Jacob Elordi in ‘Frankenstein’ and 4 more brilliant performances elevated by body language

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein has arguably proven to be the Oscar winning filmmaker’s finest hour — the film starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and more premiered on Netflix, November 7, renewing the discussion around it.

Besides the film’s heartfelt storytelling and its mastery of practical art design, among other features, Elordi’s performance as the titular scientist’s creature has attracted unprecedented acclaim for the rising star. And as with some of the finest performances ever committed on film, his body language as the sort of newborn mortal was outlined as a particularly praiseworthy feature of the latest turn.

For the record, body language in acting often stands out as an aspect which performers invoke themselves, rather than directed to do so. To achieve the notion, actors often painstakingly develop the body language of their characters — when eye movement, hand gestures, physical twitches etc. enhance the performance which the actors are expected to deliver through the words provided to them on pages.

Here are some of the greatest instances dedicated to that phenomenon:

Jacob Elordi in ‘Frankenstein’

As Frankenstein’s creature, Elordi was required to demonstrate the inherent humanity of a character who is perceived as a monster by its creator and the world. He executed that to perfection with innocent expressions and stunted movement, like that of an infant. The Australian actor said that he additionally studied the Japanese butoh dance, which was recommended to him by del Toro and “helps you internalise your movements and even thinking about how your lungs move or the blood flows through your vessels,” he told Discussing Film.

Nicole Kidman in ‘Moulin Rouge’

Kidman’s turn as the Parisian courtesan Satine in Baz Luhrmann’s musical film has been hailed as one of her finest. Enriching the performance other than her singing and dancing prowess was the celebrated actress’ seductive body language and fluid movements which demonstrated the gracefulness of a character who was supposed to be a lifelong stage performer.

Heath Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight’

Expertise in body language seems to be a particular forte of Aussie actors because besides Elordi and Kidman (and we haven’t even included Cate Blanchett!), another actor from the down under to capture its essence on film is Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight. The late actor’s Oscar winning performance as the famous Batman villain is noted for his use of specific gestures like the licking of his lips and jerky physical movements, marking the birth of a singularly eccentric screen antagonist.

Emma Stone in ‘Poor Things’

Emma Stone as Bella Baxter in 2023’s Poor Things is also a character based in the myth of Frankenstein. She additionally won the Academy Award for her performance which was aided by a decidedly childish body language to illustrate the character’s untainted innocence amid her questionable circumstances.

Jack Nicholson in ‘The Shining’

Nicholson’s turn as the crazed patriarch Jack Torrance in The Shining actually engages a particularly renowned feature of body language, known as the “Kubrick stare”. Described as “one of cinema’s most recognizable shots” by film critic Robbie Collin, the technique involves a character staring directly at the camera with their head tilted downwards. Used to exemplify insanity and wildness in characters, Nicholson’s use of the Kubrick stare and a smile which elicits unease in viewers made his performance as one of the most memorable bits of acting ever.