FEATURE:
Scenes from a Diner Jukebox
Quentin Tarantino: The King of the Film Soundtrack
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THERE is an obvious connection between film…
IN THIS PHOTO: Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s latest film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood/PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew Cooper
and music that has existed for decades. A fantastic song can elevate a scene and stand in the memory for decades! Whether it is a slice of epic score or a classic Pop song slotted into a contemporary film, we all have our favourite moments from film where music has really stood out. I think the film score and soundtrack can be as important as what is happening on screen; sometimes more powerful than the script and more illuminating than the direction. At the very least, music and film have this natural chemistry and, when the combination is right, it can be absolutely magical. In terms of directors synonymous with their musical flair, there are a few modern examples that spring to mind. Edgar Wright is a brilliant British director whose film, Baby Driver, has a simply stunning soundtrack.
IN THIS PHOTO: Quentin Tarantino/PHOTO CREDIT: Time/Getty Images
Music plays a central role in the film and you can tell the directors who merely employ music to accompany a scene and those who understand the real depth and promise of pairing beautiful songs to wonderful scenes. To me, Quentin Tarantino is the master of using music to add layers and brilliance to iconic scenes. There is talk that his next film will be his last – Tarantino has announced plans to retire and it is sad that he might not be directing for long. There are various polls that decide which are the best songs in his films; the most memorable moments of Tarantino and music colliding - and we all have our favourite Tarantino soundtracks.
Tarantino is a broad and always-boundary-pushing director and his soundtracks have always captivated and engrossed. My favourite soundtracks are of the Kill Bill films but, when we think of his ‘definitive’ soundtrack, perhaps Pulp Fiction takes that honour – I will come to that more in a minute. Before highlighting five soundtracks from Tarantino that stand the test of time, I want to bring in some articles relating his current flick, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and its very specific and illuminating soundtrack. One might be forgiven for thinking Tarantino assembles all of the songs and puts everything together unaided. Mary Ramos is someone who is a big key to the success of Tarantino’s soundtracks. This feature from Variety spoke with Ramos about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and some of the classic soundtracks:
“His longstanding partner in this is Mary Ramos, who worked as a music coordinator on his first two features and then has been upped to music supervisor on every film since. Variety spoke with Ramos about her work on movies like “Pulp Fiction” and “Django Unchained” and, now, the joys of becoming effectively a 1960s KHJ DJ for a day — or many months, actually — as they worked on the playlist for “Once Upon a Time.”
We would think that ever since “Pulp Fiction,” which really was kind of a milestone for using existing songs in movies and making kind of latter-day hits out of them that, money issues aside, it’s going to be an automatic yes, almost all the time, for a Tarantino movie.
You would think that, wouldn’t you? And that’s if this director chose regular songs — regular artists that are alive, now. But because of the nature of Quentin’s tastes, a lot of the artists are not familiar with who he is, or passed away and you’re dealing with the estate.
IN THIS PHOTO: Music Supervisor to Quentin Tarantino, Mary Ramos/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
Obviously he is a big music fan, but he was probably never as obsessive about music as he has been with film. He probably knows more nooks and crannies than being the type of nerd who knows every single by every obscure artist. So is there any any sort of breakdown of how many of the choices come from you and how many come from him?
Well, that’s not interesting. [Laughs.] It’s more interesting to talk about Quentin and how these stories come out of his imagination, based on his experience. And so song choices, score choices, all these things are filtered what he may have come across when he was growing up or what really impressed him at a certain moment. Music definitely sets him off and gives him inspiration when he’s writing. And then from there, I can take over and help fill out his palate, once he’s set it up. But he’s a very musical director.
In the film’s end credits I counted close to 60 music cues. You can’t put out a 60-track soundtrack. Did you narrow it down yourself?
Oh, no, he’s very specific. From the very first soundtrack he did, he really approaches them thinking of his fans and really wants it to be a souvenir of the movie for his fans. And that’s why he has wanted to put snippets of dialogue … A lot of thought goes into the track listing. and you’ll be surprised by the track listing of this one. There’s a lot of very well-known songs that are in the movie that may or may not be on the soundtrack, and that’s not because we couldn’t get ‘em. It’s because he went through it and really decided what he wanted to share”.
