The release
of Where The Wild Things Are is swiftly
approaching.
Amongst the hype
and praise, there is also much talk of Karen O’s (From The Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
involvement. Although I haven’t heard
it, apparently people are cumming all over the music she has written for the soundtrack.
If there’s one thing that I like
more than movies, it’s music.
(The only other thing I like more starts with the letter V.) All this internet-talk of soundtracks made me
think about how music has affected some of the films/shows I watch.
A great deal of cinema’s finest
moments has been punctuated by the musical backdrop of a song OR score. It could be a simple lyric OR chord that the
director decided to place in the film OR an entire song that plays to the theme
of the movie. Without further ado, I’ve
chosen 7 moments which I think are worth mentioning for no other
reason than I like them.
·
MANHUNTER:
This movie has THE WORST 80’s cliché’s next to The Lost Boys. Five O’clock shadows and cheesy haircuts
aside, the terrifying climax to this movie is built on Iron Butterfly’s
psychedelic In A Gadda Da Vida. What was once a drug-driven jam track took a new life in Manhunter, elevating a tense scene between
protagonist and antagonist to a terrifying standoff. I remembered it very well from back in the day,
and I’ll never forget.
·
SIX FEET UNDER:
Like a poem to a page, Radiohead’s “Lucky” plays over the Season four’s episode
“Parallel Play” brilliantly. The Fisher family stand outside their home with stone faces while they watch their
discarded possessions burn in the driveway. Their youngest Claire spontaneously decides that Lucky is approproiate for the event She was damn right.
I’ve been a HUGE Radiohead fan
for years, but this almost completely rewrote the song for me.
·
THE FOUNTAIN/REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
I’m
shamelessly an avid fan of Daron Aronofsky.
Out of the 1000’s of directors working right now, D. Afro (He says I’m
the only one that can call him that) strikes a chord that most don’t. Maybe it’s his psychotic and beautiful visuals
OR the themes he so well crafts together.
Maybe it’s his uncanny way of weaving a story together. MOSTLY, it’s the way he uses music as a tool
of artistic expression. His main-man
Clint Mansell (Check out his band Pop
Will Eat Itself) has gone form industrial-music pioneer to film
composer. It makes sense…Mansell spent
years making music before he jumped into scoring….and he likes to score!!
·
SAY ANYTHING:
Cusack, Gabriel, Crowe AND tape deck! There can be NO WRONG done.
·
INTO THE WILD
Apparently Eddie Vedder was asked
personally by Sean Penn to write the music for this film, and agreed to do
without knowing anything about the film.
Hey Sean Penn….smart move! Vedder
created a perfect blend of folky tunes/singer-songwriter brilliance that
narrates the journey of Chris McCandless.
He won me over, and I hate Pearl Jam.
·
EVERY MARTIN SCORSESE MOVIE
C’mon, I’ll just point out a few: No
Shelter by the Stones. (Everyone of his later gangster films, but most
importantly The Departed.) Jump
Into The Fire by Harry Nilsson. Sunshine Of Your Love…Mannish Boy, they
ALL become unique characters in Marty’s movies.
·
BIG LOVE
Opening title sequence with the Beach Boys God Only Knows. This song is timeless, and befits the overall
theme of the show to a T. I hadn’t been
a fan of B.B. because they were before my time.
I’m still not. However, this song
definitely showcases a band’s impressive talent and gives the casual Big Love
watcher a clue into the mind of the series… before the show even starts.
HONERABLE MENTIONS:
-Lost In Translation
-Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless
Mind
-The Crow
-The Virgin Suicides
-Closer
-The Wedding
Singer
-Donnie Darko
Any additions?
*Thanks Andy, Joslyn
Ian, Mel and Ryan!