With the upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation drawing comparisons to director Emerald Fennel’s Saltburn, fans have been critical of the remake and its “hideous” costumes
Wuthering Heights fans make same complaint over Margot Robbie ‘latex’ dress(Image: )
Wuthering Heights costume designer Jacqueline Durran has defended herself after fans laid into her “hideous” costume choices for Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Cathy in the upcoming adaptation.
It’s safe to say the controversial new movie, set for release on February 13, is challenging fans of the genre to be more open-minded with its reimagining. But some are simply not having any of it, with early critical reviews of Emerald Fennell’s adaptation reflecting the mixed opinions on the production.
Aside from the similarity with Fennel’s Saltburn and its “hypersexualised” narrative, the costume choices seem to have really riled up lovers of Emily Brontë’s timeless story, including a red latex dress. Taking to social media, users have been sharing their views on the upcoming release, which is soundtracked by Queen of BRAT Charli XCX.
Margot’s red dress has got fans concerned for the upcoming release(Image: WARNER BROS)
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One fan wrote: “Images or styles that look good, and they chose a fugly plastic arts and crafts looking ahh dress with a bow.” Another complained: “A lot of costumes in period movies are not historically accurate, but at least they make sense… This just looks random.”
A third disgruntled X user wrote: “They are AWFUL and im not even mentioning if they are historically accurate or not. Hideous.” Another fumed: “Are we deada**???!!! You’re trying to tell me this is the 1800s and not a Met Gala dress?”
Someone else was keen to point out that although Margot, as always, looks great, the costumes are an insult to her. They raged: “Margot can wear a trash bag and still look like a goddess, but why did they actually make her wear a trash bag?”
However, the costume designer and two-time Oscar winner has defended the choices she made for the movie. As reported by Vogue, she explained: “It’s actually not latex – it’s just an ultra shiny, synthetic, plasticised contemporary fabric. Red is a key colour for Cathy throughout the film, and she wears a few high-shine pieces.
“That idea of shiny surfaces is key to Cathy’s character and costumes. We used this look in this scene because it was about combining the dress and the set in a really artificial and highly stylised way, because it has this rubberised, high-shine red floor.”
The costume choices have drawn criticism from fans(Image: )
The costume designer went on to add that the “dates are all confused”, admitting the team weren’t trying to be historically accurate. She admitted they picked clothes “we like for each character”.
So there! But it’s not just the costumes that are raising eyebrows; the actual content is causing a stir with fans and critics, after it was reported that the opening scene consists of a man ejaculating upon execution (which those who have read the book will know definitely isn’t canon).
The film has had mixed reactions on social media, with some pointing out that the movie strays too far from its literary roots. One X user wrote: “This isn’t gothic romance, it’s Instagram aesthetics playing dress-up”. Meanwhile, a viral tweet summed it up as “The matcha Dubai chocolate labubu of film”.
Earlier this year, the film received similar backlash in the aftermath of its first screening in Dallas, Texas, where, as reported by World of the Reel, audience reactions were “largely mixed” – with some “visible restlessness” thrown in. Fans were largely in agreement, adding that they thought these scenes sounded “cheap” and were only added for shock value.
One commenter wrote: “Wuthering Heights is not an erotic book at all. Cathy and Heathcliffe’s love is minimally sexual at best; she is doing this purely for shock factor…”
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