ThisFilmIsOn

Movies and Music sitting in a tree, R-I-M-M-I-N-G…

As much as a film would seem incomplete without a decent soundtrack or score to manipulate, sorry, exacebate the emotional content of it, so the music world finds itself more and more snuggling up to the warm, comfortable bit of the film world.

Be it Blur dressing up as droogs from A Clockwork Orange in their video for ‘The Universal’ or The Divine Comedy referencing “the snows of Hoth” in their wonderful ‘Happy Goth’ song, the music world has always had an affinity with it’s celluloid cousin.

Here’s 10 of the best film inspired band names…well, nearly 10.

Noah and the Whale
Huge fans of Wes Anderson and all that goes with it, the name Noah and The Whale is a combination of Anderson’s long term screenwriter partner Noah Baumbach and Noah’s directorial effort, The Squid And The Whale. With their last album, The First Days Of Spring, combined with a film of the same name and a soundtrack to The Scouting Book For Boys under their belts, the love affair between Movies and Fink and co. shows no signs of abating. Sic Transit Gloria, indeed.

The Misfits
For a band that wears more skulls than an extra from Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom, a black and white film about cowboys, starring Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe, seems an odd choice to mine inspiration from. As fans of all things dark and satan-y, the pick was most probably a blackly comic one as the film in question turned out to be Marilyn’s final on-screen performance. Except maybe the undertakers home-movie…

God speed You! Black Emperor
Of course, what an obvious one! Everyone knows that Mitsuo Yanagimachi’s documentary Goddo supiido yuu! Burakku emparaa was the inspiration for the Canadian post-rock band. Now probably more famous than the film itself, GY!BE have gone on to give back to the movie world lending out some awesomely atmospheric tunes to 28 Days Later.

Moloko
Bit more obvious this one and not strictly just a movie reference, with the book pre-dating the film by, well, being written first. But there’s no doubt that Kubrick’s vision of Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange was in many ways more iconic, and anyway pop stars don’t read so the naming of Moloko (the milk the droogs drink) must have been taken from the film.

Rolo Tomassi
Again another book to film reference but having listened to a good 15 seconds of Rolo on youtube I’m guessing they never picked up a book unless to scream at it for ruining their lives. Whereas movies you can quite easily sulk in the corner and listen to, lapsing in and out of consciousness as kids are wont to do these days. During one of these brief moments of clarity whilst watching Curtis Hanson’s L.A. Confidential they’ll have heard the fictional name Rolo Tamassi mentioned and thought, “That sounds cool!, One day some hack journalist will include us in a pointless list!” My pleasure.

Save Ferris
Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Yes! Yes! Yes! Ska? Ska? Ska? No thanks, I’m busy. A genre of music far too enthusiastic for me, I will offer props (that’s right isn’t it, props?) for a lovely subtle nod to one of the greatest movies ever made. Featured enough in the film to not be a tiny in-joke it’s also not obviously ramming it down your throat. Also kudos for summing up the movie with the music. Fun, positive and great to dance too. Maybe I do like Ska…

Zuzu’s Petals
The best reference belongs to the shittest band. An outdated grunge band (even in the early 90′s before grunge was outdated) Zuzu’s Petals, a reference to the Capra classic It’s A Wonderful Life, are two words guaranteed to make me cry around Christmas time. Now I may weep that these words have been taken in vain.

DVDA
Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s band is named after something you’ll see in some movies. If you’re unsure what DVDA stands for, wait until you’re on a safe computer. Not that it’s even possible. I’m not saying I’ve tried…

Mcfly
Fuck right off!

Amadeus Mozart
Born in 1756 the Austrian named himself after a Milos Forman film. True story.

Okay, not quite ten, but hopefully I’ve taught you something today? No, well, screw you! All I was attempting to do was help. You fucking bastards! I was just trying to give you some well researched titbits of information to impress you’re friends with and this is how you treat me…*sobs into his pancake mix*…

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