The very germ of “eat-the-rich” can be attributed to noted philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the idea, or something approaching it, became prominent during the 18th Century against the backdrop of the French Revolution. He said that when the people in a society are left with nothing to eat, they will eat the rich, reflecting anti-capitalistic sentiments. Films being a part of society, hold up a mirror to it, and have reflected upon this concept too, even in the early stages with the likes of filmmakers whose films are rooted in left, anti-capitalist sentiments. Historically, it can be traced back to the films of Sergei Eisenstein, Luis Bunuel, and many more, where the class conflict became quite visible, whether in a literal way or sometimes through the use of satire and surrealistic visions.
In recent times, there are very few films that have become more influential than the Bong Joon-ho-directed film “Parasite” (2019), which broke major records from both critical and commercial standpoints. Although Bong had previously made various films that definitely qualify as cinematic masterpieces with the likes of “Memories of Murder” (2003), “The Host” (2006), and “Mother” (2009), “Parasite” (2019) took him to another level with him winning numerous awards such as the unanimous victory at the Cannes Film Festival with the Palme d’Or and, most importantly, winning at the Academy Awards that broke historical records. It became the first non-English film to win the Best Picture award since the inception of the award, as it was predominantly for English-language films with very little recognition for filmmakers from other languages. Other than that, the film was also a success story at the global box office, which further garnered attention from the business people in the industry. As one can see, although the “eat-the-rich” phenomenon was quite visible in various other films, like Bong Joon-ho’s own “Snowpiercer” (2013), this became more prominent post-Parasite, as we can point to an increase in the prevalence of this type of film. So here is a list of films one should add to their watchlist if they liked “Parasite” (2019):
Sorry To Bother You (2018)
Boots Riley is a multi-faceted filmmaker who is also a communist activist, and “Sorry To Bother You” (2018) is reflective of these ideals while also just being a great film from a filmmaking standpoint. The film marks a hard-hitting take on class and capitalism in America and focuses on the puppeteers reflected by the capitalists rather than the so-called puppet politicians. The film boasts of raw and earthy energy that is perfectly captured by Riley and brilliantly displayed through exceptionally well-written and performed characters. Although it went pretty much under the radar, other than its brilliant social commentary and filmmaking, “Sorry to Bother You” is also quite a hilarious satire that has a very cheeky tone to its humor and contains a brilliant performance from its cast, especially that of LaKeith Stanfield through his portrayal of the character of Cassius Green.
Ready Or Not (2019)
The directorial duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, in a quirky and thrilling way, envision a film that perfectly balances thrill with horror and is the perfect crowd-pleaser and energizer after a busy day at work. “Ready or Not” (2019) places itself against the backdrop of a marriage, with the protagonist, Grace, being a newlywed bride, whose wealthy in-laws make her participate in a ritualistic game that, at first instance, may seem innocent. This narrative is finely woven by the directors, and “Ready or Not” (2019) is definitely an enjoyable watch that has its fair share of cathartic violence, horror, and also pure fun.Â
The Platform (2019)
With a runtime of around 94 minutes, “The Platform” (2019), also known as “El Hoyo,” by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, is an inventive and impressive blend of horror and science fiction that has a thriller-like approach with great moments of shock. The film is set inside a vertical prison, has a stark commentary on societal inequalities, and also showcases human nature with its vices such as greed and gluttony. Although nowadays it is quite rare to see films that are very original in their ideas, “The Platform” (2019) is the perfect example of a film that manages to present its unique premise on the screen in a brilliantly evocative manner. This film succeeds in all the technical departments, and a special mention should definitely be given to the production design, which, with a minimalist touch, gets to showcase a layered setting that speaks for itself.
Knives Out (2019) And Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
“Knives Out” has probably become one of the most exciting franchises of recent years with the introduction of brilliant detective Benoit Blanc and is perfect for those who love murder mystery thrillers. Although these Rian Johnson directorial films place themselves in the terrain of a whodunnit mystery with a dose of cheeky humor, both of the films have underlying themes that deal with the concept of “eat-the-rich” and also shed light on divides based on race and nationality. Other than that, both “Knives Out” films are a breeze to watch and feature highly star-studded ensemble casts with the common thread of Benoit Blanc, played with a very dashing style by Daniel Craig.
The Menu (2022)
“The Menu” (2022) boasts of a fine choice of artists associated with it, from the likes of the director Mike Mylod, who is known for directing numerous episodes of acclaimed shows such as “Game Of Thrones” and “Succession” along with a talented pool of actors from the veteran Ralph Fiennes to the recent heart throb Anya Taylor-Joy. The film itself uses a very common trope of putting a bunch of people in a remote destination as things go haywire and not as planned. But it is the execution of the tried and tested narrative that makes it an engaging and sometimes oddly funny watch as it perfectly blends its dark humor with thrilling and horrific elements. “The Menu” (2022) is pretty impressive satire on society’s elitism and reflects heavily on class disparity.
Triangle Of Sadness (2022)
“Triangle of Sadness” (2022) can be called an interesting successor to the 2019 Bong Joon-ho directorial “Parasite,” and interestingly, this film also garnered the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Festival. This Ruben Östlund directorial is also one of the funniest films from last year, along with containing one of the most memorable sequences from the recent past. The film is a highly funny satire on capitalism and also a take on various political spectrums, from a Marxist point of view. Furthermore, “Triangle of Sadness” (2022) boasts impressive performances from its extremely wide cast of actors, especially that of Dolly De Leon, and a memorable cameo from Woody Harrelson.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Another film from 2022 that is also reflective of the social divide based on a financial standpoint through a satirical horror approach This film is backed by A24 and revolves around a group of privileged people in their 20s, blends various conventions, and begins with a teen comedy vibe but quickly switches genres into the terrain of horror and that of a whodunnit murder mystery. “Bodies Bodies Bodies” (2022) boasts of an impressive ensemble of actors that perfectly reflects various social themes as its subtext. Furthermore, people who are aware of the highly popular game, “Among Us,” will find the film quite reminiscent of that, but from a cinematic lens with some really quirky characters.
Final Words
A large-scale pandemic that shook the entire world further widened the gap between the haves and the have-nots, and the reflection can be seen in the artistic domain too. One does not need to look anywhere else as in 2022 itself, there were loads of films that wore their “eat-the-rich” philosophy on their sleeves, and this cannot be merely credited to “Parasite” (2019) but rather has to be considered to be reflective of the times we live in, where worldwide there remains a huge wealth gap, and the gap is constantly expanding. The effect is seen in a majority of the countries where wealth inequality has become a serious factor, and from this atmosphere, films collectively dubbed “eat-the-rich” films have gained momentum. However, it remains an irony that these so-called films are themselves produced by the same capitalists they attempt to critique. As the famous saying states that even the last capitalist that is hanged will be the one that sold the rope.