Just because we didn’t really care for Jody Hill’s semi-rancid, “Observe & Report” (more ballsy and brazen than smart, we digress), doesn’t mean we didn’t appreciate some of the musical choices in the film.
Sure, the film suffered from far too many music montages (which acted in lieu of proper transitions it seems), but the choices of the music itself was pretty solid.
We revealed the soundtrack details exclusively back in March, which included nice, atypical deep cuts by The Band (their cover of Bob Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” opens the film with thematic delusional greatness) defunct British noise rockers McClusky, ’60s British mod act, The Action, gnarly Chicago punk rockers, The Dwarves and the trailer songs by The Yardbirds and ’70s British progressive jazz-rockers Patto.
One song in the film not on the soundtrack that we particularly adore is Queen’s “It’s Late,” which is soundtracked to a Seth Rogen training-for-police academy duty montage (of course).
” ‘Flash Gordon’ is my favorite movie all time,” Jody Hill told Artist Direct discussing the film’s music. “So I definitely wanted to use Queen’s music in ‘Observe and Report.’ Also, we tried to find the most obscure music that would be everybody’s favorite song if they knew it and put it into the movie. That was a fun challenge.”
The film also featured a cover The Pixies’ classic, “Where Is My Mind” as covered by the band City Wolf (the original of course was used at the end of “Fight Club”)
“That’s my buddy Joey Stephens, who’s actually the composer on this (he’s also in Pyramid). It was great. He wrote the music for our first film, ‘The Foot Fist Way.’ I keep my friends close. I went to film school with Ben Best, Danny McBride and David Gordon Green, and we all still collaborate. It’s a great way to work.”
Here’s Queen’s “It’s Late.” It’s a shame they couldn’t get that on the soundtrack disc, but it must be licensing as the “Kurt Cobain: About A Son” documentary couldn’t afford it either (but they too had it in the film). The soundtrack has most of the film’s in the song…
But other tracks featured in the film include.
The Hero, It’s Late – Queen
Fattie Boom Boom -Ranking Dread
Constantly Falling – David Tough
Mine – Spencer Tross
At first I liked the amount of music the movie had in it, and found its incorperation competant. But then it kept going and going, and became a little much. I had the same problem with Adventureland.
I thought the same thing of O&R, but adventureland thankfully wasn't jam packed with the music montages. Almost all the use of music in the film was diegetic (onscreen, within the film, radio's, records, etc.), and most of it was really understated.
I saw Adventureland last night — what an enjoyable little film with a sweet 80’s soundtrack. Very well done.
I loved the music in Observe and Report, but I really loved that film overall.
What is the song that plays when Ronnie first sees Brandi at the makeup counter and she is fixing her boobs in the mirror?
The lyrics go: "Girl, nobody can hold me down/I'm turning this heart around/and get it all to you/that's what I'm gonna do"
I can't find anything on it, but the song is great!
Anonymous, I would like to know as well. Does anyone know?
I want to know that song as well… crap its such a nice song…. 🙁