Customer Reviews

Bottle Rocket

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sure, sure, we all have our favourite bands; I have mine too. But I think on some level, because of my interests, and what I want to do with my life, the "Bottle Rocket" and "Rushmore" soundtracks by Mark Mothersbaugh conjure the warmest feelings and, in turn, have become the most delightful thing I listen to. (It does help I was that I loved "Devo" as a teenager in the eighties - let's face it; the best time to listen to music and grow up). All true andmirers of those films already own these discs, I'm sure, but please know you can find those missing songs!: "Prendeme La Vela" (the beautiful number playing on Inez's radio when Anthony glimpses her for the first time) can be found on "Afro-Peruvian Classics - The Soul of Black Peru". Search for "Seven and Seven Is..." (robbing Anthony's home) and "Alone Again Or" (my personal favourite as Anthony runs to make love to Inez), both by the sixties rock band Love, on Elektra/Rhino's compilation "Love Story". Enjoy my fellow Lawn Wranglers! Enjoy!

True, much of the great music from the film is missing from the soundtrack, but the albums that those missing songs come from (The Stones' 2000 Man from Their Statnic Majesty's Request and the two Love songs), are excellent and worth buying in and of themselves. The songs that did end up on the soundtrack are fantastic, especially Over and Done With and Pachango Differente. Mothersbaugh's score is breathtakingly beautiful. It walks hand in hand in perfect harmony with the excellent film, especially Futureman's Theme and Voluntary Hospital Escape (my personal favourites). These songs stand up well on their own, which is more than can be said with most film scores. A little hard to find these days, but a real treasure worth every cent.

If we had the missing tracks...I'd give mssrs. Wilson & Anderson a five. Easy. The song from the "house robbery," one of the best scenes in the movie, is "Seven and Seven Is" by Arthur Lee & LOVE (from their album "Da Capo"); the Ramones did cover the song on "Acid Eaters," but it's not the version used in BR.

I'm in the mood for hyperbole so keep that in mind before reading this. This first collaboration between two amazing artists (who, for the unitiated, have gone on to work together on Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and most recently The Life Aquatic) this is also one of the first Mothersbaugh soundtracks of "any" kind. In some ways it is the most complete of Mark's scores to appear on CD, but I think that is due to the other 3 films reliance on "songs". It's definitely my favorite of his scores if not my favorite of Wes' films (that would be Rushmore).

Hopefully they continue to collaborate as I think they will be as synonymous as Hitchcock and Bernard Hermann or Steven Spielberg and John Williams (or for that matter George Lucas and John Williams). It's impossible to think of any of those classic films (as well as Wes Anderson's ) without the music accompaniment of their collaborator. This is no more true with Bottle Rocket (the film would be much less without the music and this is admitted by Anderson himself in a small blurb on the insert). As great as the "songs" in Anderson's film are (and scene appropriate at that), I don't purchase his soundtracks for the "songs", I buy them for the Mark Mothersbaugh tracks.

Now about the "songs" on Bottle Rocket. There are only 4 (two by Rene Touzet - the Spanish songs you'll remember from the film), "Zorro Is Back" by Oliver Onions(!) and The Proclaimers "Over and Done With". All four fit with the mood of the film but like all mixed soundtracks (songs mixed in with the score) I wish the songs came last or first so they would not break up the mood of the instrumentals. My favorite of the four is definitely "Zorro Is Back".

One of my few complaints about the disc is that so many of the tracks seem to cut short. I understand that they are movie cues, but for many I wish they had been extended (this was probably financially unfeasible for the label). And that brings me to a common complaint about soundtracks. In most cases "missing tracks" - especially songs by popular artists -- are missing because of money. The aritist in question (say The Rolling Stones featured in Royal Tenenbaums) want way too much dough for their song to appear on the disc. Soundtracks typically do not sell well (there is perhaps one or two exceptions per year out of the hundreds that are released), and putting some obscure Rolling Stone song on the soundtrack is not going to boost sales enough to justify the expense of obtaining the rights. I think the common belief is that somebody is doing something scandalous when they leave off track(s), but it's all about money, folks.

The most indispensible tracks (for me) are Rocky, Snowflake Music/Mr. Henry's Chop Shop, and track 17 which has a word in the title I'm not sure Amazon allows in their reviews. All of the music is worthwhile ranging from keyboards to Spanish guitars. If you've never seen the film (shame on you!) go rent or buy it now. But if you have and are unsure about the soundtrack purchase, don't hesitate (especially if you're familiar with the other three films).

Having been alive (and music aware) when Mothersbaugh was the creative force behind Devo, it is ironic to me that it took Wes Anderson and his great films to help me discover Mark and then by association return to Devo. My ignorance of Devo's genius was then revealed to me! For the other recent converts, I highly recommend the 2-disc Life Aquatic and the 20 minute featurette on Mark and his collaboration with Wes Anderson.

I loved the movie and was incredibly anxious to listen to the CD. However, I was a bit disappointed that 2000 Man (Rolling Stones) and more of the songs that defined scenes like the the robbery of Anthony's house and Anthony running to be with Inez weren't on it. I am happy with it and listen to it often. I'd highly reccommend it to others, but don't expect all the songs from the film.

Definately different, sometimes you wonder if it borders lines into that Mommas jazz style. But its such an odd selections. The movies great, also check out the Rushmore soundtrack, it really rocks.

This is really a score of all the original music on the album. Most of the good music by various artists is not on the soundtrack. I was very disappointed. I would not have bought this if I had listened first.

Although it was disappointed that a few songs from the movie are missing, this is a brilliant CD. Mark Mothersbaugh's original music is beautiful and a joy to listen to.. I think I have listened to the CD hundreds of times.

The music is not mere soundtrack for the movie. It belies every emotion and tracks every tension that pulsates through this quirky, weird wonderful movie. I never thought I would want to hear the Proclaimers again after the overplaying of "I would walk 1000 miles" or whatever, but it is an explosive song when Anthony thinks he lost Inez for ever.

I like the composer's Mexican, latino, or SW usa flavor of music throughout the film. It really underscores the protaganists' sense of vertigo, failure, and personal accomplishment that completes the film. I am going to buy the Rushmore Soundtrack one day...

I was disappointed that not all the albums songs were on the soundtrack, but the main ones are there. If you liked the movie, you'll like the cd, but I sure could've enjoyed the Rolling Stones and others that were ommited. Not to take anything away from the others...