Music and Movies

School of Rock:
Jack Black is brilliant. When it comes to a life altering subject like rock music, he can be absolutely hilarious and downright serious and sober at the same time. But it’s not just him who deserves the credit. The music for the film is expertly chosen and unquestionably delectable with bands like The Clash, Deep Purple, The Velvet Underground, Black Sabbath, The Ramones, Led Zeppelin, The Black Keys, The Doors, Stevie Nicks and whole load of others. In a big way, the movie schools us on the different genres woven within rock and really educates us on what good music is. And when you’ve got Jack Black as your teacher-slash-frontman of the band, class is really in session.
You’ve Got Mail :
This is a romantic comedy which is never overly mushy. Everything about it, the dialogue, setting, costumes and music, is subtle yet never borders on boring. The soundtrack features songs from the 60’s, 70’s and 90’s by The Cranberries, Harry Nilsson, Bobby Darin, Randy Newman, Louis Armstrong, Roy Orbison, Carole King and others. Since the story is set in New York, sometime in the beginning of fall, these classics are perfect for a modern and 21st century setting. That’s what gives the film its additional old-world charm and simplicity. If contemporary songs were featured, they wouldn’t be all that bad but the film wouldn’t be the same as it is today. Here music doesn’t necessarily play a large role, but its presence is fervently felt. I loved Bobby Darin’s ‘Splish Splash’, The Cranberries’ ‘Dreams’, ‘Rockin Robin’ By Bobby Day and Harry Nilsson’s ‘The Puppy Song’.
Almost Famous :
Another great film with great music. This one documents the story of a teenage journalist who covers a band named Stillwater. I haven’t been able to watch the entire film at one long stretch since it airs at the most unearthly hours during the day. The film, like School of Rock, is laced with classic rock and littered with tasteful songs which include Led Zeppelin, Yes, The Allman Brothers Band, David Bowie, Cat Stevens, The Who, Steely Dan, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, etc. Again, it’s brilliant. A film about a fictitious band has got to have great music. I love the fact that they’ve included Led Zeppelin’s slightly mellower and softer tunes rather than their heavier material. Also ‘The Wind’ by Cat Stevens, ‘Simple Man’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd and ‘Baba O Riley’ by The Who, 'America' by Simon and Garfunkel and 'Bron-Yr-Aur' by Led Zeppelin are some of my favourites.
(500) Days Of Summer :
Another nice romantic comedy which upturns all the stereotypes about falling in love. The story is nothing new. Boy believes in love and girl doesn’t. But it’s handled beautifully with its non-linear narrative, great dialogues and the subtle sway of its indie soundtrack. Regina Spektor, Black Lips, The Smiths, Simon and Garfunkel, Doves, Hall and Oats, Wolfmother and She and Him are some of the contributors to the soundtrack. The music here doesn’t play a large role, but it helps in setting the tone for the film. Wolfmother’s’ Vagabond’ is a real anthem for freedom while She and Him’s ‘Please, Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want’ is a pretty good version of the original by The Smiths. I'm not really a fan of Feist or Regina Spektor or Carla Bruni, but their songs do work for the film.
The Social Network :
The score, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, has been sweeping all the awards for its post-industrial, experimental and dark sounds. I’ve never been much of a fan of electronica and industrial partly because there doesn’t seem to be much emotion in that sound. But the score for this film has me hooked. It’s got just the right amount of tempo without coming off as too strong and just the right amount of emotion. I guess what gives it that much-needed feeling is the delicate ebb and flow of the piano on the tracks ‘Hand Covers Bruise’ and ‘Soft Trees Break The Fall’.
Dan In Real Life :
Another light-hearted romantic comedy. With an indie-pop score by the Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche. The music is mostly acoustic, soft, mellow and congruent with the film’s tone and simplicity. The music also includes an acoustic cover of ‘Let My Love Open The Door’ by Sondre Lerche. I fell in love with ‘To Be Surprised’ as soon as I heard it and the short instrumentals composed for the film are also sweet and melodic.