Fake Bands & The Commitments (1991)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Dear Movies, I Love You – Episode: Fake Bands & The Commitments (1991)

Release Date: April 8, 2025 | Hosted by Millie De Chirico and Casey O'Brien

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of Dear Movies, I Love You, hosts Millie De Chirico and Casey O'Brien delve into the fascinating world of music-centric films, with a particular focus on fake bands portrayed in cinema. Skipping over advertisements and non-content segments, the conversation seamlessly transitions from personal anecdotes to in-depth discussions about iconic movies like "The Commitments" (1991).

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Personal Band Experiences

The episode begins with Millie and Casey sharing their personal experiences related to music and bands. Millie reminisces about her high school days when she dabbled in forming a band called Sour Lombada with her neighbor, Daniel. [02:10] she explains, reflecting on the quintessential '90s trend of creatively named bands. Casey contrasts her experience by revealing his involvement in several bands and his solo project, The Popular Kids, highlighting his multi-instrumental talents. Millie expresses her surprise, saying, "Wait, what? Do you play an instrument? I didn't even know you played an instrument." [03:35] This exchange sets a relatable foundation for their ensuing discussion on music in films.

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Deep Dive into Fake Bands in Movies: "The Commitments"

The core of the episode centers around "The Commitments", a 1991 film that explores the journey of a soul band in Dublin. Casey introduces the movie, emphasizing his enthusiasm for films that depict the formation and struggles of bands. "Movies about bands forming are one of my favorite genres," Casey shares [17:38], underscoring the creative process and the unpredictability that parallels real-life artistic endeavors.

Millie, watching "The Commitments" for the first time during the episode, describes the film as "very, very charming," particularly appreciating its homage to soul legends like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke [34:26]. She highlights the standout performances and the authentic musical scenes that breathe life into the narrative. Casey elaborates on the movie's impact, noting the compelling performance of Robert Arkins as Jimmy Rabbit and the dynamic dynamics within the band, such as Joey, the only member not playing his instrument [35:17].

A notable moment in their discussion is when Millie reflects on the authenticity of the music: "I never sought it out, and I just was, like, sitting there watching it, going like, wow, I can't believe that." [09:23] This sentiment captures the organic appreciation for genuine musical portrayal in film.

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Exploring Musical Scenes in Non-Band Movies

Transitioning from fake bands, Millie and Casey explore memorable musical scenes in films not primarily about bands. Casey introduces the concept of diegetic music, where music is part of the film's world, enhancing the storytelling. He cites scenes from "Coming to America" (1994) featuring the fictional band Sexual Chocolate, and "The Skeleton Twins" (2014) with its heartfelt lip-sync performance to Jefferson Starships' "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" [53:50].

Millie adds to this by mentioning iconic scenes like the lip-sync performance in "Muriel's Wedding" (1994) and the dance scene in "Napoleon Dynamite", emphasizing how these moments elevate the emotional and narrative depth of the films [51:44].

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Favorite Movie Soundtracks and Scores

In response to a listener's voicemail, Casey and Millie delve into the significance of soundtracks and scores in enhancing movie experiences. Millie passionately shares her love for soundtracks like "The Harder They Come" (1972) and praises directors like John Hughes and Quentin Tarantino for their exceptional use of music [62:46]. Casey echoes this sentiment, highlighting how thoughtful soundtracks can become integral to a film's identity.

Millie reminisces about personal favorites, including "Dirty Dancing", "Trainspotting", and "Rushmore", while Casey adds classics like "Boogie Nights" and discusses the seamless integration of music in Sofia Coppola's works [63:22]. Their discussion underscores the pivotal role that music plays in shaping the emotional landscape of films.

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Film Advice Segment

Responding to listener inquiries, Millie and Casey offer insights into the importance of musical elements in films. They encourage listeners to appreciate how soundtracks and scores can transform a movie's narrative and emotional resonance, drawing from their own experiences and favorite cinematic moments.

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Closing Remarks and Future Episodes

As the episode winds down, Millie and Casey tease upcoming content, including a discussion on "The Virgin Suicides" (2000) with guest Eric Edelstein. They also invite listeners to engage with them on social media platforms like Instagram and Blue Sky, promoting an upcoming Instagram Live session on April 9th at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.

Millie humorously compares their podcast to a struggling indie band needing support, encouraging listeners to rate and review the show positively to help it reach a broader audience [73:17].

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Notable Quotes

• "Movies about bands forming are one of my favorite genres." – Casey O'Brien [17:38]

• "It was very, very charming. Like, first of all, I love soul music." – Millie De Chirico [34:26]

• "I never sought it out, and I just was, like, sitting there watching it, going like, wow, I can't believe that." – Millie De Chirico [09:23]

• "Soundtracks were just such a huge part of my life, period." – Millie De Chirico [62:46]

• "We're like the Commitments at the very beginning." – Millie De Chirico [73:22]

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Conclusion

This episode of Dear Movies, I Love You offers a comprehensive exploration of how music and the portrayal of bands enrich cinematic narratives. Through personal stories, detailed film analysis, and passionate discussions about soundtracks, Millie and Casey provide listeners with a deeper appreciation for the symbiotic relationship between movies and music. Whether you're a seasoned film enthusiast or new to the podcast, this episode delivers insightful commentary and delightful anecdotes that celebrate the enduring love for cinema and its musical companions.

Transcript

[Millie Decherico]

This is exactly right.

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[Millie Decherico]

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[Millie Decherico]

Hey Casey, how's it going?

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh Millie, just fine. How are you?

[Millie Decherico]

I'm fine.

[Casey O'Brien]

Okay.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, things are getting back to normal. You know I got back from Japan, I was extremely jet lagged, like was staying up all night. I feel like things are evening out now. I'm going to sleep at a normal hour so that's good.

[Casey O'Brien]

Sleep is so important. That's so great to hear Millie. We have a huge show today. We're talking about a lot of music and band related stuff. Have you ever been in a band?

[Millie Decherico]

No, I guess technically not. I remember when I was in high school my next door neighbor Daniel, who I was really good friends with, he played guitar and we used to just like fuck around in his garage. Like he would bring his guitar and he learned that very popular four non blonde song. I forgot. I think it's called what's up. Do you remember? Do you know that song what's going on? That's right. And he learned how to play that guitar and that song was really popular at the time and so I kind of like would sing along to it and Then I think it's. At some point we decided to name ourselves.

[Casey O'Brien]

I see.

[Millie Decherico]

And we had the stupidest name ever. We were called Sour Lombada.

[Casey O'Brien]

Love this.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, God, it was such. I mean, this is the 90s. Every band was named something stupid like Green Jello and Flaming Lips and everything. Even though I love the Flaming Lips. Do you know what I'm saying? But so. But I would not. We never played anywhere. We only just did that one song in his garage. And I think we might have made a fake flyer for a show. But we never played shows. No. I guess I wasn't in a band technically.

[Casey O'Brien]

Okay.

[Millie Decherico]

What about you?

[Casey O'Brien]

Good to know. I've been in several bands that have kind of flamed out and never worked out. And then I had this musical project called the Popular Kids, which was kind of a band of just me, and I put out a little ep. You can listen to it. Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

Wait, what? Do you play an instrument? I didn't even know you played an instrument.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah, I play the drums, I play the guitar, I play the bass.

[Millie Decherico]

What?

[Casey O'Brien]

I'm. I play a lot of instruments. Yeah, I took drum lessons for a long time. I was in Youth Symphony Orchestra. Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

Wow. You know, I took drum lessons too, once.

[Casey O'Brien]

Wow.

[Millie Decherico]

It was so fun. But hard.

[Casey O'Brien]

The drums are great. Very loud. A very loud instrument. I don't really play them anymore.

[Millie Decherico]

How have I not known that? You play music and then you put out a ep.

[Casey O'Brien]

I'll send you. I'll send. I've done a lot of music for my movie projects, too. I've scored a lot of stuff. So I'll send. I'll send you some stuff. It's all very low fi, very guided by voices.

[Millie Decherico]

But you're such a renaissance man. What the fuck?

[Casey O'Brien]

I am. I'm a jack of all trades, master of none. But, Millie, we have a lot of band movie stuff to talk about today. We're going to be talking about fake bands in movies and specifically the movie the commitments from 1991. We're kind of going back to Ireland.

