From the novel by Nick Hornby the film by Stephen Frears, starring John Cusack and Iben Hjejle (nothing so exotic, she's a Danish actress) plus Lisa Bonet , Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jack Black as other main characters (Marie, Charlie and Barry). The love for music is one of the main themes of this movie, accordingly with the novel. And the other main theme is the desire to remain "forever young". Not unusual themes, but the structure of the film (and of the novel) is original, all around the obsession to make a "best of ..." about everything. Curiously, the original setting, London, while so fashionable in the late '90s films, has been changed and the action has been moved to the United States, in Chicago. Probably the reason was that many other films were in that period set in London, in particular you think of Notting Hill (1999) with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, where there is a shop with limited success (in that case however, travel books, instead of rare records and vinyl), a 35-year-old protagonist a bit out of this world and other similarities with the subject, and also in Sliding Doors (1998), with Gwyneth Paltrow, her boyfriend was a 30-35 years do-nothing or so man, aspiring however to become a famous writer. Anyway it's not so easy to perceive that the action is not in London but in Chicago, because the scenes are mainly in little streets that could be almost everywhere in USA or in Europe and the protagonists usually meet together in pubs or restaurants that could be also in London or elsewhere, in our globalized world. In the film, as well as the setting, was also radically changed the soundtrack, bringing the 60s and 70s (with stakes in 50s) and the authors that emphasized the encyclopedic knowledge of the clerks of the Championship Vinyl record store of the original soundtrack of the novel, to more known authors of the 80s and beyond, with the exception of Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye. Let's Get it On is actually a sort of leitmotif and summarizes the story of the two main characters, Rob and Laura. Other musicians are cited, such as Aretha Franklin, Al Green and Bruce Springsteen, the songs that are used are nevertheless different. A
selection of images to remember
the movie is also included in this page. |
Characters and Interpreters |
Character |
Actor/Actress |
Notes |
Rob Gordon |
John Cusack |
Him, the owner of Championship Vynile record store |
Laura |
Iben Hjejle |
Her, the patient partner of him |
Dick |
Todd Luoiso |
Clerk, the gentle one |
Barry |
Jack Black |
Clerk, the aggressive one |
Marie De Salle |
Lisa Bonet |
The charming singer, new love for Rob |
Charlie Nicholson |
Catherine Zeta-Jones |
A tornado in Rob's life |
Ian Ray Raymond |
Tim Robbins |
The new partner of Laura |
Liz |
Joan Cusack |
A friend of Rob (and the daughter of Cusack in real life) |
Bruce |
Bruce Springsteen |
The right person to ask some hint about the life, for Rob. |
The following table lists the songs used in the soundtrack of the film. In the last column they are marked those available on the above mentioned CD. Where the executor is not specified it's because the song is performed by one of the protagonists of the film. |
|
# |
Title |
Author |
Performer |
CD |
1 |
You're Gonna Miss Me |
Roky Erickson |
The Thirteenth Floor Elevators |
X |
2 |
I Want Candy |
Gerald Goldstein, Robert Feldman, Richard Gottehrer and Bert Berns |
Bow Wow Wow |
|
3 |
Crocodile Rock |
Elton John and Bernie Taupin |
||
4 |
Crimson and Clover |
Thomas Jackson and Peter Lucia |
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts |
|
5 |
Seymour Stein |
Belle & Sebastian |
||
6 |
Jacob's Ladder |
Neil Peart, Gary Weinrib and Alex Zivojinovich |
||
7 |
Walking On Sunshine |
Kimberley Rew |
Katrina And The Waves |
|
8 |
Baby Got Going |
Liz Phair and Scott Litt |
Liz Phair |
|
9 |
Little Did I Know |
John Ferlesky |
Brother JT3 |
|
10 |
