originally published June 9, 2017 Of the films that comprise Refn’s Neon Trilogy, Only God Forgives is simultaneously the most narratively straight-forward and also the most obtuse. The events of the film follow a simple enough structure – man commits crime, is killed for it, brother seeks revenge – but everything else is murky, fromContinue reading “Essay: Reaching, Holding, Fighting: Hands in ‘Only God Forgives’”
Tag Archives: Nicolas Winding Refn
Essay: A Crisis of Chrysalis: The Runway Scene in THE NEON DEMON
originally publiushed June 30, 2017 THE NEON DEMON is Nicolas Winding Refn’s version of a fairy tale. It features a young pauper who’s really a princess – Jesse – it takes place in a magical kingdom – Los Angeles – and it comes complete with jealous stepsisters, spells, and dramatic transformations, but alas, no PrinceContinue reading “Essay: A Crisis of Chrysalis: The Runway Scene in THE NEON DEMON”
Essay: The Once, Present, and Future King: Are Refn’s ‘One-Eye,’ ‘the Driver,’ & ‘Lieutenant Chang’ the Same Character?
originally published 7.14.2017 Like David Lynch, there is a thematic tipping point in the filmography of Nicolas Winding Refn, a movie in which the director discovered an overarching concept that he would explore from alternative angles over the course of several films. For Lynch, that point was the original Twin Peaks series, and the conceptContinue reading “Essay: The Once, Present, and Future King: Are Refn’s ‘One-Eye,’ ‘the Driver,’ & ‘Lieutenant Chang’ the Same Character?”
Essay: The Sang-Froid of DRIVE
originally published 11/29/2016 Films often change their titles when they are translated into other languages. Usually it’s a matter of comprehension: a phrase or word in English might not have a comparative in another language, or perhaps the new culture requires a different explanation or encapsulation of what the film is about. In China, thisContinue reading “Essay: The Sang-Froid of DRIVE”
the flawless frame 