What Kind of Shape Does the Silence Have?

I'm obsessed with TV and film scenes in which the music perfectly reflects what is happening on screen. The music can express the sentiments of a scene through the lyrics or the way it sounds. Or the music can add irony to a scene; Tarantino is a master at this.

As a TV on DVD junkie, I often use TV as a way to find new music. And I always wonder how they choose the music. Is it before or after the scene? Is the scene filmed according to the beat of a song? Or is that all in the editing?

I was watching bits of episode 305 of "The L Word." Kelka rightfully call it the best episode of season 3. I was watching it and hearing their commentary in my mind. The entire episode is a rush, and it ends with a hot climax when Shane fucks Sherie by the pool. My jaw dropped when I first saw that scene. And the song playing, "I Drive Alone" by Esthero, is 1) a great song and 2) inseparable from that scene both lyrically and musically.

So I felt like compiling a list of other times when the music has complemented a scene on the show. There are times when they've gotten in wrong, but here are some times when I think they got it right (in no particular order):

1) Episode 305: Lifeline As mentioned above, the Esthero song played at the end was perfect: it was both sad and sexy, just like the scene. And some of the lyrics ("Can't move on, but I can't go home; "Gotta find my way back home") express Shane's situation: Sherie broke her heart, she struggles with unlearning her infidelity, and her whole character has been concerned with the idea of having a home and a family. It's like the song was written for this scene.

2) Episode 303: Lobsters During the dinner where the gals welcome home Jenny, there were several socially aggravating moments: Alice and Dana were making passive aggressive remarks to each other, TiBette were fighting over money, and everyone was subtly rude to Moira because 1) she was awkward, 2) she was wearing flannel, 3) and they felt their territory was being invaded by a foreigner. It was a painful scene to watch, and the acting really captured the tense, awkward undertones. The song that started playing when the food was brought out ("Todd's Journey in Temporal Space" by Sinewave) reflected the exoticness of the food. I wish I could articulate how. The song slowly built up as Moira told her story. When the girls started turning their heads and glaring at her, they were in sync with the song. And towards the end of the song, the camera zooms in on Moira and the alienated look on her face. The song's ominous and anxious sound is appropriate.

3) Episode 404: Layup When Shane is modeling in "boys' panties," they play "Boys Wanna Be Her" by Peaches. I can't think of anyone else to whom the lyrics would apply better: what other woman would both boys and girls want to be? Shane/Kate Moennig epitomizes cool, and she gets the ladies. Okay, maybe gay girls want to be her, and straight boys want to be her. Shane, however, doesn't want to be any sort of model.

3) Episode 202: Lapdance Tina is getting a lapdance. The song that is playing, "Ilya" by Martina Topley-Bird, is sad and erotic. And you can tell that Tina doesn't exactly feel cheered up by having some random topless woman in her face because she's depressed over her break up with Bette. And the lyrics "You know we belong together" express that. What can I say? I'm for TiBette getting back together.

4) Episode 103: Longing During the opening scene, a fictitious photographer, Carla Marie Freed, is photographing a nude woman. The instrumental song ("Borrito" by Fundamental) has a prominent drum beat that's eventually interspersed with a beautiful twitter of the guitar. The song sounds like a revelation as is the scene in which the artist is producing her work; as the song plays, the camera slowly glides along the model's body as if it's exploring her.

5) Episode 307: Lone Star Max and Billy are talking. Billy is talking to Max like he's a real man; he asks Max if he has a hard on that won't go down because of the testosterone. Billy tells Max about his lover who died, and then they fuck. The song ("Yflmd" by Giant Drag) works well because of the guitar. To me, electric guitars usually signify testosterone. And I happened to think that scene was hot. I agree with Elka: Max is hotter as a trannyfag. And I think Daniela Sea is more attractive when she doesn't talk much.

6) Episode 206: Lagrimas de Oro Shane is at home, the doorbell rings, she opens the door, and Hot UPS Girl is there. Shane is looking super sexy in her tank top, and Hot UPS Girl starts flirting. Within a few minutes, they're going at it. If only real life was like this. "Playgirl" by Ladytron is playing. I happen to love Ladytron. And Shane is a playgirl who chokes on cigarettes, so that's why I put this song on this list.

7) Episode 113: Limb From Limb In the opening scene, Bette' pulls into the parking lot to get to work, and then she sees Candace drive in. "Roads" by Portishead plays. I think the sadness of the song is appropriate; Bette knows the gravity of her decision and how wrong it is. I was yelling at the screen during this scene. And while she finds release, she also carries the burden of hurting Tina and their relationship.

8) Episode 101: The Pilot TiBette are having sex, and it's back in the day when they were happy. I think it's one of the hottest sex scenes on the show. "Up in the Room" by Mr. Airplane Man is playing. The beat and tempo of the song matches what they're doing, and I think the singer's voice is pretty sexy.

I'm sure there are other examples, but these are the ones that struck me personally.