Fin

Occasionally movies have us excitedly awaiting the curtain for all the right reasons. Here are some of my favourite closing credits.

ROMEO + JULIET

Song: Exit Music (For a Film)

When given the brief of penning the music for the end credits of Baz Luhrmann's 1996 Romeo + Juliet, Radiohead came up with this sarcy title. The ronseal of credit songs- does what it says on the tin. Thom Yorke has cited the 1968 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet as the inspiration for 'Exit Music': "I saw the Zeffirelli version when I was 13 and I cried my eyes out, because I couldn't understand why, the morning after they shagged, they didn't just run away. The song is written for two people who should run away before all the bad stuff starts. A personal song."

The director of the movie, Baz Luhrmann, revealed in the DVD commentary that he believes it is one of the greatest film exit songs ever written. I concur.

Moreover, the song can be credited with saving the life of goth rocker Marilyn Manson who when contemplating suicide whilst standing on the edge of a cliff soon changed his mind on hearing the song.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

Song: Singin' in the Rain

As well as being played over the closing credits, the song features in an earlier scene in which the protagonist sang it whilst committing rape. The juxtaposition of using such a happy well-loved song in one of the most disturbing movies ever made is a stroke of genius, and once viewed in this sinister light will never be heard in the same way again.

CARLITOS WAY

Song: You are so beautiful to me

A dreamy ending sequence that beautifully communicates the frustration felt at Carlito's failed escape attempt. A dying Carlito stares up at a billboard of a Caribbean beach and a dancing woman frozen in shot. As the music starts the billboard comes to life and the woman who is revealed to be Gail starts dancing as he slowly closes his eyes. Heartbreaking. And a brilliant example of how music can be used to effectively advance the themes of a plot.

Feeling Shirty

Black Work Trousers

Black Cardigan

New Jeans

New Shoes

New Glasses

These are all things that I need to buy,

yet this is what I bought today:

As soon as a saw it, I recalled that scene in 'One Fine Day' where Michelle Pfeiffer has to wear her sons dinosaur t-shirt under her business suit.

I bloody love t-shirts. I especially love them on people who you don't expect; people who are usually all dolled up. Like these lot:

It's off to work we go...

Music has long proved an antidote to the mundanities of the working week so it's only right that it should offer the occasional commentary on our working lives.

There is of course a great irony to be found in the millionaire popstar lamenting the plight of the working man. A cynical attempt to relate to the record-buying everyman? A nostalgic nod to their former pre-fame lives? Either way, there are some great work-related songs out there that really stick it to the man!

Sounding suspiciously upbeat after a nightshift, The Beatles 'Hard Days Night' maintains that it's all worth it because when they get home "everything seems to be right". Thankfully, the aptly named "Boss" keeps it real in 'Dancing in the Dark': "I get up in the evening and I ain't got nothing to say. I come home in the morning, I go to bed feeling the same way. I ain't nothing but tired, man I'm just tired and bored with myself." That's more like it.

In 'No Surprises' Radiohead confront middle class resignation to the monotony of "a job that slowly kills you". In exchange for the 'pretty house' and the 'pretty garden' we'll "take the quiet life. A handshake of carbon monoxide." Talking Heads similarly question whether the payoff has been worth it in 'Once in a Lifetime' which deals with the sacrifice of youthful dreams and ideals in favour of conventional notions of success and happiness and its resulting mundanities: "same as it ever was". We have worked hard and as a result have 'everything' yet nothing we ever really wanted in the first place: "You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile. You may find yourself in a beautiful house with a beautiful wife. You may ask yourself, well how did I get here?"

Less a sympathetic sing-a-long but rather a lyrical showing off from MGMT in 'Time to Pretend' as rockstars who have swapped the daily grind to "live fast and die young". "Yeah, it's overwhelming. But what else can we do. Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute". Talk about rubbing our noses in it!

Right, best be off to bed. Work in the morning.

This week's play (work?!) list:

It's always the quiet ones

Most places I find myself I somehow manage to always be branded "the quiet one" and have at times been made to feel as though this is a bad thing; being authentically myself. But as I get older and no more able to fake this adult confidence I feel that it is something to cherish.

So, here's to the quiet ones "Perform your magic, your incantations, your strange songs" you know who you are.

Say Goodnight Kevin

Maybe it represents a longing for a more innocent time, or is simply the result of watching too much American TV but I have always wanted a really 80's looking boys bedroom.

You know that scene in 'Home Alone' where he gets banished to the attic room? I never really understood how that was punishment. It was the coolest room ever!

With it's built up sofa-bed, naff graphic bed covers and American flag it looks like such a safe haven and somehow effortlessly cool- what every bedroom should be.




I often wonder how 80's film decor managed to be so exquisitely 80s and cool. Do you think they purposely tried to place cool objects in the hope of them then becoming iconic? Or did they simply decorate the room as was considered normal for that time? In 20 years time will we look back and say "Oh look, that rooms so minimalist and cool and of the noughties" I doubt it!

Here's my 80's Boys Bedroom Wishlist:

Analog TV



Michael Jackson Door Poster
Actually, courtesy of Lauren and Mikey I already have this :)





Stacked Board Games



Check Bed Covers

Forget what happened then, and let me live again

I want you back

Isn't it about time...

...that crimped hair made a comeback?

Poorman's Meal

I officially love this woman. She is 91 and lived through the Great Depression.

I am so gonna try this Poorman's Meal.

Kate Bush for Dummies

I’m not quite sure how she has managed to escape my radar all these years, I had such faith that my parents had surrounded me with all the singers from their era that actually really mattered. There was one near miss when I was given a revision tape from my Spanish teacher who had accidentally taped Kate Bush over it. Rather than investigating this further I wrote her off as some strange wailing banshee woman. Makes sense- my idea of musical genius back then was Eternal. I’m simultaneously gutted and excited by all the lost years. So for the last few weeks have immersed myself in all things Bush! What follows is a crash course in Kate Bush for anyone interested. I have compiled all my favourite songs and interpretations...


