MovieChat Forums > Funkytown (2011) Discussion > Was this just an excuse to play music

Was this just an excuse to play music

posted 13 years ago by krisw
4 replies | jump to latest

The movie was so-so for me, but one thing I noticed particularly in the first half were these LONG stretches of following people walking through hallways, or driving, or pouring coffee, or other mundane activities while the various disco songs played. I almost felt like the filmmakers were really saying "we like these songs, let's let them play for a while" instead of actually, you know, moving the plot forward. I guess it was for tone and "atmosphere" but at some point it was like "oh come on, this isn't a music video!"

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] alesisqs61 13 years ago

Disco was at least original...it may not have been the best style of music....but unlike now....it sounds unlike EVERYTHING out there. Of course at the time you would not know what meyhem was to come...but music now...good luck finding anyone with real talent that can sing, without auto-tune....that has a real band that can play music. I know there are people that have a good voice...but that's not the same as having natural talent.

Groups you won't see any more are people like Heart, Boston, Etc... where they sounded awesome live as well in records. I do know a Canadian blues guy who is good, but he could care less about the US. Colin James...great talent all around.

And yes...the BeeGees got alot of flak, but heck...they are still pretty cool in my mind.

http://www.youtube.com/user/alphazoom
http://www.vimeo.com/1986276

[–] yan-trussart 13 years ago

Thing is, producers payed a great deal of money to acquire the rights to these songs and therefore, wanted to have their money's worth.
It may sound trivial but in fact it's one concrete consequence of the limited means Quebec cinema have to work with.
That being said, the movie is indeed a poor excuse to showcase a bunch of disco hits...

[–] cflr 11 years ago

If you ever saw Boogie Nights, the same thing is done to great effect in that film. I liked the music in Funkytown and it only added to the atmosphere of the film for me.