WEBVTT - Top 5 Needle Drops (Pt. 1) and It Ends | #1078 0:00:21.285 --> 0:00:25.515 Film Spotting is presented by Regal Unlimited, the all-you-can-watch movie 0:00:25.575 --> 0:00:28.395 subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. 0:00:28.935 --> 0:00:32.895 See any standard 2D movie, anytime, with no blackout dates 0:00:32.975 --> 0:00:35.754 or restrictions. Sign up now on the Regal app or 0:00:35.894 --> 0:00:38.735 at the link in our description and use code FILMSPOT26 0:00:38.875 --> 0:00:40.145 to receive 15% off. 0:00:45.864 --> 0:00:47.805 What kind of a show are you guys putting on 0:00:47.845 --> 0:00:48.345 here today? 0:00:48.465 --> 0:00:49.475 You're not interested in art? 0:00:49.695 --> 0:00:49.895 No. 0:00:50.114 --> 0:00:51.394 Well, look, we're going to do this thing. 0:00:51.415 --> 0:00:56.195 We're going to have a conversation. From Chicago, this is 0:00:56.235 --> 0:00:58.015 Film Spotting. I'm Adam Kempinar. 0:00:58.315 --> 0:00:59.115 And I'm Josh Larson. 0:00:59.895 --> 0:01:02.455 I've been out walking. 0:01:04.425 --> 0:01:08.805 I don't do too much talking these days. 0:01:09.565 --> 0:01:12.005 The right song and the right scene can stop time. 0:01:12.505 --> 0:01:15.745 This week, it's our top five movie needle drops with 0:01:15.845 --> 0:01:18.104 Rico Galeano from the movie podcast. 0:01:18.485 --> 0:01:22.104 Plus a little golden brick spotting with It Ends and 0:01:22.595 --> 0:01:25.975 90s movie villains. That and more ahead on Film Spotting. 0:01:33.134 --> 0:01:36.755 Welcome to Film Spotting. Josh, this top five turns out 0:01:37.274 --> 0:01:40.625 we really like music. We really like movies. So when 0:01:40.645 --> 0:01:43.765 you get three guys together who really like music and 0:01:43.804 --> 0:01:47.274 movies and music in movies, we had a lot to say. 0:01:47.895 --> 0:01:49.075 We should have seen this coming. 0:01:49.095 --> 0:01:49.715 Yeah, you're right. 0:01:49.735 --> 0:01:52.734 It was kind of like doing a film spotting podcast 0:01:52.795 --> 0:01:56.454 and a music spotting podcast episode in one. So we 0:01:56.495 --> 0:01:57.095 went on a bit. 0:01:57.335 --> 0:01:57.915 This is true. 0:01:58.295 --> 0:02:02.315 We invited Rico Galeano from the Mubi podcast. And this season, 0:02:02.555 --> 0:02:06.814 as you'll hear, he's doing a podcast for Mubi devoted 0:02:06.915 --> 0:02:11.685 to needle drops. That's the crossover. We thought we might 0:02:11.745 --> 0:02:13.685 go long. We just didn't come up with a good 0:02:13.785 --> 0:02:16.044 strategy for it. We had to come up with a 0:02:16.085 --> 0:02:19.285 strategy for how to deal with such a long show 0:02:19.585 --> 0:02:22.395 after the fact. It took so long, in fact, that 0:02:22.715 --> 0:02:25.735 I decided to put a different shirt on. So here 0:02:25.775 --> 0:02:26.095 we are. 0:02:26.675 --> 0:02:29.335 This isn't that we're recording a few days later now. 0:02:29.415 --> 0:02:32.155 You just did a break and a costume change, basically. 0:02:32.174 --> 0:02:37.885 I was sweating profusely. So we have regrouped. And what 0:02:37.915 --> 0:02:40.605 we're going to give you is part one. I don't 0:02:40.644 --> 0:02:43.785 know that we've really ever done this other than our 0:02:43.965 --> 0:02:47.345 old top 10 shows that we used to divide into. 0:02:47.805 --> 0:02:48.085 Right. 