For this week's edition of Freddy's Friday Night Dance Party, I had to travel through time to bring you all this hot little ditty from the past. Fresh off the meat rack, this dope track is going to bring you way back, to a time when shit was far from whack! And that time is 1985, and the song in question is Head Over Heels as featured in 2001's time travel cult classic, Donnie Darko.
Head Over Heels was performed by British pop rock band, Tears for Fears and written by band mates Curt Smith and Jon Cryer lookalike, Roland Orzabal. Originally released in 1985 on the album, Songs from the Big Chair, Head Over Heels was one of many major hits from the band in both their native country, as well as in the States. Anyone in my age range remembers the song and band quite well, but I think the song was slightly forgotten about until this notorious scene rolled across screens in Donnie Darko.
In what is one of my all time favorite scenes, Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly, wrote and choreographed the segment specifically with Head Over Heels in in mind. With only the music playing, the one continuous sequence introduces the vast inhabitants of Donnie Darko's world perfectly. In the span of two and a half minutes, you have a basic character introduction for a dozen or so characters, all executed in a natural and simplistic fashion. In that two and a half minutes, you know who is who, who they are, and how they fit into the world created by Kelly. Brilliant scene and one of the best of the last decade, in my opinion. And the song, well, the song is just fantastic to top things off, and no matter how great the scene is, it is Head Over Heels that really seals the deal.
I heart Tears for Fears. I will fight anyone that doesn't like Songs from the Big Chair. Essential tunes man.
ReplyDeleteIts mother funkin' Friday!
agreed... t for fears is still a strong group and the songs... is essential.
ReplyDeletePOT: My Friday was not filled with nearly enough partying and way too much working! I'm gonna have to make up for it with a little Saturday Night Clever!
ReplyDeleteiZombie: They are still a lot of fun to listen to and I would go as far as to say they are timeless in a way.
Best soundtrack ever?? Well.. Maybe third best, behind Devils Rejects and The Crow
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely tops in the music done by groups OST category for sure. The Crow and Rejects did have some amazing OSTs as well, as well as most Tarantino films.
ReplyDeleteDitto on it all, friend! :)
ReplyDeleteI remember "Head Over Heels" from being a wee one and got lucky when someone gave me the album from wence it came years later. I love it when filmmakers properly incorporate great 80's music in recent films.
Donnie Darko was a pleasant surprise. I wanted to see what the hype was about and really enjoyed it.
I am the same way about 80's music in films, especially when it's not forced and feels natural. One thing I love about DD is that it isn't a forced 80's movie, it's not in your face about it all.
ReplyDeleteBefore I saw it, I remember seeing it on shelves and I actually thought it looked really stupid based off the DVD cover. Obviously, I was wrong and I loved it, and was so surprised by how great it was.
*This is Will* Matt, that scene is fantastic and is evident as to why, despite Kelly's shitting of the bed with every successive film he's done, I'll always give him a chance. Also Tears for Fears are most excellent.
ReplyDeleteHe's definitely a talented filmmaker as evident with just this scene alone. I liked Southland Tales, but didn't love it. It's a complete cluster fuck, but has it's moments, one of them being The Rock's performance. I haven't seen The Box, but even with the mixed reviews, I'll at least give it a shot. I too won't give up on him just yet and think he could still have some solid cinema left in him.
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