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Cruella


Cruella


“Cruella was in a box a long time, now Estella can be the one who makes guest appearances!” -Cruella



Every so often, a film encapsulates all of the factors that make it ‘wow’, leaving the audience totally satisfied.  Cruella, directed by Craig Gillespie, starring Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, screenplay by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara, produced by Disney does exactly that. It was released in Australia on May the 27th, 2021, not the best year for a release due to the Pandemic and inherent lockdowns in this country, but nevertheless a real treat on any screen.


The film follows Estella before she becomes Cruella De Vil; a gifted, precocious girl whose rebellious streak, fighting spirit and desire to become a fashion designer is the perfect mix for her journey through life.  She was orphaned at 12 from whom she thought was her biological mother, but of course the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and with the help of her two childhood partners, Horace and Jasper, Estella eventually finds her way back to her true familial ties.



It’s not just the story of the ‘Rags to Riches’ that is so enticing, weaving the elements of being thrust into the world orphaned, alone, encountering her own unique personal turmoil, stemming from her giftedness and stagnation creatively, coming up against her nemesis, finding her own strength and rising to the Cruella De Vil that has become such an archetypal force, but that the performances are so convincing, intense and illustrious.



Estella’s rebellious nature throughout the entire film is reminiscent of the Punk culture from the mid seventies to eighties whereby teen alienation and rebellion were voiced through music and fashion, and more than once I sensed that Vivienne Westwood’s influence was sprinkled throughout, or that ‘The Young Ones’ were having a private chuckle.  The costumes designed by Jenny Beavan were all about telling a story-“…I have no interest in clothes.  I just love telling stories with them.” -Jenny Beavan.  Even so,  this does not detract from the brilliance in colour and design of the costumes.  



Cruella is not just a film, but a feast for all the senses.  It is pumping all the time, visually enticing, upbeat and there really needs to be a  few Oscar nominations for Best Actress, Best Support, Art Direction and Costume thrown it’s way in 2022.


Photo credit: Emma Stone as Cruella in Disney's live-action CRUELLA.  Photo by Laurie Sparham. Copyright 2021, Disney Enterprises, Inc, All Rights Reserved. 














Stella Grammenos-Dimadis
27th September, 2021.
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