In the gear up (pun not intended) to the
release of Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, the director has curated a selection of
films that inspired his latest. Edgar Wright presents Car Car Land is a series
of films screened throughout June, all embodying the best
car action from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
I was lucky to see The Driver starring
Ryan O’Neal as the title character at BFI this week. The film had been used as
a double bill at various cinemas with Drive. These two films are two peas in a
pod. Both set in LA, both about an amazing driver who works bank jobs, both
with no name. Made decades apart, but with similarities there is something
grittier and darker about Ryan O’Neal calm and collected driver.
On the mean streets of LA, The Driver
waits outside a casino. It’s not long before he is tearing up the streets with
a cool unchangeable expression throughout the epic car chase. Despite
successfully out running the police, The Detective is onto the Driver,
referring to him as the cowboy. In fact he is determined to catch the Driver,
he sets up a bank robbery, making a deal with a low life criminal. But like
most stories of this nature, things don’t go according to plan.
Known for its ‘no-frills style of
filmmaking’ and amazing car chases, it is no surprise to me to find out
director Walter Hill also made The Getaway, another intense ‘no frills’ style
of film. The film is simple and despite the non stylized way of shooting the
action, the quieter scenes seem as if they are orchestrated right done to a
flinch. Each character is identifiable even though no one is given a name. Once
the cars start revving, names don’t even matter, you’re too far into the chase.
After only seeing trailers for Baby
Driver, I can see why this was an influence. The Driver is a criminal but you
really want him to escape the arrogant clutches of The Detective, a perfect
anti-hero.
For all the Londoners out there or those visting, why not come along to a screening at BFI Southbank over
June and July: its Dustin Hoffman season!
As Dustin Hoffman, the ‘unlikely’ leading man, turns 80 this
year we celebrate his stellar career. Highlights range from The Graduate
to Tootsie, from All The President’s Men to Kramer v. Kramer.
“I
grew up thinking a movie star had to be like Rock Hudson or Tab Hunter,
certainly nobody in any way like me.”
Want to see Hoffman’s best characters? BFI are offering 2
tickets for the price of 1! Simply quote HONEST241
when booking.