Looking for the song ‘Stuck in the middle with you’ (written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Eagan; performed by their group ‘Stealers Wheel’) on YouTube (2016) , displays the immense popularity of this song; more than 40 years after it was published on the 1972 Stealers Wheel debut album. The number of clicks is considerably impressive: the most popular video on the website counts more than 44 million views since July 2010.
The original music video shows the band with Joe Eagan alternately performing in a big, empty building and him being at a banquet table, surrounded by odd guises, unsuccessfully trying to get some food from the table. Comparing the top comments to the video shown, some incoherence becomes visible. For instance, user ‘nosferotica’ writes: ‘Last time I listened to this song I cut someone’s ear off.’ (YouTube, 2016). Another user asks if anyone could listen to the song, ‘without thinking of torture anymore’ (YouTube, 2016).
Without knowing the linkage of the song to one of the most iconic scenes in later film history, these comments make no sense at all. Moreover, we must agree with Quentin Tarantino, who said ‘that certain pop songs have been used so successfully in certain movies that in a sense the movie blots out all other associations and ‘owns’ the song . In the case of ‘Stuck in the middle with you’ and the ‘infamous’ torture scene in Tarantino’s debut film Reservoir Dogs (1992), this statement does fully apply, as the song originally is about an annoying record biz dinner that Eagan and Rafferty had to attend . Tarantino’s debut became cult over the years, considered to have notably inspired further independent cinema.
The quintessence of Tarantino’s idea of film making is already identifiable in his rough debut: cool characters and violence combined with deadpan humour plus a fantastic soundtrack.
Table of Contents
1. The film
2. The song
3. The scene
4. Diegetic ‘vs’ Non-Diegetic?
5. Anempathetic music
6. The scene related to the movie
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the iconic integration of the song "Stuck in the Middle with You" within the infamous torture sequence of Quentin Tarantino’s debut film, Reservoir Dogs, analyzing how the contrast between the jolly music and graphic violence creates a lasting cinematic impact.
- The relationship between visual narrative and soundtrack in independent cinema.
- Analysis of diegetic versus non-diegetic musical functions in film.
- The psychological impact of anempathetic music in portraying scenes of violence.
- Tarantino’s stylistic approach to using popular music as a narrative tool.
Excerpt from the book
The appeal and the iconic character of the scene are doubtlessly caused by the ironic counterpoint of the jolly song, Blondes hilarious dance and nearly childish joy, contrasting the absurd violence that actually happens to an innocent, helpless man. Tarantino plays with his audience. He wants to make his audience laugh about things that they usually never would laugh about. In fact, we are constantly torn between being terrified and amused by the happenings. Watching the scene several times, the effect of horror evaporates and one can appreciate the numerous comic aspects (e.g. Blonde talking to the cut-off ear in his hands): Blonde acts like a big cat which caught a little mouse. The cat plays with it before scoffing it. The music in this scene causes a feeling of indifference towards the scene. The song makes us feel good, but at the same time we feel bad for feeling good, as Blonde acts so heavily cruel. This feeling of ambivalence is exactly Tarantino’s intention of the scene. The song helps to keep the balance of the scene, making it more complex, than standard suspenseful underscoring would do. With its coolness, the song delivers the rhythm of the scene. If you think away the music, the focus is solely on the violence; the scene becomes too one-dimensional, less challenging, and less appealing.
Summary of Chapters
The film: Provides a synopsis of the plot of Reservoir Dogs, focusing on the nonlinear narrative and the characters involved in the diamond heist.
The song: Analyzes the musical structure, instrumentation, and quality of Stealers Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle with You."
The scene: Offers a detailed, timestamped breakdown of the torture sequence in the warehouse.
Diegetic ‘vs’ Non-Diegetic?: Discusses the transition between diegetic and non-diegetic sound sources within the context of the film's radio-based soundtrack.
Anempathetic music: Defines the concept of anempathetic music and explores how the indifference of the song amplifies the horror and complexity of the scene.
The scene related to the movie: Concludes with an assessment of how the music functions as a constant element that underscores the film's overarching aesthetic of coolness.
Keywords
Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino, Stealers Wheel, Stuck in the Middle with You, film music, diegetic sound, non-diegetic sound, anempathetic music, torture scene, cinematic irony, soundtrack analysis, independent cinema, narrative, film theory, iconic scenes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the synergy between pop music and cinematic violence, specifically analyzing the torture scene in Quentin Tarantino's film Reservoir Dogs.
What are the primary thematic areas?
The themes include film theory regarding soundtrack application, the analysis of diegetic and non-diegetic sound, and the psychological effects of anempathetic music on the audience.
What is the main objective of the research?
The goal is to demonstrate how the specific choice of a "jolly" pop song creates an ironic counterpoint that makes a violent scene iconic and psychologically complex.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses film analysis, structural musicology, and applied film theory, citing experts like Michel Chion and Claudia Gorbman to interpret the sequence.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The text covers the plot of the film, a technical musical analysis of the song, a chronological breakdown of the scene, and theoretical debates on sound usage in cinema.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Tarantino, Reservoir Dogs, anempathetic music, diegetic sound, and cinematic irony.
How does the author define the function of the radio in the film?
The radio is considered the sole source of diegetic music throughout the movie, serving as a constant element that ties the fragmented narrative together.
Why does the author consider the scene "anempathetic"?
The scene is labeled anempathetic because the music remains upbeat and indifferent, showing no "care" for the victim's suffering, which ironically heightens the viewer's emotional response.
How does the author describe the transition between diegetic and non-diegetic music?
The author notes that the film uses a smooth, flowing transition where the music starts as diegetic (radio) and feels non-diegetic due to its volume and quality, effectively blurring the lines.
- Citar trabajo
- Engin Devekiran (Autor), 2016, The song ‘Stuck in the Middle With You’ (Stealers Wheel) in Tarantino’s ‘Reservoir Dogs’. How the right song in the right scene makes a film iconic, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/319526
