MovieChat Forums > Vanilla Sky (2001) Discussion > Over the top soundtrack

Over the top soundtrack

posted 9 years ago by clockworkorange13
10 replies | jump to latest

I like most of the songs on the soundtrack but I thought they clouded the story because they were so frequent and overbearing. A small select handful of great songs on the soundtrack would have been fine and dandy but this was overkill, especially since the plot of the movie had nothing to do with music. I think Crowe should have trusted the story and not relied so heavily on throwing in two dozen classic rock songs. They didn't seem to compliment the film. Anyone else agree?

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PenTheater 9 years ago

I think for Crowe the soundtrack is the most important, or one of the most important characters of his films.

I believe he said that in some commentary somewhere.

Ephemeron.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PenTheater 9 years ago

Besides some of the most famous movies and Soundtracks of the last few decades
I think a few million people would debate you on that, You need to add a little more to your critic if you think you are going to persuade anybody.

Ephemeron.

[–] Kubricks-donkey 9 years ago

Perfectly synchronizing music to visuals is what EVERY great director strives for. Kubrick, Tarantino, Aronofsky, Bergman, Hitchcock, Crowe.

That's Film School 101.

[–] Kubricks-donkey 9 years ago

Wow, did we watch the same movie?

Literally EVERY single song in this movie was timed perfectly with the scene it was used in. Maybe you didn't understand the movie because in many cases the lyrics were LITERALLY communicating the films central themes / ideas.

Other times they were related but not in such an obvious and literal way. A major part of the movie was that David's LE experience was made from the pop iconography of his subconscious. One major example of this was music.

From Sigur Ros's dreamy Njosnavelin to Radiohead's haunting Everything In Its Right Place (which perfectly captures not only that scene but the entire tone of the movie), I really fail to understand what you mean.

[–] jpula 9 years ago

Yes, kind of like what they used to do in music videos in the 80 and 90s when they just matched up images to whatever the lyrics were. Lazy. Citizen Kane should include 'Slip sliding away' on the remaster edition at the ending. That would make it so much better.

[–] DracTarashV 9 years ago

That's just Crowe's style. I'm not a particularly big fan of most of the popular songs he used, however they DO fit each scene quite perfectly (story wise).

Having said that, I do agree with you: it was kinda overkill. In my mind, some ambient or classical sounds would have made more of an impact in some scenes (it's perhaps more predictable but hey).

You want something corny? You got it!

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 9 years ago

"especially since the plot of the movie had nothing to do with music"

Did we watch the same movie?

Each song moved the story along perfectly.

In several instances, the song lyrics were literally related to the on-screen action...All The Right Friends, Everything in Its Right Place, Directions, Sweetness Follows, and the frenetic Afrika Shox as David was losing it in the nightclub....pure gold.

I mean hell, Cameron Diaz sung "I Fall Apart", right before she did likewise.

Not that it proves anything, but the soundtrack for Vanilla Sky was nominated for an Academy Award.

The film's soundtrack has been subject to critical acclaim from its reviewers, being called "a music masterpiece" by The New York Times.

The eclectic taste of the soundtrack has been said to be one of the reasons the movie has become a cult classic.

Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] jpula 9 years ago

Totally agree. Other posters here are assuming a great soundtrack is also great in the film. Under the Cherry Moon had a great soundtrack too. This film tried to put great songs in places where they seem to belong. True. But the end result is to much. Intrusive, out of place, and pretentious to a point. OP is spot on.