A Complete Guide to Pop Music Needle Drops in Movies

There's something there which is the fact that you can go meta in Cinema quite easily. I mean, if you cast someone like Harrison Ford, you are casting to a certain degree Indiana Jones and Han Solo for that part. That's why there's some actors so typecasted to be "cops" or "gangsters", it's a very fast characterisation... A good example of using that is the recent show "The Undoing". Hey, it's Hugh Grant! He's always charming, and adorable!

Jaime Buelta

"And then there's something like Suicide Squad..."

The ending of Another Round (2020) has A LOT in common with that beloved dance ending of Beau Travail. Mads Mikkelsen finally gets to really use his dance/acrobat background in a movie. If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, you should!

I'm reasonably sure I remember that Patrick touched on this way of needle dropping at some point in the video. Don't ask me for a timestamp or anything but I'm sure it was in there.

Ralf Paul

Amazing video! The new theme by Brian and Chloe is so perfect! Surprised you didn't mention how needle drops are often associated with montage sequences, but I suppose that's a topic for a follow up some day!

Nick Vance

Yeah yeah great video, love your work Pat, but where do I get the Style Boys jumper?

Loved the most recent video, but wanted to point out something you didn't cover: movies using needle drops to intentionally refer to other movies, usually for comedic effect. I'm thinking of things like the use of "Mrs Robinson" in the American Pie films, where the whole joke depends not just on you recognising the song, but on knowing the context of its earlier cinematic usage. Also, I want you to know that my near desperation to find out where the hell you're going with the Charl storyline means that Tom Waits' "What's He Building In There?" plays in my head every time you do another Charl scene.

Laughed out loud at "Well, most people would hate it." Great video!

Thank you for this insanely great video. I never thought I would learn more about how music is used in all kinds of films. And this is not a Youtube video, it’s a Youtube feature video. Amazing, loved the opening and the song. Thank you for making this sir.

Jacob from Holland

I hate when I make a typo in a public forum. I hope this doesn’t diminish the sense of accomplishment you should feel for this great video.

Retnuh49

Bravo sir! Your essays make me so happy with their delightful mix of entertainment, educational insights to film making and in-jokes. Love all the world building from last season being continued. Can’t wait for the next one.

Retnuh49

Legit question (not trying to troll): The music in the "Say Anything" clip is obviously meant to be playing in the scene but on the audio track it doesn't sound like it's coming from the boom box within the scene. Does "diegetic" music have to be really playing in the scene (i.e. does it have to have been recorded on set?) or is it classification enough that the characters are meant to be hearing it? If not, I guess this would mean it's diegetic music played non-diegetically, right?

Ralf Paul

Gosh, why am I paying for film school when ur channel exists. Thank you for this. Great vid.

And then there's the needle drop that seems almost purposefully meant to remind you of a previous needle drop. Of course I'm speaking here of... every use of Yello's "Oh Yeah" post-Ferris-Bueller's-Day-Off. Mmm bow bow. Chick... Chikkachikkaaaaa.

Karel P Kerezman

NOT VERY HELPFUL WHEN THE VIDEO IS ALREADY OUT THANKS

Patrick (H) Willems

"Diegetic," with two e's, homie!