We just re-read the script to Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming film “The Wrestler” (full review coming imminently). Written by Robert D. Siegel (who penned the unfortunate “The Onion” movie), it’s a strange film for Aronofsky to tackle on the outside, but once you get deeper in, you see the drama that intrigued the notable director.
It’s also quite humorous in spots. One part that’s pretty hilarious is a scene where the wrestler (played by Mickey Rourke obviously modelled after ‘8os WWF star Randy “Macho Man” Savage) laments where music has gone these days and pines for the days of ‘The Crüe,” and in his extended rant he takes dead aim at ’90s grunge sad-sack Kurt Cobain of Nirvana.
He and his stripper friend (played by Marisa Tomei) go off on poor little Kurt, blaming him for the lack of fun in music and the culture of complaint that became so oppressive in the ’90s. “Then that Cobain pussy had to come and ruin it all,” he spits contemptuously lamenting over beers. While Cassidy, the stripper says, “Like there’s something wrong with having a good time,” ha.
It’s a great little scene and it only gets better and we hope it stays in the final cut of the film. We won’t know until the Toronto Film Festival if all the music in the screenplay found its way into the final version of the film, but the script is replete with specific music cues including classic hair metal and current hip-hop from the likes of Motley Crue (“Girls Girls Girls”), Guns ‘N Roses (“Get In The Ring”), Def Leppard (“Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Rock Rock”), Skid Row (“I Remember You”), AC/DC (“Back in Black,” “If You Want Blood”), Cinderella (“Fire and Ice” “Don’t Know What You Got”), Great White (“Once Bitten Twice Shy”), Warrant (“Cherry Pie”), Black Crowes (“Hard to Handle”), Celtic Frost, Lil ‘Kim, Khia, Pitbull, and at least a few more.
Of course “The Wrestler” will also include a Bruce Springsteen song in its closing credits. Aronofsky’s longtime composer Clint Mansell (“Requiem For a Dream”) is once again handling the music score job here as well.