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The Needle and the Lens: Pop Goes to the Movies from Rock 'n' Roll to Synthwave
How the creative use of pop music in film—think Saturday Night Fever or Apocalypse Now —has shaped and shifted music history since the 1960s What movie do you think of when you hear “The Sound of Silence”? Better yet, what song comes to mind when you think of The Graduate ? The link between film and song endures as more than a memory, Nate Patrin suggests with this wide-ranging and energetic book. It is, in fact, a sort of cultural symbiosis that has mutually influenced movies and pop music, a phenomenon Patrin tracks through the past fifty years, revealing the power of music in movies to move the needle in popular culture. Rock ’n’ roll, reggae, R&B, jazz, techno, and each had its moment—or many—as music deployed in movies emerged as a form of interpretive commentary, making way for the legitimization of pop and rock music as art forms worthy of serious consideration. These commentaries run the gamut from comedic irony to cheap-thrills excitement to deeply felt drama, all of which Patrin examines in pairings such as American Graffiti and “Do You Want to Dance?”; Saturday Night Fever and “Disco Inferno”; Apocalypse Now and “The End”; Wayne’s World and “Bohemian Rhapsody”; and Jackie Brown and “Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time?”. What gives power to these individual moments, and how have they shaped and shifted music history, recasting source material or even stirring wider interest in previously niche pop genres? As Patrin surveys the scene—musical and cinematic—across the decades, expanding into the deeper origins, wider connections, and echoed histories that come into play, The Needle and the Lens offers a new way of seeing, and hearing, these iconic soundtrack moments.
264 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2023
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October 28, 2023The Needle and the Lens will be published on November 28, 2023. The University of Minnesota Press provided an early galley for review.
I am both a fan of music and movies, and a great soundtrack is something I always enjoy. So, this look at the impact of certain songs in key scenes of films was definitely of interest to me as well.
Admittedly, I have not seen all of the sixteen films Patrin discusses in these pages. Still, for the ones I have seen (some several times), the discussion offers an insightful way of looking into those films through the focal point of selected songs from their soundtracks. The longer essays are followed by a final section in the back which lists an additional twenty-four films and songs with brief commentaries (the ones that did not make the cut due to length of the project). Again, some were more familiar to me than others.
Overall, Patrin knows his stuff. He is clearly a student of both film and music and can speak well to the symbiotic relationship the two can have. Recommended for fans of the two mediums.
I am both a fan of music and movies, and a great soundtrack is something I always enjoy. So, this look at the impact of certain songs in key scenes of films was definitely of interest to me as well.
Admittedly, I have not seen all of the sixteen films Patrin discusses in these pages. Still, for the ones I have seen (some several times), the discussion offers an insightful way of looking into those films through the focal point of selected songs from their soundtracks. The longer essays are followed by a final section in the back which lists an additional twenty-four films and songs with brief commentaries (the ones that did not make the cut due to length of the project). Again, some were more familiar to me than others.
Overall, Patrin knows his stuff. He is clearly a student of both film and music and can speak well to the symbiotic relationship the two can have. Recommended for fans of the two mediums.
October 10, 2023
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher University of Minnesota Press for an advance copy of this book on film, music, and how certain songs can be used to tell us a much about a character or a situation as dialogue and acting can.
The first movie I saw in the movie theaters was Disney's Robin Hood, a movie I still enjoy though it has been awhile since watching it. The movie has music and songs, but I can't remember them off the top of my head. The first movie where I really noticed music was of course Star Wars. The music was so perfect and just hearing it I know when and where it was played. So I was into soundtracks early, but it wasn't until years later, on either Showtime or HBO, that music and movie came together for me. In fact it is mentioned in this book, far better than I can relay, but it was the opening to Apocalypse Now, with the Doors playing The End. I was young but that moment still stays with me. I knew the movie was going to be bad news for my mind. Nate Patrin in his book The Needle and the Lens: Pop Goes to the Movies from Rock 'n' Roll to Synthwave which discusses how sometimes a song in a movie can tell the watcher far more than dialogue, acting, or story can sometimes relay. A taking of one kind of art to create another sometimes beautiful, or horrific, or telling work of art.
