Space Jam: Jack White’s “Connected by Love”
The musician, Jack White recently released the powerful single and video for “Connected by Love.” Haunting synth evokes a sci-fi Kubrick film, or a Blade Runner score that would make Vangelis proud. Quick to follow are hints of the Stones in the ‘60s: the gospel feel of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”; soulful backing vocals reminiscent of Merry Clayton’s on “Sympathy for the Devil.” The experimental sound of the ’70s courses through too (passionate rock-opera-inspired vocals by Mercury and Daltrey come to mind). As already noted, “Connected” feels sci-fi cinematic; its accompanying video similar in part to the 2011 Lars Von Trier film, Melancholia, about the complex relationship between two sisters, as a planet sets out on a collision course with Earth.
With White threading together various musical styles, he blends the past with the present, and the (futuristic) video highlighting the unconditional bond between parents and children from all walks of life, while White’s character sits alone in a hotel room with his regrets (”What have I done?/I have pushed away everyone”), the importance of connection, plays a starring role.
Pop Playlist: ABBA: “Mamma Mia”
One is reminded of how powerful the brain can be when a song is featured in a film, and even 20-something years later whenever the song plays, the film and the scene, are immediately conjured. So is the case with ABBA’s “Mamma Mia.” However, the film is not Mamma Mia, based on the stage play, and starring Meryl Streep, but 1992’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
With Felicia (Guy Pearce) a big fan of the Swedish pop group, it was only natural that a song (“Mamma Mia”) would find its way into the film, and it does during the finale. The scene is a celebratory one that has the drag-queen heroes, Felicia and Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) returning home from a long journey into the Australian desert. Geographically, they’re happy to be home, but the bouncy, cheerful-sounding tone of “Mamma Mia” also reinforces how much the duo are also at home in their hearts, doing what they do best, surrounded by the people who love them. The song-scene pairing is also a testament as to how ABBA’s masterful creations can still instill a warmhearted sense of comfort and at times (euphoric) joy.
Cozy Cinema: “You’ve Got Mail” Still Delivers
Open Your Heart
The 1998 Nora Ephron film is the epitome of cozy cinema. There’s the magic of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, whose characters are involved in an online romance amid an offline rivalry.
Warner Bros.
There’s also scene-stealing Parker “I’m having my eyes lasered” Posey, the sunny romantic-comedy genre, witty script, and a crisp New York in the Fall. Although it could be seen as somewhat dated, for one of its supporting characters is AOL’s “You’ve Got Mail” announcement, the film still holds true today, as contemporary social-media outlets can also serve as an option for (love) connection, yet now more Wi-Fi than dial-up. Timeless themes of opposites attract, internal beauty as crucial component, and a faith (and fate) in love (“the dream of someone else”) make this film a feel-good essential.
Joe (Tom Hanks) has an epiphany he’s stuck in more places than just an elevator:
Pop Playlist: Madonna: “Vogue”
Arguably, Madonna’s 1990 hit, “Vogue” is her signature song, one that will always come up in conversation when discussing the icon’s contribution to pop (music) culture. With its theme of dance floor as place to escape life’s “heartache,” Madonna and co-writer Shep Pettibone paint a scene where fantasy, through imaginative (fashion-pose) voguing, serves as inspirational recharge for one’s own reality, a space that gives “new life.”
The documentarian, Jennie Livingston had already been exploring similar themes in the New York gay underground of competitive fashion-fantasy balls and voguing “battles” years earlier, with her groundbreaking film, Paris Is Burning. Yet Madonna was the one to bring elements from this world into mainstream visibility (“Life’s a ball”). While the powerful documentary delves into far grittier territory, “Vogue” focuses on the glitzier aspects of old-Hollywood glamour. It becomes more than just a catchy dance song or stylish video, it’s indicative of how a savvy Madonna took something subculture and crafted it into one of her most mainstream successes, in turn, also influencing the pop-culture lexicon, the word not just a noun anymore or the name of a magazine, but now a familiar action verb.
David Fincher’s masterpiece:
A clip from Paris Is Burning, with the legendary Willi Ninja. Take note at 1:15 - 1:25, which features a young Jose Gutierez, who a few years later would appear in the video for “Vogue” and be a part of Madonna’s “Blond Ambition World Tour.”
