Novels with original music, and other artistic pairings

One of the novels with original musicI am fascinated by creative works that link two or more types of art. Most often the pairing involves fiction and actual music, but other combinations occur as well, including non-fiction, art, and film. I am not referring to books turned into movies, or vice-versa, but rather distinct artistic works created explicitly to complement one another. Sometimes the works are free-standing (perhaps even created at different times), but sometimes they are packaged together. Not many examples exist, but the past decade has seen a growing interest in such efforts. I was an early innovator who pioneered such pairings with my book and album Song of Fire. Let’s take a look at all the examples I have been able to find. Continue reading →

The problem with Netflix’s Archive 81

Dan restores videotapes in Archive 81
Archive 81 is a mess.

I really wanted to like the series. I delight in a horror story in which music plays a role. It has a wonderful and diverse cast. But there are so many problems with the story, both large and small. The plot follows Dan, who restores archival footage and is hired to repair videotapes from a mysterious fire that destroyed the Visser apartment building in 1994. We watch him watching the parallel story of Melody, who moved into the Visser with her camcorder as part of a documentary project and disappeared in the fire, leaving behind the damaged tapes. Melody discovers that her strange neighbors are part of a cult involving human sacrifice. As her situation grows perilous, strange incidents begin plaguing Dan as well. Let’s take a look at how this narrative fails so miserably. Continue reading →

Musical gags in “What’s Up, Doc?”

Movie poster: musical gags in What's Up Doc?Musical gags abound in the 1972 screwball comedy What’s Up, Doc? directed by Peter Bogdanovich and written by Buck Henry, David Newman, and Robert Benton. The American Film Institute lists the movie in the top 100 greatest American comedies. In classic farce fashion, the story involves mistaken identities, mix-ups, and fast-paced action. Over opening credits, Barbra Streisand sings Cole Porter’s “You’re the Top.” The song’s clever turns of phrase and double entendre (“If, baby, I’m the bottom, you’re the top”) perfectly set up the film’s theme. Continue reading →