Trent Reznor names his four favourite movies
After making his start in the music world with Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor forged an incomparable collaborative voice with Atticus Ross, expanding his creative style across the medium of film. Since the beginning of their partnership, the duo have created some of the most immersive and breathtaking scores of all time, from the electrifying soundscape to The Social Network, the pulsating eroticism of Challengers and more recently, the harrowing and desperately longing accompaniment to Queer.
They seem to possess an endless well of creative energy, effortlessly adapting their talents to suit any story, becoming the key ingredient that adds depth and elevates a film’s impact. Considering the eclectic range of projects they’ve contributed to—from animated Pixar films to horror and romantic dramas—it’s no surprise that their personal taste mirrors the diversity of their work. Recently, Reznor shared his all-time favourite films, offering insight into the influences that shape his artistic perspective.
Like many people, Reznor was quick to sing the praises of Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film Taxi Driver, which is not only one of the director’s most revered pieces of work but one of the most influential films of all time. The story infamously follows a mentally unstable war veteran who drives around the streets of Manhattan as a taxi driver, becoming obsessed with the immorality of the people who live there and his growing lust for retribution. It is a classic for a reason, with Scorsese creating a haunting portrait of loneliness and urban alienation that only seems to grow in relevance as our modern world becomes increasingly isolated.
Given their penchant for surrealism, the influence of David Lynch seems like a natural choice for Reznor, and so his inclusion of Blue Velvet makes perfect sense. Lynch has always been fascinated by corrupting our collective illusion of normality, blowing up the image of the nuclear family and suburban bliss by twisting the image into something we no longer recognise. He is, without a doubt, one of the founding fathers of bad dream filmmaking, snowballing into a genre that has inspired countless filmmakers.
In a surprising twist, Reznor listed Titane as one of his key influences, which was the sophomore debut from Julia Ducournau. The film doesn’t exist within any creative binaries, morphing the medium of film to reflect the ever-changing thematic strands of the film. It simultaneously follows two storylines that slowly intersect through the character’s need for unconditional love, exploring the fluidity of gender and family in the process. It is an explosive and beautiful exploration of the rules that define our world and two people who are brave enough to bend these rules, creating a mesmerising and entirely unique story that I personally have never seen the likes of before.
Lastly, Reznor listed Dead Ringers by David Cronenberg as his final favourite, which feels perfectly in line with his other choices. When describing the impact of the film, Reznor praised “the incredible sense of dread from the first frame to the end. You’re not sure what’s going to happen but it’s gonna be bad. Love it, and it’s been a big inspiration for what I’ve tried to do with Nine Inch Nails. Make you feel bad the whole time”.
It certainly is a unique skill to make an audience feel anything intensely, especially when inducing such visceral emotions like fear and anxiety. However, the influence of these unapologetically bold filmmakers can be felt in Reznor and Ross’ work, adding to their distinct musical language that solidifies their partnership as one of the most daring collaborative forces today.
