What Edgar Wright’s Favorite Horror Movies Tell Us About Last Night In Soho

Last Night in Soho is Edgar Wright’s first true horror film, but what can his all-time favorite horror movies tell viewers about the upcoming thriller?

You Are Reading :What Edgar Wright’s Favorite Horror Movies Tell Us About Last Night In Soho

Last Night in Soho is the first outright horror film from acclaimed director Edgar Wright, but his favorite horror movies may reveal what to expect from the film. Last Night in Soho stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eloise Turner, a young fashion designer who finds herself inhabiting the body of Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), a nightclub singer from 1960s London. The fashionable setting sours when Eloise ends up at the center of a murder mystery only she can solve. The cast also features Matt Smith and the final film appearance of Dame Diana Rigg.

Edgar Wright is a known film buff, with a love and knowledge of the medium that is impressive even by the standards of other auteurs. He’s published numerous lists of his favorite films and is known for peppering his work with easter eggs and references to classics and hidden gems alike. His breakout movie, Shaun of the Dead, featured countless moments of loving homage and demonstrated ample influence from Wright’s favorite zombie flicks. With horror films functioning as a well of inspiration throughout his career, what plot details and themes might make their way into Last Night in Soho?

While Edgar Wright’s favorite horror movies – which can be seen at Mubi – selection is as diverse as expected from a true cinephile, there are several style choices and points of fascination that recur throughout. A careful analysis of a handful of his favorites should reveal just what kinds of horror might be found in Last Night in Soho.

Repulsion (1965)

The first English language film from Roman Polanski, Repulsion follows Carol, a young french beautician working in London whose grip on reality loosens as she experiences a sequence of nightmarish visions. Wright has specifically mentioned Repulsion as an influence on Last Night in Soho’s story, and thanks to both the ‘60s flair and London setting, the similarities are immediately apparent. In Repulsion, Carol eventually loses her mind and in Last Night in Soho, Eloise is poised to experience the same kind of spiral as her efforts to solve – or even prevent – the film’s central murder grows increasingly fraught. The visions in Repulsion ravage the mind of the already disturbed Carol and based on glimpses of a bedraggled Eloise from the trailer, her time-traveling nightmare might impose a similar toll. The final impact on Eloise remains to be seen, and while there’s hope she avoids the same fate as Carol, there’s little chance she’ll get out unscathed.

Carrie (1976)

The story of a bullied teen who gains psychic powers, Brian De Palma’s Carrie is an adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name. While most of Wright’s favorite horror movies focus on eerie ambiance and the unraveling psyche of the main character, Carrie shows the filmmaker isn’t afraid of getting a bit gruesome. Carrie’s infamous prom scene features a literal bucket of blood and considering Wright’s fondness for the film, there’s every reason to think Last Night in Soho will showcase its fair share of gore too. The previews for Last Night in Soho show Eloise’s journey growing increasingly violent and intense as the story progresses and with Carrie as an influence, a grisly finale is all but guaranteed.

Don’t Look Now (1973)

Directed by Nicolas Roeg, Don’t Look Now follows a husband and wife who encounter a psychic while mourning the loss of their child. A slow-burn story of mounting psychological terror, Don’t Look Now is another film Wright has specifically cited as an influence on his new horror movie Last Night in Soho. Despite being known as a horror film, Don’t Look Now plays out like a mystery, following bereaved father John Baxter as he searches for a red hooded figure who resembles his deceased daughter. Last Night in Soho looks to borrow this mystery tone as Eloise stalks the city in search of Sandie’s killer. Don’t Look Now’s strong central mystery traps the characters in a maze of uncertainty, and helps form an almost unbearable sense of dread as the story unfolds. In Last Night in Soho, the mystery of Sandie’s murder serves a somewhat similar purpose, leading Eloise to plunge inexorably into a world of ghosts and shadows.

Suspiria (1977)

A cult classic, Suspiria is a psychedelic fever dream. While the categorization is controversial, Suspiria is often held up as an example of the “Giallo” subgenre of Italian horror, a term derived from the cheap mystery-horror paperbacks that inspired the films. Last Night in Soho looks to be Wright’s take on the genre, drawing similar inspiration from the novels’ tendency toward pulpy psychological horror. Suspiria is famous for its intense color palette which appears to have made its mark on Last Night in Soho’s visual style. Both films feature a wide array of surreal sequences and elaborate sets. Last Night in Soho’s preview shows glimpses of grisly scenes bathed in neon light, undoubtedly aiming for the same kind of hallucinatory frenzy seen in Dario Argento’s Suspiria.

Evil Dead II (1987)

While it may look like an outlier capping off a string of psychological thrillers, Sam Raimi’s horror movie, Evil Dead II, looks to have left a fingerprint on Last Night in Soho. A fixture on all his lists of favorites, Wright once playfully called Evil Dead II objectively, “the best film of all time.” While both films feature a protagonist clinging to their sanity, the real resemblance looks to come in the form of a shared appreciation for camp. Last Night in Soho takes cues from Evil Dead II’s spirited energy and manic camerawork. Both are interested in being scary but are determined to have fun along the way. While Wright’s film appears to be headed for a heart-pounding climax, there’s undoubtedly a vein of dark humor too.

In Last Night in Soho, Edgar Wright draws inspiration from a wide range of horrific source material, but the most consistent quality shared between his favorites is a sense of unease. Whether it’s Carol’s palpable anxiety in Repulsion or Ash struggling to stay sane in Evil Dead II, the emphasis is always on mounting tension rather than jump scares. While Wright doesn’t shy away from the occasional movie monster, he’s clearly drawn to stories about trauma and psychological strain. Last Night in Soho will pit Eloise against ominous figures and supernatural happenings, but the true horror will take place in her mind.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/last-night-soho-edgar-wright-favorite-horror-movies-influence/