[Millie Decherico]

I was going to say we're going back to Ireland. We're going back to. You know, maybe our little bit of our discussion we have at the Softies about music movies. So I don't know, I feel like. Because you pitched this and I feel like it was near and dear, like you've had Ireland and music on the brain or something.

[Casey O'Brien]

I have kind of. I forced you to do these things, and I'm sorry. But I hope this ends in a good, fruitful episode nonetheless. But in addition to that, this is another thing I pitched. We're also going to be talking about, like, favorite live music moments in movies. I'll explain that more when that segment comes around. But there's sort of a specific type of scene I'm talking about where there's, like, a live musical performance or just sort of a live performance of some kind in a movie, and it doesn't necessarily need to be a banned movie, if that makes sense. But, yeah, that's gonna be our upcoming episode.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, this is gonna be very exciting, and we hope you will stay tuned. You're listening to Dear Movies, I love you. Dear Movies, I love you, and I've.

[Casey O'Brien]

Got to know if you love me to yes or no.

[Millie Decherico]

Check the box below. Okay, folks, you are listening to Dear Movies, I Love youe. My name is Emily De Chirico.

[Casey O'Brien]

And I'm Casey O'Brien.

[Millie Decherico]

And this is a film podcast for people who are obsessed with movies who can't stop thinking about movies writing the name of their favorite movies with a plus sign and then their initials and then equals. And, like, three hearts.

[Casey O'Brien]

Sure. Yep. Huh.

[Millie Decherico]

Makes sense.

[Casey O'Brien]

And maybe a big heart around all of that with, like, an arrow going through it.

[Millie Decherico]

Absolutely. And if you're me, just like, a random S, you know, those like, S's that you would draw.

[Casey O'Brien]

Stussy. The Stussy F's?

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. Was it the St. Wait a minute. That was a Stussy thing. Is it called a Stussy S? I didn't know that.

[Casey O'Brien]

Am I making that up? Hold on. The cool S. The Stussy S. Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, the whole reason why I'm blown away by this information is because I learned that when I was living, I was technically in elementary school, and I was in South Carolina, and the high school that I would have gone to was called Stratford High School. And that was like the S that you would draw just to be like, hey, I go to Stratford. And so I always call it the Stratford High School S. But then I realized everyone in the country did that S. Yes.

[Casey O'Brien]

That wasn't unique to your city. I remember it being very difficult to draw that S, and I could never figure it out. And I was always impressed by the kids who could draw the Stussy S. That's what we called it. The Stussy.

[Millie Decherico]

Wow.

[Casey O'Brien]

What the history behind that is. But that's what we called it.

[Millie Decherico]

I only knew how to draw two things all throughout, probably even now. One is that S, and the other is Odie from Garfield.

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, you could draw Odie. That's fun. The big old tongue.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, it's because an older kid taught me this really quick and easy way to draw him. And then I just kept drawing them all over and over and over.

[Casey O'Brien]

So that's great. Well, Millie, we have to start every show like we normally do, which is opening up the film diary and seeing what we wrote down. You know, the sound effect I made doesn't really make sense because it sounds like a coffin opening, but I think that's okay.

[Millie Decherico]

It's a heavy book. It's a heavy.

[Casey O'Brien]

It's a heavy book. Very heavy. Very cream.

[Millie Decherico]

Made of stone. Like a tab. Like two tablets bound together with spiral.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yes, exactly.

[Millie Decherico]

So my film diary is really, really small this week, but I will say it was actually great because I cracked open this series that was again on tcm, my former place of employment. But I got started on it because I had had all this stuff saved DVR from it. So there was a series that just aired recently, and it was called Black Women Independence. And it was a night of programming that was hosted by Jacqueline Stewart, the great Jaclyn Stewart, who is a wonderful, amazing host of tcm. She's a professor. She used to be the president of the Academy Museum. And she's like one of my favorite people working in film. Honestly, she's so nice and so smart. But she co hosted this night of movies on the channel with this woman, Maya Cade. And Maya is, like, one of the most impressive young women who is, like, doing anything film related right now. So look her up. She created this thing called the Black Film Archive.

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh.

[Millie Decherico]

And I think it's just called. I think if you go online, it's blackfilmarchive.com and it's basically a way to preserve and provide context and history to black films. And she's so smart, so poised and interesting. She's young. Like I said, it's so impressive that she is the way she is, knowing that she's not, like, I don't know, 75 years old or how many. You're sort of stereotypical film scholar, like, old film scholar. Right. And she actually is like the. I think she's a scholar in residence at the Library of Congress right now. So she's, like, doing amazing things. But she. She curated this programming theme on TCM with Jacqueline about basically black female independent filmmakers. And they played all this great shit, many things that had never played on TV before, which was really great, amazing. And I saw this short film called I am Somebody from 1970. It was directed by this woman, Madeline Anderson, and she I think, you know, her big. The big portion of her career was that she did a lot with, like, public television. And she was like. She worked on, like, old sort of children's programming like Sesame street and the Electric Company, but she also made documentaries, and she made this documentary in 1970 that was about the 1969 workers strike that happened in Charleston, South Carolina, which is where I grew up. In fact, that's where I grew up, where I would have gone to Stratford High School, basically. And it was basically this strike that was held by these 400 black female hospital workers, and they wanted wage increases and other benefits. And it was just this amazing short film. I think it's probably almost like 30 minutes long. But then you see this historical footage of people like Andrew Young and Coretta Scott King and Ralph Abernathy, who are all people who are very important, if you're an Atlantan, obviously, because they're Atlanta people, but also, like, civil rights pioneers and stuff. And it was just like, this really great moment in time that was captured by Madeleine Anderson. And I don't know, it's just something that I was like. I never, like. I never sought it out, and I just was, like, sitting there watching it, going like, wow, I can't believe that. This is, like, the first time I'm watching this. This is so cool. And it happened in a town that I lived in. So.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

Anyway, that's. That's the only thing I watched this week. And I gotta say, I was. I really enjoyed it. You guys should check out.

[Casey O'Brien]

Great.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

Inspiring. Yeah, it sounds great. I watched a movie, sort of, you know, in preparation for this episode, because I knew we were going to be talking about fake band movies. And there's a movie that I've always wanted to watch and haven't watched. And so I was like, I gotta watch it this week in prep for this episode. So I watched Sing Street. Have you seen Sing Street?

[Millie Decherico]

No, but everybody I know loves that movie.

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, Millie, it was wonderful. I loved it. It's the same director as Once.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh.

[Casey O'Brien]

So. Which is interesting, because there's a lot of connections to. It's by John Carney, who was a. The bassist for the band the Frames, with Glenn Hansard, who was in the movie Once, and Gled Hansard is in the movie we're talking about today, the Commitments. So there's sort of a connection there. And also, the mother in Sing street is played by Maria Doyle Kennedy, who is one of the backup singers in the Commitments as well. So there's a lot of, like, kind of connective tissue there.

[Millie Decherico]

Wow.

[Casey O'Brien]

But it's basically. It takes place in 1985 in Dublin, and it's this schoolboy starts a band essentially to impress a girl, and the band ends up being really good. And the mu. I think the thing that makes this movie work is that the music the band writes is so. It's so good. Oh, wow. The songs are so good. And yeah, it's just a really cute, happy movie. And I mean, we'll get more into it when we talk about the main discussion today, but movies about bands forming are. It's one of my favorite genres. And so I'm just. I can't wait to dive into it today.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, I know. And now knowing how closely tied you are to making music, I mean, this makes all the sense in the world, so. Mm.

[Casey O'Brien]

But that was the only extracurricular film activity that took place this week for me.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, this is the equivalent of when you write in your diary the date and then write nothing happened, and then you just shut.

[Casey O'Brien]

It's hard to keep a diary because there's just some stuff. Some days it just ain't hidden, you know, it's not. There's not juicy stuff. And you do think about the future. You reading an entry like nothing happened and, you know, it's kind of boring.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, yeah, I got depressed when I read that. When I saw my younger self writing nothing happened, I was like, damn, what the fuck? Like, I know.