Psychedelic Zodiac: Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man”
Just re-watched David Fincher’s 2007 film, Zodiac, about the crimes committed in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960s and 1970s by a person who called himself, The Zodiac, via cryptic letters and creepy phone calls to news outlets. The film is incredibly well-done, in depth and, at times, spine-tingling. It also does a fantastic job of using songs to establish timeframe and tone, best exemplified by the use of “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” recorded in 1968 by the singer, Donovan. The track is classic psychedelic ‘60s, and plays over a disturbing scene near the beginning of the film, as well as during the closing credits. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, and Robert Downey, Jr.; even the actors in smaller roles are equally memorable, including the (uncredited) actress, Ione Skye, whose father is… Donovan.
A chilling clip from Zodiac, featuring Ione Skye:
Allured into the Basement
“Are you sure there’s nobody else in the house?”
— Jake Gyllenhaal as cartoonist turned true-crime investigator, Robert Graysmith.
Paramount Pictures. Cinematographer: Harris Savides.
Pop Playlist: The Smiths: “Please, Please, Please…”
The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” is just shy of two minutes long, but it efficiently goes straight to the heart of desperate longing. The lead singer, Morrissey sounds as if he’s in mid-prayer, a plea to experience “Good times for a change.” Acoustic guitar, and the defeated sadness in his voice, create a somber tone, yet not one of complaining, but contemplation. There’s disappointment, but he’s also hopeful; he’s the “good man” who doesn’t want to “turn bad.” The lyric, “Haven’t had a dream in a long time” may be the track’s most vulnerable, with the later “what” in “get what I want” open to interpretation, the “what” replaceable with “who.” (Morrissey has in fact applied this lyric change during live shows.)
The song works well in the heartwarming (and heartbreaking) film about the confusion of unrequited love, (500) Days of Summer, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tom) and Zooey Deschanel (Summer). In the hopes of getting Summer’s attention, Tom plays the song out loud for co-worker and fellow Smiths admirer, Summer, only for Summer to walk right by his desk.
“Please, Please, Please…” has been covered by Deschanel (She & Him), and the Dream Academy, whose version appears in the film, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
The Weeknd: “Secrets”: Lies, Eyes and ‘80s Samples
To anyone who remembers the ‘80s, the latest from The Weeknd, entitled “Secrets,” is a trip down memory lane. Lyrics in its chorus are pulled from The Romantics’ 1983 hit, “Talking in Your Sleep”; the transition from chorus to verse includes a direct pickup from Tears for Fears’ 1983 song, “Pale Shelter,” more specifically Curt Smith’s high-vocal climb of the lyric, “completely in command.”
The video, filmed in part at the Toronto Reference Library, sets a cold, barren tone to match the lyrical content that tells of a relationship full of lies, revealed “every time you close your eyes.” Ominous male figures in capes, which the female lead later runs away from, are perhaps indicative of her past catching up to her. Low-angle camera shots of these suitors, peering over balconies are reminiscent, in part, of the masquerade-ball scene in Stanley Kubrick’s 1999 film, Eyes Wide Shut. Use of deep red and the blossoming white bed that creates various geometric shapes also evoke other Kubrickian imagery.
Talking about Bassline
One of the elements that makes Selena Gomez’s “Bad Liar” a good pop song is the bass-guitar sample featured at the very beginning. Taken from the Talking Heads’ 1977 song, “Psycho Killer,” its smooth, cool sound is just like its creator, the Heads’ legendary bassist, Tina Weymouth. While the group’s lead singer, David Byrne was also part performance artist, with his unique vocals and delightfully intriguing stage presence, it was Weymouth, normally off to his back left, who usually played it chill… and played it well.
Weymouth’s other noteworthy musical contribution came in the form of the band, Tom Tom Club, with its early-‘80s “psychedelic and funkadelic” hit, and well-sampled in its own right, “Genius of Love.” Footage below was part of (the late) Jonathan Demme’s 1984 Talking Heads concert film, Stop Making Sense. Here, Weymouth is on lead, showcasing her signature bass playing, and her own whimsical presence, alongside the backing vocalists, Ednah Holt and Lynn Mabry, and the Heads’ drummer, and fellow Tom Tom Club member, Chris Frantz, who Weymouth has also been married to since 1977.