The book begins with an introduction about the history of music in movies from the early days of silent movies shown with a live musician or band. A brief discussion about soundtracks follows, but this is book about sometimes a scene, sometimes a movie that works with music created without any thought of being in a movie. 16 essays follows, starting with Kenneth Anger's Scorpio Rising, a short movie told without dialogue but using 50's songs about cars, rebels, leaders of the pack to give more background to the characters. An odd movie but the idea of music like that blew a young Martin Scorsese away, since he was always told not to use existing music, as it wouldn't work. The Graduate of course is discussed, along with a history of how the music of Paul Simon had such an influence on the film. Some of the movies will be known, some are surprises, like the movie Belly or Killer of Sheep. What is great is as one reads, one gets a list of movies to watch or rewatch, or songs to listen to.
I real enjoyed this book, a mix of two things I enjoy music, and movies. Patrin is a very good writer with a nice way of setting the essays, explaining the movie, the director, why the song was chosen, along with information on the singers, and their careers. There is a lot of information and Patrin is very good at conveying it, be it music or film. One can understand why many people felt that using songs wouldn't work in a visual medium, as one would hear the music and leave the film, as one singer is quoted as saying in the book. Patrin explains why this could work, and also how the artists felt about their songs being in a way co-opted in a way that they might not have thought. Even with the thought of royalties from soundtrack collections, or even the Songs That Inspired the Movie, that seemed to come out so often.
A really great and interesting book for both film and music fans. Something that would be a perfect gift around the holidays as this is a subject that I have no read much about, but really enjoyed. I am excited to read more by Nate Patrin.
The first movie I saw in the movie theaters was Disney's Robin Hood, a movie I still enjoy though it has been awhile since watching it. The movie has music and songs, but I can't remember them off the top of my head. The first movie where I really noticed music was of course Star Wars. The music was so perfect and just hearing it I know when and where it was played. So I was into soundtracks early, but it wasn't until years later, on either Showtime or HBO, that music and movie came together for me. In fact it is mentioned in this book, far better than I can relay, but it was the opening to Apocalypse Now, with the Doors playing The End. I was young but that moment still stays with me. I knew the movie was going to be bad news for my mind. Nate Patrin in his book The Needle and the Lens: Pop Goes to the Movies from Rock 'n' Roll to Synthwave which discusses how sometimes a song in a movie can tell the watcher far more than dialogue, acting, or story can sometimes relay. A taking of one kind of art to create another sometimes beautiful, or horrific, or telling work of art.
The book begins with an introduction about the history of music in movies from the early days of silent movies shown with a live musician or band. A brief discussion about soundtracks follows, but this is book about sometimes a scene, sometimes a movie that works with music created without any thought of being in a movie. 16 essays follows, starting with Kenneth Anger's Scorpio Rising, a short movie told without dialogue but using 50's songs about cars, rebels, leaders of the pack to give more background to the characters. An odd movie but the idea of music like that blew a young Martin Scorsese away, since he was always told not to use existing music, as it wouldn't work. The Graduate of course is discussed, along with a history of how the music of Paul Simon had such an influence on the film. Some of the movies will be known, some are surprises, like the movie Belly or Killer of Sheep. What is great is as one reads, one gets a list of movies to watch or rewatch, or songs to listen to.
I real enjoyed this book, a mix of two things I enjoy music, and movies. Patrin is a very good writer with a nice way of setting the essays, explaining the movie, the director, why the song was chosen, along with information on the singers, and their careers. There is a lot of information and Patrin is very good at conveying it, be it music or film. One can understand why many people felt that using songs wouldn't work in a visual medium, as one would hear the music and leave the film, as one singer is quoted as saying in the book. Patrin explains why this could work, and also how the artists felt about their songs being in a way co-opted in a way that they might not have thought. Even with the thought of royalties from soundtrack collections, or even the Songs That Inspired the Movie, that seemed to come out so often.
A really great and interesting book for both film and music fans. Something that would be a perfect gift around the holidays as this is a subject that I have no read much about, but really enjoyed. I am excited to read more by Nate Patrin.