[Casey O'Brien]

And I even. I feel like when I think back to, like myself in high school and grade school, I am interested. I'm like, how did you spend a day? Why didn't you write that down like a normal day? What did that look like? I can't even really remember.

[Millie Decherico]

So I can tell you, I was probably being picked on by a bunch.

[Casey O'Brien]

Of older boys, so really? Oh, Millie.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, whatever. Look at me now. Look at me now.

[Casey O'Brien]

Now you pick on boys.

[Millie Decherico]

I got the last half mothers.

[Casey O'Brien]

All right, well, let's close up those old diagram.

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[Millie Decherico]

All right, so let's get to the meat of the episode, shall we?

[Casey O'Brien]

The filet mignon of the episode, the Tofurky.

[Millie Decherico]

If you're vegetarian or vegan, we are going to talk a little bit about the movie the commitments from 1991, but then also have a bigger discussion around, I don't know, movies about music.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah, fake band movies. I mean, I think we've discussed this, we discussed this a lot with our dear friends Rose and Jen of the Softies about movies about bands and like seeing bands form and even the process of like writing music on screen is sort of an intoxicating and exciting thing to watch. And I don't know, I love movies about forming bands and like bands coming together because I feel like it really shows the creative process sort of in action, you know, and all these movies about bands forming always show that like, oh, we don't really know how to play our instruments but we'll learn on the fly. Which I think is a lot about being an artist and a creative person who's Putting stuff out into the world. There's so much stuff you don't know that you just have to kind of figure out on the fly. And so it's fun to see that happen on screen, you know, I agree.

[Millie Decherico]

I. And it's funny because I think, you know, most recently Oscar season, you know, with a complete unknown and sort of like the. I. So I don't know if you read a lot about a complete unknown when it came out and sort of reviews and other. You know, I. Of course I read letterboxd and. Yeah, read all by.

[Casey O'Brien]

I just want to say it was a big deal in Minnesota because Timothy was doing a lot of research here for Bob Dylan.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, wow.

[Casey O'Brien]

From Minnesota. So he was, like, popping up at random high schools and taking photos with, like, the drama clubs there. And it was very exciting for the people of Minnesota.

[Millie Decherico]

And between that and Love is Blind, you guys are on the map right now.

[Casey O'Brien]

A huge season for us. Yes.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. Well, you know, I was reading, you know, a couple of my letterboxd friends who were kind of complaining about how it felt like, how. How come this is only this one really specific moment in time for him? Like, you know, why aren't we going into all these other things and why. Why don't we know about him before this moment and everything like that? And it really kind of got me thinking about, like, the time span of movies that are about music or about bands, because it's like. Yeah, you just talked about how you like the concept of there being like the early days, right. So, like, when bands don't know what they're doing and they're clunking around and nobody knows how to sing and all that shit. Is there like, any. Any movies where you feel like you could like a. You could like a smaller timeline or like, like it. When you're not really seeing the entire arc, when you're just kind of seeing like a flash moment in a career or something like that. Is there anything?

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah, I mean, I think I like the movies about the bands forming the most because it's kind of like that's when, like, you don't know if it's going to take off. And I mean, everyone's. So many people have, like, tried to be in a band and it not worked, you know, and so you can relate to that portion of the band's career. I think I much prefer that, you know, like what. Some of the movies I sort of think about when I think about band forming. Movies are the commitments, obviously. But, like, there's a movie from 2013. It's a Swedish film called We Are the Best, about this little group of girls that are, like, starting a band. And it sort of like shows them figuring it out to their just first performance, you know, and that's like, a small amount of time there. But, you know, like, with, like, musical biopics, I feel like when they do real bands, they do too much of the career. I feel like, you know, like, you think about the Tupac movie, All Eyes on Me, that was like his entire life in like an hour and a half. And it felt. It's a horrible movie and it, like, didn't work, in my opinion. And it feels way too long and sad when it. Like these musical biopics kind of COVID an entire lifetime or even years at a time. I really just want to see when they want to start and to their, like, first victory. That sets them on the course of their, you know, musical trajectory.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, I was thinking. So I was thinking, like, okay, for example, I mean, we talked about this in the first episode, A Star Is Born. Right. Or like, Spinal Tap, where, like, the band is already very famous and popular.

[Casey O'Brien]

Sure.

[Millie Decherico]

You know.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yes.

[Millie Decherico]

And so you don't see that, like, early days trajectory. You're just kind of seeing them either at the height of their career or maybe, like, on their downward decline or something like that. I just think that that's really interesting because it kind of says, you know, oh, by the way, this band is super duper popular. And now what? Like, what? Like, the characters are invariably like, I don't know, what does it all mean? What does my fame mean or what? You know, how are we processing, like, you know, my. My highs and, you know, am I, like, getting too famous and I have too many indulgences or whatever, you know?

[Casey O'Brien]

Well, like, Almost Famous is one that comes to mind. Like from 2000, the Cameron crowd movie about the band, the fake band Still Water, like, they're famous and we only are with them for, like, two weeks or whatever. And that's. I feel like just those movies function a little bit more. It's more exciting when it's happening sort of in real. You know, you're just kind of dropped in the middle of the action and medias, Rey, you know. Yeah. Or like a movie like, even like Bette Midler's the Rose.

[Millie Decherico]

Right. I was just about to mention that. Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

You know, kind of the. The. They're famous, but now they're dealing with the famous. But the. I. I do like those movies less, though, I feel like, than the forming the band movie, I guess.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. See, I think I'm the opposite.

[Casey O'Brien]

Okay.

[Millie Decherico]

I think I like the. Like, you're getting too hot, baby. Like you're, you know, you better clean up your act or you're gonna lose your career. You know, I love that kind of thing. But you know, it's charming though to watch these movies about like the very beginning days. And I think they're typically about younger people anyway. Right?

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

And so they're kind of like clunking around trying to figure it out. And there's a cuteness in that.

[Casey O'Brien]

Totally.

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[Millie Decherico]

I.

[Casey O'Brien]

Well, I do. Do you. Did you like the Austin Butler Elvis movie? Have we talked about this? I can't remember.

[Millie Decherico]

Did we talk about this on. I saw what you did now? I can't remember.

[Casey O'Brien]

I can't remember, but I'll tell you again.

[Millie Decherico]

I loved it. I'm like, one of the only people that loved it.

[Casey O'Brien]

I loved it too. Okay, maybe we've talked about this. You know, Austin does have kls, you know, kissable lip syndrome.

[Millie Decherico]

It sure does.

[Casey O'Brien]

And I was so seduced by him in that movie. And I just. I thought he really. I mean, I'm an Elvis fan, but I just was really. I was really taken on a ride with that movie. And I really loved Elvis from. What was that? When they come out? 2022.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, 2022. I mean. And so it's funny because I. I feel like I like Elvis too. Am I a humongoid Elvis fan fan, like, throughout the generations now. I kind of like his end to end. So I love the early Elvis days. Like the Sun Record Z Elvis. And then I like the Vegas, you know, hunka hunka burn in love. Fucking sure. Ridiculous Elvis. So those two things, I feel like were very well ironed out in the movie. And I've. Especially the later Elvis. When I saw him playing like, old Elvis, I was like, this is fucking insane. Like, I was really like, he is doing something completely off the rails right now. And, like, just the way he was acting and like, that's what I think I appreciated the most about the. About Baz Luhrmann's Elvis movie is that it was completely ridiculous and over the top. I think it was supposed to be because I feel like that is how.

[Casey O'Brien]

You remember Elvis, though, as a person. Ridiculous and over the top. And so I'm glad the movie went there.

[Millie Decherico]

Right? I was literally about to say that, but you stole it from me. No, I'm. I was gonna say, like, I feel like that was his life. His life was being that ridiculous, over the top, you know, mega star. And like, I think that movie, you know, for whatever certain. Certain parts of it was fantastic. And I. Again, I guess I'm a cult movie person. I love weird, bloated, crazy like that. But I also think Austin Butler was doing his own little magic in that and that later Elvis period. I was like, man, this guy's really going for it. I love it.

[Casey O'Brien]

He truly was. Yeah. Oh, man.

[Millie Decherico]

It was kind of, Dare I say it was sort of Bradley Cooper esque.