An Australian in Paris: “…That Sweet City Woman”
Kylie Minogue’s cover of the Bee Gee’s classic, “Night Fever” (from Saturday Night Fever) utilizes her upper upper-register, in order to capture Barry Gibb’s distinctive vocal style. In the live performances below, Kylie showcases her authentic, live-vocal capacity, even amid a backing track for (background-vocal) effect. When Kylie sings, “Makin’ it mine,” she’s makin’ it hers.
The staging, styling and choreography is nothing short of chic, paying homage to Parisian glam-pop-disco in the ‘70s, while the two female dancers sport voluminous hair and seductive moves of the period. Kylie joins the dance party at “I got fire in my mind/I get higher in my walking,” and can’t help near the end to do a funky four-step.
Gene Wilder: His Comedic Timing Was No Charade
The comedic actor, Gene Wilder passed away recently. Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, starring, and co-written, by Wilder, wonderfully captured the actor’s distinctive talent. The film served as homage to the black-and-white horror movies of days gone by, particularly, and obviously, Frankenstein. Brooks’ take featured Wilder as Dr. Frankenstein (it’s pronounced Frahn-ken-steen, as noted in one of the many hilarious scenes), who sets out to re-animate the dead, with the help of Igor (it’s pronounced Eye Gore, played by Marty Feldman) and Inga, an attractive laboratory assistant played charmingly by Teri Garr. Peter Boyle plays The Creature; Cloris Leachman, the creepy castle caretaker; the brilliant Madeline Kahn, Dr. Frankenstein’s self-absorbed fiancé. Wilder had a knack for displaying comedic calm (“I will NOT… be… angry.”), followed almost instantaneously by frantic absurdity (“… 54-inch-wide go-rilla!”). Wilder will also be remembered for playing eccentric chocolate-factory owner, Willy Wonka; a cowboy past his prime in Blazing Saddles, another Brooks classic; his work with the comedian, Richard Pryor, and many other projects, yet it’s Young Frankenstein that displays his signature style.
Another genius gone: Madeline Kahn. Her character portrayal and delivery are close to comedic perfection:
Still Life: Bill Cunningham 1929 - 2016
This weekend the photographer Bill Cunningham passed away from complications due to a stroke. The New York Times fashion photographer edited two columns—On the Street and Evening Hours. Cunningham was on the other side of the lens at one point in his life as the subject of an incredibly moving documentary entitled Bill Cunningham New York.
Bill was often on the corner of 57th and 5th, taking photographs of the many eclectic styles worn by New Yorkers. Donning his signature blue smock, plain pants and sensible shoes, Bill was a hawk of an observer, supremely focused on his strutting prey. He quickly snapped pictures of unique individuals sauntering through the concrete jungle. At the end of an expedition, he’d unlock his bicycle and ride back to The Times to edit the On the Street layout, which showcased style trends. Bill also worked nights as an event photographer covering all-things high society, which was compiled into the Evening Hours spread.
Charming and ironic, the film allowed the viewer to see a man living an incredibly simple life amid all the flash of New York. Here’s a man who sometimes wore a black poncho and instead of throwing it away when there was a rip in it, he’d repair it and say, “…a little tape and we’re back in business.”
Bill Cunningham New York is a touching reminder that a simple, honest life can be a content, rich life, filled with passion for career, some good friends, and respect from others. Bill’s smile was full from ear to ear and was seen a lot throughout the film, especially at his 80th birthday party. He also poignantly reminded us on his trip to Paris of the old adage: “He who seeks beauty will find it.” And he made that search his life, however with that, seemingly came certain sacrifices, as captured in a emotionally raw scene between the film’s director, off camera, and Cunningham, sitting in front of his many filing cabinets. The subjects of romance, religion, and regret briefly revealed a crack in the armor, and like that rip in the pancho, it’s Cunningham’s smile that metaphorically served as the tape that got him back in business, always moving—or in his case—biking forward.
Cunningham was 87.
Margot Robbie Has a “Serious” Beauty Routine
Check out this sleek short film showing the morning routine of the actress, Margot Robbie. Yet as Robbie, in “cold gaze” mode, begins her voiceover, describing her rigid regimen, the film begins to take satirical shape…
…becoming an homage to a famous scene from a film that once starred the actor, Christian Bale:
I’m Bat(e)man
“In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I’ll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now.”
— Christian Bale is beauty and beast as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, a graphic alle(gory) of status obsession gone savage amid the me-generation ‘80s.