Want to read
August 22, 2023As a fan of Steven hyden, I really want to read this book and get more commentary on a relationship that I did not give much credence to until seeing that's the book was coming out. The ideology and cultural mechanisms behind the song / movie power duo is more interesting than I thought. I know the book is in pre-order currently but I am really interested in seeing how movie and song either drive each other, help each other overcome barriers or thresholds of their respective mediums, and what the quality of either one has to do with overall success and longevity etc.
For example, if top gun was not as entertaining of a movie, what does that do to the songs that were made specifically for it? You have a band like Berlin who has hits of their own but is known for a specific scene in the movie which may or may not be what the band intended on as being a companion/aura to the song, but nevertheless has spurred it's longevity. Other times you have movies like UHF which has all the elements you want in a music based movie but just came out at the wrong time of the box office. What does that imply for what weird Al could have been? We can even look at now, where sequels can expose what made those previous films great. If we take top gun Maverick for example, the light Lady Gaga song is not nearly as culturally impactful as the various songs on the first movie soundtrack, but maybe that's because the magic or impetus for the first movie was to create something that was not there before. Right now this movie was just trying to replicate the void that it felt it needed to fill for current day audiences. There was no overarching artistic viewpoint that drove the whole machine. The whole machine was driven by the past success and what everybody's approach was to that past success. The first movie was driven by Cold war anxieties coupled with a public that hasn't really seen the new tech and these new age fighter jets coupled with the insanity of a aircraft carrier landing and take off. However, the plot of the movie is not terribly riveting but the soundtrack is memorable and may be covering a lot of the holes of the movie. It also may have been a great inspiration for Kenny loggins to make a song that he otherwise would not have made especially in that manner that he made it. The whole implication of this discussion is actually pretty far reaching and a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. I can't wait to read the book
For example, if top gun was not as entertaining of a movie, what does that do to the songs that were made specifically for it? You have a band like Berlin who has hits of their own but is known for a specific scene in the movie which may or may not be what the band intended on as being a companion/aura to the song, but nevertheless has spurred it's longevity. Other times you have movies like UHF which has all the elements you want in a music based movie but just came out at the wrong time of the box office. What does that imply for what weird Al could have been? We can even look at now, where sequels can expose what made those previous films great. If we take top gun Maverick for example, the light Lady Gaga song is not nearly as culturally impactful as the various songs on the first movie soundtrack, but maybe that's because the magic or impetus for the first movie was to create something that was not there before. Right now this movie was just trying to replicate the void that it felt it needed to fill for current day audiences. There was no overarching artistic viewpoint that drove the whole machine. The whole machine was driven by the past success and what everybody's approach was to that past success. The first movie was driven by Cold war anxieties coupled with a public that hasn't really seen the new tech and these new age fighter jets coupled with the insanity of a aircraft carrier landing and take off. However, the plot of the movie is not terribly riveting but the soundtrack is memorable and may be covering a lot of the holes of the movie. It also may have been a great inspiration for Kenny loggins to make a song that he otherwise would not have made especially in that manner that he made it. The whole implication of this discussion is actually pretty far reaching and a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. I can't wait to read the book
September 14, 2023
The Needle and the Lens: Pop Goes to the Movies from Rock 'n' Roll to Synthwave, by Nate Patrin, is a fascinating history of songs used in film (as compared to being written for film or a film score).
For someone who loves both music and film this is absolutely the best of both worlds, or perhaps the best of where the two worlds come together. Patrin offers, for each film/song pairing, wonderful background to each and the rational for the chosen song being the most representative. You learn to appreciate his insight early in the book when it isn't Born to be Wild but The Pusher as the song for Easy Rider (I guess you could step a chapter back and say the same thing about The Graduate as well). And his explanation makes perfect sense. So this isn't about the most popular song from these films but the song that is used to help propel the narrative without actually being about the film's plot.
Speaking of The Graduate, I was initially annoyed by his constant reference to S&G's song The Sound of Silence as The Sounds of Silence. But I pulled out some of my old records and sure enough, it was, on a couple of early albums, The Sounds of Silence. I don't know why I had never noticed that before.
