Chimesfreedom previously reported on how Bruce Springsteen was inspired by the Harry Potter books to write a song that he later offered to one of the films in the franchise. But, as fate would have it, director Christopher Columbus turned down the offer. But now the song, “I’ll Stand By You,” has finally found a movie home in the upcoming Blinded by the Light (2019).
“I’ll Stand By You” is one of seven Springsteen songs that will appear on the soundtrack to the coming of age story in Blinded by the Light. Reportedly, in addition to some official versions of songs, the soundtrack will include some rarities (including the first performance of “The River” from the No Nukes 1979 concert at Madison Square Garden).
One of the nice movie surprises of recent years is Hell or High Water (2016), directed by David Mackenzie and starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, and Gil Birmingham. Besides being an excellent movie, the film makes great use of a beautiful song too.
The movie, about two brothers who rob banks in order to keep one bank from foreclosing on family land, features a beautiful scene between the two brothers with a wonderful song about dying in the background. It is Gillian Welch’s haunting voice on her song, “I’m Not Afraid to Die.”
The song works well in the film, portraying the bond between the two brothers and highlighting the risks they are taking. There is a overall sadness to the film that reflects on hard times for struggling people who are often left behind in modern society. Hell or High Water deals with nuances, even while the movie written by Taylor Sheridan also features action. The characters are flawed and human, even the sheriff played by Bridges.
So “I’m Not Afraid to Die” works well against the West Texas landscape. There are moments of confidence in the song written by Welch and David Rawlings, as you can see in the title about not being afraid.
Forget my sins upon the wind; My hobo soul will rise; Lie-d Lie-d Lie I’m not afraid to die.
Yet Welch’s voice reveals a deep sadness underlying the boast. And if you listen carefully, you find some fears: “Sometimes it finds me fast asleep,/ And wakes me where I lie.”
“I’m not Afraid to Die” works like some of the best hymns. It finds faith within doubt, buried deep within a melody and voice that comforts you while confronting the terrors of this world.
Above, Welch and Rawlings perform “I’m Not Afraid to Die” in Atlanta at Variety Playhouse. “I’m Not Afraid to Die” originally appeared on Welch’s 1998 album Hell Amongst the Yearlings.
Hell or High Water has a great soundtrack. What is your favorite song from the movie? Leave your two cents in the comments.
In some quarters, most people who know about Bryan Stevenson and his work see him as a hero. But many do not know about the wonderful work he has been doing for decades. The new HBO documentary True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality hopefully will reach a wider audience about the work done by Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), which Stevenson started in 1989.
Stevenson and his colleagues at EJI in Montgomery, Alabama have worked to help wrongly convicted and unfairly sentenced defendants. They have won reversals for more than one-hundred people on death row. And Stevenson has personally argued before the U.S. Supreme Court several times.
Stevenson and EJI also work to educate the country about the history of racial injustice. They created the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, working to educate people about 4,400 victims of lynching.
Great Work and a Fascinating Man
The accomplishments are amazing, and the documentary provides insight into the racial discrimination present in our criminal justice system. Just hearing Stevenson’s clients discuss their cases and see reactions to the lynching memorial make watching True Justice worthwhile. But Stevenson, who has long shied away from participating in a documentary despite his many awards and public appearances, makes this film essential viewing for all Americans.
Stevenson is an amazing person, perhaps one of the closest things we have to a saint walking among us. His work is humble and selfless, as the documentary lightly touches on the sacrifices Stevenson has made to do to work he has done. But Stevenson does not see himself that way, as the glimpses we get of his personal life show someone who is happy in the choices he has made.
Stevenson is a great speaker whether talking intimately to the camera or appealing to a large crowd. Maybe the nearest we get to understanding what drives him is his stories about his family and grandmother. For example, he recounts a story when as a child he had laughed at another kid who stuttered. He tells how his family corrected him, not with punishment, but by telling him to apologize to the other little boy and to hug him and tell him he loved him. The response the young Stevenson receives surprises him, but one can see the foundations of his life reflected in that moment.
Movie viewers will soon learn more about Stevenson because his memoirs, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, is being made into a film starring Michael B. Jordan. The film is set to be released in January 2020, but you should take the opportunity to catch the real thing now. HBO currently is allowing everyone to watch True Justice on its website for free.
For anyone who found Bruce Springsteen’s music as a young person, you will relate to the upcoming movie, Blinded by the Light (2019). Not only does the movie include Springsteen’s music, but the music plays a major role in the main character’s life.
Blinded by the Light follows a British-Pakistani youth, played by Viveik Kalra, finding his way in 1987 England. One day, he discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen. And it changes his life.
Blinded by the Light is based on Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir, Greetings from Bury Park. Manzoor also co-wrote the screenplay for the movie, which is directed by Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha.
If the rest of the movie makes me smile as much as the trailer, I think I’m going to love Blinded by the Light. Check out the trailer below.
Blinded by the Light hits theaters on August 14, 2019. For an early review out of Sundance, check out this one on Collider.
What do you think of the trailer for Blinded by the Light? Leave your two cents in the comments.
If you avoided the movie The Grey (2012) because you thought it was just another Liam Neeson action film, you should reconsider and give it a chance. From the previews, the movie appears to be just an angry Neeson fighting with wolves. But the film is much more than that.
Yes, in The Grey, Neeson and some other men are alone in the Alaskan wilderness being stalked by wolves. But the movie is really about life and death, and how one chooses to live (and die).
The film begins with Neeson working with oil workers in the barren cold landscape. He works hunting and shooting wolves to protect the workers, but he also is haunted by demons from his past.
After boarding an airplane with other workers, Neeson falls asleep and wakes to turbulence that results in a crash that leaves many of the men stranded. Other actors do a great job, including Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo, and Nonso Anozie. But Neeson’s character John Ottway remains the focus.
The CGI wolves do not look completely real, but that may be part of the point. The wolves represent something more than a canine. I do not want to spoil the movie, but the survival struggle raises existential themes about life and death.
Joe Carnahan produced and directed The Grey, and he co-wrote the screenplay with Ian MacKenzie Jeffers. The film is based on a short story by Jeffers called “The Ghost Walker.” The wonderful subtle soundtrack is by Marc Streitenfeld.
So, if you are looking for a dark action movie with deep themes and do not mind some ambiguity in your films, check out The Grey. The movie may not be a light popcorn yarn, but it will stay with you after you watch it.
Various theories about the movie reflect on whether all of the men are parts of Neeson’s character, that they are all in Purgatory, and that the movie encapsulates common fears of flying, heights, dying alone, and drowning. And what does the movie say about the existential struggle to give meaning to one’s life? If you have already seen the movie and want to read more analysis of the film, one might start with some of the analysis from Mother Jones, Ryan Pratt’s blog, The Cinephile Fix, this video on “A Philosophy of Heroic Suffering,” and a ScreenRant interview with the director.
What did you think of The Grey? Leave your two cents in the comments.
