Inhuman Lovers and Deadly Curiosity

The tale of Bluebeard has been adapted for the stage and the cinema just as often as tales of sleeping beauties and young women who cannot keep track of their shoes. Yet it is not a typical folk/fairy tale. Indeed, it is more akin to a modern horror film than to a Disney cartoon. It is a tale without a hero and, at best, can be seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers inherent in sex (particularly with inhuman lovers), greed, and curiosity. The most recent adaptation, Ex Machina, plays with the typical themes in a Bluebeard-inspired tale and adds its own narrative twist, but creates an even darker version for modern audiences to enjoy.