How Music Created The Best Marvel Movie
General Reviews
In the morning I wake up and I hear my parent's radio in the kitchen. It's on some older station that has an affinity for playing Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham! Walking into school, I usually switch it up with some heavy metal music in my headphones. Maybe a classic like Enter Sandman by Metallica. As I get to school I get to talk with my friends about the rap music they've been listening to, maybe Lose Yourself by Eminem, I like listening to it on occasion if I'm hanging out with them. Throughout the day, I will hear the school choir singing throughout the halls. It's Christmas time, so they will often be singing Carol Of The Bells. Sometimes I get a ride home from my parents and I listen to the classic rock station they would be playing. I often hear Hotel California by the Eagles. These are the songs that would describe my life when I was in high school.
Music plays a big role in my life, as I know it plays in many people's. If you were going to take someone on a day trip in your life, what songs would they hear? The music that we listen to can be applied to everything that we do in our lives. That means certain songs can have meaning to us for reasons that no one else would understand. In Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn expertly crafts a film that the audience can relate to on a more personal level through the power of song.
This summer I wanted to re-live the fun of watching a whole universe worth of superhero movies, so I decided to go back and rewatch all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in order. I had watched majority of the movies as a kid. There was no streaming service like Disney+ to put them all in order, so I just had to piece them together. The first MCU movie I ever saw in theatres was Guardians of the Galaxy when I was 9 years old. Within the first few minutes, I knew that this film was going to stick out to me solely for the music.
Music takes Guardians of the Galaxy from being a good movie to a great movie. Although it would have been a pretty good action movie with some funny moments similar to other MCU movies at the time, the music is what brings the movie to the next level and makes it unique to the other Marvel movies. Although all protagonists in the Marvel films are quite strong, I felt way more connected to Star-Lord than any other hero we've seen before. This is because he is able to play all of his favourite songs to give us perspective on his character as a fun, sympathetic guy.
The movie starts with Peter listening to music at a young age while his mom is dying of cancer. I find music quite comforting. Everyone faces adversity through their lives and music helps me get through the rough parts.
As Peter enters a cavern as an adult now, he plugs his Walkman into his headphones and starts playing Come and Get Your Love. As the groove kicks in, he starts to dance around while he kicks around the alien rodents and shoots them with his blasters. I saw a little bit of myself in the character as I often get lost in music late at night in my room and bust out a few moves every now and then
When the Guardians things are taken away at the prison, one of the security guards starts listening to Peter's Walkman. This made him upset and when he goes to retrieve it, the guard is listening to Hooked On A Feeling by Blue Swede. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes then plays as he escapes on his ship, once again, making me grin from ear to ear in the hero's triumph.
This is the moment that shows just how important his Walkman is to him as he goes back to retrive it afer he frees himself. He is willing to risk his life, and the fate of the galaxy, just so he would be able to listen to his favourite songs. In a weird way, this is one of the most relatable scenes in the movie for me. Music plays a very big role in my life and I would be devastated if I had to go without it. I spend way too much time looking for my earbuds because I know that I will need to listen to something if I have a spare minute at all during my day.
It's not just the audience that gets a look into Peter's world, it's also the other characters in the movie. As Peter and Gamora start chatting on Yondu's ship. As they bond over their childhoods, Peter puts his headphones on Gamora so she can experience what's important to him. My favourite thing is introducing people that I love to new music. I feel like it is a bonding experience for us, especially if it's a meaningful song.
Although you may not have heard the songs that Peter's listening to before, you can probably relate to the feeling of listening to your parents play their favourite songs as a kid. I have fond memories of my parents playing The Beatles through the stereo in my living room.
I feel that we are able to connect with the characters in a deeper way than any other movie, let alone Marvel movies. When he puts the headphones on Gamora, it also brings back the feeling of hearing your favourite song for the first time, unsure at first, but knowing it sounds amazing.
As the squad is gearing up to fight Ronin and his army, they are listening to Cherry Bomb by Runaways UK. This high energy song is the perfect mixup to get the audience ready for the cinematic climax. I am also one who listens to high energy music to hype me up before important moments like tests or sports games. Cherry Bomb just sounds too good coming through a vintage stereo.
Music is an artform unlike any other, because people can connect with it however best suits them. No matter how much you relate to a film, you will never be able to be part of that movie yourself. When listening to music, the songs can become a part of your story. You listen to them day to day and they contribute to memories you will have for life. James Gunn plays into this deeper connection in the best way possible.
There are some songs that connect with me on a personal level and have had a big impact on my life that is so much more than the song itself. It's impossible to express how much these songs mean to me, as there is nothing specific I can point to to make them stand apart. Enter Sandman by Metallica reminds me of the simpler life I used to live walking to high school and Lose Yourself brings back memories of friendships that have drifted apart overtime.
Have you been thinking about the songs that tell your life story? They might give someone a better understanding of your life without saying anything at all. This is where Guardians of the Galaxy succeeds in using music as a storytelling element.
The reason why Guardians stand out on a personal level for me is that I was listening to the songs with the characters. Instead of having music in the background that takes away the immersion of the story, we listen to the songs alongside the characters which even further immerses us into the film.
This movie lets us walk a mile in Peter's shoes. Music tells Peter's life story throughout the film. The mixtape that his mother gave him before she passed really shaped who Peter is and upheld his humanity, even though he was taken away from Earth so young. The songs add to the emotional side of the story, whether its uplifting groove during space adventures, or a slow romantic song to form a connection with someone. Music is truly what made Guardians of the Galaxy a great film.
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