"See What They Did"?

email this story
read comments (30)
post a comment

Recently posted by New York/"Vulture's Edith Zimmerman.

Update: HE reader Jonathan Hartman reminds that Inception composer Hans Zimmer "already publicly talked about this at the SCL Screening in Los Angeles a week before the film opened. He and Inception's sound designer explained the musical concept, and particularly this specific link.

"Edith Piaf is all over the movie, in many scenes where the casual viewer wouldn't even recognize it. For the record, Nolan has Edith Piaf in the script, but only played as the 'wake up' music. It was Zimmer's manipulation of the material that gave them the idea to incorporate it everywhere."

Lolita "Disorientation"<< previous | next >>Plain Stone Talk

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 27, 2010 at 10:09 AM

comment #1

themodernage says ...

Yep, that's brilliant.

Posted by themodernage at July 27, 2010 10:16 AM

comment #2

Ray DeRousse says ...

I thought that was pretty cool. The lyrics to that Edith Piaf song really fit the movie itself.

Wasn't really a fan of the music, actually, but this is clever enough that I hope Zimmer wins the Oscar for it.

Posted by Ray DeRousse at July 27, 2010 10:16 AM

comment #3

Roger in Orlando says ...

La Vie en Rose is a major musical motif in the film. More of an inside joke, I thought.

Posted by Roger in Orlando at July 27, 2010 10:21 AM

comment #4

party animals says ...

More of an inside joke, I thought.

not at all.

Posted by party animals at July 27, 2010 10:28 AM

comment #5

EricGilde says ...

That's pretty stellar.

Posted by EricGilde at July 27, 2010 10:52 AM

comment #6

4th grade army says ...

That's really brainy. The idea came from Nolan, no doubt. The soundtrack is great, BTW. The last track, "Time" is stellar.

Posted by 4th grade army at July 27, 2010 11:07 AM

comment #7

Aladdin Sane says ...

Nolan says that he was writing Edith Piaf into the script before he ever cast Marion Cotillard.
It's a fantastic score. I'm surprised that Zimmer's only Oscar is for The Lion King of all things.

Posted by Aladdin Sane at July 27, 2010 11:09 AM

comment #8

Aladdin Sane says ...

@ 4th grade army - I listened to "Time" on repeat for a few times when I first got the score off of iTunes. It encapsulates the film for me.

Posted by Aladdin Sane at July 27, 2010 11:10 AM

comment #9

Eloi Wrath says ...

"Time" is great, but it's also very similar to his "Journey to the Line" template that he revisits occasionally.

It's a great score, though. First soundtrack album I've bought since Inglourious Basterds last year.

Posted by Eloi Wrath at July 27, 2010 11:23 AM

comment #10

LexG says ...

Best score in a zillion years. Probably since his own Thin Red Line... which was the best since Days of Thunder... which was the best since Black Rain.

"I'LL BE HOLDING ON" POWER.

Posted by LexG at July 27, 2010 11:25 AM

comment #11

The Lord of Misrule says ...

...or another way you could look at it is that "Inception" is, by far, the bizarest third act twist to "La Vie en Rose" in cinema history.

Take that, M. Night!

Posted by The Lord of Misrule at July 27, 2010 11:33 AM

comment #12

Ghost072 says ...

Brilliant and the final mind fuck, especially when you consider the effect that the different dream levels have on the speed of time (the song would appear to be slowed down on deeper levels).

Posted by Ghost072 at July 27, 2010 11:59 AM

comment #13

Ghost072 says ...

Funny observation in the first post to the Vulture article, too:

"The Vulture post exposing the secret connection between the music of Edith Piaf and Hans Zimmer is posted by Edith Zimmerman?

Impressive attempt, but now I know we are actually still asleep..."

Posted by Ghost072 at July 27, 2010 12:01 PM

comment #14

Eloi Wrath says ...

The Thin Red Line score really is a masterpiece. Unbelievably good.

Zimmer rules.

Posted by Eloi Wrath at July 27, 2010 12:08 PM

comment #15

Geoffsongs says ...

