Even though trade reviews have popped up and there are enough little dutch boys around to seal off the steadily breaking dam, certain parties are still not permitted to discuss “Invictus” in a review capacity. However, I would like to offer up some thoughts on two original songs from the film that should be added to that category’s on-going conversation in this space.
“9,000 Days” and “Colorblind” are a pair of sentimental tracks peppered throughout the film. Both songs, as well as most of the soundtrack, can be chalked up to the South Africa vocal group Overtone. “9,000 Days,” using William Earnest Henley’s poem “Invictus” as a framing device, sounds curiously like Jamie Callum’s title track for “Gran Torino” last year. It’s a breezy, jazzy tune that also features Yollandi Nortjie.
“Colorblind,” meanwhile, from Overtone on their own, is a little more difficult to defend. From the schlock, faux-emotive melody of the thing to the trite lyrics (which could probably be determined from the nail-on-the-head title), it’s a fairly miserable song. And its usage in the film is swift, manipulative and frankly distracting.
Suffice it to say, I don’t expect these tracks to play a major role in this year’s race for Best Original Song, but they’re worth mentioning in this robust year for the category regardless.
Comments
3 responses to “Two original songs from ‘Invictus’ join the race”
wow, kris when are we getting that run down of the best original songs?
[…] Lovely Bones,” the songs in “Invictus,” one of which Kris Tapley of InContention called “fairly miserable” as well as “manipulative and frankly distracting” – the Bagger wonders if Mr. Reitman, whose soundtrack for “Juno,” overseen by Kimya Dawson of […]
Thank you so much for the unsolicited crit!!! I am certain you feel so much better now that you got all of that out in the open…