References
I'm always curious to see how classical music is referenced in popular culture, particularly movies - Sam and I have both written a couple of posts on the topic.
So imagine my delight last night when I caught a screening of "Ironman" during a scene in which Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges - who for years now I can only think of as the Big Lebowski) sits at a piano, tinkling out an unfamiliar classical-era-sounding bit of music. Or course I had to sit through the closing credits to learn the identity of the piece...which is apparently a tune from a piano concerto by none other than Antonio Salieri. This would be innocuous enough (though a little bit odd), were it not for context.
One of the central relationships in the movie is between Obadiah Stane and Tony Stark/Ironman (Robert Downey Jr., who I adore), partners in a weapons manufacturing company. Stane is the elder statesman, respected in the industry, savvy and mercenary, more business than brilliance. Stark is the younger, maverick genius, an inveterate party boy who nevertheless possesses most of the intellect, inspiration and creative spark of the pair.
(Spoiler alert) There is an underlying jealousy on Stane's part; in fact, it's Stane that sets out to destroy the younger man, setting into motion the entire plot of the film, a scenario that is oddly reminiscent of... "Amadeus". Stark plays Wolfi to Stane's Salieri, which makes it even more fitting that this is the composer being played by Stane in that piano scene. It's the kind of minute detail that's absolutely delightful in its obscure(d) reference, a cleverly hidden allusion.
The other music reference I caught (yes, yes, besides the tune from the 1966 cartoon version of "Ironman" being played in the casino scene) was the moment in which Stane (while doing something that will certainly cause Stark's death - I'll leave out the details, go see the movie!) describes the latest incredible invention of Stark's as "[his] ninth symphony" - a reference to the "ninth symphony curse", a superstition that one will die after the completion of their ninth symphony (usually a magnum opus - prominent examples include Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler). Again, a reference that assumes a certain amount of historical/musical/cultural sophistication - which I find encouraging in a mainstream film. And fantastic action scenes, to boot! Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours on a free Monday night.
So imagine my delight last night when I caught a screening of "Ironman" during a scene in which Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges - who for years now I can only think of as the Big Lebowski) sits at a piano, tinkling out an unfamiliar classical-era-sounding bit of music. Or course I had to sit through the closing credits to learn the identity of the piece...which is apparently a tune from a piano concerto by none other than Antonio Salieri. This would be innocuous enough (though a little bit odd), were it not for context.
One of the central relationships in the movie is between Obadiah Stane and Tony Stark/Ironman (Robert Downey Jr., who I adore), partners in a weapons manufacturing company. Stane is the elder statesman, respected in the industry, savvy and mercenary, more business than brilliance. Stark is the younger, maverick genius, an inveterate party boy who nevertheless possesses most of the intellect, inspiration and creative spark of the pair.
(Spoiler alert) There is an underlying jealousy on Stane's part; in fact, it's Stane that sets out to destroy the younger man, setting into motion the entire plot of the film, a scenario that is oddly reminiscent of... "Amadeus". Stark plays Wolfi to Stane's Salieri, which makes it even more fitting that this is the composer being played by Stane in that piano scene. It's the kind of minute detail that's absolutely delightful in its obscure(d) reference, a cleverly hidden allusion.
The other music reference I caught (yes, yes, besides the tune from the 1966 cartoon version of "Ironman" being played in the casino scene) was the moment in which Stane (while doing something that will certainly cause Stark's death - I'll leave out the details, go see the movie!) describes the latest incredible invention of Stark's as "[his] ninth symphony" - a reference to the "ninth symphony curse", a superstition that one will die after the completion of their ninth symphony (usually a magnum opus - prominent examples include Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler). Again, a reference that assumes a certain amount of historical/musical/cultural sophistication - which I find encouraging in a mainstream film. And fantastic action scenes, to boot! Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours on a free Monday night.
Labels: contemporary culture, film music
posted by Sarah at
7:34 PM
5 Comments:
Hm. So you're saying I should see the movie? I've been on the fence...
I'm not necessarily a huge fan of comic-book-come-to-life cinema, but I totally enjoyed this one, particularly as most characters were not one-note, and they seem to have realistically complicated relationships with each other.
I like how Sam and I communicate with each other via this blog, vs., say, actually calling each other, or something...;-)
Ach, late to comment as usual....I just wanted to say the movie "Master and Commander" uses classical music extremely well. At one point, the captain and his crew are struggling to keep their ship from capsizing in a Cape Horn storm and the mast breaks, dunking the watch sailor into the drink. He's a favorite of the crew, but the mast is dragging the ship down, and the seas are too rough for the sailor to swim to the ship. At this point, the music changes to Vaughn Williams' "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" and it's absolutely heart-breaking. Not a line is spoken, only the music, as the captain and crew cut the mast loose, and thereby doom their friend to a drowning death. This music captures perfectly the emotional moment.
I love it when classical music is used in movies to support the emotion of a scene or the action.... Haven't yet seen "Ironman" but I adore Robert Downey, Jr. (did you see "Fur"?) so I plan to. Thanks for the heads up about the music.
Being a Salieri fan, I was probably the only person in the theatre to recognize the piece as being Salieri's. It is a wonderful piece.Other than the movie "Amadeus" it is the only time I have ever heard his music used in a movie.
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