A comprehensive list of the favorite films of Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn are examined below. Refn is undoubtedly one of the most talented, unique, and divisive filmmakers working in Hollywood today. While he is perhaps best known for directing the films Drive, Bronson and, most recently, The Neon Demon, Refn has directed a number of films that are now considered cult classics, including the Pusher trilogy, which include some of our favorite films of all time. Refn recently wrote and directed the television series Too Old to Die Young, which is scheduled to premier on Amazon in 2019. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the series will star Miles Teller in the lead role as a police officer “who finds himself in an underworld filled with working-class hit men, Yakuza soldiers, cartel assassins sent from Mexico, Russian mafia captains and gangs of teen killers.” Check on the trailer for the series here:
For more information on any of the following films, feel free to click on the associated image (via Amazon).
NICOLAS WINDING REFN’S FAVORITE FILMS
1. Tokyo Drifter
2. The Battle of Algiers
3. Vampyr
4. The Night of the Hunter
5. Videodrome
6. Flesh for Frankenstein
7. Sweet Smell of Success
8. My Life as a Dog
9. Beauty and the Beast
10. Branded to Kill
The above-list was first published in an October 25, 2011 article by Criterion.
During a 2016 interview with MUBI, Refn revealed some of his other favorite films and discussed some of his influences as a director. These films are detailed below.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Refn stated that when he first saw The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, “I wanted to do what that film did…it was a pure emotional ride of terror.”
The Films of Terence Fisher
La Dolce Vita
“[La Dolce Vita] is probably the finest film ever made.”
Cloverfield
“I loved that film Cloverfield. I thought that [it] was absolutely fantastic.”
Planet of the Vampires
Lastly, Refn stated that the following films have influenced his filmmaking during an interview with Dazed, published on July 1, 2016.
Cannibal Holocaust
The Holy Mountain
Pretty Woman
Liquid Sky
Night Tide
Man on Fire
Peeping Tom
Performance
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If you are unfamiliar with Refn’s films, we strongly recommend checking out the following.
Pusher
Pusher II
Pusher III
Valhalla Rising
Bronson
Drive
