If anyone can remember that it’s been twelve years since the release of ”Drive”, we are taking a trip down memory lane with some of the biggest cult classics ever. You might remember that awesome performance by Actor Ryan Gosling, who became an instant star after the movies. The movie did not just describe the incredible performance of the actor, but also received some praise for that Drive Jacket that Gosling wore in the movie.
That’s right, that Scorpion Jacket is what people loved the most about the movie while the rest of the action that Drive features is just infectious. How can one forget that anti-hero character that made Ryan Gosling a favorite among young girls? Of course not. But have you ever wondered how that Drive Jacket came into being in the movie and what was the concept behind it? Of course, you would want to know.
Most of the costume designs and, of course, the character designs have some origin story or ideas that were scrapped during the movie’s production. Here are some secrets to be unveiled as we move forward into time to find out the story of this iconic attire.
13 Jackets
It is very common with movie productions that many ideas were considered, and many of them were also scrapped. The director would have so many story drafts; only one is picked up as the main storyline. Just like that, the costume design would take a lot of time to be considered as many things are considered for it, but by the end of the day, only one concept stands tall.
If I say that it took 13 jacket designs to reach the final design in the movie, then you might think I am joking. However, this right here is a fact. The Drive Jacket took a lot of inspiration before reaching the final design, including the selection of 13 designs. The costume designer Erin Benach took charge of the work and began to design 13 different jacket variations based on the actor’s build.
After so much consideration and hard work, the final design has come to be, which includes the white satin fabric yoked with the yellow color sleeves and, of course, the scorpion logo that defines the anti-hero character in the movie well. It could be absurd to see that over 13 jackets were considered. The one design was selected, and what happened to the rest of the 12? The answer is obvious: they were all discarded or most probably been sold to a jacket store to be purchased by the others, that’s all, folks.
The Inspiration Behind the Scorpion Jacket
Now, this is where it gets interesting; you all would probably be thinking about how this design came into being, and it can only be complete with the inspiration from pop culture. One of those inspirations includes Kiss, a famous heavy metal band that you might have heard of, well known for their eccentric outfits, and that song that hangs in your head ”I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day”, Yeah, it’s an iconic one.
So, if Kiss is the first inspiration, what is the second one? Of course, that honor goes to Nicolas Winding Refn, a popular disco star who mixed hard rock and disco into one to create a memorable trend of his own. So here it is, the inspiration that brought out the idea of the Drive Jacket that we both know and love. Here is a story: when Nicolas Winding Refin and Ryan Gosling were on a trip, this would become the basis of the idea and the inspiration for the jacket that Ryan Gosling would later don in the movie.
The Mystery Behind the Scorpion Logo
The final part of the Drive Jacket is, of course, the golden scorpion logo on the back. So, how did this logo arrive, and how did it appear on the jacket? This is another story to be unveiled here. The actor and the designer watched a music video, ” Rising, by Kenneth Anger, which featured men working on cars. This not only serves as the inspiration for that Scorpion logo but also the plot and the action scenes that were featured in Drive.
I have to say that this is the cool part of the story because a music video inspired the jacket along with the creation of the movie’s plot. This is worth talking about as the inspiration for a jacket also led to the inspiration for the movie, which has become a cult classic for years to come.
Closing the Book
So, our story ends with the book closing on the origins of the famous Drive Jacket that featured a scorpion on the back. It is funny that a Jacket had 13 designs considered, along with the inspirations from the rock bands and discographers and a music video to create a jacket that has rocked the whole world ever since. The story of the jacket is cool, I would say, because the inspiration for a charming jacket on a charming yet sadistic anti-hero is a blend of style and inspiration.
The Drive will always be one of those classics that will keep on entertaining us for generations as the interesting story of a drive falling in love with someone’s wife and doing whatever it takes to protect her continues to captivate the audience for a very long time. To be honest, this is a really good take on a jacket designed especially for the movie but eventually received a cult following even after the release.
