Is there a Wright way?
Whenever people find out I studied film, they ask me “So who’s your favourite director?”
I didn’t like answering that question. For one, filmmakers have styles and specific qualities that make their films unique. To say one is better than another based on my personal taste didn’t seem fair.
But also, my favourite film director had a knack for producing off-beat, “crackhead” films, and it was difficult for me to explain why he was still my favourite even though he was horrible at landing endings.
I first got acquainted with Edgar Wright through the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy. The anthology tests the limits of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg’s acting capabilities, where each film throws them into different settings and their characters have different relationships. Other than the Cornetto Trilogy, Wright also directed Scott Pilgrim VS the World (2010), Antman (Well, almost directed), Baby Driver (2016) and coming this fall, Last Night in Soho (2021).
The trilogy starts with Shaun of the Dead” (2004), a zombie-apocalyptic romcom. The next film was Hot Fuzz (2007), a cop-action thriller comedy. The final instalment was The World’s End (2013), an apocalyptic science-fiction comedy.
“That’s a lot of genres to pack into one film”
Rightly so, but that’s only because Wright has been known to rework genres, deviating from stylistic conventions. Zombie movie? Let’s poke fun at the logical, reasonable people. Cop movie? Let’s make his adversaries the citizens he’s supposed to be protecting. Reunion with friends? Let’s make this the legendary reunion Gary King always wanted.
Show, don’t tell.
Wright’s brand of storytelling and comedy styles are visual, a signature blend of aural and visual elements.
For instance in Hot Fuzz, Detective Angel (Simon Pegg) travels from the city out to his new posting in the countryside. Instead of doing the common timelapse, the scene uses visual storytelling to show the spectator the shift in space (as opposed to telling).
In The World’s End, Wright also uses rhythm and sound design to establish character relationships… And also to deliver comedic punchlines.
Wright’s music tastes are so British
Another clear indicator that you’re watching Wright’s movie is his use of music as a motif. In addition to using music and sound design to pace action to the beat, the film’s aural components add to comedic or dramatic effect as well.
When Wright veered right?
(into more mainstream moviemaking)
With Baby Driver, Wright’s shift into more mainstream filmmaking created some commotion among his fans, who found that the film was lacking his eclectic qualities.
Richard Brody writes:
Unfortunately, Wright’s apparent commercial success in his enterprise (“Baby Driver” sold thirty million dollars’ worth of tickets in its opening weekend) contrasts with — and perhaps depends on — a conspicuous lack of artistic vision. “Baby Driver” plays like a Disneyfied version of an action film — rated R for, I suppose, its sanitized violence and middle-school cussing.
(“Baby Driver,” an Artificially Sweetened Hollywood Heist Film. Source)
Cinematically, the action scenes were impeccable and for once, Wright finished a movie properly (for those who were invested in the Cornetto Trilogy, you guys know what I’m talking about). But for someone who’s habitually broken generic tropes and infused his own brand of comedy into his works, it was surprising that Baby Driver made only a gentle deviation from action and crime genre’s roots. The result? Baby Driver seemed to lack (for instance) the visceral gore or sarcastic comedy that was central to the Cornetto Trilogy.
Baby Driver was good, but it didn’t feel Wright.
As Baby Driver could have been Wright’s first movie that, in my opinion, presented his auteurial vision to the Hollywood-watching masses, it might help if fans of Wright’s works looked beyond the Cornetto Trilogy when viewing Wright’s future films.
Wright’s track record shows us that the man is on a mission to experiment with every genre possible. While the comical tones that we branded Wright with after watching the Cornetto Trilogy and Scott Pilgrim may have taken a back seat in Baby Driver, there still are strong stylistic motifs that highlight his auteurial hand in the film.
For instance, Baby Driver continues to pay close attention to cinematography, plays around with colour and lighting. These visual aesthetics were what highlighted Wright’s comedic style as his in the Cornetto Trilogy and Scott Pilgrim.
In addition to dynamic camerawork and set design, the editing, consciousness of beats and rhythm, and Wright’s recurring motif of using classic songs to aid storytelling is consistent throughout his works. In the case of Baby Driver however, I’m inclined to say that the element of music took precedence over comedy. Here, Wright used the notion of trauma and music as a pace-setter to bring nostalgic tunes back to life.
Last Night in Soho (2021)
Wright’s latest film, Last Night in Soho, seems to prove that Wright’s still doing right by fans of his earlier work — at least, that’s the impression we’re getting from the trailer.
Last Night in Soho takes us back with yet another cinema rendition of the chirpy old tune, “Downtown” by singer Petula Clark — but this time, it’s used to set an eerie tone for the film.
Scenes from the trailer already seem to suggest a feast for the eyes (and for the dead), with a tasteful choice of lighting used to set the time and place where the action will take place in.
The casting is, like Baby Driver, studded with popular stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie (JoJo Rabbit), Jessie Mei Li (Shadow and Bone), Diana Rigg, Matt Smith (Doctor Who, The Crown), Rita Tushingham, Terence Stamp, James and Oliver Phelps (Harry Potter — OMG?!).
I’m really looking forward to seeing Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie get creepy with their doll-like features. Several movies have experimented and exploited pediophobia (the fear of dolls) —a trope that has been used in widely successful horror films. I reckon this stark imagery would be something to behold in Last Night in Soho, especially due to Wright’s masterful visual storytelling techniques.
Given that Last Night in Soho is set to be a time-travel horror film, it’s difficult to see how Wright could infuse visual comedy in a way that doesn’t belittle the eerie tone of the horror genre. This is where I find re-evaluating my expectations of Wright’s films helpful. By detracting from the Cornetto Trilogy, we may be able to enjoy Last Night in Soho for what it is (that is, Wright’s attempt at the horror genre) more than what we think it should be.
How will Wright reinvent the horror genre with his auteurial vision in Last Night in Soho? We’ll wait and see.
