By Sam Briger
Translator: Yi Ersan
Proofreading: Issac
Source: NPR (November 1, 2021)
Edgar Wright had never seen a ghost, but he believed in the existence of ghosts—or at least in the bondage from ghosts of yesteryear.
"I believe — if not in the ordinary sense that a ghost is a tormented soul that remains on Earth — then it is likely to be a spiritual remnant left behind by something," he said.
Wright's notable works include "Extreme Car Thief", "Shaun the Zombie" and the documentary "Spark Brothers". Set against a contemporary backdrop, his new book, Night of the Soho, tells the story of a young woman named Eloise who is transported in a dream to the turbulent London of the '60s, where she lives the life of another woman.
Soho Horror Night (2021) Soho Horror Night (2021)
Throughout the film, shadows of the past can be seen everywhere. Wright, who is nearly half a hundred years old, mentions that he grew up obsessed with childhood memories of London and was haunted by a lingering feeling of regret.
"London led the world in culture, music, fashion, art, film and photography in the mid-'60s," he said. "This movie is about the nostalgia of a decade you were never in."
But in the film, nostalgia is menacing, as Eloise's dream becomes a nightmare that haunts her while she is awake. "It's easy to think of the '60s as the most exciting, but what this film is about is that there are two sides to everything."
The following is a condensed transcript of this radio interview:
About the inspiration for the film
My fascination with the '60s started with my parents' record collection because I remember they had a big box of records... It's all 60s albums. Then I remembered that after my brother was born, they stopped buying records, so there were no records from the 70s at home. And my parents had to go out to work, and a lot of the time I was alone, and on days when there was no internet or even mobile TV, I would listen to these records a lot, and the whole person was almost immersed in the music of that era.
About filming in London's Soho district
Soho covers a square mile of central London, next to the West End, where theatres are concentrated, and Oxford Street, where shopping streets congregate. Soho itself is a bit legendary, as it has been a place where artists and underground society mingle for hundreds of years. It is both the center of the show business and the center of the film and television industry. It's both a major nightlife district and probably the only place in London that is truly non-resting 24/7. Of course, Soho also has a dark side.
Historically, it has been seen as a hotbed of triad crime and the sex industry, and I remember the time I spent in London, these things were gentlemanly, but not entirely decent. So it still has a dark side, and it's in full view. I've always found it fascinating, two very different worlds coexist.
About circumventing the old-fashioned routine of girls chasing dreams in big cities
One of the inspirations for this film was some of the genres of the '60s, and I watched a lot of those films, and some of them were really great, including B-grade films, very sensational and didactic. For example, "A girl comes to London to become a star and musters up the courage to go to the next level, but she will be punished for her efforts!" In this respect, the whole city seems to have become a villain. It's like London is going to chew you up and spit it out again.
I've watched a lot of these films, and I think it's funny because most of their stories are written by men and directed by men, and you start to have the feeling that these films are old-fashioned slapping the wrists of the younger generation, like a rebuke to the progressive movement. I think it's really interesting. So part of the idea of making this film was how to subvert this cliché by sharing the story of a modern girl returning to the london of the past, and the female star of the '60s coming to modern London.
About how the use of music shaped the style of the film
For female singers of the mid-'60s, such as Sila Blake, Petura Clark, Dusty Springfield and Sandy Shaw, it was clearly an incredible time. I've always loved these songs because they're emotional and often bring tears to my eyes – even those fast-paced songs. Maybe it's just my personal feelings, but I can feel melancholy in Petura Clarke's "Downtown." ...... I think the songs sound very operetic and really help me find the style of the film.
About collaboration with Diana Rigg (the film is her last work).
Getting the job done is important to her, and I think that's remarkable, because if something happens, we say, "Well, maybe we'll just make it up." But she would say, "No, I'm going to do my job." I remember talking to her about work with her at her daughter's house. But even this experience makes me smile in retrospect, because the last time I saw her, she was already very weak, but she was so funny and energetic that even after 90 minutes with her, we still walked idly along the garden path, chatting while working.
Also, crucially, I drank a cup of Kimberly soda at her suggestion. So I will always remember this time: the last time I saw Lady Diana Rigg, she made me smile and I drank a cup of Kimberly soda with her.
Sometimes, when someone dies, either the last memory is sad or you fail to say goodbye. Not only did I have a great time with her the last time I saw her, but I also had a phone call with her after that and she said things like "bye bye." So it was very touching for me, obviously this film is dedicated to her and I'm proud of her performance in the film. Of course, you can be sentimental about something like this, or you can thank God for the blessing that gave you the opportunity to get to know her and work with her — the latter being my choice.