{"id":296128,"date":"2021-07-11T02:16:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-10T23:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-weird-and-wild-history-of-zack-snyder-music-choices\/"},"modified":"2021-07-11T02:16:00","modified_gmt":"2021-07-10T23:16:00","slug":"the-weird-and-wild-history-of-zack-snyder-music-choices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-weird-and-wild-history-of-zack-snyder-music-choices\/","title":{"rendered":"#The Weird and Wild History of Zack Snyder Music Choices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;<strong>#The Weird and Wild History of Zack Snyder Music Choices<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\">\n                <\/aside>\n<p><!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 3.7.9--><strong>Zack Snyder<\/strong> is a king of excess with such a distinct filmmaking style that you could spot one of his <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">movies<\/a> from a mile away. His visuals rely on bright contrasting colors, slo-mo fight sequences, and huge action set pieces that, regardless of the film\u2019s quality, are quite impressive. Another key component of a Snyder movie is <strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/EJ4b0yM6MKE\">the needle drop<\/a><\/strong>, which he employs to make his big action scenes more effective.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He doesn\u2019t typically use the original version of the song, though. Snyder really loves covers. While this may have started due to the lower cost of licensing the redo, they\u2019ve become such a Snyder staple at this point that they define his work just as much as his over-the-top <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">script<\/a>s and chaotic cinematography. Whether a cover or original recording, though, Zack Snyder\u2019s music choices are such a crucial tone-setting tool that they can truly make or break his movies.<\/p>\n<p>While there are some exceptions \u2014 <em>Man of Steel<\/em>,<em> Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice<\/em>, and<em> Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga\u2019Hoole<\/em> (no, the Owl City song does not count as it was written specifically for the movie) \u2014 Snyder tends to include at least one needle drop per film where the song choice is about as subtle as a hammer to the face.<\/p>\n<p>Zack Snyder began developing this music trademark with his 2004 debut feature, <em><strong>Dawn of the Dead<\/strong><\/em>, a remake of George A. Romero\u2019s 1978 film of the same name in which a group of survivors hunkers down in an abandoned mall during the zombie apocalypse. While hoping to be saved, the group \u201cbefriends\u201d another survivor trapped in his gun store across a parking lot, communicating with whiteboards and a pair of binoculars.<\/p>\n<p>During a montage of the characters\u2019 daily routines, a cover of <strong>Disturbed<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cDown With the Sickness\u201d as performed by <strong>Richard Cheese<\/strong> plays on the soundtrack. Cheese is a lounge singer, so instead of the hard rock intensity of the original recording, Cheese\u2019s version is relaxed and smooth. It\u2019s happy, which is a term not often applied to the heavy metal music of Disturbed. This needle drop is an example of Zack Snyder\u2019s use of music for comedic effect. Accompanying shots of zombies swarming in the parking lot, the song makes the horrifying situation feel normal, just part of the characters\u2019 everyday lives, like their rooftop conversations.<\/p>\n<p>Then came <em><strong>Watchmen<\/strong><\/em>, Snyder\u2019s adaptation of Alan Moore\u2019s classic graphic novel. This is when the filmmaker really started playing with needle drops of both covers and original music, using lyrics to really pack an emotional punch from beginning to end. First, we have <strong>Nat King Cole<\/strong> crooning \u201cUnforgettable\u201d while the vigilante called the Co<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>n fights an unknown assailant. The smooth voice and romantic vibe of the song are placed in stark contrast with the intense violence on screen as blood slowly flies across the screen and bones pop out of skin.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Not long after that, Snyder pairs <strong>Bob Dylan<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cThe Times Are A-Changing\u201d with a fantastic opening sequence that establishes the context of the vigilante hero group known as the Watchmen and how this world exists in an alternate version of America. The song choice is quite literal as the history of the Watchmen is shown changing in front of the viewer\u2019s eyes, but Dylan\u2019s lyrics and unique voice still\u00a0make this a perfect pair; the combination creates a sense of nostalgia for an unknown past. It\u2019s all such impressive use of existing music to play with the film\u2019s atmosphere. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nZj43rtoEp4\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nZj43rtoEp4<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>But that comes crashing down with Snyder\u2019s decision to use <strong>Leonard Cohen<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cHallelujah\u201d over a graphic sex scene between vigilantes Night Owl and Silk Spectre. Cohen\u2019s gravelly voice is synced up with each thrust of Night Owl\u2019s hips in the most uncomfortable way that removes any and all eroticism. Perhaps Jeff Buckley\u2019s cover would have made more sense, as it better suits the intimacy but also the sadness behind this moment. Snyder almost hit a needle drop homerun but truly struck out at the last minute. <\/p>\n<p>He does almost recover with his use of \u201cAll Along The Watchtower\u201d by <strong>The Jimi Hendrix Experience<\/strong> at the film\u2019s climax, but nothing can truly help the movie come back after the \u201cHallelujah\u201d scene.<\/p>\n<p>That didn\u2019t keep Snyder down, though. He continued to layer needle drop on top of needle drop in his 2011 movie <em><strong>Suckerpunch<\/strong><\/em>, to the point that it becomes excessive. Sure, it\u2019s great for the audience to hear a song they might know, but there comes a time when the music becomes a crutch \u2014 as if Zack Snyder doesn\u2019t have enough faith in the story and its action to excite the viewer.