The horror film "Last Night in Soho" is not at all scary, but fascinates with its beauty

On November 25, a new film by one of the brightest directors of our time will be released on Russian screens. Once Edgar Wright became famous with the release of "Blood and Ice Cream" - parody stylizations for films of various genres. The subsequent "Scott Pilgrim Against All" and even the most popular film of the author "Baby on a Drive" kept signature features: each time the director created a very unusual visual series, tied to music and references to pop culture.

Last Night in Soho was touted as Edgar Wright's first horror movie. But in fact, this film is unlikely to seriously scare anyone. The director is more likely to turn to stylization again and is nostalgic for old cinema. And it turned out very beautiful and exciting.

Ode to Swinging London

The young orphan Eloise Turner (Thomasin McKenzie) adores the music and fashion of the past. She also dreams of becoming a fashion designer. And it seems that the girl has a lucky chance: she goes to university and moves from the provinces to London. But Eloise’s relationship with her dorm mates doesn’t work out, and then she rents a small room in the Soho area.

Now, every night, falling asleep, the heroine finds herself in the 60s and watches as the beautiful Sandy (Anya Taylor-Joy), with the support of the cunning manager Jack (Matt Smith), tries to become a famous singer.

At first it seems that these are only fantasies. But soon Eloise realizes that she has witnessed a crime that happened in the past. And in the present, creepy ghosts begin to haunt the girl.

Fans Edgar Wright they know perfectly well that the director is a fan of the pop culture of the past years, and especially the 60s. His debut feature film, A Zombie Called Sean, has made numerous references to the 1968 horror classic Night of the Living Dead. In "Baby on a Drive", a significant part of the soundtrack is composed of music from past eras, and the plot itself is clearly returns to Walter Hill's "Driver" (originally titled Baby Driver and The Driver respectively).

But in Last Night in Soho, Wright literally immerses the viewer in a swinging atmosphere. London (historical and cultural era of the 60s), throwing all your loved ones into the plot and picture elements. No wonder the scene of meeting all three characters (Sandy and John in reality, and Eloise as a ghostly observer) takes place in the legendary club Café de Paris, and the first communication immediately develops into a dizzying dance to the perky jazz.

Moreover, the director is not trying to recreate the real atmosphere of the past. Soho looks like a girl from the 21st century (and, apparently, Wright himself) imagines it in her fantasies. This is a bright, mesmerizing picture from an old postcard or from a classic film about James Bond. Girls wear chic, airy dresses, and men wear perfect suits. Everyone drinks cocktails, and even the dark alleys seem more mysteriously alluring than frightening.

This is just a frank declaration of love for the style and music of England in the 60s. And the harder and more unexpected the main plot looks - gloomy and tragic.

Deconstruction of nostalgia

Of course, Edgar Wright is not alone in his nostalgia for the culture of the past. I addressed the same topic, for example, Woody Allen in Midnight in Paris, and many other authors. But often films are also released in which they talk about the cruel orders of bygone eras. Only rarely does anyone manage to combine these two components into one elegant story.

It is not for nothing that the action unfolds in two parallel times: the point is not only the desire to add mysticism, but also the contrast. At first, the viewer, like the heroine herself, thinks that the brightness and style of the 60s is much more interesting and attractive than the faceless discos of our time. And Eloise gladly goes into her dreams, where she feels more comfortable.

But it soon becomes clear that the past wasn't all that happy. In the new time, the only negative comes from unrestrained classmates, and even they can only slander - they will never bring real harm. And the heroine's boyfriend John (Michael Adjao) is the ideal of an understanding guy who treats women with respect.

But in Sandy's life, everything is exactly the opposite. For the cunning Jack, any beautiful girl is a commodity that can be sold profitably. And there are no limits to his pressure. The refrain will already sound inadmissible now: "You yourself wanted it." Here, the security of the new time is contrasted with the cruelty and rudeness of the past with countless ruined lives.