As much as I enjoyed each chapter, I think I had just as much fun with the "Outro" chapter, a list of twenty-four more pairings with just a paragraph addressing each one. This really gives the reader a chance to practice some of what we had just read. For the film and song pairs I knew, it was fun to think through how the song was more than just "a song from the film."
Finally, as someone who loves reading about music and film, the references section is extensive and full of things I want to read and watch.
Highly recommended for those who love music and/or film. This offers the reader new ways to think about the music we hear in film as well as more ways to understand some of the subtexts in our favorite films.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
For someone who loves both music and film this is absolutely the best of both worlds, or perhaps the best of where the two worlds come together. Patrin offers, for each film/song pairing, wonderful background to each and the rational for the chosen song being the most representative. You learn to appreciate his insight early in the book when it isn't Born to be Wild but The Pusher as the song for Easy Rider (I guess you could step a chapter back and say the same thing about The Graduate as well). And his explanation makes perfect sense. So this isn't about the most popular song from these films but the song that is used to help propel the narrative without actually being about the film's plot.
Speaking of The Graduate, I was initially annoyed by his constant reference to S&G's song The Sound of Silence as The Sounds of Silence. But I pulled out some of my old records and sure enough, it was, on a couple of early albums, The Sounds of Silence. I don't know why I had never noticed that before.
As much as I enjoyed each chapter, I think I had just as much fun with the "Outro" chapter, a list of twenty-four more pairings with just a paragraph addressing each one. This really gives the reader a chance to practice some of what we had just read. For the film and song pairs I knew, it was fun to think through how the song was more than just "a song from the film."
Finally, as someone who loves reading about music and film, the references section is extensive and full of things I want to read and watch.
Highly recommended for those who love music and/or film. This offers the reader new ways to think about the music we hear in film as well as more ways to understand some of the subtexts in our favorite films.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
November 28, 2023
Centered on the 'needle drop' moments in films, where "a pre-existing song is used in a film to underscore a particular scene" Nate Patrin uses these moments as entry points to discuss a wide variety of topics about film making, popular culture and the lives, works and careers of musicians. The Needle and the Lens: Pop Goes to the Movies from Rock 'n' Roll to Synthwave looks at about forty films, 16 in great depth, the others truncated in an afterword. Some of the featured films and artists include: The Graduate/ Simon & Garfunkel, Apocalypse Now / The Doors, Wayne's World / Queen and many others.
After a brief introduction laying out the methods for this study, Patrin moves movie to movie heading each section with the name of the film, director, song feature and the artist that recorded it. All the sections detail the rational in choosing that song as well as how the artist(s) or band created the song. Otherwise, the conversational style of the writing moves off in many directions, discussing trends in music or film making, success or failure of the detailed film versus their soundtracks, cultural norms, gender politics, the careers of specific individuals or the legacy of the choice of song.
Overall it's a compelling look out how filmmakers find inspiration and build their world's and the ramifications for artists to have their work subverting in to new and unintended contexts. Some, eventually, accept the new interpretations and enjoy the career boost while others are left to wonder what might have been, if the film had been more successful.
It is most engrossing when you've seen the film for the given section, but might encourage you to watch (or avoid) one's you haven't, though it is heavy on spoilers.
*As explained on IMDB's "Most Iconic Needle Drop In Movies.".
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
After a brief introduction laying out the methods for this study, Patrin moves movie to movie heading each section with the name of the film, director, song feature and the artist that recorded it. All the sections detail the rational in choosing that song as well as how the artist(s) or band created the song. Otherwise, the conversational style of the writing moves off in many directions, discussing trends in music or film making, success or failure of the detailed film versus their soundtracks, cultural norms, gender politics, the careers of specific individuals or the legacy of the choice of song.
Overall it's a compelling look out how filmmakers find inspiration and build their world's and the ramifications for artists to have their work subverting in to new and unintended contexts. Some, eventually, accept the new interpretations and enjoy the career boost while others are left to wonder what might have been, if the film had been more successful.
It is most engrossing when you've seen the film for the given section, but might encourage you to watch (or avoid) one's you haven't, though it is heavy on spoilers.
*As explained on IMDB's "Most Iconic Needle Drop In Movies.".