0:02:48.144 --> 0:02:50.684 You're getting part one here. And then depending on when 0:02:50.745 --> 0:02:54.234 you access these shows, you'll have part two in your 0:02:54.275 --> 0:02:57.555 feed as well. You're going to get the top five 0:02:57.655 --> 0:03:02.255 picks five through four and our definitions and criteria. And 0:03:02.294 --> 0:03:05.915 then later you'll get picks again. three through one. You'll also, 0:03:05.954 --> 0:03:08.894 in this show, get some commentary about a very good 0:03:08.954 --> 0:03:13.405 new film called It Ends and our 90s movie villains poll. 0:03:13.984 --> 0:03:16.225 Let's go ahead and kick it back to ourselves now 0:03:16.525 --> 0:03:24.084 and welcome in Rico Galeano from MUBI. We are very 0:03:24.185 --> 0:03:26.764 pleased to be joined now by the head of audio 0:03:26.965 --> 0:03:32.825 at MUBI, Rico Galeano, a returning guest here on Film Spotting. Rico, 0:03:32.845 --> 0:03:33.305 how are you? 0:03:33.945 --> 0:03:36.105 I am so glad to be back. I couldn't, like, 0:03:36.285 --> 0:03:38.685 you know, my day was going pretty good. Now it's 0:03:38.725 --> 0:03:39.585 about to get awesome. 0:03:39.925 --> 0:03:42.465 We'll see how it goes. I mean, maybe we'll let 0:03:42.485 --> 0:03:42.725 you down. 0:03:42.745 --> 0:03:45.085 I like the confidence. I like the confidence, Rico. Thank 0:03:45.105 --> 0:03:45.665 you for bringing that. 0:03:45.685 --> 0:03:47.404 How could it be wrong? We're going to talk about 0:03:47.545 --> 0:03:48.495 music and movies. 0:03:49.095 --> 0:03:53.795 What could be better indeed? And you inspired this top 0:03:53.855 --> 0:03:58.515 five because you have been putting out into the world 0:03:58.615 --> 0:04:01.875 and we've been enjoying it. Side two, needle on the 0:04:01.935 --> 0:04:06.605 record side two. This is part of the movie podcast, 0:04:06.925 --> 0:04:10.895 and you first did this in 2023. What made you 0:04:11.175 --> 0:04:13.335 want to revisit this series? 0:04:13.755 --> 0:04:15.335 Oh, I mean, if I had my druthers, this would 0:04:15.355 --> 0:04:16.595 be the series. 0:04:16.615 --> 0:04:17.235 Maybe it could be. 0:04:18.095 --> 0:04:20.075 I'm a music and movie geek. 0:04:20.095 --> 0:04:23.745 Yeah, this is our latest season is the second time 0:04:23.805 --> 0:04:27.245 that we're tackling great needle drops in movies. 0:04:27.705 --> 0:04:28.265 And I mean, mainly. 0:04:28.775 --> 0:04:31.214 what's funny is that I think since we did the 0:04:31.255 --> 0:04:33.075 first one, first of all, the first one was really successful. 0:04:33.115 --> 0:04:34.835 So that always helps the first season that we did 0:04:34.855 --> 0:04:37.605 of this is really successful. And then ever since then, 0:04:37.625 --> 0:04:40.285 I've been thinking about the movies that I wish that 0:04:40.344 --> 0:04:42.805 I had also had a chance to cover the, we 0:04:42.844 --> 0:04:45.125 had a great time the first time. And, uh, what's 0:04:45.185 --> 0:04:47.485 funny is that I actually kept track of all the 0:04:47.585 --> 0:04:48.945 ones that, you know, you would think of something and 0:04:48.964 --> 0:04:49.104 be like. 0:04:49.205 --> 0:04:49.745 Oh yeah. 0:04:49.865 --> 0:04:50.985 Oh, I would love to talk about that. 0:04:51.344 --> 0:04:53.185 None of those actually ended up being in the season 0:04:53.305 --> 0:04:56.075 for various reasons that had nothing to do with my. 0:04:56.034 --> 0:04:56.475 Love of them. 0:04:57.275 --> 0:04:59.755 Um, but that was also cool because actually we did 0:04:59.795 --> 0:05:02.195 a few that I knew the movies, but I hadn't 0:05:02.255 --> 0:05:05.154 really realized how interesting and important some of the music 0:05:05.195 --> 0:05:05.654 was in them. 0:05:05.835 --> 0:05:06.575 So that was groovy. 0:05:07.455 --> 0:05:10.815 What was the biggest discovery for you then this time 0:05:10.865 --> 0:05:11.815 putting the season together? 0:05:12.445 --> 0:05:13.805 Uh, it was probably the movie belly. 