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s a child, Martin Scorsese looked out his New York window and watched two drunks brawling with When My Dreamboat Comes Home by Fats Domino playing in the background and thought, “Why don’t they do that in films? A love scene with love music is just mediocre.” The marriage of music and images can be employed in dizzying ways, creating some glorious celluloid scenes. Here is the definitive five soundtrack moments. Mediocre they are not.
MEAN STREETS (1973) – JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH, THE ROLLING STONES Entering the bar in glorious slowmotion, bathed in blood-red light, struts rebellious Johnny Boy with a girl in each arm. This is cinema’s introduction to Robert De Niro in all his swaggering brilliance, choreographed by the maestro director, Martin Scorsese. Even the music is incendiary; hinting at the effect Johnny Boy and De Niro would have, with Jagger pouting ‘I was born in a cross-fire hurricane.’ Scorsese’s long awaited Oscar winning The Departed, also features one of the greatest actors of his time entering to a Rolling Stones tune. TRAINSPOTTING (1996) – PERFECT DAY, LOU REED Trainspotting’s arrival in ‘96 accompanied Britain’s new found confidence resulting from a rejuvenated music scene. But despite Britpop’s influence on the soundtrack, the song which steals the show was composed in 70’s New York. Lou Reed’s Perfect Day, on the surface a romantic song, hides a story of drug addition, “You made me forget myself, I thought I was someone else, someone good.” In the film attractive Scottish heroin addicts talk in Tarantino-esque dialogue, giv-
ing rise to the controversial heroin chic. However, Renton’s overdose is not glamorous, regardless of the scene’s dizzying brilliance. APOCALYPSE NOW (1979) – THE END, THE DOORS The Vietnam War will eternally be linked with Rock ‘n’ Roll, some of the greatest music emerged during this turbulent era. Unlike previous wars, the songs were not romanticising tales of honour, love and home. These songs were loud and raucous. No song is more suited to the war than The Doors The End which plays over the opening sequence of Francis Ford Coppola’s epic Apocalypse Now. As helicopters fly past a napalmed jungle the haunting guitar line floats in. Apocalypses Now plays out like a surreal bad trip making Jim Morrison’s musical ‘inside trip’ a perfect companion. The lyrics reflect themes of war, “desperately in need of some stranger’s hand in a desperate land,” and the particularly apt “the west is the best.” DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) – FIGHT THE POWER, PUBLIC ENEMY The title sequence to Spike Lee’s tale of racial tension in New York doesn’t take any prisoners. Like Rosie Perez’s ferociously angry
dancing and Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, this film is provocative, hot and in your face. ’Cause I’m Black and I’m proud, I’m ready and hyped plus I’m amped’. This anger continues in the gut of the film as the characters play out their lives in a hot summer. Racial tension exists in the myriad of characters, which culminates in a riot. Chuck D’s enraged yet eloquent lyrics were always from the heart, as was Spike Lee’s filmmaking. MILLER’S CROSSING (1990) – DANNY BOY The rich wordplay of the Coen brothers’ 1930s mob movie is shelved during this majestically choreographed shoot out. As mob boss Liam ‘Leo’ O’Bannon lies in bed listening to the Irish American anthem crackling from his gramophone, rival gang members move through the house, Tommy guns in hand. The track soars in the background as wood splinters, glass shatters and cars explode in the brutal battle. The song ends with the lyric “I’ll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.” Sadly for these hired goons, Leo O’Bannon wasn’t listening. Words - Colin Scott Images - Benjamin Phillips
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