Sounds from L'Éclisse
by Dan
Please note: MP3s are only kept online for a short time, and if this entry is from more than a couple of weeks ago, the music probably won't be available to download any more.


 

These three songs have been extracted directly from the soundtrack of L'Éclisse. Watching it recently, I found I was able to just close my eyes and listen to the movie. The images were merely the perfect accompaniment to the fully-fleshed-out soundtrack. So away we go:

1. Opening Credits

The credits of the film are two minutes long, and cut into two halves: one minute of Italian go-go (i want a whole album) and one minute of science-fiction orchestral bursts and light, dusting piano. What makes it significant is that nothing in the visuals changes with the music. Any change in mood is intended to be done entirely through the song. And on its own, this song is something quite amazing; like eating a cupcake with a rock in it; not an accident, a sign of danger.

2. The Airport Café

Here's where the music, through the integration of the film's sounds, comes apart from the film and begins to walk around on its own. The sounds of footsteps, background conversations, and a few lines of dialog, combine with this would-be-mundane saxophone number to make a perfectly summery drink-sipping tune. It's better where it is. To explain the words: Vittoria (Monica Vitti) sees an American at a café at the airport. He, like most men in the film, says hello suggestively; she laughs and sits outside. Her friend sees her, says something like "What are you doing?" and she replies with 'È cita così bene qui': "It's so nice here". It even ends with a sigh.

3. Meeting Place

It's not important to know the context of this one (I was trying to make it unimportant for any of them, but it's difficult). Just let it wash over you, let it be a song. The trotting horse and the hoses watering lawns are just as much instruments as the piano, the footsteps.

[Buy] but if not, at least rent, it's so gorgeous.

*******

Also: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah video for "Over and Over". I listen to this whole album almost daily now. I'm not a huge fan of the video, am I supposed to be tricked into thinking this is one take? I guess not. I do like stark colours and simple ideas, so maybe I have to be a fan of it. Thanks to Audri for this.

Posted by Dan at June 27, 2005 1:00 AM
Comments

Hey, I thought that that video is not only awesome, but very inspiring.

Posted by Batter Brown at June 27, 2005 2:30 AM

That guy has great body language. It really complements the lyrics.

Posted by tim at June 27, 2005 12:20 PM

Dan (and to whom else it may concern),

John Fahey scored Antonioni's Zabriskie Point. Upon seeing a first cut of the film, he was so offended by the moral degradation that he punched Antonioni in the face. Fahey gives a hilarious account of the incident in his excellent book, How Bluegrass Music Destroyed My Life.

Posted by Jordan at June 27, 2005 12:34 PM

enough about clap your hands
i can barely hear myself think everyone is freaking out so hard about it

it's really not that exciting

Posted by Anonymous at June 27, 2005 2:32 PM

i'm actually not a big fan of this band, but i think the video is the best thing they have going for them - in my opinion, it's really well done.

Posted by dan at June 27, 2005 2:49 PM

What's up with all the error 404 messages when trying to listen to songs? this may only be happening to me. Regardless, it is making me sad.

Posted by Elizabeth at June 27, 2005 5:55 PM

Whoa - this is unexpected...

Posted by Sean at June 27, 2005 6:00 PM

Now I feel better about posting that clip from the Fists of Fury soundtrack some time ago. This is better, though.

Posted by Tuwa at June 27, 2005 7:17 PM

Post a comment







(Please be patient, it can be slow.)
about said the gramophone
This is a daily sampler of really good songs. All tracks are posted out of love. Please go out and buy the records.

To hear a song in your browser, click the and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'

All songs are removed within a few weeks of posting.

Said the Gramophone launched in March 2003, and added songs in November of that year. It was one of the world's first mp3blogs.

If you would like to say hello, find out our mailing addresses or invite us to shows, please get in touch:
Montreal, Canada: Sean
Toronto, Canada: Emma
Montreal, Canada: Jeff
Montreal, Canada: Mitz

Please don't send us emails with tons of huge attachments; if emailing a bunch of mp3s etc, send us a link to download them. We are not interested in streaming widgets like soundcloud: Said the Gramophone posts are always accompanied by MP3s.

