Remember Richard Kelly and his cult-favorite directorial debut, “Donnie Darko”?
You’ll remember we told you in early September that Moby had composed the score for Kelly’s belated follow-up “Southland Tales” (a film that’s led a troubled life: including studio coldfeet, pushed back releases and a terrible reception at Cannes 2006. Also to note: Trent Reznor was rumored to be composing the score at one point, but actually has nothing to do with the film). The trailer was unveiled just a few weeks ago.
Well, after at leas a year delay, the film is finally coming (November 9 in limited release) out and it’s also got a soundtrack that’s due November 6.
As expected Moby tracks are all over the film and on the soundtrack disc which also includes cuts by alterna-rockers Jane’s Addiction, The Pixies, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Elbow.
Featured in the movie, but not on the disc are songs by Blur, Radiohead (a live version of “Planet Telex”) and The Killers – “All These Things That I’ve Done” is actually lip-synched by ‘Southland’ actor Justin Timberlake in a hallucinatory dream sequence that is part music video interlude, part absurdist put-on (JT also chugs beer and dances with 1940s pin-up girls in an arcade during the very-strange scene).
The satirical futuristic film also stars The Rock, Sean Williams Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar and as for its poor Canne’s showing? Director Richard Kelly said the version shown at Cannes was a work in progress (they ran out of time and money apparently) and the film has since been re-edited.
As for this soon-to-be infamous Timberlake scene?
“The drug trip is the true fantasy. That Killers song… I actually think that’s the heart and soul of the film. When I heard it I thought, wow, think about that. That song breaks my heart and I don’t even know what they were thinking or talking about when they wrote the lyrics,” Kelly told Cinemascope. [ed.’s context: Timberlake plays a disfigured Iraq war vet and the main refrain in the Killers’ song is “I got soul, but I’m not a soldier.” It will make more when you see the film.]
At one point, Variety called this strange film a “comedy-musical thriller” which might give you a clue as to how weird it is. The Britney Spears’ like lampoon number “Teen Horniness is Not a Crime” is sung by Michelle Gellar’s pop-tart cum porn star character.
“Southland Tales” soundtrack tracklist
1. Wave of Mutilation [UK Surf Version] (Pixies)
2. Oh My Angel (Bertha Tillman)
3. Howl [Extended Version]* (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)
4. Look Back In (Moby)
5. Me & Bobby McGee (Waylon Jennings)
6. Chord Sounds (Moby)
7. Lucky Me (Roger Webb)
8. 3 Steps* (Moby)
9. Broken Hearted Savior (Big Head Todd & The Monsters)
10. Teen Horniness is Not a Crime (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Abbey McBride, ClarKent)
11. Tiny Elephants* (Moby)
12. Forget Myself (Elbow)
13. The Star Spangled Banner (Rebekah del Rio & The Section Quartet)
14. Three Days [Live Version] (Jane s Addiction)
15. Memory Gospel (Moby)
*previously unreleased
Sone of the songs used in the film, but not included on the soundtrack:
“If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)” – Louis Armstrong
“All These Things That I’ve Done” – The Killers
“Planet Telex” (Live in San Francisco) – “Radiohead”
“Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, op. 125, Second Movement ‘Molto Vivace'” – Ludwig van Beethoven
“Tender” – Blur (this song plays over the closing credits)
“Main Title” [from the 1955 film “Kiss Me Deadly”] – Frank De Vol
“Piano Boogie” [from the 1955 film “Kiss Me Deadly”] – Frank De Vol
According to a potentially very-dubious IMDB post about Moby’s score (though maybe not cause they jive with “previously unreleased” mentions)
Unreleased Moby Songs
“Water Pistol”
“It Looks Down”
“Ceanograph”
“3 Steps”
“Tiny Elephants”
“Rose Petals”
Previously Released Moby tracks
“Overland”
“Aerial”
“Blue Paper”
“Look Back In”
“Chord Sounds”
“Hotel Intro”
“Memory Gospel”
Download: The Pixies – “Wave Of Mutilation (UK Surf Version)”
