MovieChat Forums > Marie Antoinette (2006) Discussion > The Soundtrack

The Soundtrack

posted 9 years ago by kilgore-trout21
8 replies | jump to latest

First off Id like to say that I was more than impressed with the cinematagrophy and staging of this movie. The costuming and make up were as professsional as they come, and a lot of the framing was gorgeous.

But as someone who listens to indie rock I have to say Coppola's music choices were simply horrible at times. The firsf half is especially distracting for someone who actually likes this type of music, the otherwise gorgeous scenes come off as amateurish. At times the music made me feel like I was watching a college film project. I know what Coppola was going for but she falls so short by her bland and uninteresting choice of hipster rock. She should have used a traditional score imo, movie would have been so much more poignant. Or why not use more NY revival bands like the Walkmen or Hold Steady? I say that because the one song I thought worked was the Strokes. It felt so unprofessional and I couldnt help but think of all the hipsters with limited music knowlege that have come off as annoying. A solid 7

[–] bhang-812-928667 9 years ago

I say that because the one song I thought worked was the Strokes.

And I thought that that was the least strong song in the film.

I don't know how the intro song "Natural's Not In It" or "I don't like it like this" or "Jynweythek Ylow" (when she enters Versailles) or "Keen On Boys" or "I Want Candy" or "Hong Kong Garden" or especially "Fools Rush in" or "Avril 14th" and not to forget "Tommib Help Bus" and especially "All Cats are Grey" cannot be considered perfect music choices for those respective scenes.

As someone said they captured her (Marie Antoinette's) emotional or psychological world perfectly (maybe even better than classic pieces).

[–] kilgore-trout21 9 years ago

Ill watch it again but those songs just seemed so boring to me, and really out of place. I dont remember them being emotional songs at all? The reason i feel the Strokes song worked is because it provided a good contrast and was edited very well. With such great mis en scene an original score only could have helped make this world more palpable. I just got such strong wannabe vibes off the song selection

[–] bhang-812-928667 9 years ago

Ill watch it again but those songs just seemed so boring to me, and really out of place.

For example, the "Fools Rush In" moment while she is sitting in the carriage going home from the party in Paris captured this "deeply fallen in love" or "deeply attracted to" moment from a young girl's perspective, in a, to my mind, perfect way (especially because of the Kevin-Shields-Remix version... the original version of the song wouldn't have been as great as the dreamy remix version). How could that vibrant moment have been better transferred with classic music, especially considering it was from a then "modern" and kinda rebellious young girl's perspective?

Many songs had those rebellious "punky" vibes going on and Marie Antoinette was also shown as a then punky kinda young girl (e.g. flamboyant hair). Remember the pair of Converse briefly shown in the "I Want Candy" sequence? That pair of shoes was shown intentionally and not by accident at all. It was a nice wink, in my opinion.

Apart from that, the end of the 70's / beginning of the 80's music period (i.e. punk rock, synthie pop or electro wave) is said to be one of Sofia Coppola's favourite music eras (hence, there are many songs in the film from that era). And Marie Antoinette was shown as a young modern girl who had that "punky" attitude. That's why, to my mind, the music matches.

If I'm not mistaken, after the Cannes premiere in 2006, F.F. Coppola said to her that only she could have made that film that way.

I guess, many other directors would've done it the "classic" way with, for example, classic music. But classic music is way too often used in so called "period pictures". This one was a nice and fresh variation (but not in a Baz-Luhrman kinda way).

[–] perkeo 9 years ago

I agree completely. The music ruined the movie and whoever chose the soundtrack deserves a fate like Marie Antoinette.

[–] RobbieCalifornia 9 years ago

It was horrible. "Fools Rush In" was especially jarring. Hipster version of Marie Antoinette is a perfect description. Hard to believe that the same director made a really lovely movie 3 years earlier: Lost in Translation.

I dint know what Sofia Coppola was going for here, but for me it was an epic fail.

[–] bhang-812-928667 9 years ago

"Fools Rush In" was especially jarring.

"Fools Rush In" was not only not jarring, it was especially not jarring in the remix version (in my opinion, the use of the remix version worked even much better than the original version would have worked in that scene).

Given the fact that she was supposed to be very young (16 or 17?), it was a very "girly/carefree/easy-going/light-hearted" moment and captured that "fallen-in-love-or-having-a-crush-for-somebody-for-the-first-time-where-you-cannot-sleep-all-night-by-only-thinking-about-that-person"-situation perfectly.

Regarding the "modern" soundtrack: oh well, maybe it was a connection to the presence (hard-partying young folks). I mean, the glimpse of the Chucks was also deliberate and not a goof where they forgot to take the Chucks out of the frame.

[–] ragusa11 8 years ago

A Knight's Tale called and it wants it's idea back.

[–] bhang-812-928667 8 years ago

Idea is maybe the same. The choice and use of music, however, is waaay better in "Marie Antoinette". The way it fits to the regarding scenes. Genius.

Something else: sometimes the same music (i.e. same song) is used in different films. And, still, there is suuuch a difference how it works or doesn't work.

1. "Queen Bitch" in "Love Blows". So bad. However, the use of "Queen Bitch" in "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" is genius.

2. "Gimme Shelter" in "Flight". So not impressive. However, the use of "Gimme Shelter" in "Casino" or "The Departed" is genius.

3. "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard" in "Manhattan Love Story". Ewww. However, the use of "Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard" in "The Royal Tenenbaums" is genius.