Synopsis: (Amazon.com)
The aim of this book is to examine the multifarious placements of the pop song in contemporary cinema through a series of short essays from a variety of perspectives-each looking at the use of ONE pop song in a particular movie. These writings offer the opportunity for in-depth discussion of a cinematic moment(s), rationalising function, condition, method, theory, and practice -by academics, authors & professionals from relevant disciplines. All approaches to deconstructing the relationship of pop song to film- psychological, political, semiotic, theological, post-modern and post-mortem etc., are invited, with an extraordinary collection of interpretations expected. Given that the pop song is no longer the exception but the norm within much mainstream cinema there are surprisingly few books analysing this relationship. There are major works by both Anahid Kassabian, who in ‘Hearing Film’ posits a new, genderised theory, comparing & contrasting song placement with bespoke composition, and Jeff Smith, ‘The Sounds Of Commerce’ dissecting some early song placements from detailed economic and stylistic positions. The earlier “Celluloid Jukebox” is a thematic account, written from a music journalist perspective compiling many films and songs simultaneously but without substantial focus on ‘audio-visual moments’ or theoretical-‘listening’.Read More »