0:05:13.825 --> 0:05:18.664 Uh, for those who don't know, um, hype Williams only 0:05:18.784 --> 0:05:22.505 film hype Williams being one of the great hip hop 0:05:22.565 --> 0:05:23.465 video directors. 0:05:23.485 --> 0:05:27.135 Uh, starting in the late eighties, I believe. 0:05:28.034 --> 0:05:30.775 And really like a ground zero for a lot of 0:05:31.135 --> 0:05:33.235 amazing music. He was originally, he was based out of 0:05:33.295 --> 0:05:36.234 Queens and like actually, you know, in his neighborhood where 0:05:36.255 --> 0:05:39.585 people like LL Cool J, there were one of the 0:05:39.725 --> 0:05:47.645 very first music video shows, hip hop video programs was 0:05:48.085 --> 0:05:51.365 a local, I think cable access show that came out 0:05:51.404 --> 0:05:53.805 of Queens and And he worked for the guy who 0:05:53.885 --> 0:05:56.905 created that show, had his own production company. And he 0:05:57.025 --> 0:05:59.265 worked for them and ended up doing all of these videos. 0:05:59.295 --> 0:06:01.825 He became like one of the great rap videos directors. 0:06:01.875 --> 0:06:04.935 And then the late 90s, I think 98, he did Belly, 0:06:05.375 --> 0:06:08.535 which is this insane fever dream of a movie. It 0:06:08.635 --> 0:06:15.495 stars all these hip hop guys, Nas, DMX, T-Boz, and... 0:06:17.125 --> 0:06:20.104 But if you think about a gangster movie, because that's 0:06:20.125 --> 0:06:21.885 what it is, it's like this gangster movie. There were 0:06:21.904 --> 0:06:24.464 a lot of those coming out, Juice, Menace to Society. 0:06:24.525 --> 0:06:27.235 Those have been coming out throughout the 90s. This movie 0:06:27.445 --> 0:06:30.535 is like the art film version of that. And I 0:06:30.534 --> 0:06:34.615 had never seen it. And it is just like stupefyingly beautiful. 0:06:34.835 --> 0:06:38.435 And it's had a huge impact that was unbeknownst to 0:06:38.475 --> 0:06:41.355 me on a lot of filmmakers, especially black filmmakers, because 0:06:41.375 --> 0:06:44.515 of the way that it actually photographs black skin. which 0:06:44.975 --> 0:06:49.635 many black filmmakers have since taken, like Moonlight, Barry, I'm 0:06:49.654 --> 0:06:53.115 going to blow it. Barry Jenkins. Barry Jenkins has talked 0:06:53.154 --> 0:06:55.794 about that movie as a major sort of visual touch point. 0:06:56.214 --> 0:06:59.655 But also the opening sequence of that movie has had 0:06:59.675 --> 0:07:02.875 a big, you know, it's been parodied. It's been aped 0:07:03.775 --> 0:07:07.215 by lots of hip hop videos and lots of directors. 0:07:07.355 --> 0:07:10.175 And it's like this opening sequence that's actually not set 0:07:10.195 --> 0:07:12.655 to a hip hop song. And that was also fascinating 0:07:12.675 --> 0:07:14.895 to me. This guy was totally into hip hop. And 0:07:14.945 --> 0:07:17.085 it stars all these hip hop guys. You could start 0:07:17.125 --> 0:07:19.485 with any of their songs. Obviously they're in the movie. 0:07:19.505 --> 0:07:23.085 And instead he starts with this like late eighties dance track, 0:07:23.185 --> 0:07:26.245 which is the acapella version of soul to souls back 0:07:26.285 --> 0:07:37.245 to life. Figuring out why he chose that, how important 0:07:37.285 --> 0:07:39.945 that song actually was to, and probably still is to 0:07:40.045 --> 0:07:44.315 hip hop culture. And then the impact of that, that's song, 0:07:44.395 --> 0:07:46.575 which is actually very, has a lot of space to it. 0:07:46.595 --> 0:07:48.235 And it doesn't even have a beat that comes in 0:07:48.275 --> 0:07:53.054 until very late in the song, but it's. The music 0:07:53.115 --> 0:07:56.515 is the background to a robbery sequence and the kind 0:07:56.595 --> 0:08:00.045 of audacity of taking this very quiet tune and putting 0:08:00.105 --> 0:08:02.625 it against this robbery sequence right at the beginning of 0:08:02.645 --> 0:08:05.145 your movie. And also the way that sequence is shot, 0:08:05.745 --> 0:08:08.225 it's set in a nightclub. It's a robbery at a nightclub. 