I'm Wrong About Everything |
John Wesley Harding |
John Wesley Harding |
X |
11 |
I Can't Stand The Rain |
Ann Peebles, Donald Bryant, and Bernard Miller |
Ann Peebles |
|
12 |
The River |
Bruce Springsteen |
||
13 |
Baby, I Love Your Way |
Peter Frampton |
||
14 |
Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam |
Eugene Kelly and Francis McKee |
The Vaselines |
|
15 |
Cold Blooded Old Times |
Bill Callahan |
Smog |
X |
16 |
On Hold |
Edith Frost |
Edith Frost |
|
17 |
Hyena 1 |
Clifford Price and Mark Sayfritz |
Goldie |
|
18 |
I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Babe |
Barry White |
Barry White |
|
19 |
Always See Your Face |
Arthur Lee |
Love |
X |
20 |
Soaring and Boring |
Liam Hayes |
Plush |
|
21 |
Leave Home |
Thomas Rowlands, Edmund Simons, and Blake Baxter |
The Chemical Brothers |
|
22 |
Four to the Floor |
John Etkin-Bell |
John Etkin-Bell |
|
23 |
Loopfest |
Toby Bricneno and Jay Cryka |
Toby Bricneno and Jay Cryka |
|
24 |
Who Loves The Sun |
Lou Reed |
The Velvet Underground |
X |
25 |
Robbin's Nest |
Illinois Jacquet and Sir Charles Thompson |
Illinois Jacquet |
|
26 |
Rock Steady |
Aretha Franklin |
Aretha Franklin |
|
27 |
Suspect Device |
Jake Burns and Gordon Ogilvie |
Stiff Little Fingers |
|
28 |
Dry The Rain |
Stephen Mason, John Maclean and Robin Jones |
The Beta Band |
X |
29 |
We Are The Champions |
Freddie Mercury |
Queen |
|
30 |
I'm Glad You're Mine |
Al Green |
Al Green |
|
31 |
Your Friend and Mine |
Arthur Lee |
Love |
|
32 |
Shipbuilding |
Elvis Costello and Clive Langer |
Elvis Costello & The Attractions |
X |
33 |
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You |
Bob Dylan |
Bob Dylan |
|
34 |
Get It Together |
Mark Farner |
Grand Funk Railroad |
|
35 |
Fallen For You |
Sheila Nicholls |
Sheila Nicholls |
X |
36 |
Soul Surfer |
James Cooperthwaite and Oliver Vessey |
James Cooperthwaite and Oliver Vessey |
|
37 |
Oh! Sweet Nuthin' |
Lou Reed |
The Velvet Underground |
X |
38 |
This India |
Harbhajhn Singh and Navinder Pal Singh |
Harbhajhn Singh and Navinder Pal Singh |
|
39 |
Tread Water |
Paul Huston, David Jolicoeur, |
Vincent Mason and Kelvin Mercer |
|
40 |
The Moonbeam Song |
Harry Nilsson |
Harry Nilsson |
|
41 |
Juice (Know the Ledge) |
Eric Barrier and Griffin |
Eric B. and Rakim |
|
42 |
Doing It Anyway |
Apartment 26 |
Apartment 26 |
|
43 |
What's On Your Mind |
Eric Barrier and William Griffin |
Eric B. and Rakim |
|
44 |
Where Did You Get Those Pants |
Norwood Fisher, Angelo Moore, Steve Lindsey and Allee Willis |
Fishbone |
|
45 |
Good and Strong |
Sy Smith and Eddie Stokes |
Sy Smith |
|
46 |
Mendocino |
Doug Sahm |
Sir Douglas Quintet |
|
47 |
The Inside Game |
Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema |
Royal Trux |
X |
48 |
The Night Chicago Died |
Mitch Murray and Peter Callander |
||
49 |
Chapel of Rest |
Dick Walter |
Dick Walter |
|
50 |
Most of the Time |
Bob Dylan |
Bob Dylan |
X |
51 |
La Boob Oscillator |
Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier |
Stereolab |
|
52 |
The Anti-Circle |
Tariq Trotter, Ahmir Thompson and Joshua Abrhams |
The Roots |
|
53 |
Everybody's Gonna Be Happy |
Ray Davies |
The Kinks |
X |
54 |
Homespin Rerun (Cornelius Remix) |
Sean O'Hagan |
High Llamas |
|
55 |
Hit the Street |
Rupert Gregson-Williams |
Rupert Gregson-Williams |
|
56 |
I Get The Sweetest Feeling |
Carolyn Evelyn and Van McCoy |
Jackie Wilson |
|
57 |
Let's Get It On |
Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend |
Jack Black |
X |
58 |
I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) |
Stevie Wonder and Yvonne Wright |
Stevie Wonder |
X |
59 |
My Little Red Book |
Burt Bacharach and Hal David (II) |
Love |
|
60 |
Shooting Star |
Bob Dylan |
Bob Dylan |
|
61 |
Lo Boob Oscillator |
Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier |
Stereolab |
X |
In the following table are listed instead the songs mentioned in the novel, starting from the first page, and related to the characters that cites the song itself. |