Rolling Stone has also published a feature with Ramos and the big difference, as the article explores, is the fact that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is more specific time-wise regarding the songs featured on the soundtrack:
“According to Mary Ramos, Quentin Tarantino’s longtime music supervisor, the process for selecting songs for one of his films starts in a record store—which happens to be in his Hollywood home. What Ramos describes as Tarantino’s “record room” looks like a vinyl boutique, with LPs separated into bins labeled by genres like soul and soundtracks. “In the past, when we’ve started preparation,” she says, “he invites me over and I madly scribble as he’s talking a mile a minute and pausing to put the needle down on records. Everything starts in his record room.”
The major difference with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was the time frame. For his poetic-license retelling of the intersection of Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate, the Charles Manson posse, and fictional actors played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, Tarantino didn’t want any of the music heard in the film to go beyond one year (1969, when the film is set). Although they were approached by several name acts to record covers or – in the case of Lana Del Rey – offer up their own material, Tarantino stuck with his time-capsule idea. “Nothing later than 1969, some things from before,” Ramos says. “He was a bit more anachronistic with this. He wanted to stay very specific to the period.”
The Buchanan Brothers, “Son of a Lovin’ Man” (1969): Heard in a party scene set at the Playboy Mansion, this adult-bubblegum deep cut wasn’t made by actual brothers but by a trio of singer-songwriter-producers (two of whom went on to form the folk-pop duo Cashman and West). “It’s such a great dancing song, and it’s not that easy to find,” says Ramos. “That was a record in Quentin’s collection.”
Jose Feliciano, “California Dreamin’” (1968): The Mamas and the Papas, the Laurel Canyon quartet that so embodied the sunny air of the era despite their own inner-band turmoil, are a recurring motif in the movie. In one scene a character plays their “Straight Shooter” on a piano, and elsewhere actors portray Michelle Phillips and Cass Elliot. Puerto Rican singer-guitarist Jose Feliciano’s cover of their “California Dreamin’” is also featured. “There’s so much pathos in that version,” Ramos says. “Also, there’s something about using a song that has been over-used. It becomes wallpaper and you don’t really ‘hear’ it anymore. So using this alternative version was a beautiful way to have that song re-heard”.
I am ending the feature with, what I think, are the finest Tarantino soundtracks – choosing the best tracks from each album. A lot of directors have a great passion for music and understand how it can elevate a scene but, for Tarantino, it goes much further than that. One can detect an obsession and burning desire that means only the best songs will do. For many, the definitive Tarantino soundtrack is Pulp Fiction. One would think a film that weaves several crime stories in L.A. together would be filled with Rock and Metal but, in 1994, Tarantino subverted expected and assembled – with some trusty help – a beautifully broad and original collection of music. Screen Rant explains in more detail:
“For Pulp Fiction, Tarantino selected a lot of surf music, because he saw this as the rock ‘n’ roll version of Ennio Morricone music and he wanted Pulp Fiction to be the rock ‘n’ roll version of a spaghetti western. Dick Dale’s now-iconic version of “Misirlou” bursts onto the soundtrack when the shot freezes on Amanda Plummer’s Honey Bunny threatening a diner full of people and continues through the opening titles until it’s replaced by “Jungle Fever” by Kool and the Gang in a shuffling of radio stations.
A movie playing around with music this much needs the goods to back it up, and thankfully, Pulp Fiction has it: Chuck Berry, Dusty Springfield, the Centurions. It might be the greatest movie soundtrack of all time”.
Whether it is Death Proof or Django Unchained, you are treated to these excellent soundtracks that stand alone as intriguing and eye-opening collections but, in the context of the films, they seem to give new life and fascination to scenes – lesser directors and writers would go for ordinary, commercial or overused tracks or would not value the importance of music. I think it is harder to compile a great soundtrack as opposed to creating an appealing score. Soundtracks contain songs many of us have heard so I feel there is that pressure to get it right and make sure the right song accompanies a particular moment – whereas a score is slightly different and there is not the same expectation. For those who want all Tarantino’s best soundtrack inclusions in one handy playlist; as NME explains, he has saved you the trouble:
“Quentin Tarantino has made a huge playlist of all his favourite music from his own films. You can listen to the playlist below.
