Imagine crafting a film score without ever seeing the script or knowing the plot. Sounds impossible, right? But that’s exactly what composer Jerskin Fendrix did for Yorgos Lanthimos’s latest film, Bugonia. This unconventional approach not only challenges traditional filmmaking norms but also raises a fascinating question: Can ignorance truly spark creativity? Spoiler Alert: This article dives deep into the creative process behind Bugonia, currently in theaters, and reveals how Fendrix’s unique method shaped the film’s haunting score. And this is the part most people miss—how three simple words—bees, basement, and spaceship—became the foundation for an entire musical universe.
Lanthimos and Fendrix, long-time collaborators, began discussions about Bugonia in 2023. But here’s where it gets controversial: Lanthimos explicitly instructed Fendrix not to read the script or watch the film it’s based on, the 2003 South Korean cult classic Save the Green Planet! by Jang Joon-hwan. This marked a stark departure from their previous projects, like Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness, where Fendrix had full access to scripts and concept art. Instead, Lanthimos offered only three cryptic words as guidance: bees, basement, and spaceship.
Was this a stroke of genius or a recipe for disaster? Fendrix admits it was challenging. Without context, connecting these disparate concepts felt like solving a puzzle blindfolded. Yet, he embraced the task, spending months researching each word’s symbolism and potential applications. For instance, bees led him to explore their distinctive sound, which became a recurring motif in the film. He also delved into geometric systems, inspired by the uniformity of honeycombs—a design echoed in both basements and spaceship architecture. But here’s the kicker: If Fendrix had known the film’s plot, he believes his score would have been entirely different. This raises a thought-provoking question: Does complete creative freedom require a lack of knowledge?
Bugonia follows Michelle (Emma Stone), a pharmaceutical CEO, who is kidnapped by Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis). Convinced Michelle is an alien, they confine her to a basement, setting the stage for a bizarre and tense narrative. Teddy’s obsession with bees and his remote ranch house add layers of intrigue. Fendrix’s score reflects this complexity, blending orchestral, synthesizer, and ambient elements to capture the film’s duality of paranoia and otherworldliness.
But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: Fendrix composed distinct themes for each concept—purely orchestral for the spaceship, purely synthesizer for the basement, and a hybrid for the bees. Yet, Lanthimos subverted expectations, using the synthesizer-heavy track for the spaceship’s final scene, creating a hauntingly peaceful yet alien atmosphere. This unexpected choice highlights the beauty of their collaboration: Fendrix’s blind creativity paired with Lanthimos’s visionary direction.
As the film’s third act reveals, Teddy’s conspiracy theories are shockingly true—Michelle is indeed an alien, an ancient Andromeda species watching over humanity. Fendrix’s score subtly underscores this revelation, heightening the stakes without overpowering the narrative. It’s a masterclass in restraint and innovation.
So, here’s the question for you: Would Fendrix’s score have been better if he’d known the plot? Or does the magic lie in the mystery? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear your take on this bold creative experiment.
