Tom Waits Film Cameo Compilation pt.3 [F24c]

Our third cameo compilation episode concludes Song by Song's journey through the film work of Tom Waits, with Leigh, Martin and Sam touching on the last decade of his screen appearances. This week considers Twixt (2011), The Laughing Heart (2003/2012), The Simpsons (2013), Citizen (2016), The Moon's Milk (2018), The Ultra City Smiths (2021), Licorice Pizza (2021) and a few others. Please pick up any spilled popcorn as you leave folks…

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Tom Waits - The Acting Years, Leigh Singer supercut (2019)

Twixt Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Francis Ford Coppola, 2011)

The Laughing Heart, from Bukowski: Born Into This, via YouTube (dir. John Dullaghan, 2003)

Bukowski: Born Into This (full documentary), via YouTube (dir. John Dullaghan, 2003)

The Laughing Heart (animated short), via YouTube (dir. Bradley Bell, 2011)

A Brief History Of John Baldessari, via YouTube (dir. Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman, 2012)

Website of Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, director of Citizen (2016) - clip of Waits in the pilot here.
The Moon's Milk, via YouTube (dir. Ri Crawford, 2018)

The Distance Of The Moon, Italo Calvino short story (1965/1968)
La Luna, Pixar short animation, via YouTube (dir. Enrico Casarosa, 2011)

Ultra City Smiths Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Steve Conrad and David H Brooks, 2021)

Licorice Pizza Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2021)

Excerpts from Licorice Pizza featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2021)


(Meet Me In) Paradise Alley, Paradise Alley OST, Tom Waits (1978)

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Tom Waits Film Cameo Compilation pt.2 [F24b]

Moving on through the shorter film appearances of Tom Waits, Leigh, Sam and Martin find some of the sparkling (and less-than-sparkling) gems from his movie roles of the 90s and into the 2000s, discussing Queen’s Logic (1991), The Fisher King (1991), Until The End Of The World (1991), Domino (2005), The Tiger and The Snow (2005), The Book of Eli (2010), and The Monster of Nix (2011).

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Tom Waits - The Acting Years, Leigh Singer supercut (2019)

Queen's Logic Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Steve Rash, 1991)

Excerpt from Queen's Logic featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Steve Rash, 1991)

Excerpt from Queen's Logic featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Steve Rash, 1991)

The Big Chill: Baby Boom or Bust, Leigh Singer video essay (2019)

The Fisher King Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Terry Gilliam, 1991)

Excerpt from The Fisher King featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Terry Gilliam, 1991)

Excerpt from The Fisher King featuring Michael Jeter, via YouTube (dir. Terry Gilliam, 1991)

Until The End Of The World Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Wim Wenders, 1991)

Guy Maddin: Waiting For Twilight (full documentary), via YouTube (dir. Noam Gonick, 1997)

Bukowski: Born Into This (full documentary), via YouTube (dir. John Dullaghan, 2003)

Domino Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Tony Scott, 2005)

Excerpt from Domino featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Tony Scott, 2005)

The Tiger and The Snow Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Roberto Benigni, 2005)

Excerpt from The Tiger and The Snow featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Roberto Benigni, 2005)

The Book Of Eli Trailer, via YouTube (dir. The Hughes Brothers, 2010)

Excerpt from The Book Of Eli featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. The Hughes Brothers, 2010)

The Monster Of Nix Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Rosto, 2011)

The Monster Of Nix (full short film), via YouTube (dir. Rosto, 2011)

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Tom Waits Film Cameo Compilation pt.1 [F24a]

Song by Song embarks on a roundup of Waits’s many film cameo appearances, with Sam and Martin ably abetted by film critic Leigh Singer. With discussions of his smallest early film appearances (and several of his film absences), we take this first episode to discuss Paradise Alley (1978), Wolfen (1981), The Stone Boy (1984), Candy Mountain (1987), Greasy Lake (1988) and The Two Jakes (1990). 