Taking over Spotify’s ‘Film and TV Favourites’ playlist, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood director has compiled almost four hours of his favourite songs that have all appeared in his own films.
Some examples of the songs included are Nancy Sinatra’s version of ‘Bang Bang’ from Kill Bill: Volume 1, Chuck Berry’s ‘You Never Can Tell’ from Pulp Fiction and The White Stripes’ ‘Apple Blossom’ from The Hateful Eight. The list contains over 70 songs…
In addition to the lengthy playlist, the soundtrack to Tarantino’s latest film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is also streaming alongside an in-depth podcast in which Tarantino explains all his musical choices in the film, track-by-track.
The 31-track soundtrack was unveiled last week (July 25) and features the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Diamond and Deep Purple. It comes out via Columbia on July 26 to coincide with the film’s US release (the film comes out in the UK on August 15), and will be available on CD, vinyl and digitally”.
To finish up, I have listed what are, in my view, the essential Quentin Tarantino soundtracks; with the essential tracks listed and a link where you can buy each soundtrack on vinyl. Listen to each soundtrack through but, more importantly, go and watch the films and discover how each track is used to, often, devastating and brilliant effect. It is a shame Tarantino is retiring after his next film -there is a rumour it will be a Star Trek film – but we will always have his wonderful creations and, alongside them, these variegated, passionate and popular soundtracks.
Kill Bill Vol. 1 Original Soundtrack
Release Date: 23rd September, 2003
Labels: A Band Apart/Maverick/Warner Bros.
Standout Cuts: Twisted Nerve by Bernard Herrmann/Woo Hoo by The 5.6.7.8's/The Lonely Shepherd by James Last & Gheorghe Zamfir
Definitive Track: Nancy Sinatra - Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kill-Original-Soundtrack-Version-VINYL/dp/B0000CABE8
Review:
“After Nancy Sinatra's torchy "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" and Charlie Feathers' tough, swaggering rockabilly chestnut "That Certain Female" set the story and the mood, the record is devoted primarily to instrumental pieces that range from surging epics to the calm kitsch of Zamfir's "The Lonely Shepherd" to the intense funk pastiche of Tomoyasu Hotei's "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" (the song that kicks off nearly every trailer and ad for Kill Bill). The reduced presence of dialogue from the film -- a hallmark of Tarantino soundtracks -- is a reflection of the film, which places emphasis on action and visuals. Hell, even the tracks on the soundtrack have minimal lyrics, consisting largely of instrumentals. This gives it more of a meandering feeling, and the soundtrack kind of peters out, ending in two quick excerpts of futuristic electro music by Quincy Jones and Neu!, then a gaggle of sound effects and Kung Fu hits. Nevertheless, its cavalcade of contradictory moods has its own coherence, and it's more musical than most pop music soundtracks. Plus, this has no familiar material, nor does it have anything that would be a single on digital radio, which is why it works as an album on its own -- it doesn't just reflect the movie; it follows its own logic, and displays fearless imagination. It makes you hungry for Vol. 2, both the movie and soundtrack” – AllMusic
Music from the Motion Picture Pulp Fiction
Release Date: 27th September, 1994
Label: MCA
Standout Cuts: Jungle Boogie by Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang/Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon by Neil Diamond/Flowers on the Wall by Lewis C. DeWitt
Definitive Track: Bob Bogle, Nole ‘Nokie’ Edwards and Don Wilson - Surf Rider
Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulp-Fiction-VINYL-Soundtrack/dp/B000002OTK
Review:
“The songs go hand in hand with the corresponding scenes. It’s seamless, really. The moods that Tarantino is able to create with music, and that includes silence too, are spot-on. The surf music sets the time and mood without being too overwhelming. Tarantino mentions in the interview that he picked surf music because to him it sounds more like a spaghetti western than surf music, and that he doesn’t understand what surf rock has to do with surfing in the first place. The surf rock combined with songs like Let’s Stay Together by Al Green, Jungle Boogie by Kool & the Gang, and Lonesome Town by Ricky Nelson tell you that its the ’70s without cramming it down your throat. You know like the Forrest Gump soundtrack. The songs also give you insight to the scenes and characters, as well: Bruce Willis character Butch Coolidge singing Flowers on the Wall by The Satler Brothers, or Let’s Stay Together playing while Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) and Coolidge are discussing fixing the fight, for example” – Consequence of Sound
