Friday, February 19, 2010
Music and Film
The scene is from the film “Slumdog Millionaire”. The name of the song that plays in the background is “Paper Planes”, it has been written and produced by M.I.A, Diplo and Switch for the album Kala. The lyrics of the song quite match the situation in the movie. The original version of the song was used in the film “Pineapple express”. A special remixed version has been used in the film. This song’s backing track is a sample from the 1982 song “Straight to Hell” by The Clash, while the chorus is based on that of the 1992 Wreckx-n-Effect song “ Rump Shaker” I would like to explain the situation in which both the boys are in right now so as to make sense with the background score. The boys have escaped from a criminal who has kept them captured for his own needs. Their parents are no more so they have no place to go of their own. They are afraid to stay at one place because they have a feeling that they may be captured once again by another person. At the beginning of the scene, one of the boys says to other that he is hungry. So as little boys their only source of income is to work, steal and cheat. The lyrics of the song clearly say “All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!) And (KKKAAAA CHING!) And take your money”. When the lyric say “I fly like paper, get high like planes” the boys are shown jumping from one compartment to another; “If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name” the boys are shown travelling and the surrounding landscapes become the main attraction of the show. The scene is a typical view of the general compartment in an Indian train.
3 comments:
Actually "Paper Planes" is one of my favourite songs. And after reading your analysis above, to me it's intereting to see how this song works in this particular scene of the movie. As you mentioned the boys were feeling homeless because their parents had gone and they wanted to or had to get something to eat by cheating or stealing then the lyric of "Paper Planes" "All I wanna do is bang bang bang and take your money" really fits that kinds of feeling.
I like Paper Planes as well, but when I hear it I think of other things to be honest. When I hear it I think of smoking weed, which American's think of when they hear this. However, I really like the way you used the words on a physical level and compared the boys actions to the lyrics in the song.
Paper Plane is a really excellent movie!! Like your said in your analysis, the kids were so homeless. As a result, they had to cheat just for the meals so that they would not die by starving. The lyrics were so moving, and it vividly showed the helpless of those children.
Post a Comment