Sunday, November 10, 2013

Top 15 Music Moments in Cameron Crowe Films

Few contemporary filmmakers appreciate rock music as much as Cameron Crowe. When you watch Crowe’s films, you are really watching a passionate appreciation for both film and music. Crowe is responsible for some of the most iconic musical moments in film history, along with several other memorable scenes that help make his films so great.

(Note: many of these scenes were not embeddable via YouTube. I’ve linked to them where I could.)

15. “Magic Bus” by The Who
14. “Requiem Again” by The Durutti Column
13. “Sitting Still Moving Still Staring Outlooking” by His Name Is Alive
all from Jerry Maguire
I’m combining these three because they all help make the opening scene of Jerry Maguire a mesmerizing introduction into the world of a sports agent. As a live version of The Who’s “Magic Bus” clicks away, Tom Cruise narrates his life with precise, frenetic energy. “Requiem Again” and “Sitting Still…” slow things down once our title character is hit with a bout of depression, and subsequent inspiration. It all just works so well together. Easily my favorite opening to a Cameron Crowe film.


12. The Seattle Grunge/Punk Performances
from Singles
The grunge/punk songs in Singles (by Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Tad Doyle, and many more) capture a time and place perfectly. This is early ‘90s Seattle.


11. “My Cherie Amour” by Stevie Wonder
from Almost Famous
The use of “My Cherie Amour” in Almost Famous is a remarkable juxtaposition of a young boy falling in love with a woman who is at the lowest point in her life. Watching Penny Lane have her stomach pumped as Stevie Wonder croons on should in no way work. But boy does it ever.


10. “Misty Mountain Hop” by Led Zeppelin
from Almost Famous
What better way to introduce ‘70s era New York City than with the first few chords of Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop”?


9. “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys
from Vanilla Sky
Much like Penny Lane puking her guts out to Stevie, I’m not sure watching Tom Cruise flipping shit (while the audience is still trying to dissect a huge plot twist) to The Beach Boys, should work. Leave it to Crowe to make confusion and sonic bliss seamlessly fit together. Watch the scene here.


8. “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty
from Jerry Maguire
This one speaks for itself. It’s so literal, it should be laughable. Instead, it’s the perfect song to use at the perfect moment. Cruise’s jubilation only adds to the effectiveness of the scene.


7. “Can We Still Be Friends” by Todd Rundgren
from Vanilla Sky
As the tiniest detail reveals that the worst of Tom Cruise’s nightmare has come true, Rundgren and his “la, la, la la’s” pleasantly blare away. I don’t know how Crowe makes these seemingly random juxtapositions fly so well.


6. “Secret Garden” by Bruce Springsteen
from Jerry Maguire
A young boy gives a grown man a kiss. A mother cries, impassioned with love. A man waits for a woman at the end of the block as she runs to him. Bonnie Hunt says, “Oh dear,” with as much conviction as she’s ever said anything. And I’m smiling.


5. “Everything in Its Right Place” by Radiohead
from Vanilla Sky
Directors love to use Radiohead tracks. And who can blame them? The band’s distinctly cinematic sound has made for many memorable film scenes. One of the best examples of this is the opening to Vanilla Sky, in which we watch as a very rich, very attractive, very together man begins his day. Everything in its right place… for now. Watch the scene here.


4. “The Nothing Song (Njosnavelin)” by Sigur Rós
from Vanilla Sky
How do you match the beauty of Penélope Cruz set against a vanilla sky, with the recently fallen Twin Towers standing tall in the background? With Sigur Rós, that’s how.


3. “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel
from Say Anything…
Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” will be forever married to the moment a heartbroken Lloyd Dobler raised a boombox high above his head, all to win back the love of Diane Court. As iconic as music in movies gets.


2. “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John
from Almost Famous
A bunch of pissed off musicians slowly becoming a family again by belting out “Tiny Dancer” at the top of their lungs. This is the kind of scene that inspires beyond words. The kind of moment that sends chills down your spine and makes you wish it was twice as long. It could very well be remembered as Cameron Crowe’s crowning musical moment.


