Great Punk Rock Band Names

Well... we have some more reactions to the doctored reactions of a reaction test that was made, of all places, in Dallas to Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights 2026. Let's make it quick and as painless as possible. Let's begin with the Daily Mail which is thrilled to quote all the juicy expressions of the original World of Reel article and uses the headline: 

Saltburn director Emerald Fennell returns with an 'aggressively provocative' interpretation of Emily Brontë classic Wuthering Heights featuring a 'BDSM-inspired SEX scene' (Sean O'Grady)

What basically says it all.  The Guardian plays the tabloid card and has the following subtitle:

An early test showing of Emerald Fennell’s forthcoming Brontë adaptation suggests the unfinished film features horse-rein sex, suggestive egg yolks and necrophile nuns. (Catherine Shoard)

Suggestive Egg Yolks and Necrophile Nuns are two great punk rock band names.

Moviweb is not so interested in clickbait and has a couple of fitting thoughts:

'Saltburn' Director's Controversial New Adaptation With Margot Robbie Described as "Abrasive" at Polarizing Test Screening (...)

Obviously, test screenings can and should be taken with a grain of salt. Sometimes they're a valuable tool for a filmmaker to find out what is or isn't working, as happened on Independence Day when they reshot the ending after the test audience laughed at the original one. Other times, they can cloud post-production with bad information; for example, some test audiences didn't like Superman saving the squirrel in his latest movie, a sequence that has become widely regarded as one of the best parts of the film.

Universal Pictures is likely testing Wuthering Heights to see how much mainstream appeal it might have, as the studio has bet big on the film — and Fennell — with a Valentine's Day 2026 release date. Fennell's previous films, Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, have provoked strong and occasionally divergent responses, but there's no doubt that her work, in subject as well as presentation, has a way of breaking into the zeitgeist and creating viral sensations. The hope seems to be that this more sexualized version of the oft-adapted story could cross over into a mainstream hit. (Richard Fink)

And there are, of course, the Emerald Fennell's haters who were lurking in the dark until having an opportunity to free their venom. Check this Far Out Magazine: 

The negative reception to ‘Wuthering Heights’ comes as no surprise, Emerald Fennell just wants to shock

When the announcement that Emerald Fennell, director of the controversial 2023 film Saltburn, would be tackling an adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic gothic novel Wuthering Heights, people seemed divided. Unfortunately for Fennell, as more information has been revealed, anticipation for the project has teetered closer towards despair and trepidation rather than genuine excitement.

Now, with the first test screening for the film going down rather poorly, it’s clear more than ever that Fennell’s flaccid style of provocation simply doesn’t work. (...)

With BDSM and stereotypically disgusting imagery, like eggs and slugs, mixing with the erotic, it seems like Fennell is desperate to make the kind of film that will get everyone talking. (...)

Wuthering Heights is one of the most iconic novels of all time, and it really doesn’t need disgracing in such a way by Fennell. The first mistake that the filmmaker made was casting 35-year-old Margot Robbie as Cathy, the 18-year-old protagonist, which seems completely absurd.

If this isn’t proof that Fennell is more interested in profit and internet buzz around her movies, why else would you tragically miscast your leading role with a massive Hollywood star? Paired with leaked images of shooting the film, which show Robbie in incorrect period outfits, it’s no surprise that Wuthering Heights has already received backlash after one test screening.(Aimee Ferrier)

Queerty makes, obviously, a queer reading:

 While, Brontë’s novel isn’t traditionally a “textually” gay story, it’s had its fair share of queer readings and scholarly interpretations, particularly as it explores ideas like repression and forbidden love.

So little is known about Brontë’s private life that some have theorized she may have been a lesbian or queer, pointing to Wuthering Heights as an indication of such, examining Heathcliff and Catherine as two parts of a singular identity, the masculine and the feminine. It’s worth noting she initially published the novel under a male pseudonym, Ellis Bell, which was mostly likely just a workaround for a misogynist industry—but at least indicates she was down for a little gender-play.

Of course, given Emerald Fennell’s track record, maybe she’ll find some way to make Wuthering Heights more explicitly clear—we wouldn’t put it past her!

All we can do now is wonder. At this point, we can’t even count on the aforementioned hanging scene or horse-rein BDSM to make it into the final product. These early test screenings are meant to see what does and doesn’t work for audiences, so it’s not uncommon for films to get major edit overhauls after the fact. (Cameron Scheetz)

Inkl, The Independent, The Huffington Post, The Times, Que Ver, La Cosa, BAE Negocios, everyeye, Coming Soon, Filmstarts, Cinemablend, Pedestrian or National World also have similar articles.

ScreenHub (Australia) lists several films that you can stream locally this week:

Jane Eyre 2011

Fukunaga’s Jane Eyre is the definitive adaptation for many, due to its standout performances from Wasikowska and Fassbender, and its rich atmosphere that blends gothic mystery with heartfelt romance. (Silvi Vann-Wall)

 The Joe Friday's Quiz contains a Brontë question,