“Only God Forgives” may have had a divisive reception, but it doesn’t lessen the impact that 2011’s “Drive” —Nicolas Winding Refn’s first collaboration with Ryan Gosling—continues to have on the pop culture landscape even today. With last week’s release of “Grand Theft Auto V”—which banked $800 million its first day, thank you very much—a fan video placing Refn’s film in the context of the blockbuster video game franchise has arrived online along with details about an easter egg that fans of the film should enjoy.
Over the weekend a video cutting the opening heist scene from “Drive” into gameplay footage from“Grand Theft Auto IV” and “GTA V” arrived online (via Kotaku). While the effect isn’t exactly seamless—for all of video games’ technological advancements, they still can’t compete with Newton Thomas Sigel’s cinematography and the Arri Alexa (and it’s missing that ace Chromatics track), it’s not too big a leap to make a connection with Refn’s chilly camerawork and atmosphere with the roving third-person perspective of the famously cinematic video game series. In fact, more than a handful people noted the fact that “Drive” and “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” used the same handwritten neon-pink font.
Making the connection even more explicit, GQ was tipped off about an easter egg hidden in “GTA V.” Apparently you can purchase the “Champagne Driver Blouson,” which is a near replica of the infamous Scorpion Jacket Gosling’s character wore in “Drive,” save for the actual arachnid which is replaced by a lobster in the game. So if you want to make your own unofficial “Drive” sequel, just pick up that controller and head over to the Blaine County thrift store. Check out the “Drive”/”GTA” mash-up below as well as footage of the jacket in the game.
