newcritics - Latest Comments in Bruce Springsteen: Movie Nerd

Re: Bruce Springsteen: Movie Nerd

Sean Collins-Smith — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:57:17 -0000

I have to you missed out on Jungleland. It is the ULTIMATE film/Springsteen song to me; it is so epic and heartbreaking ("In the tunnels uptown/the rat's own dream guns him down/as shots echo down them hallways in the night")

The whole song is just cinematic....brilliant...

Re: Bruce Springsteen: Movie Nerd

Dan Leo — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 03:00:40 -0000

Jason, yep, Sean Penn did make that movie: The Indian Runner, AKA Not the Feel-Good Hit of the Summer.

Followed up by The Crossing Guard, AKA Not the Feel-Good Hit of the Summer, Part II, But Featuring a Nude Scene With Kari Wuhrer.

Re: Bruce Springsteen: Movie Nerd

Jason Chervokas — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:15:40 -0000

BTW, I think Magic is Springsteen's best record since Tunnel of Love.

Re: Bruce Springsteen: Movie Nerd

Jason Chervokas — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:14:56 -0000

Didn't Sean Penn actually make a film out of Highway Patrolman?

And anybody remember when it turned out that Dylan cribbed many of the lyrics to the Empire Burlesque album from dialog in Humphrey Bogart movies?

Re: Bruce Springsteen: Movie Nerd

wwolfe — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:03:45 -0000

"Wreck On the Highway." In film noirs, there's often a final scene where perspective on the story's resolution is provided by someone other than the protagonist (who's usually dead, physically or spiritually, by then). This song, with its vivid description of the title scene accompanied by the singer's appreciation of where he is, versus where the driver of that car wound up, has always reminded me of that film noir denoument. (Dave Alvin of the Blasters has always been good at this same type of "There but for the grace of God" song.)

Re: Bruce Springsteen: Movie Nerd

Tom K. — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:56:32 -0000

*the ultimate Ã¢â‚¬Å“we gotta get out of this place if itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s the last thing we ever doÃ¢â‚¬Â anthem.*

Gee, I always thought that was "we gotta get out of this place if itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s the last thing we ever do". But then, I'm very literal sometimes.

I appreciate your insights . . . had never really thought about it, but you are of course right about the cinematic quality. After 1985, I couldn't say, but up to then.

Re: Bruce Springsteen: Movie Nerd

Tom Watson — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 17:37:58 -0000

Well girl you're gonna end up just another lonely ticket sold
Cryin' alone in the theater as the credits roll

"Be True"

Great post, so much of Bruce has a cinematic quality. Darkness, to me, especially is very movie-like - the stripped down scenes and characters.