9. Street Life - Randy Crawford - Jackie Brown
Essentially another montage, though a very different one. Jackie Brown is arguably Tarantinos most disciplined (though not necessarily best) movie. The only Tarantino movie that is adapted from source material, the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard. When it was released Jackie Brown was easily Tarantinos most linear film. The film is less frantic than his wholly original films tend to be and has a more even tone, which is reflected in the soundtrack. Despite containing a varied selection of songs, the soundtrack, as with the characters in the movie, is more rounded and as such, the usage of them often feels more emotive. Step forward Street Life by Randy Crawford. The use of Street Life and why it works so well in the montage towards the end of Jackie Brown is all about attitude, which is down to Tarantino. In the source material Jackie Brown was white, so the decision to cast Pam Grier, a Blaxploitation icon, instantly paid homage to those Blaxploitation movies of the 70s. Although Jackie Brown isnt a Blaxploitation movie, it does riff on some of its conventions, the soundtrack being one of them. The montage shows Jackie getting hers. Just after the nervous, subdued run through of her plan, this time its for real and Tarantino kicks in Street Life. Its loud and upbeat and emulates the veneer of confidence Jackie needs to display if its going to work. At one point mirroring the opening shot of the movie as she arrives to work, the music is now very different. This is Jackies triumphant moment and whether it succeeds or fails is only down to her. In the middle of the montage, as the verse plays, Jackie almost looks nervous, like shes not going to go though with it, though just as she begins to look doubtful the chorus kicks in again, seemingly louder than before, Jackie steadies herself and never looks back. Jackie is the movies eponymous heroine and its at this point Tarantino throws on a crowd-pleaser, almost encouraging us to get behind her and sing along. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O82ZUvpaxB8