« * contemplating the political perspective and dogmatic relevancy of...Red State Update | Main | * "anything is possible..." »

* Follow-up thoughts on 'Once'

A couple of observations to add to my recent blog the movie Once:

1) I find it interesting that the film is being described in large part as a musical, albeit an innovative one. Despite the major role that music plays in the film's plot and personality, I never once, while watching it, considered the notion that I was watching a musical.

I suppose that's because the definition of "musical" has become fundamentally intertwined with the practice/process of having characters suddenly break out in song as a part of telling the story in an "entertaining" way, and that never happens here. Every bit of musical backdrop or song-based script content in Once is unforced, existing fully within the framework of the dialogue as opposed to artificially imposing itself into the structure.

In a sense, then, you might call Once a "natural musical." Which is to say, if you don't consider yourself the "musicals" type, my guess is you wouldn't be deterred by this film in the slightest.

2) With the film's official soundtrack now out on Columbia, there's an odd circumstance in which a couple of the movie's most memorable songs have now been issued in different versions three times in the past nine months. "Falling Slowly" and "When Your Mind's Made Up" first appeared on Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova's duo release The Swell Season last August; those two songs were then included on The Cost, the February release by Hansard's band the Frames. Now they're also both on the soundtrack disc, in yet another new version. Not such a bad thing, really, as they're both terrific songs; just an interesting side-consequence of the film's success. (The soundtrack also includes two other tracks that first appeared on Hansard/Irglova disc: "Lies" and "Leave".)

3) The film may or may not be available in your area, but it is apparently now in at least limited release in various U.S. markets. It's probably in a smaller or indie/alternative theater, but it's well worth seeking out, if you have the opportunity to do so.

adios,
peter

Posted by peter on June 10, 2007 10:27 AM | Permalink