In this thread about soundtrack albums, Monstre nominated the Kill Bill soundtrack, saying “some really good stuff in these soundtracks, and even better when seeing how the music is used to fit the scenes in the movie.”
Which made me think - Tarantino’s been responsible for some of the best use of music in recent film. The Elle Driver whistling in Kill Bill, Stealer’s Wheel in Reservoir Dogs, Miserlou in Pulp Fiction, etc. After rewatching Kill Bill 2, I had to get the song Bud was listening to in his trailer (Johnny Cash’s “A Satisfied Mind”), and even though it’s good, it sounded so much better in the Kill Bill scene.
Tarantino’s known as a great director and a great writer, but is he also a really talented soundtracker (or whatever the correct term is)? Or is his skill finding other really talented guys to do his soundtracks for him? I know the RZA did the soundtrack for Kill Bill, but the consistently great way Tarantino films link music to visuals makes me think that he (QT) has got something to do with it.
The RZA provided original music for Kill Bill ( the soundtracks will say which tracks are his), and QT’s friend, fellow filmmaker Robert Rodriguez also provided original music for Kill Bill Volume 2. But QT is a huge fan of obscure music, and I believe almost all the decisions for songs are his. I remember an interview way back around the time of Pulp Fiction that he had always wanted to use “My Sharona” by The Knack for the male rape scene in the pawn shop, since he thought “My Sharona” sounded like “good butt-pounding music,” something like that. But because it had recently been used in Ben Stiller’s film Reality Bites (remember, this was 1994), he couldn’t get the rights, so he used that twangy instrumental “Comanche” for the scene instead.
I totally agree that QT’s soundtracks are among the best in recent memory. He really dusts off some old favorites and weird cult choices that perfectly match the action on screen, and I always enjoy the soundtracks as much as the films themselves.
I think it’s Tarantino that is the spark, and the reason why is the cell-phone ringtone in KB1.
[spoiler]The Bride pulls up in her yellow suit and parks next to Sophie Fatale. Looking over, the Bride notices Sophie for the first time, the camera closing in on Sophie’s mouth, speaking into a cell phone. The Bride flashes back…
Hit, the Bride flies backward, the only sound other than the fight being a ringing cell phone. Looking over, the Bride sees Sophie Fatale, calmly, even laughingly, talking on the phone.
Cut back to the present day. Overcome, the Bride speeds off, running the red light.
Now, the reason why that had anything to do with music was the specific ring tone used by Sophie Fatale - Auld Lang Syne, particularly, the verse that goes “Should auld acquaintance be forgot”. It is my opinion that the Bride didn’t remember that Sophie was at the massacre until she saw Sophie at that intersection. The clue? The ringtone. [/spoiler]
Anyway, Tarantino is a director who is so obsessive-compulsive he can make a ringtone give important clues as to the psychology of his characters. Therefore I’m perfectly glad to give him full credit for his soundtrack choices. After all, no other films have that “Tarantino” quality when it comes to this issue.
I enjoyed the sudden appearance of Johnny Cash’s “Tennessee Stud” in Jackie Brown; I think it was when Ordell was staking out Jackie’s apartment, waiting to kill her. After half an hour or so of vintage R&B, it really brought you up short to hear that spare, powerful sound.
I just watched Kill Bill Vol. 1 yesterday for the first time in awhile and I was surprised to hear “The 5, 6, 7, 8’s” playing the song from the Vonnage commercial. do dooo, do do dooo… I guess I didn’t remember it the first time because I hadn’t heard it 1,000 times already.
QT does do great soundtracks, I’d give him the credit.
I’m not sure if I like the guy or just like to hate him but I’m grateful to him for introducing me to “Shivaree” with the song, “Goodnight Moon” from the Kill Bill soundtrack.
Heh, have you seen “Star”, the short film he did with Clive Owen for BMW’s “The Driver” series? Ever since watching that, I can’t help but bust out laughing whenever I hear “Ride of the Valkries”
Tarantino & Ritchie both have an amazing ability to match a good classic obscure song to a specific scene. For an example of how it isn’t as easy as it looks, go back and rewatch Casino, and see how a god like Scorsese can throw every imaginable popular song into a movie- I think over 100 songs are listed in the credits- and NONE stand out. Many are intrusive and unncessary in the particular scene. Although he did pretty good with the use of “Layla” in Goodfellas, though.
Nope - gotta add Steven Soderburgh to that list. His soundtrack to Out of Sight is impeccable, using old Isley Brother tunes and other great old tracks (Watermelon Man, anyone?) interspersed with perfect interstitial music from - I think his name is - David Holmes or something. His other movies use music incredibly effectively, too…
Sofia Coppola (Lost In Translation) and Zach Braff (Garden State) come to mind as two younger directors who really seem to be INTO music, and made excellent choices for their soundtracks. I’m pretty sure Braff actually won an Academy Award for the Garden State soundtrack, and it really is that damn good.
I agree – Braff is good. And Scrubs is another show where there is some really good music selection to fit the scenes, especially the show endings. I wonder if Braff is influencing that, or if that comes from somebody else. I know he’s directed some episodes.
Some of the cuts from the movie that didn’t make the official Kill Bill Vol. 1 Soundtrack are quite good, too – some I think should have been on the soundtrack. My favorite of them is probably “Kaifuku Suru Kizu” (Lily Chou-Chou, who I believe is a fictional character in a Japanese movie), the music played when the Bride was looking at the swords in Hanzo’s attic. There are some other good ones missing, too. So I’m really glad I have the movies on DVD, because whether it was Tarantino who selected the music and fit them to the scenes, or a combination of him and somebody else – it was brilliantly done.
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