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Tom Waits - The Acting Years, Leigh Singer supercut (2019)

Paradise Alley Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Sylvester Stallone, 1978)

Excerpt from Paradise Alley featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Sylvester Stallone, 1978)

Wolfen Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Michael Wadleigh, 1981)

Excerpt from Wolfen (German language dubbed version) featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Michael Wadleigh, 1981)

The Stone Boy Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Christopher Cain, 1984)

Streetwise, via YouTube (dir. Martin Bell, 1984)

Candy Mountain Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Robert Frank / Rudy Wurlitzer, 1987)

Excerpt from Candy Mountain featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Robert Frank / Rudy Wurlitzer, 1987)

Greasy Lake (full short film), via YouTube (dir. Damian Harris, 1988)

"Greasy Lake" short story by T. Coraghessan Boyle (1985)
The Two Jakes Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Jack Nicholson, 1990)

Excerpt from The Two Jakes featuring Tom Waits, via YouTube (dir. Jack Nicholson, 1990)

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The Ballad of Buster Spruggs (film, dir. Coen Bros, 2018) [F22]

It’s story time again, with Waits giving an almost-solo turn in the “All Gold Canyon” segment of The Coen Brothers’ anthology film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Rico Galliano of the MUBI Podcast joins Sam and Martin to consider all six of the film’s stories, its fatal themes, and Waits’s talent for shouting at owls.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Coen Brothers, 2018)

Original short story "All Gold Canyon" by Jack London, via slate.com.
Mother Macree, traditional, John McCormack (1927)

Original short story "The Girl Who Got Rattled" by Stewart Edward White, via slate.com.
The Unfortunate Lad, traditional, Brendan Gleeson (2018)

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The Dead Don't Die (film, dir. Jarmusch, 2019) [F23]

Returning to wrap up our film mini-season, Leigh Singer helps Sam and Martin break down this zombie/comsumerism/meta mash-up. With some slight disappointment in this compared to other Jarmusch (and other zombie) films, we question the purpose of his story and his enthusiasm for the genre. And Tom Waits gets to be a weird hobo in the woods too.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
The Dead Don't Die Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Jim Jarmusch, 2019)

We're in Now Now, clip from Spaceballs via Youtube (dir. Mel Brooks, 1987)

Tom Waits - The Acting Years, video essay via Vimeo, Leigh Singer (2019)

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (film, dir. Gilliam, 2009) [F19]

Podcaster and theatre producer Bridie Donaghy joins Sam and Martin to consider some confusing plot and dense visuals from Heath Ledger and friends. CGI cobras, late-noughties-heart-throb recasting and the quasi-autobiographical themes of Gilliam's fairytale are all discussed, as well as Tom Waits in ear-hair prosthetics.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Terry Gilliam, 2009)

Coffee and Cigarettes (film, dir. Jarmusch, 1993/2003) [F17]

Song by Song is delighted to welcome film journalist Leigh Singer, as we dive into another Jim Jarmusch anthology film. We consider the relationship of Waits to Iggy Pop, his position as a film actor in 1993, as well as taking a look at the successes and failures of the other chapters (and the film as a whole).

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Coffee & Cigarettes Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Jim Jarmusch, 2003)

Coffee & Cigarettes - Somewhere In California, via YouTube (dir. Jim Jarmusch, 1993/2003)

I Don't Wanna Grow Up (music video, dir. Jim Jarmusch), Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1993)

The Garage Tapes, clips of Tom Waits shot by Jim Jarmusch, via YouTube (1992)

Coffee & Cigarettes - Strange To Meet You (featuring Saw Sage from The Gatmo Sessions), via YouTube (dir. Jim Jarmusch, 1986/2003)

Saw Sage, Moanin' Parade, Gatmo/Waits et al (2000)

Taylor Mead's Ass, via Vimeo (dir. Andy Warhol, 1964)

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Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale (film, dir. Guedes & Guedes, 1989) [F10]

Returning for another film mini-season, we reconvene for a sizeable Tom Waits role in a film of… debatable quality? Mostly forgotten by modern audiences, Sam and Martin find a few interesting elements to pick at, but mostly struggle to recommend this curio from the middle of Waits's acting career.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Extract from Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale - Punch and Judy scene, via YouTube (dir. Ann & Eduardo Guedes, 1989)

