There is a scene in Poor Things, the latest film by singular Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos, where the hair of protagonist Bella Baxter (played by Emma Stone) is described as ‘silk on a translucent, glowing egg’. Released in the UK on 12 January 2024, the dark comedy is an adaptation of Scottish writer and artist Alasdair Grey’s 1992 novel – which blends surrealism and sci-fi with political and social commentary. Set in Victorian London, the Frankensteinian story recounts the tale of Bella being brought back to life by surgeon Dr Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) after jumping from a bridge to end her life, pregnant with a child she does not want. Dr Baxter ultimately swaps her brain with that of her unborn child, leading to Bella having to learn about the world she inhabits anew.
