We have known that Letter Never Sent is an influence on Episode VIII for just shy of two years, ever since Rian Johnson mentioned the title (alongside Twelve O’Clock High) in an interview with Filmspotting. On Sunday, both films were mentioned again – alongside various others – at the Future Filmmakers panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe (where I got to yell out the words “space bear!” with pride). And given that the cinematic influences for Episode VIII are suddenly back in the spotlight, now feels like a great time to look more closely at Letter Never Sent (the only film of the bunch I have seen so far) and consider what the filmmakers could be taking from it.
To provide some context for this, here’s a synopsis:
The film follows four Soviet geologists who set out into the remotest reaches of Siberia on a mission to uncover diamonds. When the forces of nature turn against them, their mission becomes reduced to the simple matter of survival.
There are two distinct types of influences I think I could be extracted from Letter Never Sent, and while they overlap I think it’s worth separating them out into visual influences and thematic/narrative ones.
So, visual influences:
– Tight, gorgeous and intensely emotional close-ups on actors’ faces.
– Natural landscapes and weather conditions being used to mirror the characters’ internal struggles and emotions.
– Endless vistas being transformed by the camera, gaining an almost alien quality.
And thematic ones:
– Sacrifice, in many different forms (noble and ignoble).
– The hopelessness and futility of unrequited love.
– The triumph of a greater mission over individual needs or desires.
– Man being overpowered and overwhelmed by natural forces.
– A small group of characters being stranded by forces beyond their control, revealing their truest selves when placed amidst extreme conditions.
If you want to read extended thoughts on how these ideas are expressed in Letter Never Sent and how they may feed into Episode VIII, dive beneath the cut.
Monsters and Villains 