Civil War's Strange Music Choices Have A Very Specific Function You May Not Notice [SXSW 2024]
BY RYAN SCOTT/MARCH 15, 2024 5:00 PM EST
Alex Garland's new film "Civil War" just premiered at SXSW in Austin, Texas and it is sure to become one of the year's most talked-about flicks. Packed full of thought-provoking ideas in highly original ways for a war film (/Film's own Jacob Hall noted this), Civil War is less focused on politics right now and more about exploring horror beyond politics (Jacob Hall stated in his review that Civil War "is less about right-now politics but rather the horror that comes from outside politics). Garland went great lengths not glorifying war's horrors (even including its soundtrack!).
Garland and her cast participated in a Q&A following its premiere at the festival, which I attended. He noted that "contemporary music didn't work" regarding De La Soul's needle drop being featured. Instead he tried something unconventional like featuring music by Lemmy from Moby instead:
Garland, best known for films like "Ex Machina" and "Annihilation," explained his goal was to capture "unexceptional" moments of war through film. However, Garland explained, this medium can present certain challenges when depicting such acts: it may even look glorious with just the right combination of sound and images.
'That De La Soul track had a particular function'
Garland used "Apocalypse Now", one of the great war films ever, as an example to demonstrate his point. Garland commented that while "'Apocalypse Now" is masterfully made and powerfully moving, it does not convey antiwar messages due to its seduction factor - from initial shots showing napalm over palm trees dissolving and ceiling fans turning off and on again, to scenes depicting its violence puling at viewers and creating an almost dark romance vibe from it all."
So how could Garland avoid creating that same seductive romance? De La Soul provides exactly the solution he was seeking - without giving away spoilers, its needle drop comes at an unexpected moment that juxtaposes some horrific battle scenes; providing exactly the sentimental value that was necessary.
"Civil War" stars Kirsten Dunst ("Spider-Man: The Power of the Dog," Cailee Spaeny ("Bad Times at the El Royale," "Priscilla"), Wagner Moura ("Narcos: Mr & Mrs Smith", Stephen McKinley Henderson (Dune,"Lady Bird") and Nick Offerman ("Parks and Recreation,"Dumb Money".)
"Civil War" will hit theaters on April 12th 2024.