[Casey O'Brien]

It was. Oh, yeah. I mean, there is. I feel like you could make a film series with Maestro and Baz Luhrmann's Elvis. I'm trying to think of other movies that could sort of fit into that category, but those two could play in some sort of, you know, programming, I think.

[Millie Decherico]

By the way, sidebar. We haven't talked about this, but if not seen the first episode of the Righteous Gemstones. This is.

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, I've seen it. Oh, I've seen it.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, we're gonna have to download on that, so.

[Casey O'Brien]

Okay.

[Millie Decherico]

Okay. Put a pin in it.

[Casey O'Brien]

But yeah, I. Well, I think the thing I like about the. The bands forming movies is that, you know, I. I feel like I've always been looking for, like, my creative crew of people.

[Millie Decherico]

Sure.

[Casey O'Brien]

Where it's like my social life and my creative life are kind of all together in one. And you're living in sort of like a cre. Your life is just surrounded by creativity and like banding together with other people to make something. And I've always been sort of like seeking that out. I think I've sought that out by, like, making movies and even doing podcasts and stuff. And so I always love seeing that. I'm always inspired by that when I watch it in a movie, you know.

[Millie Decherico]

So I love creative collabo. I'm the same way.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, and like, to that point too, I feel like I've never been in a band for real. But I always loved the idea of being in a band versus becoming like a solo star.

[Casey O'Brien]

Totally.

[Millie Decherico]

You know?

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah. That band life.

[Millie Decherico]

Gotta have that band life. Yep.

[Casey O'Brien]

Well, should we get into this movie a little bit? The Commitments.

[Millie Decherico]

Yes. Because I gotta say, it's a first time watch for me. I didn't see it.

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, is that right?

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, that's right. And it's crazy because I'm a fan of the director Alan Parker. Sure. And we've actually talked about Alan Parker movies on I Saw what yout Did. I think we did. We definitely did Midnight Express. We talked about fame. I don't know. Do you have any, like. Do you have any affiliation or affection for Sir Alan Parker?

[Casey O'Brien]

Not really, to be honest.

[Millie Decherico]

Wow.

[Casey O'Brien]

I. I mean, I've seen some of those movies that you've just said and. But I don't really have, like a connection to him other than the Commitments. It is funny, in the movie, the main character, Jimmy Rabbit, is like selling bootleg VHS on the subway. Yes. And he's he's like, I got Mississippi Burning here. Which is one of the movies that Alan Parker directed.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh yeah, yeah. I think you would like if you haven't seen much of his stuff. We actually did birdie, 1984. Birdie on. I saw what you did. That is a great movie. And then also, I gotta say, if you've never seen Bugsy Malone, I haven't.

[Casey O'Brien]

Seen that, but I'm very aware of this movie.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh my God, it is absolutely adorable. Like it's. It's basically a 1920s gangster film that's completely acted by children. And Jodie Foster is one of them. I mean it is just like one.

[Casey O'Brien]

Of the most beau's in it as Bugsy Malone.

[Millie Decherico]

Totally. It's one of the most adorable movies you will ever see. It's so good.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yes. It came out in the 70s. I do want to see it. And I know that like they put that play on at schools too. So I think that's kind of funny. But anyways, the Commitments, we're back in Ireland again. I'm sorry we're doing so much Irish stuff. I'll cut it out. That's you, that's me, I'm Irish.

[Millie Decherico]

The Irish content has gone up 200% since we started this.

[Casey O'Brien]

I'm sorry, I didn't really even realize it until it happened and we're here, so. Well, I'll try to. I'll try to reduce that as we move forward. This movie, the commitments from 1991, takes place in northern Dublin. And it's funny, there aren't any real big stars in this movie. I would say Cole Meaney, who was in Star Trek DS9, if anybody watched that. And his last name is O'Brien in Star Trek DS9. So anyways, Cole Meaney's in it, but the basic premise is that this guy, Jimmy Rabbit, played by Robert Arkins, he's a cocky little music fan and he's trying to put a band together. And it. He is like the architect of this band. And it. He says it, it's going to be a soul band. It has to be a soul band. Because according to Jimmy, this is his quote, the Irish are the blacks of Europe. Now he puts this bag, this team together, this ragtag team of musicians, none of whom really have any knowledge of soul music or like necessarily fans. But they get into the spirit of it and they do kind of become fans of the music. And you know, there's a lot of conflicting personalities within the band trying to keep it together, trying to get live shows. And after A while. They get pretty good. And will Jimmy be able to get this band their big break? Well, we'll see, won't we? But that's essentially. I mean, it's kind of a loosey goosey kind of plot where it's just kind of like putting this band together and then trying to get gigs and then going from there, you know? Yeah. What did you think about it? This was your first time watching it. What did you. Did you enjoy the music? Did you enjoy the performances? What do you think it was.

[Millie Decherico]

It was very, very charming. Like, you know, it was like. I mean, first of all, I love soul music, so all of this stuff is very, you know, very important to me. Like, I mean, come on, you're talking about, like, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke every five minutes. I'm like, this is great.

[Casey O'Brien]

Did you ever go to Funky Soul in Los Angeles? The Soul Night at the Echoplex?

[Millie Decherico]

No, I never went to that.

[Casey O'Brien]

It was cool.

[Millie Decherico]

Was it?

[Casey O'Brien]

It was funky. Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

Cool. Yeah. No, I. You know, Georgia is the home of Otis Redding and James Brown and so many other, like, really important black soul artists. So I'm like, oh, yeah. I mean, of course. Like, here's a movie that's kind of, like, worshiping all of this music. I loved that older guy that had played with, like, all the greats. Like, that guy was so good. I can't remember his.

[Casey O'Brien]

Joey the Lips Fagin. You know, he is the only person in the entire movie that didn't play his instrument.

[Millie Decherico]

Wow.

[Casey O'Brien]

Didn't actually do his own music.

[Millie Decherico]

Wow.

[Casey O'Brien]

Because they wanted an actual, like, actor in the movie to kind of hold things together. I guess so, yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

Is it true? Let me ask you this. Is it true that there were members of the. A real band that was in the movie and they were called the Cores? Do you remember them?

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, the Coors.

[Millie Decherico]

Like, the girls. The girl. I think they're the girls, right? Wasn't there, like, a guy. I feel like three girls weren't.

[Casey O'Brien]

Didn't the Coors do. What's their big hit?

[Millie Decherico]

It's, like, called. Come On, Maybe. Wait, what is it called? What's the name?

[Casey O'Brien]

Their career took off in 1991 when they auditioned for the film the Commitments. They had small parts as musicians. Jim, Sharon and Carolyn. So, yes, the Cores were a part of this movie.

[Millie Decherico]

Hold on, let me. Okay, now we gotta listen to this thing, the chorus. They had a really popular song.

[Casey O'Brien]

Breathless Leave me breathless yeah, come on, Leave Lively Breathless well, I remember when we were. We. When that was on the radio, we made a Parody song. Feed Me Breakfast. We thought that was fun.

[Millie Decherico]

Wow, what a. What a Weird Al esque type of thing that you did.

[Casey O'Brien]

I come up with that, I don't think, but.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, well, maybe you should. Maybe if. If you're making music, start going the parody route.

[Casey O'Brien]

So it seems that they're a part of this, but I don't think they're big members of the. They're not like the central. Even like the. The backing vocalists. They're not in it.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, I just remember the cores being like. I kind of remember them around the same time as like Natalie and Brug and going like, why are all women singing so hot? Why are they hot on. On the radio?

[Casey O'Brien]

Why are they Celtic and hot? Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

But with the Commitments, it's funny because that is like one thing about both the Commitments as the band in the movie. But also like, just bands who have like, tons of members.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yes. There's a lot of members of this band. God damn porn section.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. And I'm. And I'm always like, oh, they're playing like these small pubs when they first start, like, they're cramming like, I don't know, like eight, nine people on the stage with a piano. Are you kidding me?

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah, it's like the Blues Brothers.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. Well, what, like. Okay, I want to know though.

[Casey O'Brien]

So what.

[Millie Decherico]

When did you discover this movie? When were you, you know, like, when did this come into your consciousness?

