Nicolas Winding Refn is a filmmaker that marches to the beat of his own drum. Often, his films tend to strike a chord with a vocal contingent of film fans, while others are left confused or frustrated by his film work. That isn’t to say that he’s not a great auteur filmmaker, but instead, he’s just a director with films that vary wildly in quality in the eyes of many. But Refn doesn’t really care about that, as he’s always going to do whatever he wants to in his films and is brutally honest about that. So, you shouldn’t be surprised that Refn’s quarantine watchlist is filled with some offbeat choices, including a Christian propaganda film.
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Writing for the Guardian, Refn reveals which films he has been enjoying during this COVID-19 lockdown. Of course, he does throw in the mention of his own streaming service bynwr.com (which is free), but he does mention a number of films that many people probably don’t have at the top of their must-watch list.
The first film that he names is Joseph Lerner’s 1950 film, “Guilty Bystander,” which he describes as a “true hidden gem, one lost in obscurity for many years due to the one unwatchable taped-from-TV copy floating around.” Refn also recommends the noir film, “Stark Fear,” from filmmaker Ned Hockman, as well as “House on Bare Mountain,” from filmmakers Lee Frost and Wes Bishop.
But perhaps the most shocking suggestion is the 1971 film, “If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?” The film is likely something that many cinephiles are not familiar with, but Refn explained why he feels it’s worth the watch, especially now.
“This thrilling, blunt, scare-nightmare portrays an America locked in a bloody battle against communist invasion – sound familiar, anyone?” said Refn. “If Donald Trump was to disappear and Mike Pence suddenly became president, this might be what the US might look like, face masks not included.”
You can see the full explanations for his choices at The Guardian.