In Pauline Reay’s ‘Music in Film: Soundtracks and Synergy’ there is a quote from Danny Elfman, a composer, commenting on the most ‘…disturbing trend of the past ten years with rock n roll and movies…is the stress on soundtrack albums and which songs go into the movie without considering whether the song does anything for the movie…’ (Elfman in Occhiogrosso 1984:31) this is particularly true in films such as Resident Evil (Anderson, 2002) the use of My Plague (2002) by Slipknot is specifically targeted in creating a synergetic strategy to promoting the film with the same target audience as Slipknots target audience, being teenage-males. The use of My Plague emphasises Elfman’ point, the song is haphazardly placed in the film for marketing purpose only, and does nothing to further the plot, other than provide ‘compiled music’ for the soundtrack. The song itself is only played in snippets thought out Resident Evil, and the full version of My Plague is left till the end credits. Thus, gives the impression that there is no explicit quality of the My Plague in creating new or added, meaning to the film. The use of My Plague in Resident Evil evidently reinforces Elfman’s point that rock music is used in films with no real purpose but to define what is ‘cool’ for teenage audiences of metal-music, and the introduction of what is ‘cool’ in films.
On the contrary, I believe there are films that can arguably use ‘compiled scores’ to further plot and add layers of meaning. The film The Devil’s Rejects (2005) directed by Rob Zombie uses ‘compiled score’ music from pre-existing material. Rob Zombie, being a musician himself, and a fanatic for 70’s horror films such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Hooper, 1974), and The Hills Have Eyes (Craven, 1977), has used his knowledge of music and films to create a marriage of meaning, both aesthetically and musically, in The Devils Rejects.
The Devils Rejects is clearly Zombie’s homage to 1970’s horror flicks, and he has stayed true to the conventions. However, in a post-modern standpoint of horror flicks, there is room to be more self-reflective of the genre: the period of the film, the films made in that period, and the music and social relevance. The story of the film follows a dysfunctional family of mass-murderers around the southern states of America. The evocation of the ‘outlaw’ is of particular interest to the music involved in portraying the outlaw. The representation of this particular theme is used through music that also evokes the nature of the outlaw. The use of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird (1974) in the last scene of The Devil’s Rejects adds complex referential meanings outside the diegesis. However, the music stays relevant to the context of the film thus arguing against Elfman’s theory.
The last scene of Rob Zombie’s The Devils Rejects… (http://youtube.com/watch?v=BMnLB_Y4nEY)
The last scene of the film has the three protagonists/antagonists preparing to ride right through a police checkpoint. The heroic notion, or homage, evokes the classic hero-fall in such films as Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and Riddley Scott’s Thelma and Louise (1991). Most importantly is the theme of the ‘outlaw’ in a final shoot-out which will lead to their deaths. The evocation of ‘outlaw’ is seen aesthetically, however what is significant of the Devils Rejects evocation is the use of Free Bird. Free Bird is an epic ten minute song that Lynyrd Skynyrd would play at the end of their concerts as a crowd pleaser, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynyrd_Skynrd). Significantly, Free Bird is a quotation used to allude to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s own demise in a plane crash in 1977, mirroring the aspects of the characters in the film. Lynyrd Skynyrd represents the rebellious ‘outlaw’ nature of the band in the 70’s, and the relationship of the fans through the music, and the eventual doomed hero’s, of an end of an era in rock music. The inter-textual meanings of Free Bird add to the last scene of The Devils Rejects. The marriage of the compiled score with the film creates ‘associated’ evocations of the ‘outlaw’ nature of the protagonist. Therefore, unlike Resident Evil, this film meticulously includes the score in forwarding the plot and characterizations of the film. The Allusion of the music is valid for the era of the film being the 70’s, and the rebellious nature of rock n roll music.
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird… (http://youtube.com/watch?v=tsWz_Q7JYQA)
Free Bird musical dynamics: three guitar solo, is significant in drawing parallels of the three protagonists and the three guitarists. The different guitar solos represents the three characters, playing to their own rhythms, yet driving in the same direction. The compiled score successfully produces meaning through music, the climax of Free Bird, evidently coincides with the climax of the film pace. Lynyrd Skynyrd is the epitome of southern music and this has relevance to the characters in the car, they are the epitome of southern horror villains or outlaws, playing right to the end of their dreadful demise.
To conclude, the defiance and rebellious southern ‘outlaw’ nature of Lynyrd Skynyrd is outlined in their song Free Bird. The allusion to this is used articulately in the last scene of the film to evoke parallels between the musicians and the characters of the film. Elfman’s comment on ‘compiled scores’ being redundant to the advancement of the films diegesis is particularly true in most films. However, I believe there are films that use rock n roll music successfully. Specifically in alluding to the social context of the artist of the song being used and the social meaning of the music applied to the context of the film the song is used in. Devils Rejects is an example of how rock n roll music can add to the meaning of the atmosphere and characterizations in films.
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