|
# |
Artist |
Song |
Char. |
1 |
Neil Young |
Only Love Can Break Your Heart |
Rob |
2 |
The Smiths |
Last Night I Dreamed That Somebody Loved Me |
Rob |
3 |
Aretha Franklin |
Call Me |
Rob |
4 |
Rod Stewart |
I Don’t Want To Talk About You |
Rob |
5 |
Everly Brothers (1) |
Love Hurts |
Rob |
6 |
Prefab Sprout |
When Love Breaks Down |
Rob |
7 |
Al Green |
How Can You Mend A Broken Heart |
Rob |
8 |
Nanci Griffith & John Prine |
The Speed Of The Sound Of The Loneliness |
Rob |
9 |
Hall & Oates |
She's Gone |
Rob |
10 |
Al Green |
Aint No Shunsine When She’s Gone |
Rob |
11 |
Dusty Springfield |
I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself |
Rob |
12 |
Peter Frampton |
Baby, I Love Your Way |
Marie |
13 |
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles |
It's A Good Feeling |
Rob |
14 |
Bobby "Blue" Bland |
No Blow, No Show |
Rob |
15 |
Jean Knight |
Mr. Big Stuff |
Rob |
16 |
Jackson Five |
The Love You Save |
Rob |
17 |
Donny Hathaway |
The Ghetto |
Rob |
18 |
Solomon Burke |
Got To Get You Off My Mind |
Laura |
19 |
Paragons |
Happy Go Lucky Girl |
Client |
20 |
Charlie Rich |
Behind Closed Doors |
Rob |
21 |
Clash |
Janie Jones |
Rob |
22 |
Bruce Springsteen |
Thunder Road |
Rob |
23 |
Nirvana |
Smells Like Teen Spirit |
Rob |
24 |
Marvin Gaye |
Let’s Get It On |
Rob |
25 |
Gram Parsons |
Return Of The Grievous Angel |
Rob |
26 |
Bruce Springsteen |
Bobby Jean |
Rob |
27 |
Richard Thompson |
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight |
Dick |
28 |
Al Green |
Sha La La (Make Me Happy) |
Rob |
29 |
Elton John |
Song For Guy |
Rob |
30 |
Shangri La’s |
Leader Of The Pack |
Barry |
31 |
Jan & Dean |
Dead Man’s Curve |
Barry |
32 |
Bobby Goldsboro |
Honey, I Miss You |
Barry |
33 |
Twinkle |
Terry |
Barry |
34 |
Dion & The Belmonts |
Abraham, Martin and John |
Dick |
35 |
Ray Peterson |
Tell Laura I Love Her |
Barry |
36 |
Madness |
One Stop Beyond |
Barry |
37 |
Rolling Stones |
You Can’t Always Get What You Want |
Barry |
38 |
Bob Marley |
One Love |
Rob |
39 |
Jimmy Cliff |
Many Rivers To Cross |
Rob |
40 |
Aretha Franklin |
Angel |
Rob |
41 |
Gladis Knight |
You’re The Best Thing You Ever Happened To Me |
Rob |
42 |
Art Garfunkel |
Bright Eyes |
Laura |
43 |
Elvis Costello |
Get Happy! |
Laura |
44 |
Dusty Springfield |
The Look Of Love |
Rob |
45 |
Emmylou Harris |
Boulder To Birmingham |
Marie |
46 |
Flying Burrito Brothers |
Sin City |
Rob |
47 |
Elvis Presley |
Baby Let’s Play House |
Rob |
48 |
Kingsmen |
Louie, Louie |
Rob |
49 |
Prince |
Little Red Corvette |
Rob |
50 |
Bob Marley |
Stir It Up |
Rob |
51 |
Aretha Franklin |
Think |
Rob |
52 |
Aretha Franklin |
The House That Jack Built |
Rob |
53 |
Chuck Berry |
Back In The USA |
Rob |
54 |
Clash |
White Man in The Hammersmith Palais |
Rob |
55 |
Al Green |
So Tired To Be Alone |
Rob |
56 |
Chuck Berry |
Route 66 |
Barry |
57 |
Little Richard |
Long Tall Sally |
Barry |
58 |
Beatles |
Money (That's What I Want) |
Barry |
59 |
Patti Austin |
Do You Love Me? |
Barry |
60 |
Wilson Pickett |
In The Midnight Hour |
Barry |
61 |
Ritchie Valens |
La Bamba |
Barry |
|
|
Championship Vinyl: the shop is the protagonist |
Rob, Dick e Barry and a client |
|
|
The selling method of Barry |
"You can't own Blonde On Blonde!" |
|
|
Rob... |
and Laura |
|
|
A complicate situation |
... in the present time |
|
|
and beautiful moments |
in the past |
|
|
Marie de Salle is coming |
... and she conquers everybody |
|
|
At Marie's show (hypnotized) |
|
|
|
She is singing ... |
... for them (or maybe for him) |
|
|
At Charlie's home |
...she's beautiful, but too much complicated |
|
|
It's hard to understand each other |
|
|
|
Bruce's hints ... |
... are not enough |
|
|
But Barry one night ... |
Let's get it on .... |
|
|
I can't believe ... |
Yes... |
|
|
Let's get it on? |
Yes, let's get it on |
|
|
Let's get it on! |
Finally, is it all right? |
© Alberto Truffi 2001-2011 - Music-Graffiti |