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He has <strong>Bjork<\/strong> singing \u201cArmy of Me,\u201d he has a mash-up of <strong>Queen<\/strong>\u2018s \u201cI Want It All\u201d and \u201cWe Will Rock You,\u201d and he has not one, not two, but seven covers, redoing songs by <strong>Jefferson Airplane<\/strong>, <strong>The Smiths<\/strong>, <strong>The Stooges<\/strong>, <strong>The Beatles<\/strong>, and others. The soundtrack only has nine songs. The music becomes distracting and clashes with the large set pieces in <em>Suckerpunch<\/em>, which include a dragon-guarded castle and a snow-covered dojo.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The two most notable covers are performed by the film\u2019s lead actress, <strong>Emily Browning<\/strong>: \u201cSweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)\u201d by <strong>Eurythmic<\/strong>s and \u201cWhere Is My Mind\u201d by <strong>Pixies<\/strong>. Both of Browning\u2019s renditions are haunting versions of the original songs, and therefore better match the overall tone of the film. The use of \u201cWhere Is My Mind\u201d is incredibly on the nose. The slow acoustic guitar and the melancholy voice of Browning play over a scene of her character, Babydoll, being admitted to a mental institution. The words \u201cwhere is my mind\u201d drift over a shot of her being brought into the hospital, dwarfed by two massive guards in white. It offers a very literal interpretation of the events at hand.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sucker Punch - Where is My Mind\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O913fmUGgt0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The cover of \u201cSweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)\u201d is used as Babydoll dissociates to escape her harsh reality, entering her own version of a dream. In this context, the slowed-down version of the dance song feels right while the character floats through different realities in which she is being used and abused by men in positions of power. Browning\u2019s voice echoes the pain in Babydoll\u2019s eyes as she tries to find a place where she can feel safe inside her own mind. The music then swells with the booming tones of an organ that echoes a brief moment of catharsis as she settles into a new time and place of her own creation.<\/p>\n<p>Sadly, when Snyder started making superhero movies in what would become known as the DC Extended Universe franchise, his directing style did a one-eighty as his use of color faded and the needle drops were few and far between. <\/p>\n<p>That is until the \u201cSnyder Cut,\u201d his four-hour version of <em><strong>Justice League<\/strong><\/em>. There\u2019s one during the introduction of Aquaman as he chugs a bottle of liquor and walks down a sea wall in the middle of a storm as waves crash around him. The epic nature of the scene and its kinetic energy is countered with <strong>Nick Cave<\/strong>\u2019s melancholy \u201cThere Is A Kingdom,\u201d making this feel like Aquaman\u2019s own inner soundtrack to his loneliness. It\u2019s an odd visual and aural pairing, but it does work in establishing the character as more than just muscles.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly enough, this same scene in the original cut of <em>Justice League<\/em> instead features <strong>The White S<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a>es<\/strong>\u2019 \u201cIcky Thump,\u201d which creates an entirely different tone. With the pounding drums and guitar riffs, the song\u2019s energy better matches the chaos around Aquaman, and instead of reflecting any interiority of the hero, it builds him up to be all the more badass. With Zack Snyder\u2019s music change, he\u2019s trying to give more depth to his characters than was seen in the original film. While not ultimately successful, it is fascinating to watch how Snyder sees outside music as just as important as the score for creating an emotional connection to his characters.<\/p>\n<p>With his latest movie,<em> <strong>Army of the Dead<\/strong><\/em>, Snyder goes back to his over-the-top roots with an absolutely ridiculous story about breeding zombies, a number of massive set pieces, and a needle drop that is the cherry on top of one wild ride. As the credits start to roll and the future looks uncertain, <strong>The Cranberries<\/strong>\u2019 \u201cZombie\u201d starts to play, and that snaps the tension of the bittersweet ending in half. Snyder again proves to be the king of literal interpretations. It is eye-roll-inducing because it is such a painfully obvious choice, but it\u2019s also so on-brand that it\u2019s impressive.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fZlco3uQk3M\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fZlco3uQk3M<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Of course, such a choice did spark some controversy given that the song is actually about IRA bombings in Northern Ireland. It is an extremely political tune used as a punchline for a movie about, well, zombies.<\/p>\n<p>Just as Zack Snyder plays with color to create striking visuals, he plays with existing music to shape the emotional impact of individual scenes and the movies overall. While his use of needle drops is often silly and very obvious, they are a part of Snyder\u2019s charm as a filmmaker who isn\u2019t afraid to take risks. As he continues to make movies (an <em>Army of the Dead<\/em> sequel and an adaptation of <em>The Fountainhead <\/em>are in the works), one hopes Snyder stays true to what makes him stand out: a sense of humor and a degree of self-seriousness that can only be described as oddly charming.\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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His visuals rely on bright contrasting colors, slo-mo fight sequences, and huge action set pieces that, regardless of the film\u2019s&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":296129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/watchmen-2009.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[8016],"class_list":["post-296128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-mediaa","tag-zack-snyder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296128"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296128\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}