What I’m watching a movie, naturally I don’t pay any conscious attention to the music…unless it’s ether really bad or really good. For really good, I’d suggest the charge in Excaliber. For really bad…any movie where a big-name singer/band has been thrown in to make headlines, such as Die Another Day. The graphics were great, the song…not so much. So, that leads me toask:what music would you put in a movie, and where?
In an action movie I’d have:
1)“Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds for the introduction of the villian ( I love that song).
Some of that Japanese drum music (sorry I don’t know the name or even if it really is Japanese) for the big plot twist.
Some peppy-yet-creepy oldies song to signal the inevitable sequal.
Bow chicka bow wow… the only type of music there should be in movies. The only type of movie there should be, in fact.
kidding
Seriously, piano music works for everything. Just adjust the tempo/style/what have you accordingly. Think about it. For sappy love scenes it could be all smooth and sensual, Duke Ellington style. If we’re talking cheesy slasher film, we could have like a 5 year old smash down on the keys repeatedly. Can’t go wrong with the piano… unless, of course, we have a comedy on our hands. In that case, we need the drums. Ba dum ching!
I’d put Happy Rhodes in every single movie made. Kate Bush is my goddess, but Happy Rhodes would actually work better. Her voice has such a wide range and she could do just about any style, from blissful ethereal to dead sexy to creepy crawly to mournful dirge to sweet & funny and on and on. I’ve never heard her do raunchy guitar rock, but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t do it. I’m shocked, SHOCKED that she hasn’t been used in movies (or TV, be it shows or ads) before now. It’s hard to think of a movie her voice wouldn’t be useful in, from The Matrix to Lord of the Rings to Die Another Day to Maid In Manhattan. Indies could get her cheap. I don’t know what their problem is. It’s depressing.
Ooops, I forgot to add, in case anyone says “Maybe they’ve never heard of her” I’d say either someone isn’t paying attention or you have to be on a major label to be in movies. I know of SEVERAL directors who have been given her CDs, including Cameron Crowe, Francis Ford Coppola, Neal Jordan, Philip Noyce, among others. I gave CDs to Jordan and Noyce. If not the directors, I’d think that music directors would know of her. It’s their job to know who’s out there, and she isn’t all that obscure. She has 10 albums, one of the oldest Internet mailing lists (going strong since 1991) and a worldwide cult following.
Other than Happy, I love hearing Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel in movies. Peter just got a Golden Globe nomination for his score of “Rabbit-Proof Fence.” Norah Jones is showing up a lot now, in “Maid in Manhattan” and “Two Week Notice.”
I’d like to hear Leonard Cohen do a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s I’m on Fire in a movie about a suspected child molester. (“Hey, little girl is your daddy home?”)
I’d throw in a variety of stuff. My favorite soundrtacks (the Crow, Grosse Pointe Blank, Romeo and Juliet, others) all include a good mix. That’s what I’d strive for.
I might be putting a movie together in a few months, and I’ve been thinking of asking local artists to contribute cover songs.
I’ve been wanting to use Frank Zappa’s “Friendly Little Finger” during a car chase through the mountains. The dueling tempos of this “resynchronization experiment” always remind me of racing car engines.
The guitar and saxes interlude during “The Letters” by King Crimson would be perfect during the moment of realization after a major double cross in a “heist” or spy thriller.
“Damn Shame” by Jay Farrar sounds like great “down but not quite out” music. Or possibly the theme song to a cynical PI series, if someone ever makes a good one again.
I would put this track with demi moore and deepak chopra speaking about love from bhudda bar in a very sensual love making scene. Most likely Kama Sutra.
