“Baby Driver” is an unexpected fusion of car action and musical! What is the influence of 80's music movies on this groundbreaking idea? ?

The inherited genes of “music” and “car action”

By the way, Wright's works are known to have traces of many classic movies, especially genre movies. This time as well, the background includes ` `The Driver '', `` Vanishing Point '', `` The Italian Job '', and Japanese animation ` `Riding Bean '', and here Wright will introduce the world-famous film released in 1980. Don't forget to mention the influence of the blockbuster hit `` The Blues Brothers .''

Then a pair of suspicious brothers in sunglasses and a black suit appear. They call themselves the ``The Blues Brothers'' and play blues and soul music numbers along the way. This character, who was born on the popular show "Saturday Night Live," became a sensation with the album that he released later becoming a huge hit, and even appeared on the big stage of the movie, starring actors such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles. The brilliant lineup added color and it became a huge hit.

Also, speaking of director John Landis, he is a master who is also known for his work on the legendary PV for Michael Jackson's ``Thriller'', but he is also known for his fantastic ideas for ``The Blues Brothers,'' which rode on this momentum. The turbulent development that borrowed the momentum of the music is amazing even now. too amazing.

"The Blues Brothers" preview

Not only does the work explode with a huge number of numbers, but this work also features a series of highly serious car actions that go beyond the scope of gags. This is also amazing. There was a car chase that destroyed all the stores in a shopping mall, 34 vehicles rushing through the streets of Chicago, and for the scene where the cars were falling, they were actually taken by helicopter to the sky and brought to the ground. A parade of serious car action that sticks to realism to the extreme. The scale of the project was so great that a staff member who knew him at the time confessed with a stunned expression, ``During filming, everyone was so confused that they didn't understand what they were doing.''

At the time, musicals generally had an orthodox style in which the characters sang their own feelings to a melody, but this work is by no means limited to that; it also sets the action and story development itself to music. An unconventional method of drawing was used.

The staff and performers look back on those days and say the following.

"There's a rhythm to the car chase scene, too. It could be a proper musical number, and you can see the cars dancing."

What do you think of this word? Now, 37 years later, I can't help but feel the similarities to Baby Driver.

Although ``Baby Driver'' is a work that embodies an extremely original idea of ​​``music'' and ``car action,'' it does not seem to have been born out of a sudden mutation. Needless to say, the foundation of this was the contemporary and pioneering sense that had been pioneered in the past by numerous works such as ``The Blues Brothers.''

This work by Edgar Wright is a miraculous product born from the violent collision of old and new classics. Just by being exposed to that world, we can further expand our horizons of film. It can be said to be an extremely happy moment for us, and even for the medium of film itself.

Text: USHIZU ATSUNOBU

Born in Nagasaki in 1977. When he was 3 years old, he saw ``Superman II'' with his father and became fascinated with movies. After The Graduate from Meiji University, he worked for a movie broadcasting channel and then became a movie writer. Currently, in addition to writing for Eiga.com, EYESCREAM, Real Sound Movie Club, etc., he also contributes to media press and theater programs.

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Released on Saturday, August 19, 2017

*Information as of August 2017 article publication.