by Fiona Underhill

Lucky Number Slevin is twisty-turny comedy thriller with a fantastic cast, sharp and witty dialogue and even some romance. However, I would not love it anywhere near as much as I do if it didn’t LOOK so amazing. The set decoration, costume design, as well as the use of color and lighting elevate this film from just something enjoyable to something truly memorable. Production design is an under-valued aspect of filmmaking (as well as costumes, hair and makeup) which can really make-or-break a film for me. From the work of Powell & Pressburger, to Asian masters including Wong Kar-Wai, Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-Wook, through to Terry Gilliam, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, Baz Luhrmann, Guillermo Del Toro, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet – films which are feasts for the eyes have true staying power. While you might expect fantasy films to give thorough consideration to world-building, I appreciate it when films in other genres put time, care and attention into making them look good. Some excellent recent examples of 60s/70s looks would be Bad Times at the El Royale, The Nice Guys, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. – which have quite a lot in common with the aesthetic of Lucky Number Slevin. However; while the former are period pieces, Slevin is set in the modern day, but with a retro feel.