Composer and Resonance Ensemble staff member Kimberly Osberg shares more about the film, why we chose this work for Hollywood’s Feminist March series, more about Mica Levi’s musical journey and influences, and dives into the amazing musical soundworld of Levi’s groundbreaking score.

OPENING SCENE | WHAT’S THAT SOUND?

In the opening, the score is entirely acoustic, with no use of electronics. The metallic drone we hear is actually a suspended cymbal, rolling with soft mallets at a lower volume to create a low, metal wash of sound (rather than the brilliant, crashy sound we normally associate with the instrument).

The strings are playing in a particularly wire-y part of the string (known as sul ponticello). Some voices are bowing in a tremolo manner (rapidly moving the bow across the string to create a rumbling texture) while playing in a unison marching rhythm, while others sustain the tremolo while glissing up and down. A few other strings are playing a pattern of notes that move in-and-out of tune from each other as they move up and down.

THE NOVEL (2000)

In the 2000 science fiction novel, Under the Skin, by Michael Faber, readers are introduced to Isserly—an alien that has had an intense surgery to look like a human woman. The extensive surgery transforms the fox-like alien into a two-legged woman, and is thus constantly in pain—Isserly sees her job as important, but resents how her body has been deformed for the job.

In the novel, Isserly sees humans the way human sees animals. Non-bipeds like dogs and sheep seem more anthropomorphic to her own species. She watches human like we would watch cattle or deer. With her own planet being largely subterranean, Isserly admires the natural beauty of earth.

Isserly is sent to earth to capture humans to fatten them for the home world and turn them into meat. There is a rather intense “processing” of the humans described explicitly.

In the novel, Isserly is assaulted by a hitchhiker, but eventually overpowers and kills him. She captures another human as vengeance, demanding to see them process—though still feels her vegneance is unsated.

Over time, however, Isserly begins to doubt her job after a conversation with a friend highlights the kinship they feel to humans and the apprecation they have for Earth’s natural beauty. Isserly eventually quits, not returning to the operations base.

She ends up in a car accident that irreparably damages her human body. She realizes that—in order to protect her own people from being discovered by humans—she needs to self-eliminate. The novel ends with “she would become part of the sky... Her invisible remains would combine, over time, with all the wonders under the sun,” demonstrating a joy/peace with becoming one with Earth—rather than the resentment of the planet that marks so much of the novel.

THE FILM (2013)

In the 2013 film by the same name, directed by Johnathan Glazer, the alien is never shares its name and appears to don a human skinsuit rather than undergoing surgery. The alien form revealed towards the end of the film still appears to be somewhat humanoid in shape, and we are never given reason to believe that the human form is painful for the alien to endure.

While the novel is told from the alien’s perspective and we are given quite a bit of insight as to her motivations, desires, and thoughts, the film keeps us at a distance with the alien. Very little dialogue is used throughout—though what we experience is largely from the alien’s point of view, we are left to interpret visual cues and responses rather than spoken dialogue.

What happens to the human victims in the film is a bit more ambiguous than in the book—though the implication is still that of harvesting.

In the film, the alien’s encounter with a “man with nice hands” instigates a moment of empathy—she releases him rather than subjecting him to the void, and does not return to her work.

After this release, the alien begins attempting to try other human experiences—from eating cake to making love. While she explores the possibilities of a human life, her experiences are still that of an outsider. The film holds us at a distance from her, both in these experiences and the lack of dialogue.

The hitchhiker attack appears towards the end of the film—him halting part way through when his assault tears the human skin from the alien, revealing her true form.

The man, fearful of what was under the skin, sets the alien on fire, killing her. The film ends with a fiery run through the forest—her burning body seen from a distance in the final shot, black smoke floating up into the air past the trees.

At Resonance Ensemble, we believe that choral music has the power to make meaningful change through impactful programming performed at the highest level.

Our radical collaborations with community partners, artists, activists, and leaders throughout our 15-year history have helped audiences everywhere to go beyond the music, highlighting the important stories and experiences of artists from a wide array of genres, backgrounds, and cultures.

Proceeds from tonight’s screening of Under the Skin will be allocated to the RESONANCE ENSMBLE ACCESS PROJECT, which brings our programming to listeners everywhere for free through the power of film.

Hollywood Theatre hosts the return of their beloved Feminist March—a month-long festival of programming dedicated to women in film. In celebration of Women’s History Month, Feminist March champions films telling women’s stories and shines a light on the contributions that women have made, and continue to make, to the industry.

Programmed by Hollywood Theatre Community Programmer Anthony Hudson and Hollywood staff members Destynee Norwood and Cable Wells, Feminist March 2024 delves unflinchingly into the dark and seedy depths of female experience for much of this year’s lineup. But they made sure to include some levity and laughs too!

See the rest of what’s on offer this Feminist March!

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