I'm doing a four part blog series about my favorite atmospheric media. The movie "Drive" is my first example.
Drive is a completely underrated movie. It is one of my favorite movies and yet It had some of the worst trailers I have ever seen, which totally misrepresented what the movie is like. I'm not even going to explain what the plot is, because honestly the description also gives you a false impression. Don't watch the trailer. Instead, I advise you watch this scene early on in the movie:
First off this movie is beautifully shot. Absolutely stunning. But that's not what stood out to me the most. This movie is quiet. Extremely so. It takes its time, letting the viewer take in every little moment, calming and yet at the same time building tension.
Recently I have become obsessed with atmosphere in media. If you don't know what I mean by atmosphere then I'll explain: It means the feel or tone of a movie/show/piece of art the fact that something can make you feel such a certain way is fascinating. Drive has a great atmosphere to it, truly immersing you in the story. However, I've spent a considerable amount of time thinking about atmosphere, and I've realized that it seems to always be incredibly hard to describe. It is something abstract, fleeting as you attempt to grasp. However, I will try my best to describe Drive's "atmosphere".It feels very calming and pleasant, but somehow underplayed with a sense of unease that slowly builds before climatic parts. In sections it is almost surreal, taking you to a different world that resembles our own, and yet startlingly feels distinct. Drive can go from a fantasy-like feel to brutally gritty and violent. It doesn't sound like it would work, but somehow works wonderfully. Unfortunately I have a hard time putting into words how great this movie is and why, so I suggest you go and watch it. I have it if you want to borrow it.
This repeatedly seems to be the case in atmosphere-heavy media. You don't know how it works so well, but it just does. This is where I'll end the first part of my Atmosphere series. As I blog further, I hope to uncover some insight on what makes media "feel" a certain way. If you have any insight to contribute please feel free to comment!
~Josiah▲
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