Here, I'm going to point to a few examples where existing or original songs with lyrics are used in non-musical films with different effects and for different reasons. 1) Character- Thor: RagnarokIf you've seen the trailer for Thor: Ragnarok, you know about its use of Led Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song'. If you've seen the film, you know that this song crops up a couple of times, and it's used to bookend Thor's journey. Slight spoilers here maybe? We first saw 'Immigrant Song' used at the beginning of the film, in a scene where Thor, long-haired and lonely, used his strength and his hammer to single-handedly take down Surtur and his army of minions. It was awesome. After that, Thor lost his hammer, then his hair, went on a journey, and gained some teammates and awesome lightning powers. The second time we heard the song, it was a way of a) telling us that Thor was back to his former glory, and b) that he was actually better than ever. The song encouraged us to compare Thor's circumstances and skills then to the first time we saw the song, and it reinforced everything he'd lost and gained over the course of the film. 2) Romance- Dirty DancingEveryone who's seen Dirty Dancing remembers a few classic moments that have become famous in their own right. 'Nobody puts Baby in the corner.' The Lift. And the two main songs, 'Love Is Strange' (more easily remembered as the 'Lover Boy' scene) and 'The Time Of My Life'. The first song served to build up Johnny and Baby's relationship, showing them being cute and falling in love. The second song, and the lift that accompanies it, have become the defining moment of the film in the 30 years since its release. The song sums up Baby's summer: she has had the time of her life, in the most interesting, eye-opening, romantic and sexy summer she's ever had. It's another example of music relating to character. 3) Choreography & Atmosphere- Baby DriverWhat to say about Baby Driver's use of music? It's hard to say how the film uses music, really because the film is music. It's pretty much a really long, fun, action-packed narrative music video for an entire compilation album. The choreography and the perfect synchronisation of the music to the visuals- from gunshots on the beat to lyrics on screen as graffiti- help immerse us in the world, and not just any world. It's very specifically Baby's world, as we hear when the music stops, leaving us with the eerily contrasting sound of his tinnitus. The songs also guide the tone, atmosphere and emotions of the film, as with a traditional score. People other than myself have already talked more specifically about Baby Driver's soundtrack, so I won't go further. As usual, this isn't attempting to be an exhausting or authoritative list, just a few thoughts. I'd be interested to hear more.
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"After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world."- Philip Pullman Archives
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