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, gosh, it had to be like, probably 10 years ago, I would say. Again, I'm just such a. I'm such a simp for movies about people putting bands together. Sure. Oh, another one that just popped into my head is called Linda Linda Linda and it's a Korean movie from 2005. It's a little hard to find online. I don't think it's streaming anywhere. But it's about just school girls who come together to put together a. They're like performing at like a talent show at their high school and like kind of the dynamics of this, like, private school. And it's fun and funny and. Have you ever seen that?

[Millie Decherico]

No. No.

[Casey O'Brien]

It looks great. Final scene of them playing the song Linda Linda. But yeah, I just love movies about bands coming together. And I think, again, the music in this, I think like any movie where there's an artist in it, you know, I don't know if you've ever had this experience where you're like watching a movie about an artist and their art sucks in the movie or like, they're like, supposed to be an amazing musician and the music sucks. And you're like, I can't. You know.

[Millie Decherico]

Yes.

[Casey O'Brien]

I can't stretch my imagination that much. Where in this movie the music is really good. And the tr. I think I saw the Try a Little Tenderness scene, which is kind of the climax of the movie, where they're performing that song. And I was just so bowled over by. Because I love, you know, obviously, the original Otis Redding version of that song. I'm. I. And I would never say this version in this movie is better than the original version, but I like what they do with this version, where they add backing vocals, which are, like, really good in this. And then also they extend the end part where it's, like, really rocking out. It's much longer than the original song. So I was, like, very taken by that scene. And, yeah, I think the music was good. And it's Irish, and it's about forming a band. I mean, it was pretty. Pretty simple why I, like, fell for this movie when I first watched it.

[Millie Decherico]

Sure. You know, I think I would be lying if I said I wasn't feeling a little tingly in my tummy when I saw Jimmy Rabbit. He had such a, like, great look, you know?

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, man. I mean, they don't make guys like that anymore. That's like, such a 90s look, you know?

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, yeah. When he's, like, running around with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth, trying to, like, sell people cassette tapes. And I was like, yeah, who is this?

[Casey O'Brien]

He had sort of a Jarvis Cocker vibe, you know?

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

To him with that slick back hair. But, yeah, no, I mean, it's great.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. And I liked it. Cause I was kind of expecting that he was gonna be, like, the lead singer or something. And then he ended up being just the manager. And then I kept thinking, could I be a manager of a band?

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, I think you could.

[Millie Decherico]

Have you ever thought about that?

[Casey O'Brien]

I. No. I've always wanted to be the lead singer of the band, but I could totally see you as a manager.

[Millie Decherico]

And I'm gonna lie. I could, too. I think I would be a really good band manager.

[Casey O'Brien]

I do, too, Millie. You would be, because you have the vision. I think you have the business sense. You, like, you know, put some meathead in a headlock and, like, at a. At a gig, if you needed, you know, I could totally see you in the trenches.

[Millie Decherico]

And I'm also like a. Like, I'm kind of a sort. You know, I don't want to call myself a benevolent dictator necessarily, because I don't really think I'm A dictator. But I'm nice. I'm fair. I would never abuse anybody or make. Put people on diets or any of that. Are you kidding me? I'd be like, a great manager.

[Casey O'Brien]

I think this. You. We should look into this. Maybe if we can get some sort of Atlanta K pop group together that we could have you manage.

[Millie Decherico]

Listen, I would be a revolution in that space. I would. I would not. I would not shock people if they didn't. If they, you know, messed up a dance move. I would not force people to do things that they didn't want to do. I'd let them have girlfriends and boyfriends. What? Are you kidding me?

[Casey O'Brien]

Are they not allowed to have girlfriends or boyfriends? The K Pops, Casey?

[Millie Decherico]

No, they. They are in love and married to their fans.

[Casey O'Brien]

I see. Have you been watching White Lotus? Blackpink's Lisa is in it and she's great.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, no, I haven't seen it yet. I've been meaning to, obviously. Huge Mike White fan, so, yeah, I will. Yeah. All those Blackpink girls. Now, I don't know a ton about them, but I do know that all of them are, like, popping right now. Yeah, they're probably super duper famous, but I. Yeah, I. I think I could be. I mean, I'm a little.

[Casey O'Brien]

This is why I think you'd be a good manager too, Millie. I feel like you would be fun on the road.

[Millie Decherico]

Hell, yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

In those dog days of the road, I feel like you'd be fun.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, yeah. I'd like. I'd be the kind of manager that would, like, just go off and have my own drink. You know what I mean? Like, I wouldn't, like, want to party with the band. I'd, like, let them have their time. And then I'd be like, I'm gonna go back to my, like, Ramada Hotel.

[Casey O'Brien]

And just drink whiskey and count the money.

[Millie Decherico]

And count the money. I'm not trying to party with y'all or, like, you know, get in on. Horn in on, you know, some of the fans, you know, Like, I'm not trying to be that manager. I want to be.

[Casey O'Brien]

That's what Jimmy Rabbit was. I feel like he was sort of separate, you know, he was trying to facilitate, trying to get things off the ground.

[Millie Decherico]

Right. Because I'm a. I'm a grown up. That's the thing about a band managers. You got to be the grown up. You can't go out there and, like, be like, you know, hanging out with people on the tour bus and being asleep.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah. Got to keep in mind I do fear that if you became a tour manager or you're just a band manager on your own tour, I do think cigarettes would make a big reintroduction.

[Millie Decherico]

And I welcome that. Quite frankly. I welcome it. I'm ready to. To the role again. I mean, I will say that I feel like working in film for as long as I have is pretty much. I feel like I have been able to navigate the world of like, weird dudes.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

So that can only be an asset for me if I were to be a manager of a band, because I know how to talk to weird dudes. I know how to like, you know, get shit done. I can like stand toe to toe with them. Not maybe not in a drinking capacity because actually I'm pretty lightweight, but like, I could have a couple drinks and not fall.

[Casey O'Brien]

Sure.

[Millie Decherico]

You know, but also, like I said, I can, I can muscle when I have to. I don't know. If you want to hire me, you should email us at Dear Movies at exactly right.

[Casey O'Brien]

Media. Yes, we'll be fielding resumes for bands, mixtapes, send those in, bandcamp links, all of that. But, you know, I think that the thing that I find kind of intoxicating about like banned movies is that it is like a lifestyle. It's kind of. These movies are about a certain lifestyle, even if it's not about a famous band. It's like you live music 247 kind of. It's like you're rehearsing, you're listening to music, you're hanging out all the time. Whereas, like other art forms, I feel like it's very like, hard to show the process of making the art. Like a movie about a painter isn't as exciting or intoxicating as like a band or even like a movie about a movie director. It's like they. They're on set and then they go home. But it's almost like music is kind of this all encompassing, you know, creative lifestyle that makes movies about bands very seductive to me.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. And so this listen, it's very primal. It's a very primal, primal lifestyle, you know, Whereas, like, you know, if you're watching a movie about an architect, perhaps you're not really.

[Casey O'Brien]

If you're watching the Brutalist, if you're.

[Millie Decherico]

Not watching the Brutalist, you're like, oh, I'm not really feeling the feeling of him being in the Ramada, having a whiskey in one of those, like, you know, plastic cups with the plastic wrap over it in that way. Like, it doesn't feel as direct as it is for like, you know, watching a movie about a rock and roll guy doing that or something. I don't know. Makes sense.

[Casey O'Brien]

Absolutely. Absolutely. What else about the Commitments? Anything else to cover?

[Millie Decherico]

No, I actually think it's like, have you heard of the concept of a sleeper? You've heard of a sleeper, right?

[Casey O'Brien]

A sleeper hit?

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. I feel like this movie is a little bit of a sleeper. I feel like when it first came out, I feel like I remember it coming out. I was, like, you know, pretty young when it came out, but I feel like as time has gone on, I feel like it's gotten more and more appreciated. Don't you think?

[Casey O'Brien]

Totally. Yeah, totally.

