As stated in a routine by Louis CK, the concept of time travel would hold it's problems, in that the only group to travel back in time would be limited to white, heterosexual, cis-gendered men, as time travel for any other group would result in an increase of danger and a loss of freedom- yet our culture obsesses over recreations of decadees.
Edgar Wright's Last night in Soho is a film that reflects the toxic side of the past, even whilst it revels in it, portraying the ghosts that you can raise that still haunt the present day. Eloise, or Ellie (Thomasin McKenzie) is a young women who leaves her 'simpler' life at home in Cornwall for the thrill and dangers to sudy as a fashion desinger in London- obsessed with the style and music of the 60's. She carried the weight of her mother's death, who had taken her life, and as we see worries that the apperations might indicate an inheritace of her mothers mental health issues.
With little in common with her fellow students, putting aside unreal expectations to be abele to afford a comfortable bet-sit in central London, Ellie moves into an old house in North of Soho, Fitzrovia where once shutting her eyes to sleep, experiences vivid visions of the past, embodying the young woman, Sandy (Anya Taylor-Joy.) To begin with, her vidvid dreams are nothing short of a fantasy, the main character revels in- almost rejecting the modern world in chance to play a viynl record and lose herself in the 60's.
Wright's immersive re-creation of 1960's London, full of vintage cars and retro-nighclubs, fully subjecting us, like Ellie, into the life of the 60's.
However, said fantisical version of the vivid dreams turn into nightmares, Sandy deals with a manager, Jack (Matt Smith) who promised a promotion in star-hood, but leads her to a life of sexual exploitation and abuse. As the darkness of the men who abused Sandy blur into the reality of Ellie, we see her almost completely lose herself i the horrors of the deceptive truth. Ellie clutches onto the idea of Sandy with a protectiveness despite the truths behind her character- her dark past and her dark actions revield in a narrative twist.
The films use of dream-like cinematography and a stunning soundtrack featuring 'Last Night in Soho' by Dave dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, wrapps the masterpiece of a film up into a cinematically beautifully-dark bow of nastolgia.
Wright's Last Night in Soho reflects the deceptive attraction towards the past, inwhich while we can enjoy and consume the arts, style and sensations of the past- the truth that haunts it will still remain.
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