Reservoir Dogs: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Release Date: 13th October, 1992
Label: MCA
Standout Cuts: Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede/I Gotcha by Joe Tex/Magic Carpet Ride by Bedlam
Definitive Track: Stealers Wheel – Stuck in the Middle with You
Review:
“Only five songs here were featured prominently in Quentin Tarantino's rousing crime film ("Little Green Bag," "Hooked on a Feeling," "I Gotcha," "Stuck in the Middle with You," and "Coconut"), but the record includes Steven Wright's introductions from the film (separately indexed, thankfully), as well as Tarantino's infamous interpretation of the meaning of Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and Harvey Keitel's monologue on how to rob a jewelry store. In total, that's about 15 to 20 minutes of material. Padding out the rest of the disc are three new songs that were heard in passing in the film -- "Fool for Love" is very good, "Harvest Moon" passable, and "Magic Carpet Ride" is abominable. After this, the disc has passed the half-hour mark by two minutes. The amount of music you'll actually want to listen to makes it even shorter, but it is a soundtrack you'll want to return to” – AllMusic
Jackie Brown: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture
Release Date: 9th December, 1997
Labels: Maverick Records/A Band Apart Records
Standout Cuts: Across 110th Street by Bobby Womack and Peace/Strawberry Letter 23 by The Brothers Johnson/Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) by The Delfonics
Definitive Track: Bill Withers - Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?
Review:
“Jackie Brown, Tarantino's long-awaited third feature, finds him exploring new territory, creating an homage to blaxploitation flicks as well as a surprisingly subtle character study and love story, and its soundtrack appropriately finds him in new territory as well. The soundtrack still features snippets of dialogue, which simply aren't as effective separated from the film as those from Pulp Fiction, but the unified collection of '70s soul and funk is refreshing. He has wisely selected a batch of songs that haven't been worn out by oldies radio, building the bulk of the album with cult favorites like Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street," Bill Withers' "Who Is He (And What Is He to You?)," Randy Crawford's "Street Life," Minnie Riperton's "Inside My Love," the Vampire Sound Inc.'s "The Lions and the Cucumber" and Pam Grier's "Long Time Woman." Only "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time," "Strawberry Letter 23" and "Natural High," as well as the Grass Roots' "Midnight Confessions," are familiar oldies items, but they play an integral part in the film itself and help make the soundtrack a thoroughly enjoyable, compulsively listenable experience” – AllMusic
Inglourious Basterds
Release Date: 18th August, 2009
Labels: Maverick Records/Warner Bros. Records
Standout Cuts: The Green Leaves of Summer by Nick Perito & His Orchestra/The Man with the Big Sombrero by Samantha Shelton & Michael Andrew/Tiger Tank by Lalo Schifrin
Definitive Track: David Bowie - Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inglourious-Basterds-VINYL-various/dp/B002H3ET46
Review:
“The soundtrack to Inglourious Basterds might not have the road trip-ability that the soundtracks to Pulp Fiction and Death Proof do. This one is like a fine wine to be sipped at home on a Sunday night, something to put on as an appetizer before you pop in that DVD copy of the 1968 mercenary adventure Dark of the Sun you were inspired to rent after hearing its theme song utilized with such love and attention in Tarantino’s alternate universe WWII epic.
Sure, it’s a bit of a bummer that there isn’t any of the brilliant Basterds dialogue snipped in between songs like Tarantino’s previous soundtracks. I, for one, would’ve loved to have heard Brad Pitt’s whole spiel about scalping Nazis get dropped in before the powerhouse funk of “Slaughter” fills up my stereo speakers. But alas, this particular soundtrack is a bit different than Tarantino’s previous collections in that little drops of script will not help entice fans of Tarantino’s films into buying it. The soundtrack to Inglourious Basterds caters to the upper echelon of Tarantino appreciators, those who see the music as a crucial aspect of the whole unique filmmaking process of creating a Quentin Tarantino film as his systematic choices in camera angles and dialogue lines.” – Pop Matters