It's a Very, Very Mad World

She actually sleeps through the entirety of this section of the film but whatever. This is one of my favorite images of all time. Donnie Darko, girlfriend (whose name doesn't really matter but it's Gretchen) and Frank. Ah Frank. <3

I bring up this movie Donnie Darko because of the ending. Gary Jule's "Mad World" plays as they show the aftermath and the ripple effect of Donnie's potential life. It hits me so hard everytime I hear it. Especially the lines "Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow, no tomorrow, no tomorrow. And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad. The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had." I know I'm very late to the party with this movie and the song but it resonated with me. I fall asleep at night humming Mad World and hoping that tomorrow a jet engine will fall on me.

There is something beautiful to me about "inappropriate" songs being sung in full chorus. For instance the song I Touch Myself. It's a wonderful song in most forms but something about it being song by 60 Belgian women makes it all the better. Harmonies, piano accompaniment. It's glorious. The group of which I speak is Scala & Kolacny Brothers. They also sing the song Creep by Radiohead. You can find more of their music on Amazon.com.

I love when things that are not considered beautiful or are dirty or "wrong" are turned into something beautiful. I'm a sucker for the juxtaposition posed by modern music sung in a choral format. It's something completely opposite brought together. The same idea is in the song Let's Get Fucked Up, the artist of which eludes me. It places the subject of drinking in the forground with an orchestra in the background. Metallica has done this as well combining their song Enter Sandman with full orchestral accompanyment. The same band has also covered the Imperial March (from Star Wars, for those who don't know) in a reverse process; taking music performed by classical instruments and playing it with the intruments of a rock band. I believe there is also a band Apocolyptica who covers rock/metal music with cellos. This cross-genre music is one of my favorite things ever!

Well, I've covered music for the moment. Now I'd like to talk about a movie. The Darjeeling Limited. It's a film directed by Wes Anderson. It's filled with comedy but what hit the most was that it told a story with a lot of meaning behind it. Or at least I found meaning behind it. I don't want to give too much away but the way the brothers in the film interact is very real to me and I find I understand their struggles to reconnect and to find something real in their lives. I highly recommend this movie. I can't say as I'd watch it at like a party or anything but for one's own amusement.

Go forth into the world and do whatever it is you do. Bonne chance!!