Nicolas Winding Refn remains one of Europe’s most fascinating auteurs, one whose work both enthrals and pisses off his audiences. Since the mid-90s, when the Danish writer-director debuted his first scrappy, yet celebrated movie Pusher, he’s constantly strived to make movies that exist in always violent, often neon-soaked worlds that leave the viewer stunned by what they’ve seen. Prada, it seems, have recognised that unique quality within his work too.
For their SS23 collection, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons have called upon Nicolas Winding Refn “to frame and contextualise” the collection. As a result, an installation and series of short films were woven into the fabric of the show’s presentation, under the title “Touch of Crude”. It precedes his forthcoming Netflix series Copenhagen Cowboy, dropping later this year.
But whether this is the first time you’re hearing his name or you’ve heard it a hundred times before and just never knew where to start, now is the perfect time. Here’s how to get into Nicolas Winding Refn’s movies.
The entry point is… Bronson (2008)
One of the few Nicolas Winding Refn films with crossover appeal, Bronson starred Tom Hardy as the titular British criminal, and charts his reputation as a bald-headed, dangerous presence in the British incarceration system. If you like the movie’s more obscure elements — its vignette stylings, for example — then you’ll find yourself leaning into the more audacious sides of the director’s work. But if you love excessive violence, which mainstream audiences did in their droves (this movie made back 10 times its initial budget), then you’re bound to love lots of Winding Refn too.
Necessary viewing? The Pusher trilogy (1996-2005)
Nicolas Winding Refn never intended to make his incendiary debut into a three-part saga, but with lofty ambitions in mind for future projects, both plot and budget-wise, he did it out of necessity. Luckily, all of them are excellent. This series, about a drug dealer indebted to other underground criminals who goes to extreme lengths to recover the money, was so popular that it spawned a Hindi and English language remake.
The one everyone’s seen is… Drive (2011)
The final boss of film bro culture is this admittedly excellent story of a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver. Starring Ryan Gosling in a rare and introspective role, this film very quickly became a cult classic. It won the Best Director prize at Cannes Film Festival, made a star out of supporting actor Oscar Isaac, and made one (1) jacket (the Scorpion satin bomber) and one (1) song (“Nightcall” by Kavinsky) instant icons of contemporary cinema. Sure, it’s the go-to, but it’s got that reputation for a reason.
The under-appreciated gem is… Only God Forgives (2013)
Dubbed a “fairy tale” by Winding Refn himself, this deeply divisive film followed the crazy success of Drive and disappointed many. But you can’t knock its desire to do something wild: it’s a cowboy Western set in East Asia, this film takes us to the underworld of Bangkok. Ryan Gosling once again leads the movie as a boxing drug dealer whose mother — played by Kristin Scott Thomas channelling, by her own admission, Donatella Versace — insists that he seek vengeance and kill the man who murdered his brother. Everyone agreed it looked the part, even if the story was somewhat convoluted.
The deep cut is… The Neon Demon (2016)
We’ve grown accustomed to Nicolas Winding Refn’s films being overwhelmingly dark with flashes of blindingly bright colour. But The Neon Demon — as the title suggests — subverts that idea. This lacquer-soaked story of a model vying for success in LA made a star out of Elle Fanning. It’s skeezy, violent, proudly vapid and, like all good movies, split critics right down the middle.
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