I remembered the supplied audition piece was the scene where Mrs. Lisbon was taking away all of Lux's albums and burning them. After watching this movie, mixed with fears of auditioning and rejection, I decided that I did not fit the 'Lisbon' image. I did not try out.
This movie has steadily become something to me over the years. The reason why it's made its way to my blog is because of the stellar soundtrack that gives it a complete '70s vibe. Just to catch you up to speed, the film was based on a book by Jeffrey Eugenides (Middlesex), it was released in 1993. The film was produced by Hollywood's indie gem Sofia Coppola in 1999 and showcased some of the most well-sought after actors like Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett and if you look very close a young Hayden Christensen.
This has always been a back burner film for me. It's always been there but I never really took to it as much as other films at the time, it was never a significant film to my life. The soundtrack however has put putted along with my daily life, integrating its way into one of my most cherished soundtracks. The tricky thing to realise when talking about this film's score is distinguishing between the two albums that were released in partner with the film. First, there was a CD that showcased all of French indie-electronic band Air's material. I often find myself making this distinction because the album that I really took to was the compilation of different artists, or the other disc that was released.
The latter fused together artists from then and ones from now. Whenever I put on this album, I instantly adopt a '70s cool feeling. I feel cool listening to it, it's really apart of me at this point. I especially love the fusion of past and current artists. The song that ticked me to write this note was Sloan's "Everything You've Done Wrong". The tune was originally released on the 1996 album 'One Chord To Another' - an album that I was far too young to dip into on my own, but perfect to steal from my at the time sixteen year old brother. I grandfathered that CD into my collection from his.
Another tune that comes to mind is Air's eerie "Playground Love". Which notes the next murky point to make about this album, there are so many god damn versions of Air songs. My personal favourite, is the version sung by Gordon Tracks - who is actually Phoenix front man and the daddy of Sofia Coppola's little one Thomas Mars. I also really love the vibes version - especially eerie.
The real cool factor comes out of the big hit '70s tunes that one is familiar with, but really don't get that much attention or radio play. Real '70s tunes that your mom and dad might remember fondly in a nostalgic kind of way. Like the Hollies' tune "The Air That I Breathe," Heart's "Crazy on You" or perhaps Gilbert O'Sullivan's sad sad tune "Alone Again (Naturally)." A lot of these songs in all honesty, I didn't really know until I immersed myself into the songs of this film. So the film definitely served as a good agent for both making me feel cool and time capsuling some lost gems of the past.
A few other mentionables are Al Green's "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?," "I'm Not in Love" by 10cc and a heavy hitter in my heart "Hello, It's Me" by Todd Rundgren. All songs you should definitely dip your toes into at very least.
Justin Veron's (AKA Bon Iver)new XL group Gayngs, said that their sound is exactly like 10cc's tune "I'm Not In Love" -
I'm incredibly happy that these weren't just songs that were "inspired by the film." There's nothing more depressing than identifying with a soundtrack that doesn't actually appear in the film in its whole(see The Last Kiss).
This film does the book justice, drawing from fabulous quotes and very good imagery conveyed through over the top honest dialogue. When watching this film, I feel as though I am in the '70s.
I took a really poorly put together film course in my last year of university that focused on American films since 1970. 'The Virgin Sucides' was not featured on the syllabus, but Coppola's other film 'Lost in Translation' was. For the major research paper at the end of the course, we had a bunch of freedom to choose what we want to talk about. I decided to talk about the parallels of the transition of youth to adolescence in both 'the Virgin Sucides' and 'Blue Velvet'. As soon as I started writing, I could feel the parallels running hard - both based in a small, perfect town and young individuals trying to find themselves. I felt really inspired when I wrote the paper, despite my complete and utter hate for the course itself.
It's really exciting to hear how the songs in this film have crossed my path again. I recently saw Coeur de pirate at the Gladstone for a free, spur of the moment gig. Before playing her version of "Playground Love," she regarded it as a song she once liked, but since has ceased this affection. Yet she still continues to play it. Her live version pushed me to listen to the words further, she really emphasises the burning desire and longing of the song (a big theme in the film and book).
Before seeing Beatrice Martin or Coeur de pirate. I saw a very true version by Lisa Hannigan at the Mod Club. If you are not familiar with Lisa Hannigan, she's the lovely lady that use to perform with Damien Rice. For years, they were partners in crime (ah! pun). Of the two times I had the pleasure of seeing Damien Rice, he did not have his lady friend to accompany him. She since then, has taken off with a mediocre solo career, releasing one or two albums. It was kind of an odd moment at the Lisa Hannigan show because I was getting ready to leave when she busted into the song. It earned my presence for another two songs to follow.
My third and final memory pertaining to the music of 'the Virgin Suicides' was an odd and completely unexpected performance by a man that goes by the name Har Mar Superstar. About three years ago, I saw him open for the lovely Sia. I snuggled my way up to the front to get a good glimpse at the Opera House, when I was greeted by a man, Har Mar Superstar, stripping down into his underwear and ripping patches of public hair from beneath his tighty whities and throwing them into the crowd. Thankfully, I was off to the side so I was never completely violated by this man. Har Mar played a silly, karaoke style cover of Gilbert O'Sullivan's song "Alone Again (Naturally)," nothing I would go out and buy, but something that I can remember Har Mar by.
So my point here is that this film, book and music collection has become so much more. The movie experience for me is not just limited to seeing the film, but listening to the music and relishing in familiarity and new acquaintances.
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