Tag Archives: Smash Mouth

December 14, 2015 · 12:16 pm

Sound & Motion Pictures: endings with a dance scene

In the holiday spirit of good and uplifting feelings I thought that some happy group dance scenes would be the right thing this week. These scenes wrap up good films, some of which are cult classic that live forever in the collective imagination. The music is catchy and light and you can’t help but feeling good. As always this is a list of favorites: enjoy!

Dirty Dancing – (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life, Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (1987)

Nobody puts baby in a corner! 

Swayze knows his stuff and it’s memorable! You finally get to see the famous jump.

 

Footloose – Footloose, Kenny Loggins (1984)

A whole school learn to dance and have a good time (very fast and very proficiently!). Kevin Bacon is a hero of the eighties (as Peter Quill reminded us!).

 

Slumdog Millionaire – Jai Ho, A.R. Rahman (2008)

A happy ending to a tale of woes in modern India with… a Bollywood musical number! That’s just perfect. The song stays with you for days.

 

Beetlejuice – Jump In Line (Shake, Senora) Harry Belafonte (1961)

Floating Winona Rider dancing with ghosts to an Harry Belafonte’s song… only Tim Burton could have come up with it. Plus shrinking heads!

 

The Blues Brothers – Jailhouse Rock, The Blues Brothers (1980)

Well, what’s better than making the best of it when you end up in jail with a classic song? Perfect conclusion to an epic film.

 

Shrek – I’m a Believer, Smash Mouth (2001)

The most irreverent fairy tale of them all and the best wedding party in animation history.

 

Bonus for a laugh: Tropic Thunder – Get Back, Ludacris (2004)

Unrecognizable and with a great sense of self-irony, Tom Cruise gives us this pearl of comedy.

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March 23, 2015 · 12:41 am

Sound & Motion Pictures: opening credits

I asked myself: self, what’s the best way to start a new series about great music and films? Well, to begin at the beginning… with amazing combinations of songs and opening credits. This is not meant to be a top ten, just ten of my favorite opening credits (the ones I manage to find on youtube, alas From Dusk Till Dawn title scene with the great sound of Dark Night is not there!). Some films use songs that were already famous, others made the song known to a bigger audience and, in a few cases, the combination is iconic, so much that it has been quoted, spoofed and imitated in later films, TV-shows and commercials.

1. Reservoir Dogs – Little Green Bag, George Baker Selection (1970)

After an opening scene that introduces the main characters and Tarantino’s trademark penchant for verbal incontinence and silly topics, we get this:

2. The Big Chill – Heard It Through the Grapevine, Marvin Gaye (1968)

Main characters introduction while the stirring voice of Marvin Gaye sets the mood:

3. Easy Rider – BornTo Be wild, Steppenwolf (1968)

Ultimate badasses… no more comments needed:

4. RocknRolla – I’m a Man, Black Strobe (2007)

Modern badass with the plus of Mark Strong’s heavily accented voice-over:

5. The Departed – I’m Shipping Up To Boston, Dropkicks Murphys (2005)

Celtic punk and American-Irish underworld… match made in heaven:

6. Watchmen – The Times They Are A-Changin’, Bob Dylan (1964)

Visually stunning and an amazing prologue:

7. Shrek – All Star, Smash Mouth (1999)

Irreverent and energising:

8. Guardians of the Galaxy – Come and Get Your Love, Redbone (1974)

Lip-synching using an alien-rat as microphone… this will be remembered for a while:

9. Dirty Dancing – Be My Baby, The Ronettes (1963)

Just tidbits of what’s to come: music and dancing!

10. Juno – All I Want Is You, Barry Louis Polisar (1977)

Half fairy tale style, half everyday life, it sets the pace well:

 

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