I haven't heard the actual soundtrack by itself, but if you stay all the way to the end of the end credits, there is also a brilliant mix of the song and the main theme. Now knowing that that main theme is cleverly tied to the song in this way, it makes it even more thrilling, like a dream eating itself.

Posted by Geoffsongs at July 27, 2010 12:17 PM

comment #16

BT64 says ...

The good ones borrow, the great ones steal

Posted by BT64 at July 27, 2010 12:24 PM

comment #17

FWickman says ...

I actually just noticed that the last "second" of my Inception Soundtrack ("Time" 4:34-4:35) is actually about 4 secs long, and ticks briefly backwards. Can anyone verify?

I don't have the soundtrack on CD (I'm listening from a rip) but this is the only mp3 I've ever had do this, and considering it's the precise moment that plays over the lingering final shot of the top, it's a pretty eerie little easter egg.

Posted by FWickman at July 27, 2010 12:46 PM

comment #18

Jonathan Spuij says ...

Damn, I haven't got any software to play it backwards, and I'm not gonna download any either. So who did go through the trouble of doing it?

Posted by Jonathan Spuij at July 27, 2010 1:29 PM

comment #19

FWickman says ...

JSpuij, if that was in response to my comment, I was actually just referring to what happens when you play the song forwards. By "ticks briefly backwards" I only meant that my iTunes counter, after lingering on 4:35 for two or three seconds, actually jumps back to 4:34 before ending on 4:35 again.

Posted by FWickman at July 27, 2010 1:47 PM

comment #20

Ghost072 says ...

Yep, does the same thing on mine, FWickman. Good catch!

Posted by Ghost072 at July 27, 2010 1:51 PM

comment #21

DiscoNap says ...

Hans Zimmer is a very iPod friendly composer. The track "Time" mentioned already is no exception. It plays like vintage Moby, in the best way possible. I can see why Nolan went for it. The Son of Mann continues.

Posted by DiscoNap at July 27, 2010 2:51 PM

comment #22

DiscoNap says ...

Also I must stand up for a great ZImmer score in a middling film: Da Vinci Code.

Posted by DiscoNap at July 27, 2010 2:57 PM

comment #23

Geoff says ...

ZIMMER POWER - I LOVE the score for Black Rain, probably the best thing about the movie. I remember it was even used in the trailers for Silence of the Lambs.

But the best Zimmer score has to be Crimson Tide - that flourish that explodes throughout the movie (especially during the climax)....if that doesn't want to make you raise your fist Viggo-style while in a crowded sub, I don't know what will.

Posted by Geoff at July 27, 2010 7:20 PM

comment #24

Josh Massey says ...

Oh my God, the Black Rain score. Haven't thought about that in years. I wore that CD out when it was released - which is weird, since I was 13 at the time.

Posted by Josh Massey at July 27, 2010 9:36 PM

comment #25

leilei095 says ...

To open up your horizons , pls pay a visit to our website : http://www.fashionsports.org

Posted by leilei095 at July 29, 2010 8:24 AM

comment #26

louisemo says ...

Excellent dude. I enjoyed the article a lot while reading.Thanks for sharing.
beats by dr dre
monster headphones
beats headphones
dr dre headphones

Posted by louisemo at December 14, 2011 6:40 PM

comment #27

louisemo says ...

It's so luck to enjoy this article ,so nice.Thanks for sharing. There are something interesting for u .
hermes bags
hermes handbags
hermes shop
hermes outlet
hermes sale

Posted by louisemo at December 14, 2011 9:38 PM

comment #28

louisemo says ...

Excellent dude. I enjoyed the article a lot while reading.Thanks for sharing.
beats by dr dre
monster headphones
beats headphones
dr dre headphones

Posted by louisemo at December 14, 2011 11:05 PM

comment #29

louisemo says ...

那你叫你朋友那边转寄给你吧
默默远走 (2011-12-15 15:50:47):
亲，那不要邮费啊。
博洋艾夫斯服饰店:小v (2011-12-15 15:51:23):
邮费我们会承担的，可以吧
默默远走 (2011-12-15 15:51:48):
ok
博洋艾夫斯服饰店:小v (2011-12-15 15:52:22):
恩，本来你朋友可以拒签的

Posted by louisemo at December 14, 2011 11:06 PM

comment #30