The Screenwriter Explains the Numerous Unexpected Twists of Emma Stone's Latest Sci-Fi Movie
The film screenwriter the writer barely recalls what happens in the original Korean movie. That’s a bit of a surprise, given that he penned the script for the director’s latest adaptation of the 2003 Korean dark sci-fi comedy. Instead of studying the original script for inspiration, the screenwriter behind The Menu watched the film a single time, took a few notes, and got to work.
“I’ve only seen Save the Green Planet the one time,” Tracy explains. “I couldn't clearly recall the movie all that well. I didn't want to feel like I had to be faithfully adapting or remaking or paying tribute to another filmmaker's work. The fairest thing to both films was to have them exist independently.”
While the basic plot of a emotionally troubled man (Jesse Plemons in the new version) who kidnaps a business leader he’s convinced is an extraterrestrial hiding on Earth is pretty much the identical in each movie, the variations are notable. Firstly, the writer rewrote the executive character, originally male in the director's first version, as a woman. (Lanthimos cast his regular partner the actress in the part.) The endings vary a bit too, in the way they address their shared core mystery: Is the character an extraterrestrial or not really?
The screenwriter feels that answer is somewhat beside the point.
“I never was really focused on the twist aspect,” he says. “My intention wasn't for the movie to just be a gadget that does one surprise, and then once it does that surprise, it's like: Alright, so what's next?”
Nevertheless, he has plenty to say on the topic. Our discussion with the screenwriter touched on the film’s finale and what it all means, along with the ways he and Lanthimos worked together to bring those twists to life.
Warning: Complete details follow for the conclusion of Bugonia.
Therefore, is the character an extraterrestrial or not an alien?
In brief: Absolutely.
Similar to in the original film, the conclusion of Bugonia discloses that Stone’s character, a pharmaceutical executive named Michelle Fuller, is actually alien royalty in disguise. After tricking her kidnapper Teddy (Plemons) into ending his own life using her teleportation technology, she beams back up to her Andromedon spaceship.
The fact that this is unexpected is a proof to Stone’s acting skills. Throughout the 118-minute movie, she maintains suspense through a complex performance that may take several rewatches to comprehend entirely.
“She talked a lot about how it was the initial instance she had to give a performance where she felt she had to be conscious of people viewing it again. How those rewatching are going to think,” the writer explains. "She was aware the upon a repeat viewing someone sees this film, They know that I know that I'm… you know?”
Tracy pauses, before continuing, “So she had to be aware this awareness in her performance.”
Creating the aliens and their vessel
Once the CEO ultimately shows her true nature, we get a quick look of her ship and fellow aliens before Bugonia concludes. Their ship has a distinct appearance, which Tracy reveals was intended to look like a marine animal while steering clear of high-tech visuals.
“[The director] was really fascinated by almost like a jellyfish-inspired shape for the spaceship, something quite organic,” he says.
The goal was for them to seem oddly somewhat tribal or ancient.
The Andromedons’ clothing is just as interesting as their vessel: bulbous dress-like garments made from thick, woven cords. Once more, the aim was to go against sci-fi movie tradition.
“Regarding the attire, instead of being advanced, they [were meant to|aimed to] feel strangely somewhat tribal or basic, and yet also highly decorative and sophisticated, because it's a very detailed and beautiful design on those unusual woven outfits,” Tracy states. He adds that Lanthimos “viewed it as being a extremely old society. He wasn't into the notion of any element being smooth and metallic, or a hyper-futuristic look.”
The conclusion of the world (or just humankind)
Maybe the biggest difference between Bugonia and the original is that in the first version, the aliens respond to their leader's kidnapping and abuse by destroying planet Earth. This adaptation adopts a somewhat more nuanced method, with its beings choosing to eliminate all mankind, while keeping the planet and its remaining creatures intact.
“My intention to achieve in the script was a depiction of Earth post-human existence,” Tracy explains.
In the movie’s final moments, we see a series of shots of life across the planet. All humans lie dead where they were standing moments earlier, but the Earth continues. What we, as an audience, are meant to make of all this is up for debate. Does the conclusion of Bugonia hopeful or pessimistic? Are people doomed or worth saving? Is the planet be better off in our absence?
The screenwriter isn’t willing to offer a definitive answer in any direction.
“Some people see it as a extremely dark ending, or a tragic finale, a hopeless ending,” he says. “Different audiences view it as being a strangely optimistic or positive ending. I think there's different ways to understand it.”
The film is currently in select cinemas at present, with a wide release on Oct. 31.