Music in film

Hello. Good Afternoon.
I started up this blog just over a month ago now....in fact it might be slightly longer than that? Memory isnt a strong point, and at 26 years of age thats worrying. Anyway, I started it up because I was going to start filming my own videos, edit them down and put a soundtrack over them. That was my plan, it is something I have always enjoyed doing. However, as I have pointed out many times during the last few weeks, my computer is on its last legs and these particular programmes I need have failed to work. This has meant rather than blogging about some actual work I have done, I have resorted to blogging just about music I enjoy.
Not the end of the world, but this wasnt "Plan A".

Back when I was 17/18 me and some guys from school, had a band and we tried real hard.........wait, we actually didnt have a band, or try hard, but we did film ourselves either playing pranks, deliberately hurting ourselves, or acting out short story's we had "written". Kind of like Jackass, but with more empathize on the short films which include such titles "The Cornflake King", "Layzee Days" and "Billy The Bully Bin". Anyone who saw these films will tell you just how good they could of been. With titles like that, we couldnt go wrong.
But suffice to say,after school this came to somewhat of a halt and the tapes were left to gather dust.
Thats not to say i lost interest in editing, its always been an interest of mine how films and TV are edited together and put to music.
Its something I enjoyed back when I was 18 and its still something I would consider a "passion". Im just to god damn lazy to get a new PC to pick it back up.



With all of this in mind, I went on the NME website the other day to discover a blog about music used in film. This comes off the back of the new Danny Boyle film "127 Hours" and what NME use as there main example of music being used in film to great effect.
I really enjoyed the blog but it left me feeling annoyed that I hadnt done this earlier. This was something I was really interested in and was one of the main reasons I started this blog - so why the fuck didnt I write about my favourite uses of music in film before NME beat me to it?!
What it has done though, rather than what your about to read which is basically a copy of what NME have done, is motivated me to at least start blogging about particular ideas I have for music incorporated in film, maybe using some of my own music (yeah, i can do a bit). I just need a camera........

But until then, heres the link the NME article. I included my own pick in the comments section (I go by the name "Grand Theft Parsons") and reading through the other comments, a few people agree with me.
I picked the jaguar shark scene from the film "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" starring Bill Murray and a host of other stars. The film was directed by Wes Anderson who is one of the best writers/directors out there at incorporating music within his films. His soundtracks are usually pitched perfectly and help with the whole feel of the film. In this particular scene we see the surviving crew members finally finding what it is they were searching for - the jaguar shark. The same shark that ate Steves (Bill Murrays) best friend, and the shark that people had ridiculed him about over the years by insisting Steve had gone crazy nd the shark didnt even exist. Before finding the shark Steve witnesses the death of his son, and the whole film changes from a mad cap adventure comedy, to, well........this.



The song used is by Sigur Ros and its called Staralfur. This is the same band that features at the end of 127 hours. they have a particular sound that is extremely euphoric but at the same time there is a hint of sorrow hidden in there, and it works perfectly here.
Bill Murray is also a genius. "I wonder if it remembers me...." God damn.

There are many many examples of when music is so powerful, it almost engulfs the film its being used in. Jaws wouldnt be Jaws without that theme tune. Star Wars wouldnt be Star Wars if it wasnt for its soundtrack. The scene in Apocalypse Now when the choppers fly over with Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner as its soundtrack and The motorcycle scene in Easy Rider - Born To Be Wild. They are all so powerful that they almost are the film.
Tarantino is another genius when it comes to picking music to go with scenes in his films, im sure you all have a favourite.
James Bond is another example of music becoming the film.
The list is endless....
Reading through the comments left on the NME I thought I would give a few more examples of my own. there are about 100 comments on there and so some on here might be included on there list - but whatever.
Someone commented that the scene in High Fidelity, when John Cusack plays The Beta Band in his record shop, was a great use of music. I agree - but for me the entire soundtrack should be mentioned. Anyone who uses the 13th Floor Elevators to open there film is a genius. Its also the film that made me get into later day Dylan after hearing "most of the time" used in another scene which I cant find on youtube unfortunately.



Speaking of Dylan, Ive never been more happy to hear one of his songs used in a film than I was when i settled into my cinema seat to watch "Watchmen".
I knew nothing about this film, I didnt know how political it was, I didnt know anything about the writer, the characters - anything. but when this song came on and we were shown a twisted version of history, everything started to make sense.

Unfortunately I cant include the video, im guessing something to do with song or movie rights, fuck knows, but follow this link. Its worth it.

Jimi Hendrix is used in a ton of films, usually when a film is trying to show people off there heads on drugs. usually jimis music can come off as cliche because its been used that many times - its almost always Voodoo Child.
It does work brilliantly in "Almost famous" when the band upgrade to a private jet rather than a tour bus, but the best use of this song is in the film "Withnail & I".
You get a real sense of anarchy and chaos. It makes the scene funny, the timing is perfect, the dialog is genius, and you have to imagine that when they wrote this scene they had this song in mind.
"Ive only had a few ales"



Say what you want about Guy Richie, he usually picks cracking tunes for his films, and snatch was no exception. When i watched the boxing scene and realised it was Oasis playing in the background I thought "finally, someone using this song in the way it was always supposed to be used". Noel Gallagher has always said hes wanted to create a soundtrack for a film, the song he did for the first X-Files film we will forget, and lets just remember this.



I actually enjoyed Duran Duran for a bit after watching Layer cake. Says it all really.


I could go on, but you get the idea?
Music makes certain scenes, and in some cases it makes the movie. Music can become so powerful that whenever you hear it it takes you back to that particular time in your life or, that particular movie you saw. i cant listen to Moby "Extreme Ways" now without thinking about the Bourne films. Its another example of music becoming the film.
its something that interests me, and its something I will eventually pursue. Does anyone want to buy me a PC?