Brilliant Songs Used Brilliantly In Brilliant Movie Scenes, Pt. 2

When I started this little feature on my blog, I was jobless, and quite bored. Now, over a month later, I have a job and a) way too much to do in the evenings or b) I'm way to tired to DO anything in the evenings. However, I've wanted to do a feature on this song for awhile

Song: Stuck In The Middle With You
Artist: Stealers Wheel
Film: Reservoir Dogs

Explanation: When I first started film school, you wouldn't catch me watching Reservoir Dogs. Looking back, when I started film school, I don't think I really appreciated film the way I do now. To me a movie was something you saw on the weekend. You went, bought your tub of popcorn, escaped for an hour or two, and continued on with your life for the rest of the week.

As my years at college went on, I started to see film as something more, and began to find myself appreciating different genres, different languages, and different themes through the beauty of film. Now you would be hard pressed to find a movie I won't watch. I'll even watch a bad movie, just to add it to my movie vocabulary.

I think Reservoir Dogs was the beginning of a major change for me with regards to the movies I watch. After falling in love with Steve Buscemi, I simply had to get my hands on everything he had ever been in. Living in residence, with no way to go out and rent movies (in an easy capacity) I started asking around to see if any of my floormates had movies featuring the love of my life. One of them happened to have Reservoir Dogs.

Not only is Steve Buscemi brilliant as the slimy Mr. Pink, the entire script is flawless. Although the idea of the film is clearly one of Tarantino's imagination, the movie has a certain reality to it. The conversations seem real; I mean, there are scenes where the characters talk too fast...you can't understand them. They flub a word or two. Instead of spending take after take to make sure the everything is "perfect", the scenes come across as legitimate. It feels as though, even though we know we are watching a film, maybe, just maybe, someone out there could be having the same conversation with their friends about why they don't tip, or the meaning behind Madonna's Like A Virgin.

I think the reason that I never watched this film before was because it scared me. It scared me that I didn't know if there was going to be a happy ending. Now I'm not afraid of stuff like that. Tarantino's writing shows that yes, there sometimes isn't a happy ending, but that doesn't make the ride any less exciting or interesting.

With a unique soundtrack, Stuck In The Middle With You, is placed in a dynamic scene, that will change the way you hear that song for years to come. A combination of great writing, mounting tension, and pure horror (all to a boppy soundtrack), this scene stands out as brilliant, solely due to the juxtaposition of good vs. evil, innocent vs. guilty.

The Scene: (potential spoiler alert) After Nice Guy Eddie, Mr. White, and Mr. Pink go to retrieve the stashed loot that Mr. Pink made off with during the heist gone wrong, Mr. Blonde is left alone with a dying Mr. Orange, and Marv the cop (who he kidnapped and brought to the meeting point.) Once all the others are gone, he turns on the radio just as Stuck In The Middle With You starts to play, and proceeds to torture the cop in the worst ways imaginable.

Why It's Brilliant: Although having some really great scenes paired with really great songs, I chose what I believe is the defining song of this film. There is something about the pairing of a 70's, upbeat tune, with a brutal and heartless act that really stands out and makes this film better than a lot of films I have seen. As disgusting and frightening the things that Mr. Blonde is doing to an innocent man, you find yourself riveted. Tarantino's directing (pushing the camera away from the gore) gives the scene that much more punch, because the audience is left to imagine what is going on.

The Scene: (For those of you with delicate ears who frequent my blog, be aware that the following scene contains some coarse language or violent imagery that may not be suitable for all viewers.)

Brilliant Songs Used Brilliantly In Brilliant Movie Scenes, Pt. 1

So I realize that I've been neglecting my blog as of late. I'd like to say that I'm busy, but with no full-time job secured yet, I haven't exactly been overloaded with work. However, I have been finding ways to fill my days, which don't usually include blogging. I have some good posts coming over the next little while though, so stay tuned.

This new series that I am doing for my blog is what I lovingly call "Brilliant Songs Used Brilliantly In Brilliant Movie Scenes."

I feel I need to explain.

Recently, I've been paying more attention to the use of music in films, especially ones I've seen over again, and one thing that I've started to love is when a song becomes part of the actual movie. Basically, I think it's fun when the filmmaker takes a well known song, and puts it in the movie, not simply as background music, but lets the song push the story forward, or tie together an integral scene. This of course, doesn't happen in "serious" movies (well, sometimes, but I'm going to go with rarely...in any case, most of my examples can not really be considered "serious".) Basically, I wanted to showcase some of my favourite scenes that do this. I don't know how many parts this series will be, or how long I'll be able to go for, but I welcome any suggestions! Here are some guidelines:

1) The song can't simply be heard in the background (ie: in a bar scene, or from a radio.) The song has to become part of the story, and the characters have to some how react to the song (this will make more sense when you see my first example.)

2) Brilliant is all a matter of personal opinion. I don't care if you don't think the song isn't brilliant or the scene isn't brilliant. It's my blog and I'll do what I want (and if you want to see something you think is brilliant, leave a message and maybe it'll get posted.)

3) Musicals don't count. Yes, the moment Tony starts singing Maria in West Side Story is agreeably brilliant, but that song was written for that film. I want music that has been used effectively in a film that it was not designed to be in.

I think that about covers it, so without further ado, here is BSUBIBMS, Pt. 1:

Song: Don't Stop Me Now
Artist: Queen
Film: Shaun Of The Dead

Explanation: Some of you may know that lately I have been somewhat obsessed with Queen. I have also started to appreciate films that at this point last year, I would have not been interested in seeing. Shaun Of The Dead is one of these films.

I became really sick mid-March, and a co-worker brought me this movie and told me that it would make me feel better. I took it to be polite, and when I started watching, I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. It really, REALLY is a great film.

Fast forward to a few months later when I'm going through my Queen phase, and all of a sudden the song "Don't Stop Me Now" starts playing. Now, I'm confused because I like this song, it's funky, AMAZING to dance to, but I can't place where I've heard it before.

Lucky for us, we have a beautiful tool called "The Internet", and a quick Wikipedia search revealed that it had been used in the film that I had fallen for but a few months earlier.

The Scene: (potential spoiler alert) When the group makes their way to the bar for shelter, the jukebox is accidentally bumped and Don't Stop Me Now starts playing, which riles up the zombies. Deciding that the only way to save themselves is get the music turned off, one of the group runs to find the fuse box, while the others beat the zombies senseless with pool cues.

Why It's Brilliant: I can't remember who (it may have been Bryan), but somebody described this scene as "Jazzercize with zombies." Not only is it staged brilliantly, with everything from the movement of the characters to the flicking of the lights matching the song, but there is a lot of unexpected stuff that happens during the scene. It is so exciting and impossible to turn away.

The Scene: (For those of you with delicate ears who frequent my blog, be aware that the following scene contains some coarse language or violent imagery that may not be suitable for all viewers.)

So that concludes the first episode of this new feature. I hope you enjoyed it, and start thinking about those scenes. I have a few more to go, but I look forward to hearing your suggestions!