0:08:08.245 --> 0:08:10.965 There's these like black lights anyway, all of this. The 0:08:11.005 --> 0:08:16.175 movie is just amazing to me and is also just crazy. 0:08:16.235 --> 0:08:18.035 There's all this stuff going on. We talked to the 0:08:18.075 --> 0:08:19.555 guy who came up with it. He was one of 0:08:19.575 --> 0:08:22.755 the co-story writers of it, talking about the ideas behind 0:08:22.835 --> 0:08:26.065 it that are not necessarily even apparent on first viewing. 0:08:26.285 --> 0:08:27.745 There's a lot going on in that movie. It was 0:08:27.785 --> 0:08:29.015 a big revelation to me. 0:08:29.955 --> 0:08:32.985 I think we've got the right person, Adam. We already 0:08:33.015 --> 0:08:35.985 have an excellent pick here and we haven't even started 0:08:36.025 --> 0:08:36.405 our list. 0:08:36.745 --> 0:08:38.725 No, it's true. And that was a discovery for me. 0:08:38.845 --> 0:08:40.765 I didn't end up getting a chance to watch the 0:08:40.785 --> 0:08:43.965 entire film, but watching that sequence, a discovery for me 0:08:44.025 --> 0:08:45.705 because it was a discovery for you. 0:08:46.585 --> 0:08:47.545 You had not heard of it? 0:08:47.965 --> 0:08:48.125 No. 0:08:48.355 --> 0:08:50.935 I mean, I had heard of Belly, but I had 0:08:51.375 --> 0:08:53.935 never watched that scene and I didn't know it was 0:08:53.975 --> 0:08:57.405 such a touchstone for so many people. But came up 0:08:57.465 --> 0:09:00.104 again and again in doing research for this top five 0:09:00.205 --> 0:09:02.335 as well. It was on so many lists. 0:09:02.835 --> 0:09:05.315 Yeah, it is surprising, right? I mean, there's like fashion. 0:09:05.335 --> 0:09:06.655 I was told by one of the guys that I 0:09:06.695 --> 0:09:09.615 spoke to that there was a fashion module that was 0:09:09.775 --> 0:09:13.015 based on the color scheme of this opening sequence. There's like, 0:09:13.035 --> 0:09:15.665 you know, a pair of tennis shoes that was put out, 0:09:15.725 --> 0:09:16.725 you know, that kind of thing. 0:09:16.985 --> 0:09:17.225 Really? 0:09:17.825 --> 0:09:18.265 Pretty amazing. 0:09:18.325 --> 0:09:19.525 Sneakers, sorry, not tennis shoes. 0:09:19.925 --> 0:09:20.084 Yeah. 0:09:20.425 --> 0:09:23.685 So I would like for you to share with the 0:09:23.745 --> 0:09:26.875 audience here a couple more things. maybe it was that one, 0:09:26.955 --> 0:09:30.575 but do you have a favorite episode this season that 0:09:30.615 --> 0:09:34.475 you put together? And maybe you alluded to this, but 0:09:34.515 --> 0:09:37.375 maybe you could share with the audience as well how 0:09:37.455 --> 0:09:41.125 you put these episodes together, because it's not just you 0:09:41.155 --> 0:09:43.724 have one person on, a guest or two, and you 0:09:43.865 --> 0:09:47.985 talk about the music. You're really putting together a whole 0:09:48.064 --> 0:09:51.684 tapestry here. I mean, you are digging into how the 0:09:51.804 --> 0:09:56.125 music is constructed and the how and the why and 0:09:56.145 --> 0:09:56.425 the who. 0:09:57.064 --> 0:09:58.845 Thank you for giving me an opportunity to talk about 0:09:58.865 --> 0:10:02.124 this because it's a rare opportunity to be able to 0:10:02.165 --> 0:10:04.125 do a show like this in any medium, but especially 0:10:04.184 --> 0:10:08.145 in podcasting these days. It's like an audio documentary series. 0:10:08.645 --> 0:10:12.415 So we're talking to multiple people and we have original music. 