This Friday, Drive will be pulling into cinemas around the UK. To celebrate, Lost In The Multiplex is looking at a series of films that are connected or a direct influence to Nicolas Winding Refn's highly anticipated thriller.
The film focuses on the crossover of gay and biker culture and the idolatry within these movements of certain celebrity figures, like James Dean and particularly Marlon Brando (whose role in The Wild One Scorpio models himself on) and intercuts religious/occultist scenes, such as old footage of a Jesus biopic or flashes of Grim Reapers and Satan worship, and Nazi imagery. While expressing Anger's ongoing interest in the occult and dangerous fanaticism, it also cleverly comments on celebrity worship and may be even more relevent today than on release.
There is no distinct narrative to the piece and it plays out without dialogue; a selection of 1950s pop and rock music dictating the mood and intent of every scene. This connection between music and expression was the major tipping point that convinced Gosling to work with Refn on Drive - using pop music as a cathartic release became the key to unlocking the character of Gosling's Driver.
Refn revealed his affection for the film early on with his debut hit Pusher, when we meet a character named Scorpio in one of the early scenes. Drive also incorporates the Scorpion image, an emblem that Scorpio keeps with him and has become one of the most iconic images of Refn's movie.