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
November 16, 2023
Music and film, film and music, as the author says from the beginning, we can’t think of a movie without recalling its soundtrack. This volume is about the use of commercial songs in cinema (a “needle-drop”). Each chapter is devoted to a movie, with its history and background placing it in context. Then, it focuses on one of the songs that made it memorable, giving it its framework. Who wrote it/performed it, what is the story behind it, etc. The concept is fascinating, and it is very well executed but it is hard to know how many stars to give this book. Reading about movies that I’m familiar with, or the ones that include songs I know, was very entertaining. For instance, I’m not a fan of Apocalypse Now, but I like The Doors so I enjoyed reading about how “The End” got used in the way it did. I also love Tarantino’s Jackie Brown but didn’t remember the music. Then, there is Wayne’s World which, I’m embarrassed to admit, I enjoyed when I saw it as a teenager, and that features one of my favorite songs ever. These chapters rated higher for me. The ones about the movies I’ve never seen or the ones I hadn’t even heard of were not interesting at all. I also love the cinema, but not the music business, so I didn’t care about the professional trajectory of these musicians. I would also add a spoiler alert if you haven’t seen a movie but intend to, since the author mentions all the endings. So, my suggestion to potential readers is to check out the index, figure out if you’re interested in these particular movies (or music artists), before picking up this book.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Univ Of Minnesota Press!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Univ Of Minnesota Press!
April 4, 2024
There are books where you start reading and you can entirely tell this was someone's PhD thesis. Those books are ostensibly interesting, but are not written in such a way as to be readable by a general audience. In the case of The Needle and the Lens, I really should have been a perfect reader, however, it never did grab me. (I have a Masters in Broadcast Communication specializing in sound.)
I couldn't really get a handle on what this book was trying to say. It is laid out chronologically, with a movie and one of the famous songs that it is associated with. First Patrin writes a summary of the movie. Then he introduces the song. Then he describes the world and music scene when the movie came out. However, each section isn't just about one song. In many cases the entire soundtrack is discussed. You'd think that would make the book that much more interesting, but IMHO it does not.
I think if this book wanted to be more traditionally published and gather more readers, it would need to be re-edited to either focus on the movie, the music, and/or the historical background of the time period the movie was made. I would have even preferred a description of the exact "needle drop" in the movie (or maybe only movies that actually have a "needle drop" in them), the song and where it is placed in the movie. This book gives you more than that simple format, and it doesn't add anything to the overall discussion. In the current format it's just all over the place. Even with movies I watched and songs I enjoyed, the discussion kept getting off track. I hope this thesis got Patrin his degree, but if he wants to publish it as a standard book marketed to the masses, it needs to be reimagined.
I received an advanced promotional copy and am giving an honest review.
I couldn't really get a handle on what this book was trying to say. It is laid out chronologically, with a movie and one of the famous songs that it is associated with. First Patrin writes a summary of the movie. Then he introduces the song. Then he describes the world and music scene when the movie came out. However, each section isn't just about one song. In many cases the entire soundtrack is discussed. You'd think that would make the book that much more interesting, but IMHO it does not.
I think if this book wanted to be more traditionally published and gather more readers, it would need to be re-edited to either focus on the movie, the music, and/or the historical background of the time period the movie was made. I would have even preferred a description of the exact "needle drop" in the movie (or maybe only movies that actually have a "needle drop" in them), the song and where it is placed in the movie. This book gives you more than that simple format, and it doesn't add anything to the overall discussion. In the current format it's just all over the place. Even with movies I watched and songs I enjoyed, the discussion kept getting off track. I hope this thesis got Patrin his degree, but if he wants to publish it as a standard book marketed to the masses, it needs to be reimagined.
I received an advanced promotional copy and am giving an honest review.
December 26, 2023
How much does the soundtrack of a movie affect your enjoyment of a particular movie? What about your memory of a movie, does a particular song stick in your head as emblematic of the movie? That is the question Nate Patrin chose to explore in The Needle and the Lens.