0:10:12.495 --> 0:10:15.175 We use archival clips of stuff that was going on 0:10:15.215 --> 0:10:17.475 at the time, as well as from the movie itself. 0:10:17.515 --> 0:10:19.255 So we're weaving all this stuff together to tell the 0:10:19.314 --> 0:10:21.564 whole arc of the story of the making of the 0:10:21.605 --> 0:10:25.145 film and how it dovetails with the music, why the 0:10:25.184 --> 0:10:28.085 music is important, why that music was chosen. In a way, 0:10:28.184 --> 0:10:30.954 this season, it was actually, I was so excited to 0:10:30.995 --> 0:10:32.255 do it. And then as I was doing it, I 0:10:32.295 --> 0:10:34.315 was reminded of the first season. It's like, oh yeah, 0:10:34.335 --> 0:10:37.074 I'm basically telling two stories here. It's the story of 0:10:37.115 --> 0:10:39.324 the movie and the story of the music. And I 0:10:39.355 --> 0:10:41.355 have to ping pong back and forth between the two 0:10:41.375 --> 0:10:43.175 of them. And it was kind of a nightmare. 0:10:43.535 --> 0:10:45.974 Actually, to put it together. A joy and a nightmare. 0:10:46.675 --> 0:10:52.214 But the ones that I like the best, this is 0:10:52.235 --> 0:10:56.115 for kind of personal reasons. The first episode of the 0:10:56.155 --> 0:11:00.725 season was for Whisper of the Heart, the Studio Ghibli 0:11:00.895 --> 0:11:04.605 animated film, which is another movie. Actually, it was recommended 0:11:04.745 --> 0:11:07.665 by one of the guys on our team, who is 0:11:07.684 --> 0:11:10.315 a big anime guy. I had not seen this one. 0:11:10.355 --> 0:11:12.895 It's not actually directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It's one of 0:11:13.415 --> 0:11:18.275 his other sort of proteges that made it, his only film. 0:11:19.225 --> 0:11:21.585 And so I had not heard of it. It didn't 0:11:21.605 --> 0:11:24.464 get as much play. It was a huge hit in Japan, 0:11:24.505 --> 0:11:26.484 but not as huge a hit in the US. 0:11:26.925 --> 0:11:29.025 And it's just beautiful. It's not this kind. 0:11:28.905 --> 0:11:32.125 Of dreamlike movie like a lot of Hayao Miyazaki's stuff is. 0:11:32.545 --> 0:11:34.604 It's very grounded in reality. It's kind of a love 0:11:34.645 --> 0:11:37.814 story between teenagers. It's very much like I was told 0:11:37.915 --> 0:11:41.235 that the visual representation of Tokyo in this movie, if 0:11:41.255 --> 0:11:42.895 you lived in Tokyo in the 90s, you would be 0:11:42.934 --> 0:11:46.875 able to recognize advertisements, be like, oh yeah, I know 0:11:46.915 --> 0:11:48.915 exactly where that intersection is, that kind of thing, like 0:11:49.015 --> 0:11:51.865 super detailed, realistic, but very beautiful love story. 0:11:53.025 --> 0:11:54.125 And weirdly, the. 0:11:56.045 --> 0:12:00.665 Kind of musical theme through the film is... The John Denver, 0:12:00.845 --> 0:12:15.835 originally John Denver song, Take Me Home Country Roads. Weirdly, 0:12:15.855 --> 0:12:17.595 we put out this episode and then a few months later, 0:12:17.615 --> 0:12:19.575 the World Cup happened. And all of a sudden, everyone 0:12:19.595 --> 0:12:21.875 was talking about that because it became the U.S. soccer 0:12:21.915 --> 0:12:26.635 team's anthem. It's already, it's other teams' anthems in the U.K., 0:12:26.675 --> 0:12:30.645 by the way, I think, Arsenal. And, uh, by the way, 0:12:30.665 --> 0:12:32.405 it may not be Arsenal and people right now are 0:12:32.445 --> 0:12:35.025 screaming if I've got that wrong. I'm sorry, guys. I'm 0:12:35.075 --> 0:12:41.074 not a sports dude. Um, but that song personally for me, 0:12:42.095 --> 0:12:43.054 I think that song. 0:12:43.075 --> 0:12:45.094 I thought it was Manchester and it is in fact 0:12:45.135 --> 0:12:45.755 Manchester United. 