Edgar Wright loves making playlists, some for public consumption, others for himself. During the early stages of his then-untitled new film that became Last Night in Soho, he “started amassing this playlist called ‘Soho’ that was 300 songs from the ’60s. I hadn’t thought what the film was going to be called,” the director told Total Film. He originally wanted Red Light Area as the title, but there’s already a movie called Red Light Area. Same with The Night Has a Thousand Eyes (it stars Edward G. Robinson as the “Mental Wizard”). Then he remembered a conversation he had with Quentin Tarantino.
“In Death Proof, Quentin uses a Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, & Tich song, ‘Hold Tight.’ I was talking to him about that song, and that band, and he said, ‘Have you ever heard ‘Last Night in Soho’?’ He played it for me, and he goes, ‘This is the best title music for a film that’s never been made’ … It was staring me in the face, because I’d heard this song, and I thought it was great: Last Night in Soho,” Wright said. He continued:
“I said, ‘Hey, did you hear what my movie’s called?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I read it.’ I said, ‘Are you annoyed with me?’ He goes, ‘You know what? Only you could make that movie.’ I said, ‘Well, I’m going to thank you on the end credits for giving me the song.’ He goes, ‘OK, but I’ve got to fess up now. What I said about it being the best end-credits song for a movie that doesn’t exist, is something that Allison Anders used to say. So if you credit me, you’ve also got to credit her.’ So on the thanks list, A to T, Allison Anders and Quentin Tarantino are the first and last people thanked.”
When Wright reached out to Anders (Gas Food Lodging) to tell her thanks for the inspiration, she “was thrilled & sent me a 7 inch of the song in question,” he tweeted. “Which is so lovely of her. It’s on my mantel piece.” Thank you, Allison and Quentin; thank you, Edgar; but most of all, thank you, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, & Tich.
(Via Total Film)