[Millie Decherico]

People bring it up a lot. A lot.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah. Yeah, I feel. But I don't think this was a big hit when they came out.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

And. But it is kind of a movie where not a lot, like, happens and there aren't, like, big movie stars in it. You know, it's just sort of about putting a band together and trying to keep it together. You know, that's essentially what the whole movie is about, like, infighting with the band and, like, trying to balance your regular life with being in a band. I mean, it's maybe not the most, I don't know, dramatic movie. It's not like A Star Is Born where we're dealing with, like, famous people.

[Millie Decherico]

Right.

[Casey O'Brien]

You know, it's. It's just a couple of blokes in Dublin, you know, trying to figure it out.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, that's what I think. It's, like. It's, like, focused on the music, which is really strange because it's not about the, like, huge, you know, dramatic character redemption arc thing. It's basically just like. Oh, it's a bunch of people playing all this great stuff. You know, there's a ton of songs in it.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah. And there isn't really a big arc. You're right. There isn't, like, a character arc where, like, anybody learns anything, you know?

[Millie Decherico]

I know. I kept thinking the licensing for this movie must have been a fucking nightmare.

[Casey O'Brien]

That's true. But I think it's cheaper if they're performing covers. They're not using the actual music, so I don't know, Maybe they saved a few bucks that way.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, sure, sure. Well, listen, I'm glad I got to finally watch it. It was a good excuse, so.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah. Yeah, I. I love movies like this. I. I like movies, like, people hanging out, trying to figure out, like, this is why I like the movie Slap Shot. You know, like, it's just kind of like a hangout movie. Where they're trying to accomplish something, but it's about the time in between, you.

[Millie Decherico]

Know, if only the Commitments had cussed as much as Slap Shot.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

Think about.

[Casey O'Brien]

We'll have to do Slap Shot. We'll have to do a hockey episode. Because I have a lot of thoughts about that.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. We can talk about the cutting edge.

[Casey O'Brien]

Which I guess that's technically a hockey movie.

[Millie Decherico]

It is Doug Dorsey, us.

[Casey O'Brien]

Doug Dorsey, License to Thrill. I think he is a Minnesotan in that movie. I could be wrong.

[Millie Decherico]

There's another thing. Your state did good.

[Casey O'Brien]

We've done good. All right, fabulous. Well, thanks for talking about the Commitments. Thanks for watching this movie. I love this movie. I. I get when that. That Try A Little Tenderness part at the end, I get thrilled.

[Millie Decherico]

Yes.

[Casey O'Brien]

Every time I get to watch that scene. It's so fun.

[Millie Decherico]

That's lovely.

[Casey O'Brien]

All right, moving on. All right, we are back for another segment. And because we're talking about bands and music and stuff, I was sort of thinking about musical scenes in movies that are not necessarily about bands where there is like sort of a musical performance of some kind in a film. And these are some, like. I love these scenes in movies so much. They're some of my favorite scenes in films. And I just wanted to talk to you about that a little bit, Millie. Yeah, I'll start things off so you get an idea of what I'm talking about. There's a little movie called Muriel's wedding from 1994 starring Toni Collette. Appa is a through line through this whole movie. Movie. And I love the music of Abba. And there is like a lip syncing scene where there's like a performance at a resort with Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths and they lip sync dressed as ABBA to the song Waterloo. And I watched that scene over and over and over again. I just. I love it. It's so exciting. And it's sort of emblematic of the whole movie of just being sincere and expressing yourself as your true self and not being ashamed of that. And I just love that scene. Are there any scenes like that that come to mind for you, millie?

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, absolutely, 100%. So my version of that, which is like, I don't know, my fa. One of my. Maybe my favorite, definitely one of my faves that I do watch over and over again on YouTube is the scene from the 1988 film Coming to America featuring the band Sexual Chocolate.

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, my God. Yes.

[Millie Decherico]

So I am obsessed with Mr. Randy Watson. I'm obsessed. I wish he was real. I wish he was A real person, although he's probably based on several real people. But that shit is so fucking funny to me. It's like. Honestly, one of my favorite things that Eddie Murphy has ever done in his career is that, like, what, I don't know, couple minutes scene or whatever where it's basically like, you know, because as famously, you know, coming to America, you know, you've got Eddie Murphy and Arsenio hall, and they're playing, like, several different characters in the film, right? Their main characters are basically, you know, Eddie Murphy plays a prince from Africa and his. And Arsenio hall plays his friend and sort of of his, like, you know, assistant or whatever. And they're in America. They are kind of like learning the culture. They get, you know, thrown into the mix with this, like, one community. And like, basically they go to this rally and there's a fake band on stage. They're called Sexual Chocolate. And Randy Watson is played by Eddie Murphy. And he's got, like, you know, a Jheri curl and he's wearing, like a, you know, fucking prom tuxedo from the 70s. And he's got this, like, little handkerchief in his hands and he.

[Casey O'Brien]

He's just sweating, sweating.

[Millie Decherico]

And he's like, you know, looks so lovely. Everybody looks so lovely. And he's like, you know, and they. And they launch into a cover of Whitney Houston's the Greatest Love of All. And it is iconic. Iconic.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

And it's like he's got that little whistle in his voice. He does that little whistle, and I'm like. I scream laughing every single fucking time I see it.

[Casey O'Brien]

So that's so good. I. Maybe I just like this. You know, we're talking about scenes where the music is coming from. It's within. There's things. There's. There's a term called diegetic music and non diegetic music. Diegetic music in movies is where the music is happening in the world of the movie. Like, the characters can hear the music. Non diegetic music is like in the movie the Royal Tenenbaums, when Margo Tenenbaum gets. Gets off the bus and we hear Nico's. These days, the characters don't hear that. That's in the soundtrack. That's the score. That's non diegetic music. Right, so what we're talking about now is diegetic, where it's, like, happening within the world of the movie. Another scene I watch a lot is, did you ever see this movie called the Skeleton Twins with Bill Hader and Chris?

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, I saw it fairly recently, actually. I didn't see it when it came out, even though I remember it came out in 2014.

[Casey O'Brien]

And it's kind of two estranged brother and sister who reconnect and there is a lip syncing scene to Jefferson Starships. Nothing's going to stop us now. And it's just so silly. It's just silly and it's heartwarming and it brings them closer together.

[Millie Decherico]

Why did I think that you would like that?

[Casey O'Brien]

Actually, I don't know. I'm a. I'm just a stupid simp mush. I just like that kind of stuff.

[Millie Decherico]

I didn't say that. I'm just telling you. I feel like I'm getting to know you a lot more now through the course of this podcast. I feel like that is something you would like.

[Casey O'Brien]

This is also sort of similar, but I love the scene in Napoleon Dynamite, the dance scene to Jamiroquay. I love. That's not really a musical performance, but it is a performance to music. And I. I love a movie where the climax can be like a musical scene in a non musical movie.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, you know, I hear you, I hear you. I only have a couple more. I mean, actually I have a lot more, but I'm trying to keep this short and brief because I know we don't have a ton of time. First of all, I will say that one of the. Speaking of coming to America, but also a movie that came out a couple years after that was another like formative musical performance moment, was seeing Crucial Taunt play in Wayne's World. And Crucial Taunt was the band that was created by Cassandra, who was.

[Casey O'Brien]

And her name was Cassandra.

[Millie Decherico]

It was Wayne Campbell's love interest who was played by Tia Carrera. Fucking Filipino royalty. Okay. And I remember seeing that as a kid being like, she's like the hottest Filipina I've ever seen in my life. I was like, she's wearing like all red lace with those, like gloves and she's playing the bass, which is so cool. Like female bass players, like, who are like sexy looking like that. I'm like, holy. It like, blew my mind when I saw that.

[Casey O'Brien]

I love the fake bands in that movie. Who's on right now? The Shitty Beatles. Are they any good? They suck that. It's not just a clever name.

[Millie Decherico]

I do love the Shitty Beatles. The whole lineup. I think it's Chris Farley who says that, right? Isn't it the character?

[Casey O'Brien]

No, it's Meatloaf.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, it's Meatloaf. Okay.

[Casey O'Brien]

Chris Farley is the security guard at The Alice Cooper concert. I feel like they go outside for briefly. Crucial Taunt. What a great van name. Yeah. They sing Ballroom Blitz. I feel like that was like one of the songs they played.

