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.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- The film
- The song
- The scene
- Diegetic ‘vs’ Non-Diegetic?
- Anempathetic music
- The scene related to the movie
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This article analyzes the use of music in film, specifically focusing on the iconic scene in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs where "Stuck in the Middle with You" plays during a torture sequence. It examines the song's qualities, the scene's context, and the film's overall use of music, exploring the relationship between diegetic and non-diegetic sound.
- The impact of music on film scenes and narrative
- The effectiveness of using a seemingly incongruous song to create a disturbing atmosphere
- The deliberate use of anempathetic music to amplify emotional impact
- Tarantino's unique approach to film music, departing from traditional Hollywood methods
- The role of music in reinforcing the film's stylistic coolness and character development
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- The film: This section provides a summary of the plot of Reservoir Dogs, highlighting key events and characters. It focuses on the setup of the heist, the massacre at the jewelry store, and the subsequent events leading to the climax.
- The song: This section delves into the musical qualities of "Stuck in the Middle with You," discussing its structure, instrumentation, and overall mood. It explains how the song's catchy and upbeat nature contrasts sharply with the violent scene it accompanies.
- The scene: This section meticulously describes the torture scene in detail, highlighting the timing of events, the characters' actions, and the changing dynamics between the song and the on-screen violence. It explores how the juxtaposition of music and violence creates a unique and unsettling effect.
- Diegetic ‘vs’ Non-Diegetic?: This section examines the scene's use of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound, explaining how the music seamlessly transitions from a source within the film's world to an external source. It highlights how the use of diegetic music enhances the scene's credibility and realism.
- Anempathetic music: This section explores the concept of anempathetic music and how it applies to the torture scene. It analyzes the song's indifference to the victim's suffering and how this indifference actually amplifies the horror of the scene. The section also discusses the paradoxical enjoyment the audience might experience despite the disturbing content.
- The scene related to the movie: This section connects the torture scene to the film's overall use of music, emphasizing the importance of the soundtrack and the deliberate selection of 1970s pop and rock songs. It further explains how the music contributes to the film's distinct style, reinforces character development, and departs from traditional Hollywood musical techniques.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This article explores key concepts related to film music, including diegetic and non-diegetic sound, anempathetic music, and the interplay of music and violence. It analyzes the impact of music in establishing atmosphere, highlighting the ironic use of a seemingly cheerful song to enhance the horror of a torture scene in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs.
- Quote paper
- Engin Devekiran (Author), 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, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/319526
