Soundtracking 101
I just saw a pair of trailers for Sophia Coppola’s new film Marie-Antoinette (via chromewaves) and I must confess – never in my life have I been so stoked to see a costume drama!
Oh how as an adolescent I would cringe through previews of films like Howard’s End and the Remains of the Day (both probably great films, but not exactly the bag of a 13-year old). But from watching the trailers for Marie-Antoinette (which stars Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman), it’s clear that Coppola’s vision is unique and the film will attract a much broader audience. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if Coppola once cringed at Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson’s 1992/1993 double-barreled attack and is now out for revenge.
The first Antoinette trailer (which is actually more of a teaser) has no dialogue, just the soundtrack of New Order’s ‘Age of Consent’ (how appropriate for a young queen) while the second offers snippets of dialogue and the soundtrack of another New Order classic, ‘Ceremony.’ Both look fantastic! How is it that no one before realized that 17th century French aristocracy and 20th century new wave rock go so well together?
It’s no surprise that Sophia Coppola figured it out. With her first two films, The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation, Coppola showed a remarkable knack for marrying music and film. Air’s soundtrack for The Virgin Suicides gave the film an incredibly eerie feel, so suitably setting the mood and bringing out the darkest elements of the story and the characters. With Lost in Translation, Coppola showed off her chops as a mixtape artist, choosing essential tracks from artists like Phoenix and Jesus & Mary Chain and employing former My Bloody Valentine main-man Kevin Shields to score instrumental bits.
The soundtrack to Marie-Antoinette looks equally dazzling. More music from Phoenix, Air and Kevin Shields, plus tracks by the Cure, the Radio Dept, New Order and the Strokes. The Strokes! I officially have a most anticipated movie of the year.
Trailer number 2 (don’t mind the French subtitles)
Interview with Sophia Coppola about Marie-Antoinette
Posted by Geoff M at May 12, 2006 12:02 PM
Comments
I have been waiting for Sophia Coppola to include J. Schwartzman in a film ever since she cast his brother, Robert, in the Virgin Suicides. After all, they are cousins. What Copolla appears to have done in this film, Marie Antoinette, is sort of, as you say, similar to what she did for Virgin Suicides - that is, she's taken music out of context of the time period. For V.S, she used Sloan. Here, she's taken it one step further. And about time someone made Kirsten Dunst look good again, after she was completely demolished by the Spiderman people.
I think what's most important about Copolla's soundtracks, as you allude to, is that she has the knack of attaching the most translucent melodies to what are most often wistful settings. Lost in translation was the perfect fit for The Jesus and Mary Chain's "Just Like Honey" - a long song that drifts into nothingness. What these movies would be without their soundtracks is clear: much less interesting. Copolla now joins the ranks of younger film makers such as P.T. Anderson, Wes Anderson, and Tarantino, for writer/directors who seem to sculpt their stories around music, rather than the other way around. Where would Rushmore or Boogie Nights be without their music? Sharing space with Shanghai Noon in a $3.99 bin at Rogers Video: that's where.
As always, keep up the chatter!
-colin
Posted by: chorgan ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blog.muchmusic.com/thenewmusic/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 17, 2006 12:18 AM
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