Nope, Jordan Peele’s most recent picture, is unquestionably among the finest of the year and may very well be the most intriguing in his body of work. It’s a very captivating and unsettling experience that will leave you wondering exactly what you just saw as your thoughts spiral into them.
In a field of primarily basic horror movies that follow specific conventions, the movie feels incredibly distinct and refreshing. Despite the fact that Nope seems so unique, it actually contains a lot of film allusions and takes inspiration from several classics, like Jaws and The Wizard of Oz.
The following list includes spoilers for the film “Nope.”
‘Buck and the Preacher’
The movie Buck and the Preacher, which only truly shared one key element—the western aesthetic—with Nope—is possibly its most underappreciated counterpart. The movie tells a brief story about a waggon master and a con man who work together to attack confederate veterans after the Civil War.
The scenery, some parts of the score, and Jupe’s Wild West-themed amusement park are just a few of the features in Nope that help to give the movie a western feel. But the two major characters in the movie also have a lot in common. Both movies have Black leads who play characters with a similar dynamic—one is more quiet and introverted, while the other is outgoing and extroverted.
‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ / ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’
Nope was greatly influenced by Steven Spielberg’s movies, whether it was to make a legendary blockbuster or to portray themes that were comparable to those Spielberg addressed in his own movies. Nope’s investigation into the extraterrestrial genre was undoubtedly greatly influenced by two of Spielberg’s iconic alien films.
Together, the blockbusters E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which inspired awe and spectacle based on celestial life, had a significant impact. However, in relation to the UFO fixation several characters in the movie encounter, Close Encounters had the biggest impact on how Nope was wired.
‘Full House’
The frightening comedy-show flashback with Gordy the monkey is one of Nope’s most infamous scenes, as described before. The sitcom aesthetic was undoubtedly influenced by sever al of the iconic sitcoms from the 1980s and 1990s, even though the vicious ape attack wasn’t based on Full House.
Ruth de Jong, the production designer for Nope, admitted that in order to comprehend the visual and tone of various comedies, from Seinfeld to Friends, she had to do extensive research. But in terms of how the set was constructed to accomplish Nope’s most iconic sequence, Full House served as the main source of influence.
‘Jaws’ / ‘Jurassic Park’
Spielberg is back once more with two additional movies that influenced Peele’s Nope. Both Jaws and Jurassic Park touch on the use of spectacle and attempts to subdue wild and exotic animals for human enjoyment, as well as how these animals may react to these acts.
One of the most thoroughly covered themes in Nope is this one. It is mostly evident in two scenes with the character “Jupe” played by Steven Yuen. The first involves the comedy show from the past making fun of a chimpanzee, and the second involves Jupe making fun of the strange alien. Naturally, both are unsuccessful attempts to tame wild animals, leading to their retaliation, as Jaws and Jurassic Park equally powerfully express.
‘King Kong’
A great example of a story that touches on the themes of humankind’s addiction to spectacle as well as the attempt to control and mistreat animals for entertainment is the story of King Kong, which follows the journey of a film crew to a mysterious island where they discover and capture the mighty beast.
However, Nope’s concepts in capturing the creature on camera are also relevant to King Kong’s tale. Characters in both novels have a strong desire to picture the revered animals and obtain concrete proof of their existence. Nope’s concepts of photographing the alien are shared by a number of characters, including OJ (Daniel Kaluuya), Emerald (Keke Palmer), the cinematographer (Michael Wincott), and the TMZ motorcycle rider.
‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’
After included the iconic Akira slide in his movie and drawing heavily on Neon Genesis Evangelion for the design of the film’s creatures, Peele appears to be a big anime enthusiast. Many highly futuristic elements in the anime evoke the same sensation of awe and fear as the subjects addressed in Nope.
The extraterrestrial species depicted in Nope was greatly influenced by the “Angels” from the anime series Evangelion. It shares a spherical design with a lot of imagery that suggests “eyes” and “watching.” Considering that the creature itself also has a very biblical angel-like aspect, it makes plausible that the alien’s real shape was modelled after something termed a “Angel.”
‘Signs’
Obviously another alien-themed movie, Signs had a significant impact on the wiring of Nope, but Peele’s picture also has more intricate references. Both films have comparable settings and build-ups in that they both take place in remote locations that gradually begin to exhibit hints of extraterrestrial life as the story progresses.
M. Night Shyamalan, the Signs director renowned for his thrilling plot surprises, might have served as an inspiration for how Peele opted to deliver information in Nope. The movie makes use of several well-known sci-fi and alien clichés, but by the time it gets to the climax, it subverts these assumptions a lot.
‘The Wizard of Oz’
Nope may seem like an unusual choice for The Wizard of Oz to serve as inspiration, but it’s just another movie. The obvious parallels between the dust clouds the alien generates in Nope and the tornado in Oz, as well as the script’s more nuanced aspects, are what Peele attributes to having inspired him to write the movie.
Nope shares similarities with Oz in terms of plot; both movies feature characters who appear to be leading regular lives until they encounter life-altering extraordinary events and must battle a higher power alongside a band of outcasts.
