An exclusive with Nicolas Refn – Director of Drive

All my films are very feminine, because art is a feminine medium, it’s a way to counteract masculinity. I structured the film very much like a fairy tale, half the movie had to be pure champagne in order for the second half to succeed with its psychotic behavior. So it’s very much going from being very feminine to going very masculine. But I look at my style as feminine.

Sometimes you had these mixes of energies that came to a head in very violent scenes — intimate tenderness and then suddenly, extreme violence. How important to you was it that the violent aspect go to that extreme level?

Very important. The whole point — [one important] sequence I came up with a week before shooting because it was a scene which I couldn’t make it work. By placing it in [there] I was able to incorporate the [feminine part] which essentially was the pay off for the [violent part]. And the problem had been that I didn’t have anything to counter it — there is nothing too extreme for me if it balances the reverse.

So is balance very important to you?

Yeah, because it’s like the payoff won’t have an effect unless the buildup is emotionally engaging. Making violence is very similar to sex; if you believe the buildup to the climax, it becomes so much more engaging.

You were very involved in the writing of your earlier films. There were even rumors that you locked yourself up with the screenwriter for this movie. How important is it to actually write pieces of the film to affect the final product? Or are you able to separate yourself and direct it without changing much of what was already written?

Probably the best way to answer is that I can only make films based on myself. So far I’ve come up with my own material, and therefore been forced to write it. But regarding Drive, the source material, the novel is very good, but it was hard to make a film out of it. And [Hossein Amini, the screenwriter] had been very clever in structuring the story in a more accessible fashion, mechanical. So there was a great way for me to go back and change what I needed. When I make films, there’s only I — I don’t make films on a “we” basis. That’s how I make films.

Regarding the music, it does seem like a lot of times the soundtrack is telling a story, sometimes more than the dialogue. It seemed to me that you intentionally tried to keep it sparse and minimal and let the music tell part of the story. Is that something you wanted to happen?

Yeah, because I’m not a playwright — I’m a filmmaker, which is based on visuals — the only opinions I really care about are the actors. And if we’re on the same page, that’s all that matters to me. Working on a film is a bit like an installation — it’s about collaborating with talent to make it as easy and comfortable, or uncomfortable depending on the scene, for them to express their emotions. That’s what art is, art is the flow of emotions and if you can tap into that and experience something, it can stay with you for the rest of your life.

There’s been talk about idea that you might want a follow-up movie to this, but would require two drivers.

I said that in Cannes after I won the [Best Director] award, but they probably could’ve gotten me to say anything. <Laughs>

But you do have some upcoming films with Ryan Gosling?

We’re doing Only God Forgives at Christmas and hopefully we’re going to do Logan’s Run soon after.

And both working with Ryan Gosling?

Yes, he’s starring in both movies.

Your upcoming film Only God Forgives has been described as a Thai Western in some ways. What’s interesting to me is that Thailand is known for very interesting ways of connecting male and female energies. Is that one of the things that attracted you to film there?

No, I actually go Thailand as often as I can for vacations. It has my three favorite things: Thai food, the city itself, which is a sort of strange, intoxicating sci-fi land, and tourists — Thailand is a great place to find Japanese tourists. So if I can make a movie there, it’s win-win. But besides that, what you said is very true, so that was probably subconsciously added to it.

On a slight tangent, you’ve been quoted as saying that one of the stars of your film, Christina Hendricks, would be an ideal candidate to play Wonder Woman. How do you envision that sort of portrayal?

I was originally casting porn stars for the role Christina filled, and when I heard she wanted to meet, I hadn’t seen Mad Men, but I’d seen pictures of her. When she came by on a Tuesday morning, I liked her so much that she could’ve done anything, it didn’t matter, I just wanted her in the movie. And when I went back and watched Mad Men and of course working with her on Drive, she’s (a) an extremely gifted actress, (b) she’s so extremely beautiful, and (c) she’s incredibly sexy and powerful. As my wife says, the perfect role model for any woman, and Wonder Woman is essentially is that … I certainly can’t come up with a better choice. Anyone else?

Are you worried that people might not pick up on some of the more obscure references in the film?

If they don’t get it, hopefully they find it strange and mysterious.

Thanks again for meeting with us.

You’re quite welcome.

Categories: General