0:12:45.775 --> 0:12:46.655 It's Manchester. 0:12:46.715 --> 0:12:48.594 I'm sorry. Should I go back and retake it? 0:12:48.655 --> 0:12:49.995 No, no. Leave me out there. 0:12:50.135 --> 0:12:50.825 Let's run with it. 0:12:51.554 --> 0:12:51.915 Okay. 0:12:52.175 --> 0:12:56.385 I'm dead, man. Uh, so I grew up though. 0:12:56.795 --> 0:12:59.995 In West Virginia as a really young kid. And Take 0:13:00.015 --> 0:13:02.335 Me Home Country Roads, you know, Almost Heaven, West Virginia 0:13:02.375 --> 0:13:05.495 is the first line of it. So it's totally embraced 0:13:05.535 --> 0:13:09.345 by people in West Virginia. And I think John Denver, 0:13:09.505 --> 0:13:11.425 maybe even before the Beatles, was one of the first 0:13:11.804 --> 0:13:14.445 pop musicians that I was into as a really little kid. 0:13:15.064 --> 0:13:18.844 And by doing this episode, talking about that song, I 0:13:19.325 --> 0:13:24.515 got to interview the guy who co-wrote it. And that 0:13:24.554 --> 0:13:26.115 was just, first of all, he's a great guy. It's 0:13:26.135 --> 0:13:28.415 like in his eighties and he's just totally got it together. 0:13:28.434 --> 0:13:31.675 Remembers every single detail about coming up with it. He's 0:13:31.695 --> 0:13:34.365 like one of these really great folk singer type dudes. 0:13:35.225 --> 0:13:37.925 And he just has all these stories about John Denver, 0:13:38.145 --> 0:13:40.065 but also learning about the history of that song and 0:13:40.125 --> 0:13:42.905 how many versions of it came out almost immediately. Cause 0:13:42.925 --> 0:13:45.234 this was John Denver's first hit. Nobody knew who he was. 0:13:45.755 --> 0:13:47.574 So to make it a global hit, they gave it 0:13:47.595 --> 0:13:49.554 to all these other people. There's the Toots and the 0:13:49.595 --> 0:13:53.804 Maytals version. The movie opens with Olivia Newton-John's version, which 0:13:53.825 --> 0:13:57.245 was apparently huge in Japan and probably why they used 0:13:57.285 --> 0:14:00.425 it in the first place. And then also talking to 0:14:00.445 --> 0:14:06.895 the teenage daughter of the producer for Studio Ghibli, who 0:14:07.115 --> 0:14:12.074 was the one who wrote the Japanese lyrics for Take 0:14:12.115 --> 0:14:14.814 Me Home Country Roads for the film and how they 0:14:14.915 --> 0:14:18.345 subvert the meaning of the song. which seems like this 0:14:18.385 --> 0:14:20.984 very nostalgic song about going back home and how great 0:14:21.025 --> 0:14:23.145 it will be back home. She takes the lyrics and 0:14:23.165 --> 0:14:25.285 turns it into being about, I'm not going to go 0:14:25.325 --> 0:14:27.145 back home, even though that would be nice. I'm going 0:14:27.165 --> 0:14:29.665 to persevere and move forward into the future kind of thing. 0:14:29.955 --> 0:14:33.515 And why that would be something that a teenager in 0:14:34.135 --> 0:14:37.415 the 1990s in Japan would want that song to say 0:14:37.495 --> 0:14:40.075 is also fascinating. Anyway, so it was just like learning 0:14:40.095 --> 0:14:41.695 about this tune that has been with me since I 0:14:41.735 --> 0:14:44.675 was a little kid and like seeing how much of 0:14:44.715 --> 0:14:45.915 a deal it is all over the world. 0:14:45.985 --> 0:14:48.325 Sure. Well, I still have a few episodes left in 0:14:48.345 --> 0:14:51.025 the series, but I'm enjoying it so far. I hope 0:14:51.095 --> 0:14:53.015 our listeners will seek it out. You can get the 0:14:53.055 --> 0:14:58.175 movie podcast wherever you get your podcasts. And let's jump 0:14:58.275 --> 0:15:02.155 in to our needle drops. Josh, we can come back 0:15:02.205 --> 0:15:05.085 to Rico as our needle drop expert here in a moment. 