How Quentin Tarantino Inspired This Underrated 2021 Edgar Wright Thriller

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Director Edgar Wright’s movie “Last Night in Soho” reflects the impact of a diverse range of influences, such as the auditory and visual atmosphere of 1960s London, the Italian “giallo” thrillers by filmmakers like Mario Bava and Dario Argento. Just as Wright openly acknowledges his sources of inspiration, it’s interesting to note that a significant aspect of the enigma behind “Last Night in Soho” stemmed from a conversation with one of Wright’s fellow directors.

The movie (currently on SYFY) with a storyline and style inspired by Wright, features Thomasin McKenzie as an aspiring fashion designer who mysteriously enters the world of a 1960s London singer (Anya Taylor-Joy). Initially, the title was challenging to determine, but Quentin Tarantino, known for directing films like ‘Kill Bill’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’, helped with that aspect.

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How Quentin Tarantino gave Last Night in Soho its name

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The story behind the 2021 film “Last Night in Soho” is actually rooted in events that transpired over a decade earlier, during the late 2000s. During this period, Edgar Wright was asked to create one of the fake trailers for the Grindhouse project, which was being spearheaded by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Specifically, he produced “Don’t,” a short thriller inspired by Hammer Films.

During an interview with Total Film, Wright shared that the final title of his 2021 movie originated from a discussion with Tarantino during the Grindhouse period, more precisely about a song featured in Tarantino’s Death Proof.

In the movie “Death Proof,” Quentin Tarantino incorporated the Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich song ‘Hold Tight’. As we discussed this tune and the band, he asked me if I’d heard ‘Last Night in Soho’. He played it for me, and he said it was “the best title music for a film that’s never been made.” (Wright explained)

Inspired by a song title and Quentin Tarantino’s comment about its potential as a movie title, Wright compiled a playlist of 60s pop music that he named “Soho.” This extensive playlist included hundreds of songs, but it was “Last Night in Soho” that stuck in his mind, especially when his initial film titles didn’t work out. Initially, Wright had planned to call the movie “Red Light Area,” but then learned about a different film with that title. He later chose “Red Lights,” but discovered another film with the same name. After this, Wright eventually decided to rename his story to “The Night Has a Thousand Eyes,” but found out that there was already a movie with the same title.

Wright stated, “That’s when it became clear to me, as I’d already heard this song and found it fantastic: the song titled ‘Last Night in Soho‘.

Initially, Wright felt uneasy about using a particular title for his film, fearing his co-director might resent him for adopting the idea to incorporate a song and name. However, a discussion with Tarantino alleviated these concerns, revealing that Allison Anders, an acclaimed indie director known for films like Gas Food Lodging and Mi Vida Loca, was actually the original source of the concept.

Quentin was fully engrossed in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, leaving us little chance for conversation, as Wright later reminisced. Then, the title of my film was published. I asked him, “Did you hear what my movie’s named?” He replied, “Yes, I saw it.” I followed up with, “Are you upset with me about this?” He responded, “Only you could make that movie.” I then planned to thank him in the credits for giving me the song. He added, “Alright, but I need to confess now. What I said about it being the best end-credits song for a non-existent movie was something [writer, director, producer] Allison Anders used to say. So if you credit me, you’ll also have to credit her.

In fact, both Tarantino and Anders are acknowledged in the special thanks section of the movie, Last Night in Soho’s credits. As reported by Total Film, Anders even extended a thank-you gesture, as Wright later tweeted: “I admitted to Allison Anders that I drew inspiration from her indirectly through Quentin Tarantino and thanked her in the end credits,” Wright said. “She was delighted and sent me a vinyl record of the song. It’s a thoughtful gesture, and it now sits on my mantelpiece.

Occasionally, a bit of guidance from esteemed movie creators can lead us to the ideal title for a project.

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2025-03-14 23:32