[Millie Decherico]

And it was a very silly, like, you know, it was like a caper towards the end where they had to like, you know that whole thing about Mr. Big or whatever his name is.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yes. I don't even remember to fly. Takes the limousine everywhere.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. But I love that. And then there's a movie that came out a couple. Well, probably like almost like a decade before that. I really loved when I. This movie called Eddie and the cruisers from 1983. And there's a fake band called Eddie and the Cruisers. Right. And it's the lead singer, Eddie is played by Michael Poiray, who. Don't even get me started on 80s Michael. I will die. I will die. Cause he was also in Streets of Fire, which is another big kind of fake band music movie. But they do basically the name with.

[Casey O'Brien]

Our King Willem Dafoe.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, yes, of course, the King Willem Dafoe. But basically the actual song was released by a band and the band was called John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. And it was on the radio, like, it played on the radio all the time. But in the movie it was being sung by, you know, obviously, Michael Perret and all these actors who were being, you know, the band Eddie and the Cruisers. And like, I love that, like, they're on stage and he's got this, like, tight little T shirt on and he's just like, rocking out. I'm like, oh, my God, this is incredible.

[Casey O'Brien]

That's great. I love that one last one I. That just came to mind was the. From the 2000 film oh Brother or Art Thou man of Constant Sorrow?

[Millie Decherico]

Yes.

[Casey O'Brien]

I feel like that's another one where it's like, oh, this is a good song on, you know, I feel like it.

[Millie Decherico]

That was on the radio.

[Casey O'Brien]

I think they played it on the radio. Yes. And I think it is hard to. Because you want to make. If you're making a movie about a popular band, the music has to be good.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

You know, and that's. That can be difficult. I feel like.

[Millie Decherico]

So, yeah, I mean, honestly, I could really go on. I have so many on my list that I'm just.

[Casey O'Brien]

It's. But it's just one of my. It's like, I love. I think I'm a fan of musicals, but I just think that movies that are able to utilize music and performance, it's what makes movies so great. Is that you can use those tools all together in that medium.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

You know, in a way that is just so exciting.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

And, yeah, it's like my favorite thing.

[Millie Decherico]

So I love it. Anyways, brought it up. This is.

[Casey O'Brien]

Thank you for indulging. Indulging me on that. Okay, moving on to our film advice segment. First of all, I just have to say a quick thing about this. We've gotten a lot of very important letters from people asking me specifically about Love is Blind. So I'm just going to address those very quickly.

[Millie Decherico]

Do it.

[Casey O'Brien]

Liz, thank you for. Liz, thank you for trying to set up my brother with your friend on a date. I am just too afraid to follow through, so I'm just going to have to say pass. But. But thank you. I really appreciate it. Holly, to answer your question, I do feel like the Men of Love is Blind represented a certain type of uncultured, suburban Minnesota man. So it's not inaccurate, you know, but I. I feel like Minneapolis and Twin Cities in general is a very cultured place with people who are very thoughtful and intellectual. And I don't think that the show totally represented that type of man that also exists here. So. But. And I also did not like when Joey Long boarded down the aisle during his wedding, especially if he didn't want to pick Monica. Anyways, that's just my quick wow, Love is Blind aside. I just wanted to address those people very quickly. I'm glad we have a voicemail from Gene. Here it goes.

[Listener Voicemail]

Hi, Millie and Casey. I just want to say thanks for the show. I really enjoy each episode. My question is to do with scores and soundtracks. For me, the score and the soundtrack in make or Break the Movie or the Experience of the Movie. I think of, like, Miles Davis doing the score and soundtrack for Elevator to the Gallows. I think of, like, Cap Power covering Nina Simone for the Disappearance Fell in a Rigby soundtrack. I think of, like, even the Grosse Pointe Blank soundtrack, which is probably one of the occasions where people actually maybe even learned about the soundtrack and then watched the movie. Just kind of wanted to get your take on the importance of the score soundtrack. And if you've. Either of you or both of you have had an experience where the soundtrack. I know. Casey, you mentioned that, you know, the soundtrack to Garden State was impactful for you, but I'm just looking to see if, you know, what you guys think about the score, the soundtrack of a movie. Thanks.

[Casey O'Brien]

Thank you. Gene, what a great question. On our Kind of Music episode, I think.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

Millie, did anything come to mind?

[Millie Decherico]

Yes, of course. So, listen, when I was growing up, I mean, obviously I was super into music. I worked in college radio. I was a DJ for many years. And, like. So soundtracks were just such a huge part of my life, period. And I have several, by the way, I think my favorite of all time. If I had to name my favorite movie soundtrack of all time, it's probably the Harder They Come, which is a movie from 1972.

[Casey O'Brien]

Huge soundtrack in our house.

[Millie Decherico]

Huge.

[Casey O'Brien]

Used to listen to that all the time. I've never seen the movie.

[Millie Decherico]

You've never seen the movie? It's absolutely.

[Casey O'Brien]

But I've listened to the soundtrack a million times.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, it's great. The movie is actually great. I mean, it's kind of like. Like, really independent and is kind of exciting at parts. And it's cool. Like, I mean, Jimmy Cliff in the Harder They Come is so fucking cool. And it'll make you, like, want to go to Jamaica and just, like, run. Run around and, you know, listen to music and all this stuff. But it's. That soundtrack was like. I've discovered it in high school. Absolutely obsessed with it to this day. I mean, I'm sorry, but the Rivers of Babylon, that song by the Melodians on that soundtrack. The Melodians are one of the greatest reggae groups to ever do it. I listen to them constantly, and it's just like the best, most chillest, like, rocksteady early reggae, whatever music. I mean, it's just so. It's so good. But that is my favorite soundtrack to this day. But, like, if I had to name more, like. Well, first of all, I think there are two, definitely two directors whose soundtracks, over the course of their career, have I've listened to and have meant a lot to me. One of them is John Hughes. The other is Quentin Tarantino. I think I'd be lying if I didn't say Tarantino. Both those directors have put the best music in their films. Like, let's just be honest. But if I think about other movie soundtracks that I love, love, love, I mean, obviously you've got stuff like Purple Rain, which I don't have to talk about, period.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah. I mean, that seems like it's almost its own. It's its own thing category.

[Millie Decherico]

It really is its own thing. But I love. I mean, if you want to go in chronological order from, like, my youth to my, you know, as I've grown. Grown through the years. I mean, I loved the Dirty Dancing soundtrack when it came out. I was obsessed with it when it came out. Definitely loved Trainspotting in High school. Dazed and Confused in high school, I was really into the single soundtrack. Then I got into Rushmore, Wes Anderson's Rushmore, when it came out. And then. Come on, there's a soundtrack. I might have talked about this on. I saw what you did. But there's a soundtrack for a movie that came out in. I think it was probably the late 90s. The movie was called Angus.

[Casey O'Brien]

I love Angus.

[Millie Decherico]

Okay.

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, my God.

[Millie Decherico]

I never saw the movie until, like, maybe a year or two ago. And on my letterboxd review, I wrote. I think it took me, like, 27 years or something to see this movie finally. And people were messaging me, being like, I also just recently saw Angus. But I'd been listening to the soundtrack for, like, two decades.

[Casey O'Brien]

And I'm like, that was on TV a lot. I think that's how I watched it. It's from 1995, and it's kind of a teen movie. It's sort of like welcome to the Dollhouse, a little like a lighter version of that about a bullied kid. And it's got James Van Der Beek in it and the Sherminator from American Pie, if you ever saw that.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I never saw, like. And I saw. And again, I saw it in the past, like, year or two ago. I'm like, okay, well, that's. Yeah, it's a good teen movie, I guess. But that soundtrack, dude. Oh, my God. Like, iconic. Iconic.

[Casey O'Brien]

Amazing. It's funny because the soundtrack. Back in the olden times, you'd see a movie and you're like, there's a lot of good music, even if you didn't, like, like, the movie, and you're like, oh, this is a good collection of music. Yeah, I'm gonna buy the soundtrack. Like, I remember. It's funny because I remember watching. This is a movie I just brought up on the show. But Orange County, Mike White's Orange county, that had, like, a good, like, SoCal, like, soundtrack to it. And, like, it had Phantom Planets, California, before it was the theme song of Orange county. The. Oh, the O.C. the show.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

So, I mean, yeah, I. That was a big one. Rushmore was a huge one for me, too. Yeah. And still is. I'll still pop that.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

Bad boy on. Yeah. I'm trying to think of, you know, it's funny, like, soundtrack and, like, the score. That's, like, a different thing.

