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Stephen Thompson, a critic from NPR Music, recently discussed the crucial role of music in fictional films, particularly when those films center around musical performances. He highlighted that while some attempts at original songs within movies can fall flat,others achieve remarkable success by seamlessly integrating with the narrative.
Thompson pointed to the movie “Eurovision Song Contest” as a prime example. He praised the film for its portrayal of a fictional Icelandic duo, played by Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. The song thay performed, “Husavik,” was not only a pivotal moment in the movie but also received an Oscar nomination, demonstrating its exceptional quality. Thompson emphasized that the success of “Husavik” was vital to the film’s overall impact, stating, “If that song had not hit as hard as it did, the whole movie would have fallen apart.” This, he believes, exemplifies the kind of “craft and care” he looks for in such productions.
He also cited “kpop Demon Hunters” and Pixar’s “Turning Red” as films where the fictional K-pop songs were exceptionally well-crafted and contributed substantially to the storytelling. Thompson’s ideal scenario involves songs that are not merely breaks from the plot but are instead woven into the movie as integral elements of exposition or plot progress, mirroring the care taken in the scriptwriting.
in contrast, Thompson alluded to othre films where the music, despite efforts, simply “lands with a plop,” referencing a performance by John Malkovich as a character named Moretti singing, “Hold me, baby. Hold me tight. Kiss me, girl. It’s Saturday night.”
Thompson expressed no specific desire to see more music from particular genres like jazz, heavy metal, or hip-hop within fictional films. Rather, his focus remains on the synergy between songwriting and scriptwriting, where the fictional music genuinely enhances the cinematic experience.
The discussion concluded with a lighthearted reference to the iconic band The Monkees and their hit song “I’m a Believer.”