Nate Patrin defines a "needle drop" as using a preexisting song to provide context for the film. He takes sixteen movies that use songs not written/recorded for the movies and explores the interaction between the movies, the songs, and the audience. Some of the combinations are very well known - Easy Rider/"The Pusher," The Graduate/"The Sound of Silence ," or American Graffiti/"Do You Want to Dance?" Others are a bit off the wall (but then I have not seen all of these movies) such as Killer of Sheep/"This Bitter Earth," Blue Velvet/"In Dreams," or Drive/"A Real Hero." Then there are ones I just had not thought of in this fashion - mainly Apocalypse Now/"The End" and Wayne's World/"Bohemian Rhapsody" that just work well. While individual chapters may be less of a treat, the book as a whole is a good read.
Nate Patrin enjoys exploring the intersection of movies and music and sharing his findings with an appreciative audience. If you think you might be in that crowd, pick up The Needle and the Lens and join the conversation!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this title.
Nate Patrin defines a "needle drop" as using a preexisting song to provide context for the film. He takes sixteen movies that use songs not written/recorded for the movies and explores the interaction between the movies, the songs, and the audience. Some of the combinations are very well known - Easy Rider/"The Pusher," The Graduate/"The Sound of Silence ," or American Graffiti/"Do You Want to Dance?" Others are a bit off the wall (but then I have not seen all of these movies) such as Killer of Sheep/"This Bitter Earth," Blue Velvet/"In Dreams," or Drive/"A Real Hero." Then there are ones I just had not thought of in this fashion - mainly Apocalypse Now/"The End" and Wayne's World/"Bohemian Rhapsody" that just work well. While individual chapters may be less of a treat, the book as a whole is a good read.
Nate Patrin enjoys exploring the intersection of movies and music and sharing his findings with an appreciative audience. If you think you might be in that crowd, pick up The Needle and the Lens and join the conversation!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this title.
May 27, 2024
I received a free digital ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
After finishing reading, I can say this much for sure: this book is definitely one for music and film buffs. I think that casual readers might be a little put off by the depth of knowledge needed to recall the song and/or movie in order to fully grasp each chapter/section. The chapters that I enjoyed the most were about the songs or movies that I knew the best. If I didn't know the song or the movie, the chapter felt like a little bit of a slog. This wasn't due to the author's writing. I found it very engaging for the most part, and felt like the book was very well researched and thought out. A lot of the focus was on more niche music genres, or movies that were a bit more underground. There were a few blockbuster needle drops discussed, but overall I felt as though I was lost and struggling to follow along to all the references throughout. It was still enjoyable and has given me plenty of music to check out and movies to watch, but it never felt like something where I needed to give it to another person and shout "you have to read this!" like it may have if the songs or movies were a little more mainstream. I suppose that's more of a me issue than the book issue, but as someone who was coming into the book extremely excited, I feel like that may be the case for other readers as well.
After finishing reading, I can say this much for sure: this book is definitely one for music and film buffs. I think that casual readers might be a little put off by the depth of knowledge needed to recall the song and/or movie in order to fully grasp each chapter/section. The chapters that I enjoyed the most were about the songs or movies that I knew the best. If I didn't know the song or the movie, the chapter felt like a little bit of a slog. This wasn't due to the author's writing. I found it very engaging for the most part, and felt like the book was very well researched and thought out. A lot of the focus was on more niche music genres, or movies that were a bit more underground. There were a few blockbuster needle drops discussed, but overall I felt as though I was lost and struggling to follow along to all the references throughout. It was still enjoyable and has given me plenty of music to check out and movies to watch, but it never felt like something where I needed to give it to another person and shout "you have to read this!" like it may have if the songs or movies were a little more mainstream. I suppose that's more of a me issue than the book issue, but as someone who was coming into the book extremely excited, I feel like that may be the case for other readers as well.
October 1, 2023
Thanks netgalley and UoM Press for letting me review this book!
The interplay between songs and music is indelible- a few bars can be inextricably tied to the memory of one cinematic experience. Nate Patrin's book explores the music/movies that changed pop culture and the story of how they got there.
