SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB: Let's pick the Week 90 movie!

[MusterX]

We have @europe1 to thank for this. He cast the deciding vote. I honestly thought he would vote for something else. Thing is, his vote was so over-riding because of when he came in and voted. Had he voted for Schindler's or In the Name of the Father, they also would have won.

 

[MusterX]

Great. Fuck SL.

You voted for Dog Day.....

 

[europe1]

I was going to include Titanic but it can turn you wicked gay so I had to reject it.

The 1958 version is pretty darn good though. It's more about showing a sense of professionalism, duty and stoicism in the face of such an disaster instead of being a love story. Cameron lifted A LOT of scenes from this version. Those violinist playing on the deck as the Titanic sinks? That scene is ripped almost completely beat-for-beat from the 1958 version.

I consider it to be Spielberg at his apex

The red jacket always gets me.

Braveheart for example is another one

Got to love a movie that is so historical that it shows the battle of Stirling Bride but doesn't feuture an actual... you know... bridge.

I wonder what the reaction would have been if I included Passion of the Christ.

Personally I would just act all stuffy and lippy and bitch about liking other Jesus films much, much more.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek

I'd -- honestly -- replace Wrath of Khan with Undiscovered Country. Yes, I am really weird that way, never understood the lofty-praised so often showered upon Khan.

My favorite original soundtrack has to be Superfly.

Ennio Morricone man, it's easily something by him. The quality of that man's works towers over his peers so much that it isn't even funny. When the Academy presented him with an Oscar I had an vision of a plethora of ants presenting an Oscar before the feet of a Titan.

I also really like the soundtracks for Barry Lyndon

Inspired by Morricone's work -- hence why it's so good.

Also the Ken Russell film Mahler

It is admirable that you managed to watch a film with stuff like this in it and still be able to pay attention to the music.

. I honestly thought he would vote for something else.

I've never actually watched Dog Day in it's entierty. Seen Father and Schindler though.

 

[MusterX]

The 1958 version is pretty darn good though. It's more about showing a sense of professionalism, duty and stoicism in the face of such an disaster instead of being a love story. Cameron lifted A LOT of scenes from this version. Those violinist playing on the deck as the Titanic sinks? That scene is ripped almost completely beat-for-beat from the 1958 version.

The red jacket always gets me.



Got to love a movie that is so historical that it shows the battle of Stirling Bride but doesn't feuture an actual... you know... bridge.



Personally I would just act all stuffy and lippy and bitch about liking other Jesus films much, much more.



I'd -- honestly -- replace Wrath of Khan with Undiscovered Country. Yes, I am really weird that way, never understood the lofty-praised so often showered upon Khan.



Ennio Morricone man, it's easily something by him. The quality of that man's works towers over his peers so much that it isn't even funny. When the Academy presented him with an Oscar I had an vision of a plethora of ants presenting an Oscar before the feet of a Titan.



Inspired by Morricone's work -- hence why it's so good.

It is admirable that you managed to watch a film with stuff like this in it and still be able to pay attention to the music.



I've never actually watched Dog Day in it's entierty. Seen Father and Schindler though.

I told @shadow_priest_x I felt you would vote for Star 80 or In the Name of the Father and you went and voted for Dog Day. I was hoping Schindler's would win because I know shadow hasn't seen it but I know its a hard sell. Its not a movie you watch for fun.

 

[chickenluver]

Ennio Morricone man, it's easily something by him.

Well that's what I was getting at about the difference between orchestral film scores and soundtracks. Morricone's works are essentially large scale symphonic compositions, while Superfly is an album of funk songs. Kind of an apples and oranges comparison.

Either way, if we're talking about how the films are elevated by the music, Once Upon a Time in the West stands close to the top, particularly the way it uses character motifs. I haven't seen Superfly so I can't judge it on those terms. To me it's just a funk album. But when I was considering favorites I was going by what I like to listen to apart from the films themselves. I have a couple of Morricone scores on CD, and they're not that great to listen to on their own. He writes great music for use in film, but not much that I'd want to actively listen to. Superfly on the other hand I've listened to hundreds of times.

Inspired by Morricone's work -- hence why it's so good.

uhhhhh what? Barry Lyndon uses 18th and 19th century music, plus some Irish folk music. Some of the works were played in new arrangements, most notably the piece used as the main title theme, Handel's Sarabande, but the arrangments don't sound anything like Morricone's style so I'm not sure what you mean.

It is admirable that you managed to watch a film with stuff like this in it and still be able to pay attention to the music.

My head may be in the clouds most of the time, but not the gutters.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

You voted for Dog Day.....

Yeah. Would have been fine with Star 80. Would have skipped the other two.

 

[the muntjac]

Cool, this is one of the ones I have on DVD. No streaming! Yaaaaaayyy!

 

[europe1]

uhhhhh what? Barry Lyndon uses 18th and 19th century music, plus some Irish folk music. Some of the works were played in new arrangements, most notably the piece used as the main title theme, Handel's Sarabande, but the arrangments don't sound anything like Morricone's style so I'm not sure what you mean.

I remember reading that Kubrick was inspired by the use of music in Once Upon A Time in the West. So I was thinking more about how they used the music in relation to the film, instead of how it sounded or what genre it was from.

But I was just being facetious, the music in Barry Lyndon is really darn excellent.

He writes great music for use in film, but not much that I'd want to actively listen to.

Honestly, whenever I listen to music attentively, I always subconciously visualize what is going on -- playing scenes from the movie or music-video in my head as the sound goes on. Sometimes I even just visualize electronic beats if I don't have any point of reference. Music is to visuals what french fries is to a steak, one exist in the service of the other and is meant to compliment, elevate or accentuate it somehow. That's just the way it is.

 

[chickenluver]

I remember reading that Kubrick was inspired by the use of music in Once Upon A Time in the West. So I was thinking more about how they used the music in relation to the film, instead of how it sounded or what genre it was from.

Is this what you're thinking of?

"Stanley Kubrick used to play the soundtrack's classical music during takes to get the actors in a better mood. He was reportedly influenced by Sergio Leone's method in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)."

That sounds more like he was influenced by Leone's use of Morricone's music during principal photography rather than how the music is weaved into the final product. I'd like to watch the movies in secession with the music in mind, but personally I don't recall many similarities in the way the music is used. Once Upon a Time in the West makes significant use of recurring character motifs. The music in Barry Lyndon is primarily matched with setting and mood. Variations on Handel's Sarabande are played during moments of heavy drama, such as the duel scenes and the funeral for Barry's son. Schubert's Piano Trio is played when Barry first seduces Lady Lyndon, and again when he apologizes for his infidelity. Both films effectively beef up dramatic moments with their music, but don't most movies attempt this?

But I was just being facetious, the music in Barry Lyndon is really darn excellent.

Absolutely. It doesn't get more epic than this



or more serene than this

Honestly, whenever I listen to music attentively, I always subconciously visualize what is going on -- playing scenes from the movie or music-video in my head as the sound goes on. Sometimes I even just visualize electronic beats if I don't have any point of reference.

I typically visualize instruments being played.

Music is to visuals what french fries is to a steak, one exist in the service of the other and is meant to compliment, elevate or accentuate it somehow. That's just the way it is.

I see you're instigating a discussion on the centuries old debate between program music and absolute music, and your flag is planted firmly on the program side. I'm in the other camp. Visuals or narrative can add to music, but it's really just window dressing.