Anthony Royal Architecture cordially invite you into its utopian living space in today’s sinister new teaser for High-Rise, the latest project coming by way of the brilliant and eccentric Ben Wheatley.
Lending his dulcet tones to the narration is Tom Hiddleston, who runs down the über-stylish accommodation offered up by the false conglomerate. Indeed, the clip itself isn’t so much a promo for the movie as it is an introduction to the title tower block, replete with concrete architectural design and glowering residents. Headlining the drama as Dr. Laing, it’s Hiddleston’s character who sets about starting a new chapter by moving into the towering apartment block, though his calm demeanour and sanity begin to crumble upon realizing that not all is as it seems.
Confined into dinky apartments, High-Rise represents a microcosm of society in that the affluent members of society are placed at the top of the building, indulging in booze and sex, while those from the lower ends of the social strata set up shop at the bottom, where they also indulge in booze and sex. But such an archaic set-up leads to a palpable underlying tension coursing through the building, and even from today’s brief teaser those fracture lines begin to rear their head – did you spot the blood in the swimming pool?
High-Rise is currently slated for a release in March of 2016, and to get the jump on Wheatley’s latest directorial effort, you can check out our own thoughts coming out of Fantastic Fest 2015. Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss all co-star in the dark, claustrophobic thriller.
1975. Two miles west of London, Dr. Laing moves into his new apartment seeking soulless anonymity, only to find that the building’s residents have no intention of leaving him alone. Resigned to the complex social dynamics unfolding around him, Laing bites the bullet and becomes neighbourly. As he struggles to establish his position, Laing’s good manners and sanity disintegrate along with the building. The lights go out and the elevators fail but the party goes on. People are the problem. Booze is the currency. Sex is the panacea.
