Why Clint Eastwood avoids pop music in his movies: “I’ve tried to stay away form that stuff”
Both as a world-renowned actor and an acclaimed filmmaker, Clint Eastwood has made an indelible impact on the world of cinema. In addition to starring in Sergio Leone’s masterful Dollars Trilogy and becoming a global icon, Eastwood expanded his artistic portfolio in the form of fascinating directorial projects such as Unforgiven. Earning some of the highest accolades in both disciplines, the American auteur is definitely one of a kind.
When he initially decided to become a filmmaker, Eastwood was determined not to repeat the practices that had frustrated him as an actor. Having a deep understanding of some of the top directors’ tendencies to shoot each scene again and again until their idea of perfection was achieved, he deviated from that normalised tediousness. Soon enough, Eastwood developed a reputation for being efficient and fast with his production management.
While Eastwood’s visual frameworks often attract the attention of fans and critics, his soundtracks are also interesting. During an interview with Rolling Stone, the filmmaker opened up about his own musical tastes and claimed that he had never been a fan of pop music. In fact, he even claimed that he never quite understood the rock and roll generation either but was deeply moved by the rich traditions of the blues and jazz.
Eastwood said: “I’ve loved a lot of rhythm & blues and some rock & roll. When you go back and listen to the music of the ’60s, some of it is quite good. But I must say I never got drawn into the rock & roll generation. I just kind of missed it, growing up in the ’40s. For me, it was big band and bebop. In the ’60s, I sort of skipped by rock. It didn’t musically inspire me a lot. But I love rhythm & blues, which is sort of the inspiration for rock & roll. To me, rock & roll seemed like sort of a white version of rhythm & blues.”
When asked whether he consciously avoids incorporating pop soundtracks in his work, the filmmaker added: “Yeah, I’ve tried to stay away from that stuff. There was a period when everyone was doing that. If the movie is so bad you need to spruce it up, sometimes they throw in a hundred pop songs and hope the record will push the whole thing over the top. To me, it’s better if the movie and the music work together in tandem.”
A great example of Eastwood’s musical sensibilities is the soundtrack for his 1995 romantic drama The Bridges of Madison County, featuring some of the director’s favourite gems. Often seen as one of his finest directorial achievements, Eastwood’s movie is elevated by an Oscar-nominated performance by none other than Meryl Streep.
Check out the soundtrack for The Bridges of Madison County below.
