Talking to people, I get the impression that no one is really all that excited about the new X-Files movie that was just released on Friday. Admittedly, since I'm an old-school X-Philer, I own every X-Files season on DVD (defnitely not looking to re-buy it on bluray).
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I am going to see the movie today (Sunday) - in the meantime, enjoy this little tribute article to The X-Files music.
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Obviously, with the success of the television show, an album "inspired by the X-Files" called Songs in the Key of X was released in early 1996. The compilation sold very well, partly due to the popularity of the show and its respectable artists on the credits, such as Nick Cave, Soul Coughing, and Danzig.
There's even a PM Dawn remix of the X-Files theme that sounds a Spaghetti Western dance mix. A very interesting mix, but I did prefer the original songs. Soul Coughing did a great job on their song "Unmarked Helicopters", about men in black.
It wasn't long before Mark Snow's original soundtrack for the television show was released, called The Truth and the Light: Music from The X-Files. The music are taken from the first three seasons (1993-1995) - including that familar X-Files Theme song. Some of the songs are nice and relaxing, but as they were designed to be background music, nothing really stood out for me. There is an occassional dialogue excerpt from the show mixed into some of the songs, but outside of that this album is meant only for hardcore X-File fans.
When the first movie, Fight the Future, hit the theaters, back in '98, the soundtrack was also released. I picked this up through our friends the BMG. The track listing seems to compile the typical artists of that time period (notably Ween, The Cure, & Better Than Ezra).
I believe all the songs were written especially for the movie, and the ones I used to listen to a lot was The Dust Brothers's version of "The X-Files Theme", Noel Gallagher (Oasis)'s "Teotihuacan", and The Cardigans' "Deuce". The last song seems more like a love song, I'm not sure where it actually appeared in Fight the Future, but it's been years since I saw that movie. It's actually one of the few X-Files DVD that I'm missing because when I bought it originally (via the internet), that company went bankrupted and never shipped my DVD.
This finally brings us to the new soundtrack, The X-Files: I Want to Believe, which was released a few days ago, July 22nd. I have only picked it up hours today, so I haven't really listened to it. Mark Snow does most of the instrumental stuff, but there are two songs of note on here: "Broken" by Unkle and what sounds like a rap song called "Dying 2 Live" by Xzibit.
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In the bonus segment of this article, here are songs that were inspired by the television show. From Britpop, comes Catatonia with their song, "Mulder and Scully". I used to really love this song, but it sort of wore thin when I realized that there were only a handful of great songs from their 1998 International Velvet. Although this won't be an in-depth article on Catatonia, I do have a most of their releases that I want to talk about (particularly Cerys Matthews' solo material). |
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As far as I know, "Extremis" was the only song that's ever released by Gillian Anderson. With an mixer outfit called HAL (a nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey?). With the techo beats and Anderson's deep, sexy voice (with loads of heavy breathing), it comes off (haha) like a porno song. I actually don't know much about HAL, or where Anderson's music career is right now, but what I do know is that back in 1997, "Extremis" ruled the various trance/ambient compilation CDs. I remember all the entertainment television show was talking about Gillian Anderson's venture in music. Too bad nothing ever came of it, because, "Extremis" is a pretty good song. |
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Bree Sharp's "David Duchovny" was a big hit for her, possibly a one-hit wonder if you ask me. She's released one additional album since her 1999 debut, A Cheap and Evil Girl. Looking over at her myspace, there seems to be an indication of a brand new 2008 album called Robots in Love. Anyway, this stalker song is really about the actor that plays Agent Fox Mulder, it's quite funny - especially at the end when she says "I'm gonna kill Scully." |
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Not to be outdone is Yellow Sloth Chicken Broth's lustful song about Gillian Anderson, the actress that plays Agent Dana Scully. The punk song complains how she never shows off her cleavage (except on the internet), and it's pretty forgettable. It's safe to say that he wants to be with her in a three way or something? You can find this song on their Party Of Four (1998) album. |
Links: weheartmusic.com
| vu wrote:
Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 9:42 PM
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I'm choosing my words carefully, as to not give you any spoilers.
First of all, you do not need to know any X-Files before venturing to see this movie, it does hold up to a stand-alone film... but it does help to have known the show as there are winks that only loyal fans would understand.
I did enjoy the film overall, but I believe if you don't care about the X-Files, this would come off as a pretty standard crime/police movie with a little bit of the unknown/supernatural.
I've seen a LOT of movies, and what works here is the "real life" coppers and evildoers. I like it when the movie is grounded in reality - and it plays off like "Silence of the Lambs", where you're given bits of clues and you sort of "piece together" the story as it unfolds.
Where the movie fail is the incredibly, unbelievable, even ridiculous premise. You will know what I'm talking about once you've seen the film.
Other failure: relationships of Fox and Dana. Who is asking for this??? Not me. The movie would've worked if we never know (it would've been better if you didn't know). The unveiling of the answer hit you like a brick in the face, WTF.
If you like crime drama/thriller, this might be a movie for you - if you've never cared for the X-Files or thrillers, skip this movie. For X-Files fan, you must see this movie. It feels good to see it on the big screen, and I'll pick up the bluray of this when it's released.
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