NATURAL BORN KILLERS

[quoandy]

Having seen the film Natural Born Killers, which is one of the most violent films ever made, can any tell me why Leonard Cohen's music was chosen for the film soundtrack. The film starts of with Waiting For A Miracle and ends with The Future. The most violent part of the film, which sees a prison riot and the two serial killers of the film make an escape, we hear the song Anthem. A line in the song The Future says, "I've seen future brother, it is murder" which I describes the actions of the characters in the film. The song is a very bleak and disturbing view of the world. Leonard Cohen's greatest song for me is Waiting For A Miracle. It's a brilliant and haunting melody that prepares us for the introduction of the serial killers Mickey and Malorie Knocks.
If you've seen this controversial Oliver Stone film I'd like to hear your opinions on why they chose The Future album as the sound track.

[Paula]

They are odd bedfellows NBK and LC. I have the film on video but have never watched it. My daughter watched it last night and she thinks the reason they used it and why it gelled so well (she felt) was the soundtrack gave a haunting almost menacing feel to it. But Leonard must have agreed to his songs being used on the soundtrack so presumably it was sanctioned by him and he must have been aware of the content of the film

[lizzytysh]

Along the same lines of what your daughter surmised, Paula, when you think of the"edginess" of songs on The Future, and the dark side of our natures that many of Leonard's songs address, it seems that the odd bedfellows came together rather brilliantly in their way. It may seem "anachronistic" [not in the sense of time periods, but in content], yet Hallelujah has a sardonic edge to it, as well.

It perhaps seems that Leonard's music could be put to "better" use, but when you consider the content of "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," it's somewhat similar, in the sense of the unsavory sides of human nature [in both films involving senseless murder, and at least in McCabe, greed ~ I can't recall if that played any part in NBK, or if it was strictly senseless killings]. Leonard's songs always have a lot of emotional force, something Natural Born Killers certainly called for; and if tension and/or exposure of the underbelly, of character and behaviour, is what's needed, Leonard's music can certainly deliver. These are my guesses.

~ Lizzytysh

[mamalex]

i thought the bleakness of "the future" fit in well with nbk, and the use ofn"waiting for the miracle" in the scene where they accidentally kill the Indian while seeking redemption was perfect.

[TC]

I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of lc's tunes with the violence of the movie.

at the risk of seeming like a psycho - the movie seemed to me to portray murder and carnage with a poetic style - the use of imagery, camera angles and language - although brutal and savage - were poetic in their structure.

I am not a fan of violence, but I have thi movie in my collection - for some reason only my deeper darker self knows :)

I wish more flicks used lc tunes - I think they provide an excellent tapestry for film.

[lizzytysh]

Hi TC ~

It's been a long time since I've seen Natural Born Killers, but I do recall some of that "poetic" camera-presentation stuff, along with the juxtaposition of the melodies and the violence, going on with it. Once seeing it, I wasn't really drawn to watch it again for evaluating.

~ Lizzytysh

[mamalex]

i also love 2 hear lc sons in movies. in a good movie it's a wonderful bonus, in a not -so-good movie {mcCabe&Mrs. Miller, kiss the sky}it may be all that that saves it

[jeannieb]

although it has been years since I saw the film, and I really should watch it againbefore I comment, here goes....

At the time I first saw the film, I thought the music was head and shoulders above what the directors obviously thought was a sophisticated take on the cult of nororiety. I think the song The Future, iwas a great metaphor for this film.

I have not been able to connect Anthem, which I consider to be the best song written in my lifetime, with his pretentious peice of cinematography. Was theirs a broken offering? Perhaps.

I dislike violence, no matter the message. I think the message was all about the hole our culture. I think it could have been better.

I wonder what Leonard thinks?

[paal]

on the dvd the director commentary oliver stone says he loves cohens music, which he grew more attached to during the making of the film. but why he chose those songs? who knows?

[Kjelling]

I've also heard the commentary track Paal refers to. Keep in mind that Natural Born Killers was shot in 1993/94; and with Oliver Stone listening to The Future (Nov. 92) a lot during work on the film, who can blame him for wanting to use it in the movie?

It makes a helluvan impression.

[lizzytysh]

Hi Kjelling ~

That's an interesting tidbit regarding Oliver Stone's listening to "The Future" a lot, as he produced Natural Born Killers. I'm guessing that fact came out in an interview. Did he happen to mention whether he was aware of Leonard prior to that album? Was it the chicken-or-the-egg phenomena with his listening? Was he already listening to it, and decided to use it? Or, was he listening to it a lot to determine which tracks might work best? Regardless of the particular answers, I find it interesting, as I never got down to wondering just how the music came to be used in the movie.

~ Elizabeth

[starshaped]

if it wasn't for this film, i would of never become a fan.

[velvet]

I'm dredging this up after 4 years (4 years?!?!)...

I adored NBK - for me, it was an absolute masterpiece, and I knew it the minute the film started in the theatre. Written by Quentin Tarantino, directed by Oliver Stone, soundtrack by Trent Reznor, featuring Leonard Cohen. How much more genius can be packed into one movie?

It's no secret that Stone is a huge Leonard Cohen fan. Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails) also idolizes Cohen - leading him to pack the soundtrack with tracks from the Future, as well as some of the best NIN, Diamonda Galas and many more.

I grew up listening to Leonard my entire life - my mom's been a fan since the start. Without a doubt, The Future, Anthem and Waiting for the Miracle are some of my favorite songs. But then, I'm rather sullen and pessimistic myself.