Swazzle technique, Robert Peston learns how to do the voice of Mr Punch, BBC via YouTube (2013)

Mystery Men (film, dir. Usher, 1999) [F16]

It's the silly-fun one folks! For perhaps the biggest blockbuster movie in the Waits filmography, Sam & Martin welcome Desiree Burch to get nostalgic(ish) for the 90s in this gigantic neon superhero comedy mashup. With a few frustrations and no small amount of delight, we talk about juggling the ensemble cast, how it relates to the cast and superhero films... but basically, you should give this one a look, it's a lot of fun.

Extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Mystery Men Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Kinka Usher, 1999)

Deleted scene from Mystery Men - At The Nursing Home (aka Tom Waits Flirting), via YouTube (dir. Kinka Usher, 1999)

At Play In The Fields Of The Lord (film, dir. Babenco, 1991) [F11]

For this challenging film, Martin and Sam call on the Kiefer Sutherland of Song by Song, Philippa Spanos, to tackle this 3hr epic and possibly save her daughter and the president along the way. We grapple with both the shortcomings and the charm of this behemoth, and end up finding lots to like... although possibly not much from Waits himself.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
At Play In The Fields Of The Lord Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Hector Babenco, 1991)

Cold Feet (film, dir. Dornhelm, 1989) [F08]

Matthew Crosby returns for another film episode, this time with at least 80% more emeralds-hidden-in-a-horse. We discuss some of the big performance choices and tonal frustrations in this mostly-forgotten 80s comedy, and assess Waits's work as an actor in perhaps his biggest film role.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Cold Feet Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Robert Dornhelm, 1989)

Tom Waits in Cold Feet segment from Big Picture with Chris Connelly, via Youtube (1989)

Ironweed (film, dir. Babenco, 1987) [F05]

We're joined by Helen O'Hara (host of the Empire Film Podcast and author of 'Women vs Hollywood') to discuss the down-and-out misadventures of Streep, Nicholson, Waits & co in this 1987 box-office flop.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Ironweed Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Hector Babenco, 1987)

A selection of Waits scenes from Ironweed, via YouTube

Captain Samuel Vibes' Boots Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness, via YouTube, from Men At Arms (w. Terry Pratchett, 1993)

War of the Worlds radio play (dir. Orson Welles), 1938

War of the Worlds, Radiolab podcast (2018)

… and check out Helen's new book Women vs Hollywood - The Fall & Rise of Women in Film at Amazon or Amazon UK, or perhaps at your local brick-and-mortar bookseller.
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Bram Stoker's Dracula (film, dir. Coppola, 1992) [F12]

For the last episode of our 2020 film mini-season, we welcome back Helen Zaltzman and Jenny Owen Youngs (of The Allusionist, Buffering The Vampire Slayer, and Veronica Mars Investigates) for a somewhat contentious discussion of this vampire-staple retelling. With some strong feelings and heavy levels of confusion, as well as a solo outing by Sam as guy-who-can-find-a-positive-in-almost-anything, Song by Song… well, we kind of get this one out of the way. Sorry to all the big fans, we did our best to find a balanced response, it just wasn't loved OK WHAT'S NEXT?

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Dracula Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Francis Ford Coppola 1992)

The Costumes Are The Sets - the design of Eiko Ishioka (via YouTube)

In Camera - the naive visual effects of Bram Stoker's Dracula (via YouTube)

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Seven Psychopaths (film, dir. McDonagh, 2012) [F18]

For our second Stripped Media crossover, Martin & Sam are joined by Helen Sadler & Kobi Omenaka for the Song-by-Song-by-Flixwatcher podcast, and take a look at the (at time of recording) available-on-Netflix-film Seven Psychopaths. With as many tangents in our conversation as there are in the film itself, lots of positive thoughts about a film all four hosts feel is fundamentally flawed, and with a very respectable Flixwatcher-patented-scoring-system-score, we end up with a varied but engaged response to the movie. Check out flixwatcher.tv for more Netflix-based movie reviews.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Seven Psychopaths Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Martin McDonagh, 2012)