[Millie Decherico]

Yes, the score is a different thing, for sure.

[Casey O'Brien]

Score is a very different thing. But speaking of the brutalist, that one best score. And I do feel like that Score really elevated that movie a lot. And I've been listening to that score since then to get me motivated, you know.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, scores are like. Yeah, I definitely think a score and a soundtrack are two separate things. Like, when I was in Japan, I went to see the Ryuishi Sakamoto exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo. And it was. It's amazing. Like, his scores are incredible.

[Casey O'Brien]

And there are amazing.

[Millie Decherico]

There are, like, certain, you know, musicians that only do scoring. And, you know, of course, we're thinking, like, Johnny Greenwood and, you know, Mark Mothers Ball and that kind of stuff. But, you know, like, that, to me, I feel like, is separate from, like, a soundtrack that has, like, hit, like, some hits, some, you know, bands and that kind of thing.

[Casey O'Brien]

So I do think it's a different type. Like, some directors really utilize pop music. And I'm using pop music in a larger sense. Like, you know, Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson, they're using modern music as kind of, like, the framework of their movies, you know? And so you're gonna wanna get that soundtrack. Cause they're so fun, like, fundamental to the movie. And they're so thoughtful in the songs that are going into it. You know, not every director is that way. A lot of directors aren't. Yeah, Yeah.

[Millie Decherico]

I always put Boogie Nights on my list because I. I like Paul Thomas. Anderson has great music in his films, too. Like, actually rewatched Inherent Vice, like, not too long ago. And when he uses that Cannes song, Vitamin C at the beginning of Inherent Vice, I was like, yo, this is fucking brilliant. I'm like. And I thought he couldn't top himself when he did Sister Christian for Boogie Nights. And I was like, oh, man, this Cannes song is hitting. This is great.

[Casey O'Brien]

Another director I feel like does a great job with her soundtracks is Sofia Coppola.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

I've listened to the Marie Antoinette soundtrack a ton and the Lost in Translation soundtrack a ton. She. She uses music really fabulously in her movies, too.

[Millie Decherico]

Jesus and Mary Chain is one of my favorite bands of all time. Okay. And that song that she uses in Lost in Translation, Just Like Honey is literally one of the most romantic songs I've ever heard in my life. And I'm like. When she used it in her. In her movie, there was a moment where I'm like, this is dangerous. This is a dangerous game you play, Sophia. Because if the wrong people don't get how important the song is in this moment, I'm gonna freak out.

[Casey O'Brien]

We're all dead.

[Millie Decherico]

I'm gonna freak the fuck out. That's what the power of music in movies can do.

[Casey O'Brien]

Totally right? Totally wonderful.

[Millie Decherico]

Gene.

[Casey O'Brien]

I have nothing else to add.

[Millie Decherico]

I love it. Thanks for sending that voicemail.

[Casey O'Brien]

Thank you for sending that in. Just so appropriate in our music episode to be talking about. I feel like we've really covered music from Damn.

[Millie Decherico]

We hit it.

[Casey O'Brien]

Soup to nuts.

[Millie Decherico]

We hit it hard. We hit it hard.

[Casey O'Brien]

Oh, my gosh. Well, if anybody wants to ask, seek our advice, our film advice, please write in to DearMoviesactlyRightMedia.com you can write an email. Keep that short, too. Keep all correspondence short, and you're more likely to get it read on the show. But you can also send in a voicemail, keep that under 60 seconds, and record in a quiet place so that we can play that on the show, too. And you can send those into DearMoviesExactlyRightMedia.com.

[Millie Decherico]

That'S right. And then we're on social media. We're at Dear Movies. I love you on Instagram and Facebook. Guess what? I reactivated my Blue sky account, so there might be.

[Casey O'Brien]

I gotta get on there. I gotta start. Blue Sky.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah, I think we might have a Blue sky count soon. So, like, you know, more details to follow on that, but definitely unlearn.

[Casey O'Brien]

I gotta get on there. Make sure Millie's not talking shit about me.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, I started an anti Casey O'Brien.

[Casey O'Brien]

Account, so see, I gotta monitor this stuff. I know you gotta be on top of these things.

[Millie Decherico]

I make memes of you constantly. And we also wanted to remind you, if you haven't figured this out already, we are gonna do an Instagram Live tomorrow. That's right. Tomorrow, April.

[Casey O'Brien]

April 9th.

[Millie Decherico]

9Th. That's right. 8:00pm Eastern time. So please join us. You'll see us pop up as a little bubble at the top of your Instagram homepage. Be like, they're going live. And then you can click it and you can look at us and maybe we'll wear a costume. Maybe we'll have a beer. I don't know. It's gonna be fun.

[Casey O'Brien]

Maybe. And, you know, this would make your life so much easier if you just followed us on social media. Dear Movies, I love you on Instagram. And then this. You know, this would be just so much easier to know about the Instagram Live.

[Millie Decherico]

That's right.

[Casey O'Brien]

I recommend doing that.

[Millie Decherico]

That's right. But also, we're on letterboxd, of course. Our handles are at Casey, Leo, Brian and @MDecherico.

[Casey O'Brien]

That's right. And please listen to Dear Movies, I love you on the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And also rate and review our show positively. Please, please, if you would so mind. Because those reviews help help to push our show out in front of other people's eyeballs. And when people are like, oh, is this show good? I should check it out. Oh, people really like this show. Yeah, I should listen to it.

[Millie Decherico]

We would appreciate it.

[Casey O'Brien]

So, yeah, rate and review, if you wouldn't mind, please.

[Millie Decherico]

That's right. Just think of us as like a struggling indie band that needs your support much.

[Casey O'Brien]

We're much like a struggling indie band.

[Millie Decherico]

We're like the Commitments at the very beginning.

[Casey O'Brien]

Exactly.

[Millie Decherico]

Okay, so, Casey, I'm thinking we gotta tell the folks what we're doing next episode. What do you think?

[Casey O'Brien]

I think that's a great idea. We're gonna start doing that. And it's odd that this is what we're talking about. This is not planned. But we were just talking about her. The movie we're talking about next week is the virgin suicides from 2000. And we're gonna talk about all those damn Coppola kids.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah. And in fact, I feel like that's a. That's. That's gonna be another, like it's an anniversary or something of the Virgin Suicides.

[Casey O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah. Came out 25 years ago, which makes me sick to my stomach.

[Millie Decherico]

Oh, God.

[Casey O'Brien]

That came out 25 years ago.

[Millie Decherico]

I feel like cutting.

[Casey O'Brien]

I want to vomit guts out. I know. We also have a very great guest. Eric Edelstein is on that episode.

[Millie Decherico]

He is the greatest.

[Casey O'Brien]

The greatest man. I. It's a great chat with him.

[Millie Decherico]

Yeah.

[Casey O'Brien]

And, yeah. So watch the Virgin Suicides. Watch all the Coppola movies. Get anything that has Coppola on it. Drink some Coppola wine. Yeah. It's gonna be great.

[Millie Decherico]

Well, on that note, Casey can't wait for next week. Thank you for the fun chat this week.

[Casey O'Brien]

Thank you, Millie.

[Millie Decherico]

And we will see all of you next time.

[Casey O'Brien]

Bye.

[Millie Decherico]

Goodbye. This has been an exactly right production, hosted by me, Millie Decherico, and produced by my co host, Casey O'Brien.

[Casey O'Brien]

This episode was mixed by Tom Bryfogel. Our associate producer is Christina Chamberlain. Our guest booker is Patrick Cotner, and our artwork is by Vanessa Lilac.

[Millie Decherico]

Our incredible theme music is by the best band in the entire world, the Softies.

[Casey O'Brien]

Thank you to our executive producers, Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark, Daniel Kramer and Millie Decherico.

[Millie Decherico]

We.

[Casey O'Brien]

We love you.

[Millie Decherico]

Goodbye.

[Casey O'Brien]

Be kind.

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