Lionsgate Films. Cinematographer: Andrzej Sekula.
Kubrick in Color
This montage highlights some of the director, Stanley Kubrick’s boldest, most iconic movie shots, color by color. Needless to say, it’s an absolutely brilliant look at his distinctive style and his fearless use of hue as visual cue, for example, to convey emotional tone or plot foreshadowing.
“What Kind of Fool” a.k.a. Life After “Better The Devil You Know”
The catchy 1992 song by Kylie Minogue could be theorized as having its origins in 1990. Think “Better The Devil You Know” (“BTDYK”), a song whose lyrics reluctantly embrace blind forgiveness of a (devilish) partner. Yet “What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)” could be seen as a sequel. In “BTDYK”: “I’ll forgive and forget/If you say you’ll never go.” In “Fool”: “You can say you’ll be true/I can trust in you/But I heard all that before.” Kylie is done forgiving, and ready to forget, the devil she knows.
The video for “Fool” features scenes inspired by the film, And God Created Woman, starring Brigitte Bardot, a woman to which Kylie has long paid homage, most notably the artwork for her 2003 CD, Body Language and the styling for the subsequent one-off concert at the London Apollo. The And God references include: the silhouette of Kylie lounging behind a sheet hanging on the line; Kylie dancing in a red skirt on a kitchen table. And for another film reference: the heart-shaped glasses, unmistakably from the poster for the 1962 Stanley Kubrick film, Lolita. Kylie as Lolita-type girl at the beginning of “Fool” is not the same person at the end; in the dark no longer, she’s a stronger woman slamming the kitchen door, committing to the lyric: “Don’t wanna see your face no more.”
Innocence Found: Tom Petty’s “American Girl” in the Movies
There’s nothing like the 1977 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ song, “American Girl” to inspire a feeling of carefree, sing-along abandon in its fans. Appearing on their debut album, this popular track from the late ‘70s had enough staying power to go from radio to film, making appearances in the 1982 classic, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and the 1991 masterpiece, The Silence of the Lambs.
In Fast Times, “American Girl” plays over a montage of the first day of school. For some it’s a return to another year of popularity; for others, like Stacy (Jennifer Jason Leigh), it’s the start of a challenge. As soon as Stacy appears in this montage, the lyrics begin: “Well, she was an American girl/raised under promises/She couldn’t help thinking that there was a little more to life/somewhere else.”
She meets a handsome older guy named Ron (D.W. Brown), a stereo salesman in the mall. Stacy lies about her age and agrees to a date with him, 26. Stacy has abandoned her rule-following American girl. She sneaks out and runs to meet Ron on a street corner, who picks her up in his car. As Petty sang: “After all, it was a great big world/with lots of place to run to.”
As this young girl in Fast Times wanted to quickly become a young woman, the placement of the song in The Silence of the Lambs, shows how a young woman can quickly revert to being a young girl. Catherine (Brooke Smith) is driving by herself, singing along to “American Girl” on her stereo, her familiar nature bonding the viewer to her. Catherine pounds along on the steering wheel and not only sings the lyric, “Make it last all night,” but also tries to sing the backup at the same time, which only makes her all the more endearing. She stops singing, and the camera remains focused on her face, allowing for a final look, warning the invested observer that this carefree American girl, safe in her protective environment, will soon be anything but. She helps a man (Ted Levine) outside her apartment, her heart in the right place, yet her naivety gets her in serious trouble.
Although both films are different—Fast Times, a sharp, slightly unnerving comedy, Silence, a chilling, totally disturbing thriller—the choice to include “American Girl” is a testament to how well the song works in capturing wide-eyed innocence. Thankfully, both characters come out the other side as stronger American women.
Hook, Line and Singer: The Knack: “My Sharona”
Its thunderous drumbeat; deep bass chords; that stuttering guitar riff: It was clear that 1979’s “My Sharona” was going to be a hit. Especially in pop, it’s all about selling that repetitive hook that connects with the public; the aptly named band, The Knack knew about that and didn’t just rely on this holy trinity of instruments to do the hook work. They pushed further, allowing the vocal delivery, even the lyrics themselves, to stand out as well. The group didn’t throw together a pop song, but, in turn, crafted a definitive, engaging pop experience that still resonates. This one-hit wonder was chock full of so many smart, memorable hooks, it just couldn’t be shelved at the start of the new decade. Although its sound became synonymous with the ‘80s decade, it’s gone on to live several lives, most notably, as endearing pastiche, in the 1994 film, Reality Bites.