Colin Farrell impersonates Tom Waits in CBS Seven Psychopaths interview, via YouTube

Tom Waits Seven Psychopaths interview with Screen Team Media, via YouTube

Misty Eyes, MightyPeople, via Soundcloud & courtesy of Flixwatcher (2014)
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Wristcutters: A Love Story (film, dir. Dukic, 2006) [F16]

The first of our Stripped Media film crossovers finds Sam Clements & Louise Owen of the 90 Minute Or Less Film Festival joining regular SbS hosts Sam & Martin for the only Tom Waits film short enough for us to both discuss. With some mixed feelings about the effectiveness of the film, albeit with general enthusiasm for specific elements, we debate some of the details of this debut film by Dukić and try to trace the reasons for some of its shortcomings.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Wristcutters Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Goran Dukić, 2006)

Tom Waits - The Acting Years, Leigh Singer supercut (2019)

Log into the Spotify web player to hear these tracks.

Short Cuts (film, dir. Altman, 1993) [F13]

Casual enthusiasts Martin & Sam are joined by a genuine expert, NYT film journalist Amy Nicholson, to take a look at Waits's contribution to a massive 3-hour epic over overlapping narratives, Robert Altman's Short Cuts. We debate depictions of misogyny and family disfunction, the loyalty of the performers to Altman and many other questions that surround this interlocking set of stories.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Short Cuts Trailer, via YouTube (dir. Robert Altman, 1993)

Compilation of Tomlin/Waits scenes from Shortcuts - Parts 1, 2 & 3, via YouTube



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The Cotton Club (film, dir. Coppola, 1984) [F03]

Martin & Sam welcome back friends of the show Simon Renshaw and Sam Clements to have a little chat about Coppola's jazz-odyssey The Cotton Club. There's some real difficulties for all four hosts with this one, although there are some standout scenes which seem to generate a little more enthusiasm; from the dancing of Gregory Hines, the crosscutting of dance-numbers and train stations, and the horse-drawing of Bob Hoskins.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
The Cotton Club trailer, via YouTube (dir. Coppola, 1984)

Ill Wind, from The Cotton Club, Lonette McKee (1984)

"This is the Hoofers Club", from The Cotton Club via YouTube (1984)

Gregory Hines talks about The Huggies from Muppets Take Manhattan, via YouTube (1984)

Nicolas Cage breaks down his most iconic characters | GQ, via YouTube (2018)

Rumble Fish (film, dir. Coppola, 1983) [F02]

Kevin Smokler rejoins Martin & Sam for another dip into a teen-drama Hinton/Coppola/Dillon collaboration, as Song by Song takes a look at 1983's Rumble Fish. There's some discussion about the acting styles of the Dillon/Rourke/Hopper family, the symbolism of elements like colour and sound (as well as the relationship between Rusty James and his brother), as well as the theatrical/dream-like quality of the film in general.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Rumble Fish trailer, via YouTube (dir. Coppola, 1983)

Don't Box Me In, Rumble Fish OST, Stan Ridgway/Stewart Copeland (1983)

… and check out Kevin's book Brat Pack America: A Love Letter to '80s Teen Movies at Amazon or Amazon UK, or perhaps at your local brick-and-mortar bookseller.

The Outsiders (film, dir. Coppola, 1983) [F01]

To educate us all on the history of the Brat Pack, Sam & Martin welcome Kevin Smokler to take a look at Coppola's adaptation of S.E Hinton's coming of age novel, The Outsiders. While Kevin educates us as to the historical and social context of this story, we also debate the success of the scoring choices, try to chart Coppola's creative/commercial rise and fall, and get confused about fires in schoolhouses or churches.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
The Outsiders trailer, via YouTube (dir. Coppola, 1983)

Stay Gold, The Complete Stevie Wonder, Stevie Wonder (1983/2005)

… and check out Kevin's book Brat Pack America: A Love Letter to '80s Teen Movies at Amazon or Amazon UK, or perhaps at your local brick-and-mortar bookseller.