Will Collins is the writer of the film My Brothers, shot on location in County Cork, which screens in Triskel Christchurch this week – he gives us some of his favourite musical moments in cinema
1. College feat. Electric Youth – A Real Hero (Drive, 2011)
Drive is a film that leans heavily on its soundtrack to add emotional depth to the central character; specifically the track ‘A REAL HERO’. In my mind the Driver (Ryan Gosling) listens to this song on repeat, he wants to be the ‘real hero’ despite actually being a low-end criminal. However the electro-synch sound creates a sense of loneliness, almost mirroring Driver’s own distance from the real world.
2. Peter Gabriel – In your eyes (Say Anything, 1989)
One of the most romantic scenes in 80’s cinema: a young John Cusask holds a boombox over his head and lets Peter Gabriel’s music speak for the earnest, broken heart. It’s utterly beautiful. The slow tracking shot into a broken-hearted yet defiant John Cusack is utterly earnest and iconic.
3. Elton John – Tiny Dancer (Almost Famous, 2000)
The second Cameron Crowe film on the list (and not one Scorsese); the band is on the edge of tearing itself apart, the lead singer has run off and is recovered at dawn from a teenage party. The mood on the bus is bitter and sour, then, over the radio, Elton John sings “Blue jeans baby…” . When he hits the chorus, everybody is blasting out “Hold me closer Tiny Dancer”. It’s just a joyous moment in a film about a joyous time in Rock n’ Roll.
4. Bobby Womack – Across 110th street (Jackie Brown, 1997)
Tarantino has scored all of his films using incredible tracks, so picking one is a tough task. However, my favourite is the opening credit sequence of Jackie Brown which uses ‘Across the 110th St’ by Bobby Womack. The soulful song sets up the tone and world of the entire film as we watch Jackie being carried along a moving walkway. It’s an incredibly subtle way to introduce a character visually: just standing there being carried along. Tarantino relies on the song to get the story going and tell us about Jackie and what she’s about to do.
5. The Doors – The End (Apocalypse Now, 1979)
It’s hard not to include The Doors’ ‘The End’. The lyrics and melody, over a shot of a Vietnamese jungle being engulfed by napalm and the spiralling, escalating song lets us know that this is going to be a crazy, horror-filled couple of hours. It’s an iconic meshing of cinema and music creating a perfect sense of pure chaos and destruction.
My Brothers screens at Triskel Christchurch on Monday 20, Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 August @ 6:45pm. Tickets are €8.10 (full) / €7.10 (concession)
www.triskelartscentre.ie/christchurch
