thing. She's no stranger to the big budget, mainstream world, so it's cool to see her dipping into other genres, especially ones that are a bit out of her comfort zone. Director Jonathan Glazer is notable for his odd material and pairing with Johansson for this looks like a fine entry in the horror/sci-fi genre. At the very least, the imagery looks to be freaky as hell.
UNDER THE SKIN will be playing at TIFF on September 9, 2013 (watch for our review). No official release date has been announced, but expect one shortly after TIFF. Johansson will next be seen in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER on April 4, 2014.