1. “Shelter from the Storm” by Bob Dylan
from Jerry Maguire
On paper, the idea of Tom Cruise and Renée Zellweger literally walking off into the sunset sounds far too sentimental to work. But as Bob Dylan slowly begins to pluck away at “Shelter from the Storm,” I’m reminded how perfect this moment is. Then, to top it off, Dicky Fox tells us what really matters in life. It’s a handful of superb sentiments that are wonderfully restrained. It’s one of the main reasons Jerry Maguire will always be my favorite Cameron Crowe film. Song and film, blended together in exceptional harmony.


28 comments:

  1. GAH!!!!! You motherfucker!!!! I can't believe you made a list that I would make if I was doing a thing on Cameron Crowe. Though I would switch 1 & 2 for personal reasons. I would make a few honorable mentions for a few scenes in We Bought a Zoo such as the use of Cat Stevens' "Don't Be Shy" and Neil Young & Crazy Horse's "Cinammon Girl". I'd also use a love scene in Singles where they used Jane's Addiction "Three Days" which is one of my favorite songs ever.

    And I'm glad you didn't use anything that was in the atrocity that was Elizabethtown. What an awful fucking film. I'm glad Miranda Kerr decided to drop that dopey zero who can't dance nor act worth a shit.

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    1. Oh, I almost forgot. I have another honorable mention though it's technically not a film Crowe directed but should be mentioned. It's Fast Times at Ridgemont High that he wrote. Of course, there's that famous scene w/ Phoebe Cates coming out of the pool to the Cars "Movin' in Stereo" but the scene I would love to mention is when Damone tells Ratner about how to win a chick and he mentions Zeppelin's fourth album and then it cuts to "Kashmir" playing in Ratner's car where he's w/ Stacy on their date. How he got to use that is cool. He must've really kissed Zeppelin's ass really good. Then again, I wouldn't mind kissing Led Zeppelin's ass.

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    2. I love the use of "Three Days" in Singles. Really great moment there. Elizabethtown and We Bought a Zoo are really not my thing. I like some of the songs used in both, but I did not like either film at all.

      I disregarded Fast Times only because he didn't technically direct it. But I agree, the music choices in that flick are superb. What a great film that is.

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    3. Also, you should still definitely do your list. I'd love to see your picks.

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  2. Great piece Alex. I know it's not a feature film, but I loved Cameron Crowe's documentary on Pearl Jam, PJ20. I'm biased being a massive Pearl jam fan, but it's still a great documentary.

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    1. Thanks man! I'm not really even a PJ fan, but that documentary does indeed rock.

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  3. I'm actually one of the very few people who liked Elizabethtown, plenty of great music moments there especially in the ending with English Girls Approximately. I love Njosnavelin moment from Vanilla Sky, so heavenly.

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    1. I just can't get into Elizabethtown. I do dig some of the songs in it (along with Alec Baldwin's brief performance), but the film as a whole doesn't work for me. Njósnavélin though... whatta beauty.

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    2. I think the appeal of individual scenes made the movie for me - that moment when Dunst and Bloom talk all night over the phone or Sarandon's spirited widow...Cameron's captures such romanticism and sweetness so well.

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    3. The phone chat was a nice touch, but I thought the film was miscast. With different actors, I might've liked it more :/

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  4. "It’s so literal, it should be laughable." That, I feel, is a PERFECT description of Crowe - whose films I love - in general, pop music choices and filmmaking. Well done. All great choices really, and I love that you put "Shelter From The Storm" at #1. Every time I hear that song I think of Dicky Fox and Ray swinging between Tom & Renee.

    One thing: do you not like "Elizabethtown"? It's ok if you don't. Honest. I know most people aren't fans, and I truly understand why, but it means the world to me. It does. In so many ways. And is why I'd like to humbly mention Ryan Adams' "Come Pick Me Up" (perfect backdrop to an all night phone call) and, frankly, every song from the whole road trip sequence because they just all blend into the perfect road trip mix.

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    1. Thanks man, glad you dig the picks. So often, I feel his choices are so literal that they really shouldn't work. I think that was a beef a lot of people had with the music in Flight. But when it works, it works. And Crowe's choices almost always work.

      Yeah man, Elizabethtown isn't for me. I actually rewatched it for this post, hoping a track would make it on here, but... well... it just isn't for me. I suppose the closest to making the cut was Elton John's “My Father’s Gun." That was a nice moment there.

