The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby soundtrack uses a blend of contemporary music and 20's jazz music because they are establishing the stylized past while glimpsing through modern beats. The hybrid comes across most clearly on retro-modern songs that fuse old and new that include people like Jay Z, Lana Del Rey, Fergie, Will.I.Am, and Amy Winehouse. The times of the 20's and the music of today go together well because some of the main interests were the same. As in the fascination with money, power, violence, and sex. Depending on what song is playing in the background, the mood from the music affects the mood in the movie. For instance, if Lana Del Rey is playing, the mood is usually solemn, gloomy, and melancholy. I think one of the main reasons why they chose Lana Del Rey's music is because her feelings in the lyrics of her songs really relate to the main girl character in the movie, Daisy. They both portray a longing romance with a certain guy in mind and no one else. All of Lana's songs are a love story with a real sadness so they relate to each other perfectly. If Jay Z or Will.I.Am. is playing, the mood is upbeat with a catchy rhythm like a party. Their music is also usually very masculine with controlling lyrics, giving you the feeling of power. These songs would probably be played in the scenes of parties and big gatherings. This unexpected music adds to the movie because it takes the audience by surprise. With the popular modern movie intertwined with this 1920's movie, an audience viewer might be a huge fan of Lana Del Rey (like me) and become even more attached and like the film even more just because their favorite song is in it. I think the modern music was a great idea and it's one of the most genius ideas. I won't be surprised to start seeing soundtracks like this with old movies more often.