A behind-the-scenes Scott Pilgrim vs. the World video shows Edgar Wright acting out one of the movie’s most iconic moments. The English filmmaker directed the 2010 film, which adapted Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series of the same name. While considered a box-office bomb, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was well-reviewed and has since developed a cult following, even meriting a theatrical re-release for its 10th anniversary.
While many of the film’s elements have earned it praise, it stands out most for its unique visual style, which merges Wright’s characteristically kinetic filmmaking with the sensibilities of its graphic novel source material. The precise timing of camera movements and the careful use of visual effects recreate the feeling of reading a story told in a series of panels, which pairs well with the tightly choreographed jokes and action set-pieces. Those come together to create moments like when Michael Cera’s Scott Pilgrim leaps through a small window to avoid talking to his ex-girlfriend, Knives, a short visual gag that tends to linger in the minds of viewers.
Now, in a video shared to Twitter by the Glasgow Film Festival, Wright finds himself in front of the camera during an early test of this comedic stunt. Standing in for Kieran Culkin’s Wallace, Scott’s roommate, in an entirely cardboard set, the director helps pre-visualize Scott’s hasty escape by moving the door to the right rhythm. Only after the stuntman perfectly executes the dive does Wright notice he’s been staring directly into the camera lens. Check out the video below:
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As fun as it is to see the production so pared down that even the director has to do some acting, this Scott Pilgrim stunt team pre-vis video is indicative of just how much work went into crafting the movie’s aesthetic. The thoughtfulness Wright put into the film’s visuals is a key reason it has aged well over the past decade, an era that has seen a sharp increase in superhero movies and attempted video game adaptations. Scott Pilgrim vs The World, which draws on elements of both, has caused many to argue that the blockbusters of the past decade rely too much on an unnecessarily muted look.
Of course, another reason why appreciation for the movie has grown with time is the Scott Pilgrim cast, which contains many actors who have become major stars in the years since. Namely, MCU stars Chris Evans and Brie Larson both have small supporting roles, while the aforementioned Culkin has become one of the most acclaimed aspects of the hit HBO show Succession. As much as the stunt itself is hilarious, Culkin’s delivery is a key part of the Scott Pilgrim window scene landing the way it does – something Wright, having performed it himself, is sure to agree with.
Source: Edgar Wright/Twitter
