Muppetpastor 3.0

As I was making a playlist for the ride to work, I discovered that I had quite a few songs from various movie soundtracks on my iPod. This wouldn’t be much to talk about, except for the fact that I’m slightly hungover as I’m writing this, and thinking hurts right now.

This week, we’ll be exploring the concept of the soundtrack. I’ve got 5 tracks from a few movies, and one TV show that hopefully aren’t what you might be expecting.

Track one this week comes from the soundtrack to the 1989 movie Batman. Directed by Tim Burton, Batman was the most successful movie of 1989, earning $251+ million dollars domestically and over $160 million abroad. The twin soundtracks, one by Prince and one by Danny Elfman were somewhat panned and hailed, respectively, and for some reason I have both. This particular song was in the movie, but for the life of me I cannot remember where.

Prince - Electric Chair

Second track this week, coincidentally, also comes from a Danny Elfman-scored movie, and directed by Tim Burton as well. The Nightmare Before Christmas takes place in a world in which all holidays are created and organized by the inhabitants of different towns. There is a Halloween town, a Christmas town, an Easter town and this writer wonders if there is an Arbor Day town. Must be like visiting parts of Oregon, I’d imagine..

The movie begins in Halloweentown, with its most prominent citizen being a bony skeleton named Jack Skellington, whose moves and wardrobe seem influenced by Fred Astaire.

One day Jack stumbles into the wrong entryway in Halloweentown, and finds himself smack dab in the middle of preparations for Christmas. Now this, he realizes, is more like it! Instead of ghosts and goblins and pumpkins, there are jolly little helpers assisting Santa in his annual duty of bringing peace on earth and goodwill to men.

Back in Halloweentown, Jack Skellington feels a gnawing desire to better himself. To move up to a more important holiday, one that people take more seriously and enjoy more than Halloween. And so he engineers a diabolical scheme in which Santa is kidnapped, and Jack himself plays the role of Jolly Old St. Nick, while his helpers manufacture presents. Some of the presents I would like so much better than my usual fare of Christmas schlock.

Sally, Jack’s admirer, feels a sense of foreboding and attempts to dissuade Jack from his plan. Jack, however, ignores her, and has Santa Claus kidnapped so that he might take his place on December 25th. On Christmas, Jack wreaks havoc all over the world, blissfully unaware of how terribly wrong his version of Christmas cheer is. Eventually his sleigh is shot out of the sky by the US military, which prompts a moment of reflection. Realizing the horror he has unleashed, in the end he manages to return to Halloween Town in time to free Santa Claus and set things right. A sub plot involves the capture and torture of Santa Claus at the hands of the mysterious Oogie Boogie. Skellington appeared again in the 1996 film James and the Giant Peach, which I did not know until the Wikipedia told me so. Indeed.

Sung by Danny Elfman, this song is the second offering this week.

Danny Elfman as Jack Skellington - Jack’s Lament

Track three, and who can mention soundtracks without some of the strangest marketing ideas ever put forth on celluloid. Having previously mentioned Prince’s one man soundtrack for Batman, whatever could possibly top that?

How about Vanilla Ice performing on the soundtrack to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze?

I shared this before on another blog, but in my quest of trying to write without thinking, I’ll post this again. You can not imagine the fun you get blasting this at stoplights.

Vanilla Ice - Ninja Rap

Track four hails from a mostly-forgotten TV series that ran for only 3 years, with the last year sucking rather harshly. Beauty and the Beast was a American television series, originally broadcast in 1987. It was centered around the relationship between Catherine (Linda Hamilton), an attorney who lived in New York City, and Vincent (Ron Perlman), a gentle, but lion-faced “beast” who belongs to a society of misfits and outcasts dwelling in the tunnels beneath the city. The beast makeup was devised by veteran Hollywood makeup artist Rick Baker.

The show often dealt with antagonists in New York’s organized crime world, while also following the relationship of Catherine and Vincent. It was both a romantic and crime drama giving it an unusual appeal.

This soundtrack is my personal “Holy Grail” for my CD collection. I have been looking for it for almost 15 years. I managed to find a copy at my local library, from which my iPod was promptly given the tracks on it with much glee. However, being the sometimes morally upright person I loathe, the library got their CD back after much deliberation.

Ron Perlman - Dancing Light/Sonnet XXIX

And finally, a bit of tripped out D&B by the collaboration of Roni Size and Soul Coughing. Just listen, while I go lay down.

Soul Coughing & Roni Size - A Plane Scraped Its Belly On A Sooty Yellow Moon

Until next week, where hopefully no hangover will be present…