0:15:05.125 --> 0:15:07.905 But of course, our usual approach is we like to 0:15:08.125 --> 0:15:10.325 define the top five lists. I don't know if we 0:15:10.425 --> 0:15:12.765 need to define what a needle drop is, but that's 0:15:12.785 --> 0:15:15.775 how we usually do it. And we establish our criteria. 0:15:16.015 --> 0:15:18.885 And I'll start with you. But when I was thinking 0:15:18.945 --> 0:15:20.785 about this, I always kind of took for granted. I 0:15:20.845 --> 0:15:24.075 knew what a needle drop was. And then I started 0:15:24.155 --> 0:15:27.555 looking around. I'm looking at some different lists online. I 0:15:27.595 --> 0:15:32.215 found one from Fader, thefader.com. They had the 100 best 0:15:32.275 --> 0:15:35.095 needle drops in film and television history. And I'm looking 0:15:35.115 --> 0:15:37.695 at the list and I'm thinking, I'm seeing some here 0:15:37.735 --> 0:15:40.555 that didn't strike me as what I thought was maybe 0:15:40.595 --> 0:15:43.855 a needle drop. And then I read their definition and 0:15:43.875 --> 0:15:46.495 it seems so broad. And this is what they said. 0:15:47.065 --> 0:15:51.605 a piece of diegetic or non-diegetic music that enhances the mood, flavor, 0:15:52.245 --> 0:15:55.725 and or narrative of the film slash show. And I'm like, okay, 0:15:55.745 --> 0:15:57.765 so a needle drop is wrong. I mean, it's just, 0:15:57.785 --> 0:16:01.715 so it's just any, it's any prerecorded music. And, and, 0:16:01.805 --> 0:16:04.475 and that, that kind of seems to be what a 0:16:04.615 --> 0:16:07.915 lot of, a lot of sites were, were going with it, 0:16:08.175 --> 0:16:11.535 going with. And I, I almost Josh went with, or 0:16:11.555 --> 0:16:14.075 it was going to force myself to go with a 0:16:14.155 --> 0:16:16.575 needle drop being, it had to be, had to be, 0:16:17.095 --> 0:16:21.055 completely non-diegetic. That the needle drop for me was a 0:16:21.295 --> 0:16:26.425 filmmaker is the one dropping the needle, right? Like they're 0:16:26.505 --> 0:16:29.785 dropping it over the film is the way I almost 0:16:29.825 --> 0:16:32.125 thought of a needle drop. Not that that was the 0:16:32.185 --> 0:16:34.965 right definition, but that was going to be my definition. 0:16:35.475 --> 0:16:38.515 I didn't end up setting that restriction. And I actually 0:16:38.555 --> 0:16:40.955 only ended up with one, I think that was truly 0:16:41.615 --> 0:16:44.435 completely non-diegetic. So we'll see as we get through our list. 0:16:44.515 --> 0:16:45.975 How did you end up defining it? 0:16:46.785 --> 0:16:49.405 I had a very similar experience where I thought we 0:16:49.465 --> 0:16:52.385 didn't need to think much about this one. It was obvious. 0:16:52.465 --> 0:16:56.494 And then when I sat down, I realized, yeah, the non-diegetic, 0:16:56.515 --> 0:17:00.415 diegetic question came up. The opening credits sequence came up 0:17:00.475 --> 0:17:04.335 to me. Do I set those aside? And as usual, 0:17:04.375 --> 0:17:07.325 what happens is I needed boundaries to winnow down my 0:17:07.385 --> 0:17:11.905 list to justify for me setting some things aside. So 0:17:12.025 --> 0:17:15.995 I largely did avoid opening credits, I think. I also 0:17:16.035 --> 0:17:18.635 went in search of a handy definition. I found one, Adam, 0:17:18.675 --> 0:17:22.095 that's maybe not quite as specific, but I did use 0:17:22.595 --> 0:17:27.295 as a guideline for not only my choices, but organizing 0:17:27.595 --> 0:17:30.865 the order of my list and thinking about how these 0:17:30.935 --> 0:17:33.625 songs were actually working in the context of the film. 0:17:33.715 --> 0:17:38.065 So this comes from The Hollywood Reporter, a 2025 roundup 0:17:38.685 --> 0:17:41.705 of