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Refn's “Her Private Hell” dazzles with neon, Godfather-inspired score

5/21/2026

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Summary

Refn's Neon Nightmare

Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s sci-fi horror thriller Her Private Hell features a score by Pino Donnagio that echoes Nino Rota’s The Godfather.
Refn’s visual style mixes fuchsia and cyan, creating a Blade Runner-like opening cityscape lit by mid-80s neon.
The plot introduces Dominique, Johnny Thunders and Private K amid poisonous mist and an Orphic rescue quest.

Summary

Refn Revived

Nicolas Winding Refn was revived after a 25-minute clinical death from a leaking heart.
He said the surgery reassembled him with electricity “like Frankenstein” and gave him 25 years to create.
Composer Pino Donaggio, 84, agreed to score the film after learning Refn survived, while the futuristic Tokyo setting used studio stages and green-screen.
Refn called AI an “amazing creative canvas” but said human performance will stay the dominant force.

Summary

Refn Missteps

The script by Nicolas Winding Refn and Esti Giordani is criticized for a male gaze and flat female roles.
A couch scene shows Sophie Thatcher, Havana Rose Liu and Kristine Froseth lounging and barking like dogs.
Elle’s father Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott) marries her friend Dominique (Havana Rose Liu), making the stepmother her age.
Liu’s performance as Dominique is singled out as the only moment adding depth to the cast.

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Refn's Neon Nightmare

Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s sci-fi horror thriller Her Private Hell features a score by Pino Donnagio that echoes Nino Rota’s The Godfather.
Refn’s visual style mixes fuchsia and cyan, creating a Blade Runner-like opening cityscape lit by mid-80s neon.
The plot introduces Dominique, Johnny Thunders and Private K amid poisonous mist and an Orphic rescue quest.

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