Feeling Solo: Destiny’s Child: “Independent Women Part 1”
What kismet—an apt word—that Destiny’s Child got their lineup finalized down to a trio and soon ended up contributing a song to the Charlie’s Angels soundtrack. Whether it’s a group of singers or private detectives, there’s nothing like the power of three, once you get the three members locked down. For the group, it was Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and newest member Michelle Williams; for the film revamp of the classic TV series, it was “Lucy Liu, with my girl Drew, Cameron D…” That’s Drew as in Barrymore, D as in Diaz. Another example of this kismet collaboration: Just as the singing group seemed to struggle with who was in and who was out, the late ‘70s/early ‘80s TV series seemed to struggle as well with who was staying and who wasn’t. The show saw Farrah Fawcett leave after one season, and eventually Kate Jackson. Cheryl Ladd, Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts all graced the couches of the Townsend Agency, with Jaclyn Smith—let’s be honest, the “Beyoncé” of the group—staying for the entire run.
With the TV series and the film version stressing the importance of female capability and independence (and at the same time, the benefits of camaraderie, regardless of what form the trio takes), it was a no-brainer that the title of the Destiny’s Child contribution would be “Independent Women Part I.” Full of catchy, sing-along hooks, it’s a confident ode to self-sufficiency, which has Beyoncé in the verses asking one rhetorical “Question:” after another to her male counterpart, reminding him that “I buy my own diamonds and I buy my own rings/Only ring your celly when I’m feelin’ lonely/When it’s all over, please get up and leave.”
And while there’s nothing wrong with pride, the ladies walk a fine line, yet are careful never to lapse into arrogance. Beyoncé, being the competent writer that she is, knows to never alienate the listener, but inspire, ensuring “I depend on me” is uttered frequently. In the second verse, she further clarifies: “If you’re gonna brag/Just make sure it’s your money that you front/Depend on no one else to give you what you want.”
After this second verse and chorus, note the familiar melody line in the bridge. Think of the verses on Blondie’s “Rapture,” for example: “Toe to toe/Dancing very close/Body breathing/Almost comatose.” “Independent Women Part I”: “Child of destiny/Independent beauty…” And finally, Question: Tell me that this infectious track shouldn’t be applauded for adding the line, “All the mamas who profit dollas”?
Heaven Sent: Whitney Houston: “I Believe In You and Me”
There are certain pop ballads that will forever be synonymous with their vocalists. To name a few: Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” Stevie Nicks on “Landslide,” Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love”; Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”— those songs that came around at the right time for the right person with the right range and because of that connected with millions. Whitney Houston’s “I Believe In You and Me,” certainly gets tacked on to that list.
Performed by Whitney’s character in 1996’s The Preacher’s Wife, it’s the similar, yet bigger-sounding studio version featured on the film’s soundtrack and on Whitney’s 2000 Greatest Hits collection that will be highlighted. The song starts out sweet and Whitney’s vocal is as such. The stomping piano serves as the precursor to the middle section, and this is where Whitney really starts to open up. As she starts out on the climb, she’s ascends up and up, slowly letting go of the controlled, pleasantly safe pop vocal: “Maybe I’m a fool/To feel the way I do/But I would play the fool forever/Just to be with you forever.”
By the time she reaches the summit of this section, her vocal transitions into gospel: “I believe in miracles/And love’s a miracle/And yes, baby, you’re my dream come true/I was lost/Now I’m free…” Whitney was blessed with a voice that could make people in the ‘80s and ‘90s shake their heads in disbelief, and would often be accompanied by the word, Wow. Devoted listeners marveled at how she could just open her mouth and out came that voice… the voice. Her vocals hit ears and headed directly to the limbic parts of brains, triggering chill bumps to travel down and back up through countless numbers of bodies and out in the form of watery eyes.
To this day, those countless listeners probably still shake their heads in disbelief, yet for a different reason. The astonished Wow now followed by a sad sigh. Nonetheless, the positive things she did with the gift are to be remembered. Easily, Whitney’s cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” belongs on the above-mentioned list, and although some would argue that “I Believe In You & Me” would only garner an honorable mention, it still sits as one of the best studio recordings of the female vocal… ever.