the top 40, appropriately, I think they probably chose that, 0:17:42.085 --> 0:17:44.555 top 40 of all time, they said. And this was 0:17:44.595 --> 0:17:49.835 co-written by Scott Roxborough and Patrick Breski. Here's their definition 0:17:49.875 --> 0:17:52.845 of a needle drop. The use of a preexisting track 0:17:53.305 --> 0:17:59.165 that compliments, collides with, or completes the images on screen, 0:17:59.285 --> 0:18:04.505 creating something bigger than either alone. So I loved that 0:18:05.525 --> 0:18:09.985 narrowing in on compliments, collides with, or completes because it 0:18:10.045 --> 0:18:12.325 just gave me a way in to think about the 0:18:12.505 --> 0:18:15.965 use of the song. didn't really restrict me from choosing 0:18:16.005 --> 0:18:18.595 an opening credit sequence. If I wanted to, wouldn't be 0:18:18.635 --> 0:18:20.475 surprised if the two of you might have that. 0:18:20.695 --> 0:18:20.895 Sure. 0:18:21.115 --> 0:18:24.275 Um, so yeah, it just, it, it painted a way forward. 0:18:24.295 --> 0:18:26.755 I don't think it's the end all be all definition. 0:18:27.315 --> 0:18:28.995 But it was helpful to me because this is a 0:18:29.115 --> 0:18:31.715 massive topic with so many amazing choices. 0:18:31.795 --> 0:18:32.035 Yes. 0:18:32.315 --> 0:18:33.855 I just needed something to cling on to. 0:18:33.975 --> 0:18:36.095 Well, I don't know that that actually helps you narrow 0:18:36.135 --> 0:18:38.775 anything down. That still opens you up to almost the 0:18:38.835 --> 0:18:40.615 entirety of great needle drops. 0:18:40.795 --> 0:18:43.805 It's not more specific, but it does. The way it 0:18:43.845 --> 0:18:46.945 helped me narrow down is, you know, there are great 0:18:47.105 --> 0:18:49.965 songs that are dropped into a movie that we love. 0:18:50.205 --> 0:18:50.485 Yes. 0:18:50.805 --> 0:18:52.865 To me, if it didn't really do one of those 0:18:52.925 --> 0:18:54.025 things distinctly. 0:18:54.045 --> 0:18:54.245 Mm-hmm. 0:18:54.465 --> 0:18:56.185 And compliment is a little broad, right? 0:18:56.205 --> 0:18:56.325 Yes. 0:18:56.545 --> 0:18:59.585 I mean, obviously every song chosen, it wouldn't make our 0:18:59.625 --> 0:19:01.355 list if it didn't compliment it in some way. 0:19:01.535 --> 0:19:02.115 In some way. 0:19:02.255 --> 0:19:04.415 But I understand. But I do, yeah, I do think 0:19:05.135 --> 0:19:09.345 the notion that a needle drop can work differently was 0:19:09.405 --> 0:19:09.905 helpful to me. 0:19:10.005 --> 0:19:15.135 Okay. Rico, you're our expert. How did you define it? 0:19:15.185 --> 0:19:16.845 How did you approach your top five? 0:19:18.085 --> 0:19:19.805 I don't think I get the final say on any 0:19:19.845 --> 0:19:23.305 of these things. You're both, you know, perfect gentlemen and 0:19:23.365 --> 0:19:26.865 very wise. And I think that there's legitimacy to both 0:19:26.925 --> 0:19:30.125 your approaches. If that's as wishy-washy as it sounds. 0:19:31.105 --> 0:19:33.205 This is why we love having you on the show, Rico. 0:19:33.665 --> 0:19:34.075 You know what? 0:19:34.205 --> 0:19:37.085 You guys are great. Your hair, if anyone could see it. 0:19:37.435 --> 0:19:38.315 Oh, my gosh. 0:19:39.135 --> 0:19:39.555 Keep going. 0:19:39.575 --> 0:19:39.655 Yeah. 0:19:41.815 --> 0:19:43.625 I like that. 0:19:44.255 --> 0:19:45.615 Life Itself, great movie. 0:19:45.635 --> 0:19:46.575 Yeah, poster behind you. 0:19:46.595 --> 0:19:47.915 I see that movie poster behind you, Adam. 0:19:47.975 --> 0:19:49.795 Impeccable taste in decor. 0:19:50.095 --> 0:19:51.175 Excellent choice in docs. 0:19:53.115 --> 0:19:53.575 Yeah, wait. 0:19:54.175 --> 0:19:54.935 One thing, though, Adam. 0:19:54.955 --> 0:19:56.495