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  5. Alex, an idea for doing a similar list has been in my mind for a while. "Tiny Dancer" is the obvious #1, so it's cool that you went a different route. I love the "Secret Garden" scene in Jerry Maguire, and the grunge shows in Singles are great too. I also like the Paul Westerberg song that plays at the start and end of the film. It really brings the idea that these are just a few of a gazillion stories out there.

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    1. You should definitely do your list - I'd love to see it!

      That "Secret Garden" moment is something special, isn't it? It kills me everytime.

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  6. For me personally "Tiny Dancer" would be at one, but not just because it's my second favorite scene in my favorite movie, my favorite scene being the "Misty Mountain Hop" scene, but it's because of how the music slowly fades from being part of the soundtrack of the movie but to being a part of the movie in such a way that I want to be on that bus with them singing along.

    I would also add "America" by Simon and Garfunkel from the beginning to this list, because for me it's not just telling the audience why she is leaving home, but in a way telling us what the story is about, at least emotionally, and what William will later be looking for.

    The Say Anything scene might be the most iconic scene in any romantic movie and i'm glad to see it so high on the list.

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    1. I love that you mentioned how "Tiny Dancer" starts as a soundtrack song then slowly becomes diegetic. Most every other film does it the opposite way (including many of the other songs in Almost Famous). That was a nice touch there.

      I LOVE "America" in Almost Famous. Great scene.

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  7. Excellent list, Alex. I agree that Crowe appreciates both film and rock music, that's what makes his movies different. I must check out some songs I must've missed in your list, but I agree with Secret Garden, Free Fallin and In Your Eyes. I'm a fan of his film as well. You don't include any music from Elizabethtown? It's not one of his best but I enjoyed some of the songs. You might inspire me doing this post as well :)

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    1. Thanks! I do like some of the tracks in Elizabethtown, but I don't like that film, so it makes me hard to appreciate how the songs are used, you know? I'd love to see your list!

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  8. Great idea for a list Alex... Crowe is so adept at using rock music within his films and it helps that he has such great taste in music (in my opinion). It goes right back to a film that he only wrote - Fast Times at Ridgemont High - which also had a memorable rock soundtrack but I've admired his use and choice of music since that scene in Say Anything when In Your Eyes kicks in. In fact, the scene in which John Cusack holds up the ghetto blaster should be, and probably is, the single image that defines Crowe's contribution to American movies - that mixture of teenage defiance and individuality alongside music as a form of expression. My favorite moment is, however, your number 2 - Almost Famous/Tiny Dancer!!!

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    1. Thanks Dan! Man, I love what you said about that moment from Say Anything, because it is So. True. You captured the essence and lasting power of the iconic moment perfectly. Crowe really made magic there, didn't he?

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    2. He certainly did make movie magic..! :) Crowe's strength are those moments where music becomes an extension of the character. There's probably loads of examples but one that sticks out is when Patrick Fugit's character in Almost Famous follows the instructions of his sister to put on a candle and listen to The Who. When the music kicks in you simultaneously get a sense of who his sister is/was and where his own ambitions will take him.

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    3. YES! Exactly. Even though that track didn't make my list, I LOVE that moment. You described its essence perfectly. Couldn't agree more.

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  9. Say Anything just came on Netflix like last week and reading this made me rewatch it. It's still one of the best rom-com & teen movies I've seen. Cusack at his teenage best and Crowe at (in my opinion) his most authentic and heartwarming - not We Bought A Zoo. Thanks for making me go back and watch that one man! Peter Gabriel kicks ass as well.

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    1. Say Anything is one of my Top 5 rom-coms ever. It's really quite perfect, and I love that it took a first time director to realize what REAL love is like. A great film. Actually, I'm in need of a rewatch as well.

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  10. Awesome list! I really need to watch Vanilla Sky again. My top 3 picks would be the same, though. Love it!

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    1. Same Top 3?! That's awesome man. I hadn't seen Vanilla Sky in a few years before researching this post. Such a good one. I really enjoy it.

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  11. Excellent excellent list! I love your picks.

    This would be my No.1 choice - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccvdDTqo95s

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    1. Thanks man! Oh, that is a great, great moment. Truly perfect.

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