If you are the copyright holder of any song posted here, please contact us if you would like the song taken down early. Please do not direct link to any of these tracks. Please love and wonder.

"And I shall watch the ferry-boats / and they'll get high on a bluer ocean / against tomorrow's sky / and I will never grow so old again."
about the authors
Sean Michaels is the founder of Said the Gramophone. He is a writer, critic and author of the theremin novel Us Conductors. Follow him on Twitter or reach him by email here. Click here to browse his posts.

Emma Healey writes poems and essays in Toronto. She joined Said the Gramophone in 2015. This is her website and email her here.

Jeff Miller is a Montreal-based writer and zinemaker. He is the author of Ghost Pine: All Stories True and a bunch of other stories. He joined Said the Gramophone in 2015. Say hello on Twitter or email.

Mitz Takahashi is originally from Osaka, Japan who now lives and works as a furniture designer/maker in Montreal. English is not his first language so please forgive his glamour grammar mistakes. He is trying. He joined Said the Gramophone in 2015. Reach him by email here.

Site design and header typography by Neale McDavitt-Van Fleet. The header graphic is randomized: this one is by Neale McDavitt-Van Fleet.
PAST AUTHORS
Dan Beirne wrote regularly for Said the Gramophone from August 2004 to December 2014. He is an actor and writer living in Toronto. Any claim he makes about his life on here is probably untrue. Click here to browse his posts. Email him here.

Jordan Himelfarb wrote for Said the Gramophone from November 2004 to March 2012. He lives in Toronto. He is an opinion editor at the Toronto Star. Click here to browse his posts. Email him here.
our patrons
Said the Gramophone does not take advertising. We are supported by the incredible generosity of our readers. These were our donors in 2013.
watch StG's wonderful video contest winners
search


Archives
elsewhere
our favourite blogs
(◊ means they write about music)

Back to the World
La Blogothèque
Weird Canada
Destination: Out
Endless Banquet
A Grammar (Nitsuh Abebe)
Ill Doctrine
A London Salmagundi
Dau.pe
Words and Music
Petites planétes
Gorilla vs Bear
Herohill
Silent Shout
Clouds of Evil
The Dolby Apposition
Awesome Tapes from Africa
Molars
Daytrotter
Matana Roberts
Pitchfork Reviews Reviews
i like you [podcast]
Musicophilia
Anagramatron
Nicola Meighan
Fluxblog
radiolab [podcast]
CKUT Music
plethoric pundrigrions
Wattled Smoky Honeyeater
The Clear-Minded Creative
Torture Garden
LPWTF?
Passion of the Weiss
Juan and Only
Horses Think
White Hotel
Then Play Long (Marcello Carlin)
Uno Moralez
Coming Up For Air (Matt Forsythe)
ftrain
my love for you is a stampede of horses
It's Nice That
Marathonpacks
Song, by Toad
In Focus
AMASS BLOG
Inventory
Waxy
WTF [podcast]
Masalacism
The Rest is Noise (Alex Ross)
Goldkicks
My Daguerreotype Boyfriend
The Hood Internet

things we like in Montreal
eat:
st-viateur bagel
café olimpico
Euro-Deli Batory
le pick up
lawrence
kem coba
le couteau
au pied de cochon
mamie clafoutis
tourtière australienne
chez boris
ripples
alati caserta
vices & versa
+ paltoquet, cocoa locale, idée fixe, patati patata, the sparrow, pho tay ho, qin hua dumplings, caffé italia, hung phat banh mi, caffé san simeon, meu-meu, pho lien, romodos, patisserie guillaume, patisserie rhubarbe, kazu, lallouz, maison du nord, cuisine szechuan &c

shop:
phonopolis
drawn + quarterly
+ bottines &c

shows:
casa + sala + the hotel
blue skies turn black
montreal improv theatre
passovah productions
le cagibi
cinema du parc
pop pmontreal
yoga teacher Thea Metcalfe


(maga)zines
Cult Montreal
The Believer
The Morning News
McSweeney's
State
The Skinny

community
ILX