Moreover, Edgar Wright for the first time makes a girl the main character of his picture: earlier the director talked about introverted boys and men. Although it cannot be said that such a turn came out of nowhere or as a tribute to the times. Already in "Scott Pilgrim" and "Little On The Drive" appeared Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Lily James, respectively, who attracted no less attention than the main characters.

Now it turns out that Wright makes films about female characters no worse than about the life of another geek.

Extravaganza of color and reflections

Of course, Edgar Wright's films are valued for more than just their content. The form of presentation is no less important in his paintings: stylized comics in "Scott Pilgrim", perfectly inscribed music in "Baby on a Drive" - ​​these are the details that attract fans of good cinema. And even in the early works, editing and soundtrack created a significant part of the atmosphere: just remember the scene with the Queen's song in the movie "Zombies Called Sean".

It's safe to say that Last Night in Soho will be a real treat for fans of aesthetic filming. First of all, the author fills the picture with neon light. But more importantly, literally the entire visual range is presented through reflections. This is a frequent visit to the cinema. But Wright makes mirrors a component of the plot: it is through them that the heroine observes the events of the past.

Further, complex choreography and unusual editing come into play - this is what this director is so famous for. In different parts of the frame, the two actresses repeat the movements one after the other, and at the moment of the dance they change places several times. And this happens without visible gluing. Here it is really easy to believe in mystical reincarnation.

And the main actors themselves are filmed by the camera with incredible love. Thomasin McKenzie's blue eyes never shone like that.TimeShyamalan, nor in Waititi's JoJo Rabbit. Anya Taylor-Joy, who has already become almost the most sought-after actress of the modern era (next in line to shoot with Robert Eggers, David O. Russell, George Miller and Scott Frank), is transformed here into an elegant porcelain doll. And Matt Smith confirms that he knows how to be as charming as he can be frightening.

In the first minutes it may seem that "Last Night in Soho" is trying to repeat the story of the "Neon Demon" Nicholas Winding Refna. In the description, there really is a lot of the same: a horror about the world of fashion, in which a provincial girl finds herself in the capital. And neon colors and symmetry of the frame are the trademark features of the Dane.

But all analogies are dispelled already in the first third of the picture. Still, the two authors are very different, their styles cannot be confused. Moreover, Refn still made you feel uncomfortable, and Wright pleases the viewer.

Stylized horror

Although the picture is presented as a real horror film, you should not expect too frightening scenes from it or even the desire to cause strong anxiety. The new film is rather another stylization, as Wright's first works were. Just unlike “Zombie named Sean»The director no longer sneers at the genre, but uses its best elements to create beauty.

"Last Night in Soho" seems to be balancing between two views horrors. On the one hand, he clearly refers to deep psychological work. And on the classics, like the paintings "Disgust" by Polanski and "Now Don't Look" by Rogue (again the 60s and 70s), and not on the newfangled post-horror films by Ari Astaire and Robert Eggers. On the other hand, the author uses screamers, creepy music and other techniques from the traditional representatives of the genre, reminiscent of the films of James Wang.

Moreover, both components do not look good in the hands of a skilled director. Yes, you can find fault with the quality of the visual effects - ghosts look too flat. But then the thought arises that this is exactly what Wright intended: in the old cinema, monsters were portrayed that way. Moreover, in some scenes the author still does not hold back and jokes over the canons. For example, over the ominous silence in the library.

Already known Last Night in Soho / Box Office Mojothat in the USA and some other countries the film "Last Night in Soho" started very poorly. It is unlikely that a picture with a budget of $ 43 million will pay off at the box office. But Edgar Wright was never a commercial director (even the cult work "Scott Pilgrim vs. All" is considered a box office failure). And his most successful film "Baby on a Drive" raised fears that the author is leaning towards popular genres, losing his style.

But the new work confirms that Edgar Wright is not cheating on himself. He again creates a graceful picture filled with references to the classics. The director brings together bright and charismatic actors and turns the action into an extravaganza of colors and aesthetic shots. And even if you can find flaws in the film after the fact, when watching it you just want to immerse yourself in what is happening.