The movies Anya Taylor-Joy called “sheer escapism”
Escapism is one of the most powerful capabilities of film. A simple trip to the cinema can transport viewers from the mundanity and monotony of everyday life into fantastical worlds and feelings. From imagined planets to dystopias steeped in real life, there are countless stories to immerse yourself in to distract yourself from despair. According to Anya Taylor-Joy, though, the most absolute form of escapism can be found by looking back to old Hollywood.
Rather than finding sanctuary in the otherworldly or futuristic capacities of cinema, Taylor-Joy prefers to turn to films of the past. During an interview for Rotten Tomatoes, the actor revealed five of her favourite movies and shared her particular love for the romantic escapism of old Hollywood musicals.
After picking out horror classic The Shining and shouting out the comforting nature of the TV series Gilmore Girls, Taylor-Joy rounded out the list with Stanley Donen’s Funny Face. Released in 1957, the movie exemplifies the escapism of the era. The romanticised musical stars old Hollywood stalwarts Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire.
Though the film finds its setting in our own world – we follow Hepburn’s protagonist embarking upon a career in fashion – it’s a romanticised version of our reality. It allows for characters to break out into song and even provides escapism through a look into the past. However, Funny Face isn’t the only film from the era that Taylor-Joy considers to provide “sheer escapism”.
She goes on to name a number of movies from throughout the 1940s and 1950s, including Top Hat, High Society, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Bringing Up Baby and Singin’ in the Rain. Each has their own form of magical romanticism, often enhanced by a tendency towards musicals. It’s easy to see why Taylor-Joy finds joy in this era of cinema.
The influence of Bringing Up Baby even translated into her performance as the titular role in Emma. In preparation for the film, director Autumn de Wilde encouraged the cast to watch it. During a conversation with Vox, Taylor-Joy noted that this was “really important for us to be able to understand the level of slapstick that Autumn wanted in our film”.
“And I think that made us very liberated in our choices, especially in our physical ones,” she concluded. Though Taylor-Joy is yet to take on a musical project, the influence of her taste can certainly be found in her acting style. Utilising the influence of old Hollywood in her own work, Taylor-Joy seems set to become one of the biggest stars of the new era.