The premise of this book spoke to me, as i think it speaks to everyone- we love a movie going exhorted and music is what ties those emotional scenes to your psyche forever. I learned a lot from this book and added a few movies to my to watch list, and i loved thar it covered all genres of music and movies- from blockbusters to indies and arthouse, from the door to r&b and basement punks. Its clear that this subject is a true passion of Patrin's- i really loved the section on repo man and the la punk scene.. Sometimes however, in the way of the truly passionate, he seems to run wild and didn't carry the casual reader with him. Overall, i enjoyed the read, even if sometimes i had to walk away from it for a little.
The interplay between songs and music is indelible- a few bars can be inextricably tied to the memory of one cinematic experience. Nate Patrin's book explores the music/movies that changed pop culture and the story of how they got there.
The premise of this book spoke to me, as i think it speaks to everyone- we love a movie going exhorted and music is what ties those emotional scenes to your psyche forever. I learned a lot from this book and added a few movies to my to watch list, and i loved thar it covered all genres of music and movies- from blockbusters to indies and arthouse, from the door to r&b and basement punks. Its clear that this subject is a true passion of Patrin's- i really loved the section on repo man and the la punk scene.. Sometimes however, in the way of the truly passionate, he seems to run wild and didn't carry the casual reader with him. Overall, i enjoyed the read, even if sometimes i had to walk away from it for a little.
December 30, 2023
This book is comprised of essays about a film and a song that is prominent in the soundtrack. The writing is very good and compelling. The variety of films is incredible -- from Kenneth Anger to Wes Anderson etc. Some of the films I have not yet seen (and look forward to watching) and the appendix also lists other brief notes on additional movies and songs since it is difficult to cull the list down to just a few. I was inspired to create a playlist with the songs mentioned. Each essay provides background on the film (with a plot synopsis) as well as the behind the scenes creative process making the music and making the film. The author skillfully weaves all of this into these essays. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and University of Minnesota Press for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.
Thank you to Netgalley and University of Minnesota Press for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.
February 3, 2024
Author Patrin defines the “needle drop” in a movie that moment when an already existing song (that is, one that wasn’t written specifically for the film) starts playing to give meaning, weight or emphasis to a scene. Thus, his book concerns itself with some of the best of those moments from the 1950s to the 2010s. Can you imagine Blackboard Jungle without “Rock Around the Clock”? Easy Rider without The Pusher? Apocalypse Now without “The End”? Blue Velvet without “In Dreams”? There are many, many more perfect pairings analyzed here, and many of them will surprise you in their selection. Patrin gives much background about the movies and the songs, and explains why they work so well and why, in some cases, they are etched so clearly in our minds. Thanks to the University of Minnesota Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to have a sneak peek at this enlightening study.
December 31, 2023
I was into reading this as soon as I knew it was about movies and music by this author, so it actually didn't occur to me/I didn't read about the premise enough to realize that this was strictly focusing on existing songs being used in movies (as opposed to songs written for movies, etc) and I really enjoyed the way Nate focused on the history of that and how each side has informed the other through the years covered here. Really enjoyed the selection of movies/songs, and some of the chapters went in interesting directions I wouldn't have guessed. Made me want to watch or rewatch a bunch of the movies, too. Recommended.
March 4, 2024
I would like to thank NetGalley and the Author for giving me the opportunity to review this ARC.
This book goes into quite detailed analysis of a number of movies and the key music that accompanied them. It delves into the social scene surrounding the movie and music as well as the impact of each of the elements on the other. In all honesty, it's probably a little more what I would call "artsy" than I would normally be interested in. But has some interesting insights that film and music lovers should enjoy.
This book goes into quite detailed analysis of a number of movies and the key music that accompanied them. It delves into the social scene surrounding the movie and music as well as the impact of each of the elements on the other. In all honesty, it's probably a little more what I would call "artsy" than I would normally be interested in. But has some interesting insights that film and music lovers should enjoy.
August 22, 2023
This is a great non-fiction if you’re someone like me who normally sticks to fiction. It’s easy to read and engaging, and the pop culture subject matter makes it fun and interesting.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
January 4, 2024
A deep dive into the connection between music and movies was bound to be interesting, but Nate Patrin goes above and beyond to detail just how intertwined the two types of media truly are. A must read for music and film historians alike.
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