I like movies and TV shows. Anyone who knows me knows this.
I also like music.
So, this post is going to be a combination of both! Or rather than a combination, it’s about the existence of one within the other.
Confused? Me too! 
)
Let me explain…
When you are watching a movie, the music that plays during the movie, be it a song, or just some instrumental music, plays a big part in your viewing experience. The same logic applies for TV shows too. For me, this is more so in the case of a sad scene. It’s just the way that I am wired I guess – but I’m sure that there are many people who feel the same way too. Not that this is meant to be a morbid post – not by any means – but it was something that I was thinking about earlier today, and while I’m not sure why it popped into my head, it’s been stuck there since then, and so I have to write about it.
So – my first song, will be “Calling All Angels” by Jane Siberry (not to be confused with the song by Train!). I’ve heard this song in one movie, and on one TV show. I saw the end of the movie last week, so that could explain why my mind is stuck on this song. The movie is “Pay it forward”, starring Helen Hunt, Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osment. I can honestly say that I cried at the end of this movie, and continue to do so, each time that I see it. It’s a very powerful movie, and the ending, while sad, is quite moving.
If you haven’t seen the movie, I really would recommend that you stop reading this post, as there are some spoilers here. What am I saying – the clip contains the end of the movie!
The end of the movie comes when Trevor tries to save his friend Adam, and is accidentally stabbed. He later dies in the hospital, and Eugene takes an inconsolable Arlene back to her house when this song starts to play. As the song progresses, we see Eugene trying to comfort Arlene by bringing her tea and just by being there. After a while, he sees something outside, and goes to the window. Amazed by what he sees, he calls Arlene to the window and she sees people outside, holding candles, and paying their respects to a remarkable young man. As they step outside, we see a number of characters from the movie whose lives have changed as a result of Trevor’s movement. The camera pans out and we see the lights of cars as they are queued up to come and pay their respects. That’s the part that I find moving.
Here’s the video:
This particular clip actually contains the ending of the movie, as I had mentioned earlier.
This song also appeared in the TV show “Roswell”, which was a show about aliens that live in Roswell, NM.
In an episode entitled “A Roswell Christmas Carol”, Max fails to save a man from a car accident, in which the man sacrifices himself to save his daughter. Following that accident, that man starts to haunt him. In order to pay penance for that, he decides to help aterminally ill child at the local pediatric cancer ward. Oh, I may not have mentioned that Max’s alien power is the power to heal.
So Max, along with Michael (yes, another alien!), go the local hospital, against Michael’s wishes. With Michael standing guard at the entrance to the ward, Max sneaks in and begins to heal the child that he came to save. Once he does so, he looks around, and sees so many small, innocent, sick children, and can’t leave without helping them all. So he starts to do so, despite the fact that each time it takes a toll on his own health. When Michael can’t stall any more, and a nurse has gone to get security, he comes back into the ward, just as Max collapses after curing the last child. This song plays during the entire sequence.
If you haven’t seen Roswell before, it is good television – you will recognize Katherine Heigl in her pre Grey’s Anatomy days!
Here’s that part of the episode:
As I said earlier, it was not meant to be a morbid post, but a one that should evoke deeper feelings in you. If I have not succeeded, then I do apologize – I will be writing more posts on songs in movies and in tv shows, and hopefully one of them will tickle your fancy!
I had not originally intended to end this post with a different song, given the nature of the post. However, I feel like I should. I’ll choose a British band (biased? moi?) called Squeeze, and the song is “Heaven Knows”. It was the song that played at the end of the movie “Hackers” starring Angeline Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller. I like the band, I liked the movie (despite some of the cheesy scenes) and love the song!
Enjoy!