All That Jazz

 It's Season 2 now, so it's ok to reference Mr. Robot right?

 

So in last season's finale, as Elliot is walking through Evil Corps headquarters after the encryption package has been released, the soundtrack is playing a there's a synthesized version of Dmitri Shostakovitch's Waltz No. 2.

It's the perfect mood music for a surreal moment. However, for me it will always evoke the opening moments of Eyes Wide Shut.

Kubrick's music choices for his films is a book in itself (Listening to Stanley Kubrick: The Music in His Films – by Christine Lee Gengaro) and there are several ways to interpret the choices for EWS. There's a definite Stalin era vibe with Shostakovitch and György Ligeti in the mix but it's the jazz element that catches my attention here and the economic collapse element in Mr. Robot that jarred my memory.

First, I'm not a musician, I only know what I've heard over time about Jazz being all about the notes you don't play as much as it is about the notes you do play. I have no idea what that means. But I know Kubrick was a Jazz enthusiast. So I think sometimes it's about what Kubrick leaves out.


Take for instance Mr. Harford's wild ride in EWS. When he hits roadblocks, Bill whips out his wallet.
Whether it's dealing with Domino, Mr. Millich or the itinerant cab driver, Bill is able to smooth things out and get his way by throwing money at the issue.

The big exception is at Somerton and after. Once he gets into trouble there, there's no more money fixes.

Reference to a world where cash is meaningless? To a level of our society that does not use cash for transactions?

Or presaging a time when money will be valueless? (In truth it already is, it only has inherent value because we believe it has inherent value.)

Does Kubrick try to be predictive? Probably not.

The other big note not played involves the scenery. Now recall all of the controversy around the set. The movie is set in New York city in the present time (1998-1999). We know it was filmed entirely in the UK. There were complaints about the streets being to wide for NYC, not enough foot traffic, etc.

The skyline shots as well as the shots from the bridge as Harford heads down 495, are all stock footage.

But one thing you never see in EWS and would easily create the atmosphere that one is in NYC, are the Twin Towers. They are NOWHERE to be seen in EWS. Not too big a deal? Maybe not. But check out any movie or TV show, set in NYC in that time frame (1998-1999) that DOESN'T show the towers at some point, and you'll have me convinced.

Maybe not predictive. Maybe just raising awareness.

Till next time