Music isn’t everything – it’s the only thing.
Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest film, The Neon Demon, has inspired strong reactions from both audiences and critics since its premiere at Cannes in May. The film is bright, sleek, violent, horrific, and exciting. Some people think it is completely vapid, others argue that’s the point. We here at Film School Rejects love The Neon Demon, and are excited to learn that NWR is releasing a vinyl compilation soundtrack of songs that inspired the film.
The album will be called “The Wicked Die Young”, and will be released by Milan Records. Refn previously worked with Milan Records for his Nicolas Winding Refn Presents series, a project in which he re-releases film soundtracks on vinyl, to bring new attention to great film music. He has previously re-released Basil Poledouris’ score for Robocop, Disasterpeace’s spooky music from It Follows, and Cho Young-wok’s score from the brilliant South Korean film Oldboy.
It’s clear that film music is incredibly important to Refn. His films always find the perfect balance between original score and pre-existing pop music. Bronson (2008) features the new wave sounds of Pet Shop Boys and New Order, as well as Johnny Jewel’s original electronic score. Drive (2011) is full of dreamy, beautiful electronic songs by Kavinsky, College, and Desire, as well as tense original music by Cliff Martinez (who also worked with Refn on Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon). Refn has a great ear for choosing composers and songs that match the moody, violent, neo-noir aesthetics of his films.
Refn’s new soundtrack release will paint a picture of what kind of music he was listening to during the production of The Neon Demon. It is uncommon for filmmakers to release an album of songs that did not appear in the movie, but it is a really interesting idea. The Neon Demon is such an eccentric film, that any insight into its world is guaranteed to be worthwhile. The album will include songs as varied as Suicide’s “Cheree”, Dionne Warwick’s “(Theme From) Valley of the Dolls”, and Sparks’ “The №1 Song in Heaven”.
Cliff Martinez and Julian Winding (Refn’s son) will also be featured on the album, which will be released on April 14th and is now available to pre-order. Here is the full tracklist:
Side A
- Electric Youth – Good Blood
- Lynsey de Paul – Won’t Somebody Dance With Me
- Suicide – Cheree (1998 Remastered Version)
- 999 – Homicide
- Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers – Pirate Love
- Dionne Warwick – (Theme From) Valley of the Dolls
- Tommy Seebach – Bubble Sex
- Amanda Lear – Follow Me
Side B
- Giorgio Moroder – Knights in White Satin
- Sparks – The №1 Song in Heaven
- Cliff Martinez – Becoming
- Pino Donaggio – Dressed to Kill (Pulsion)(1980): The Shower (Theme From Dressed to Kill)
- Claudio Gizzi – End of a Myth
- Julian Winding – When You Want to Hurt Someone
Related Topics: Music
