Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Best Music with Movie Scenes post #1: American Psycho and Casino

This is a random movie list.  Now the following are not particular songs that I liked and they used in a movie, nor are they showtune style pieces.  Those belong in a category of their own.  No, instead these are scenes where the music complimented what was taking place, such as the snap of a camera or added that extra dimension.  Nor am I speaking of an overpowering score, where the music is so overwhelming it forces the emotions out of you, such as say Armageddon, you have a blubbering Ben Affleck and a tough Bruce Willis, with an overwhelming emotional score, you can't help but possibly tear up.  Even if the rest of the movie sucked.  So to make it clear on my list, here's an example.  Be forewarned if you haven't seen some of these movies I may spoil the plots or some important moments, but i'll try to stay vague.

American Psycho - in the particular scene i want to describe here our yuppie serial killer has invited his "arch nemesis" over after getting him drunk at a dinner.  He puts on Huey Lewis and the News, and begins to describe the song and why its so good, while he preps himself to murder this guy.   The reason the music is so effective here, is that its both at odds with what is about to take place, and in the same vain as the world Patrick Bateman lives in on the outside.  "Hip to be Square" is the song, it doesn't even do it justice to describe it but all of these things put together make it incredibly effective and amusing moment, one of my favorites.

Casino - I can't claim to know the exact name of the song, I know when it starts out it proclaims "goddammit!" and then Robert De Niro goes into a lengthy narration on how the casino keeps an eye on everything, the song is effective against all the backdrops, and wicked bad ass cinematography and editing that is a benchmark of Scorsese, but my favorite part about this whole sequence is when  De Niro's character Sam Rothstein see's Sharon Stones character on the security monitors,and song snaps back into full life and the camera quickly pans to De Niro from the monitor and slowly zooms in on him, just that word, and the snap of the music, that pan and zoom, is amazing.  Its brilliant, and a cool slick De Niro is at the heart of it, just staring.



Sunday, April 24, 2011

Disgust and Broken Egg Shells

Maybe someone should have told you, you were so worked up, and through your tears they should have seen the signs.  Though this scene ended with me dead in a coffin, you shouldn't have had to suffer like you did.  There is an open invitation to horror shows in the Sunday edition, and you couldn't bear not too go.  Scared out of your wits, you battered down the bathroom doors, each stall was painted with vulgarity.  And it screamed its hoarse voice at you, and you couldn't take it.  I tried my best to shelter you from the storm, but the lightning bolts fell in to disarray.
Don't forget it.
Maybe you can take the time to forget it all, but I won't, I threw myself into the chopper, placed my neck in the guillotine, and took my toll as i threw myself down your stairwell on a cold frosted December night.  A ghastly face found me, and told me of your sins, and you were crying on the other line, until there was no one left but me, after all your parents told you to grow up, move on, and get out.  
Can't you see me standing in shattered glass.
A pistol whipped station was where I found myself out bleeding out into the egg whites because I couldn't find the energy to scramble them on time.  No one wanted to help you but me, and as I laid dying on my own i couldn't find the truth anymore.  Maybe you should have located your conscience, and told it to remove, because all your unconcious desire should never have bottled up inside itself.  People find a fault in my findings, but I say why.  
Sure it hurt, but if you weren't happy why stand here by my side, we took our stupid vows, and for what, there is one life we lead.  Down the sidewalk.  Down the sidewalk.  Down the bridged path.
God forgive this, forgive himself, damned idealist.
The rage was built up inside me, it was boiling out, and when I finally calmed down, I saw your fear on the mirror, fogged up from my heated bath.
You took off your ring, I bitched and complained, and then I took off mine.  
The horror house of dying lovers, it shall pass, though i never want to return to the meat grinder.

Low Exchanges.

There are a millions reasons you can't find back home

you covered,
you stepped in the water,
you broke off a stem from a lil flower
you covered your tracked, you took it back to the start
but you found you were too far from the truth
the lies kept building and building up
you couldn't find the way back hom
you wouldn't look too long
this is just the start
as you silently
depart
oh you just became the biggest news at this game
oh you just couldn't shut  your damn mouth
bragging all the time, bitching at the folks i called my friends
this isn't personal but back the hell off
this is why im so locked up inside
a rage infesting my fingertips
raging out in verse
I'm sorry for my ambiguity
I apologize in advance if i sound to forward
but my oh my aren't you looking ravishing tonight
said the bearded lady to the crocodile man
I
apologize
I apologize for my inconsiderate
remarks
remarks about your sweater.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Other Things

I dreamed I was falling through the clouds
And I was making up this song about you
I dreamed this all in a single afternoon
And its all because of what you've done

So many people called me by hurtful names
Took me through the mud in there nasty ways
But I don't blame them because I did it for you

People needed something else
People wanted something else
You didn't want me, no matter how much I wanted you

I dreamed that I was calling your name
From some far off place where you couldn't see
I dreamed this just this morning when I couldn't wake for you
Give me more than this my long lost regret

People wanted something else
People wished for something more
And you didn't want me, no matter how much I wanted you

Go ahead and run that way, you won't find happiness there
Not saying you would have found it here, I had my flaws
Go on and chase your dreams that way, they'll evade you
I'm just saying you can't have it all, no, no I can't have it all

People chasing something else
For something else is all they ever want
I just wanted you, but you didn't want me.