And it is GOOD! Back in March I wrote a post on here regarding the new soundtrack for ‘The Crow’.
There’s been an abundance of comments online regarding the new film, a lot of opinionated people with some refusing to even see it and a lot of negative comments. This film means a lot to many so no surprise. Over the last six months these have softened from the rhetoric being “a slap in the face and hugely disrespectful to Brandon Lee” to the “I’ll give it a go it will be interesting to see a modern take”. Time is a healer?
Remakes are now a common thing and I have to admit on first hearing this was happening my head dropped. The original had such an impact on me both visually and musically so I was a nah sayer. I do want to see it, the original is iconic as a standalone entity, the added tragedy elevates this feeling of disrespect for many. If it’s great, it’s great and can stand alone on its own two feet. If it sucks it will go the way of a remake like Point Break, forgotten and swallowed up quickly by the sands of time.
To the other important side of the conversation, the music! Two days ago avclub.com posted online a listing of the upcoming soundtrack that should bring hope leading up to the films release on August 23.
- “Des Pas Sur La Neige” – Debussy
- “Disorder” – Joy Division
- “Fall” – The Bug Ft. Inga Copeland
- “Thin Flesh” – Traitrs
- “The Killer” – Landr
- “M.E.” – Gary Numan
- “Total Depravity” – The Veils
- “Boadicea” – Enya
- “Meaning” – Cascadeur
- “What Went Down” – Foals
First for me is the inclusion of ‘Disorder‘ by Joy Division. Twangy guitar, bass riffs and melodies from this intense post punk track with haunting vocals from Ian Curtis. The first line of which is “I’ve been waiting for a guide to come and take me by the hand”. A great fit!
Second noticeable track is ‘M.E.‘ By Gary Numan who I am a big fan of. So I’m bias? I only recently saw ‘The Pleasure Principle’ tour and was listing to Intruder in the car today. His take on post punk industrial music with sometimes gothic undertones would for me be seen as a travesty if overlooked here.
These two tracks alone already provide light at the end of the tunnel. They won’t make or break but give me hope the filmmakers are on the same astral plane as I am and the rest of the music and film slot into place.
‘What Went Down‘ by The Foals, “I buried my heart in a hole in the ground”. Nothing gothic here but a great track all the same with an inner driving force to it.
‘Total Depravity‘ by The Veils just a haunting soundscape that draws you in with undulating reverberating synths that you can already here as a background to many a scene without even seeing the film, a great choice for this list.
‘Thin Flesh‘ by Traitrs is another track that you know will fit well, more upbeat than The Veils track but nonetheless a great pre film release mental’s fit into the expected narrative.
I was initially surprised, well for literally a second on seeing ‘Boadicea‘ by Enya, I had to re listen but even before I played it I knew her Celtic sound with the right song is perfectly suited to the look and feel show in the trailers. This is the right choice full of mystical feeling that would be as fitting in Avalon during medieval times. Easy gothic undertones with the right visuals.
That’s not all tracks commented on but all in all an inspired list. This gives me a good feeling of what’s to come. Music can make or break a film and this film already has good foundations. Let’s just hope it’s not to Hollywoody? One of these films that could be great but the studio power and influence decide to castrate against the better judgement of the director in the search for bums on seats over artistic integrity and respect for the original James O’Barr’s comic.
“Victims, aren’t we all?”
From The Crow (1997). A philosophical statement that reflects the overarching theme of the film. We all can be seen as a victims due to circumstance, fate, or the actions of others. August 23rd is not long to wait. Fingers crossed the action of others, the filmmakers does not resonate in this statement.