Bad Dreams in The Night
Whilst still at school Kate was discovered by Pink Floyd 's David Gilmour who was so impressed by her that he financed some demo recordings. EMI Records were equally taken with her and in an unusual act of faith decided not to record her immediately. Instead, they gave her a cash advance and told her to go away for two years and develop her writing, dancing and singing in preparation for a long-term career. How unheard of is that now! Well it certainly paid off as Kate returned aged 19 with “Wuthering Heights” inspired by a television adaptation she had seen as a child of Emily Bronte’s novel. She caught the last 10 minutes of a scene where the ghost of Cathy haunts her ex-lover. The scene resounded with her more so as Cathy was her nickname as a child. The song captures brilliantly the obsessive love of the novels heroine, but more importantly it’s bloody good fun to prance around the kitchen to.




It’s in the trees, It’s Coming!
This song is about being afraid to fall in love and she compares it to being chased by a pack of hounds. I love how she can turn romance into a sort of horror ballad.
But rather than giving in to the fear she sort of laughs it off and eventually concedes to the idea of love when she admits that when she does fall in love she’ll recklessly “take her shoes off and THROW them in the lake” and she’ll “be two steps on the water” cautiously following them.





Mammy’s Hero
An ode to the grieving parents of deceased soldiers- those young men who only join the army because they have no other opportunities in life as they grew up in poverty. No doubt they are keen to 'see the world' but really they are pawns to the politicians and generals who send them to wars. They know little about the situation in which they find themselves – “the chicken with the fox”. It’s like the old joke isn’t it - to join the army is to travel to fascinating places, meet fascinating people, and kill them.




Deeper Understanding
In the context of 2009 this is clearly about internet addiction, how we are lonely and lost without “our little black box”. The fact that it was released in 1989 makes it a pretty foreseeing feat by Bush.
Unsatisfied with human interaction in the real world this person turns to their computer who “brings them love and deeper understanding”. Makes me want to chuck my laptop out the window!



I know you have a little life in you yet
John Hughes contacted Kate about writing a song for a specific scene in his movie "She's Having a Baby". He sent her a clip of the scene in which a young father to be waits nervously while his partner is in the delivery room giving birth to their child.

So the song is sort of a narrative of this man's thoughts how he stands outside “this woman’s work, this woman’s world”, how he could have been there more for his partner during the pregnancy etc.

Here’s how it appeared in the film...SOB!





Why did you make it so unreal?
Awww- just love this- sung before Kate became a big star.




Life is sad..And so is Love
Written after her Mother's death "And so is Love" is about finding out that love, like life, is not perfect; but as we get older, we learn that our loved ones matter most.

I like your hair very much too, like the other girl said

'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
'I don't much care where-' said Alice.
'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.

Tonight Matthew I am going to be...

KATE BUSH!!!! Can't be that hard can it?

Leotard- check
Green eyeshadow- check
Red Lipstick- check
Ethereal beauty and original talent- doh!

Ah well enjoy the pics below and check out the video of her speaking- she's so sweet! I love her explanation of the meaning behind Babooska.

Don't Give Up

Listening to this Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel track got me thinking about "our current economic climate" haha- who else is sick of hearing this phrase, I keep finding myself saying it!

Sure enough, Gabriel wrote it about unemployment during Thatcher's 80's.

So, If The Recession Made Albums.......

Today I'm mostly listening to..

Tell me again George...about the Rabbits

Michael Forever

So, rumours arose this week that MJ will be performing 30 shows at the o2 Arena in July! Oh my actual God!

I'm not completely deluded- I know things have changed- his moves won't be the same and he will inevitably be lip-syncing. But in all honesty I don't give a fig. Just to see him on stage again will be amazing- he's a sight to behold on stage- like a little space alien who you can't take your eyes off. And to be in a room full of similarly deluded fans will be ace.

I saw him at Wembley Stadium in 1997- when I was 14. It wasn't very cool to like him back then, especially at the age of 14 when everyone else in school was getting into britpop- grrr! I remember clapping eyes on a popular girl in the year above- on recognising each other we gave a mutual nod of agreement- "I won't tell, if you don't".

Anyway, off we trotted- my dad, my uncle hugh, lynnie and lauren. I will never forget Lynnie clapping her hands off in excitement- she had until then not been overly enamoured with MJ, but came back a total convert. I also remember thinking how cool it was that my dad let her have a beer! Lauren, love her, got overcome with emotion and let out a little yelp- "Michael, I love you". It would have been much more effective if we werent 2 football stadiums away from him!

Anyway, thought I would share my favourite live MJ performances....

At Last...

...a President who can keep to a beat.




Americans are so funny- somehow it just turned into Cinderella with Beyonce cast as the fairy godmother!

Shoot me...

...if I ever say the words “I don’t suffer fools gladly”

Is there some sort of Sayings Shop which you visit at the age of 30 where you are granted permission to suddenly slip this expression into everyday conversation? 12 year olds just can’t get away with saying it.

I especially hate it when people choose this expression to define their personality- like in Big Brother audition tapes- you have 1 minute to describe yourself and you choose to make yourself “stand out” with an overused phrase that you probably dont know the meaning of anyway, but heard your mums friend say once.

It’s up there with “I’m MAD me!” errr...you can’t call yourself mad- that negates the madness!

You heard her - she's got her boobies

How come no-one ever told me about Nina Simone before? She's like a ye olde Lauryn Hill- amazing.

Speaking of whom....