When one buys a ticket to a James Gunn film, you come to expect a few things: mile-a-minute action, a unique blend of tongue-in-cheek humor and genuine heart, and perhaps most famously, a memorable, painstakingly curated soundtrack. Gunn’s needle drops are nearly as iconic as the movies they feature in, so much so that Gunn has catapulted decades-old songs back onto the charts, like he did most recently with the Teddybears and Iggy Pop’s “Punkrocker”.
Since no one can quite execute a needle drop like Gunn, so we’ve compiled the seven times he’s done it best on the big screen:
1) “Come and Get Your Love” – Guardians of the Galaxy
Having Peter Quill blast the Redbone classic in the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy was a delightful surprise for Marvel moviegoers and a deft use of subversion on multiple levels. Not only did we instantly understand that Peter Quill/Star-Lord was not going to be a conventional protagonist, but Gunn also brilliantly used “Come and Get Your Love” to signal to audiences that this was also not the self-serious superhero movie we’d come to expect from the genre when Guardians debuted in 2014. Furthermore, the song kicks off the film with humor and high energy.
2) “Punkrocker” – Superman
While Superman is the most score-heavy of Gunn’s superhero films, opting to close the film with “Punkrocker” was a masterstroke. It serves as a subtle but perfect narrative tie-in with an earlier scene between Superman and Lois in the film, where the hero claims that trusting and seeing the beauty in others is “the real punk rock.”
Not only has the notion caught fire online and the song skyrocketed on the streaming charts, but “Punkrocker” playing in the Fortress of Solitude demonstrates to us that Superman had completed his emotional journey in the film. Opting to watch old home videos with his adoptive parents rather than his Jor-El and Lara’s message to him reinforces that the character redefined his idea of destiny and purpose, while refusing to abandon the value of hope and humanity.
3) “Mr. Blue Sky” – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Unlike the first installment of the Guardians trilogy, no longer was a bangin’ vintage soundtrack a surprise in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it was expected. Even so, Gunn delivered. This time using Electric Light Orchestra’s “Mr. Blue Sky,” the filmmaker channeled just enough of the familiar (an intense fight scene being contrasted against an upbeat tune), but put a new character at the center of the sequel’s opening battle: Baby Groot.
The scene is one of Gunn’s best examples of using soundtrack as a tonal contrast, plus, it introduces us to the Guardians’ more solidified familial dynamic in an endlessly entertaining manner.
4) “Hey” – The Suicide Squad
While Gunn loves to score a fight scene with music, the use of “Hey” by The Pixies in The Suicide Squad shows he’s not limited by it either.
The song not only makes the Squad’s walk in the rain one hundred times cooler, Gunn also uses “Hey” as a breather, rather than to build or sustain the energy in a more action-packed scene. It’s a chance for both the characters and the audience to reset and ready themselves for the gruesome fight that follows.
5) “The Chain” – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Fleetwood Mac’s iconic song “The Chain” features twice in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: first when Peter, Gamora, and Drax go with Ego and Mantis to the Celestial’s home planet, then once again during the film’s climax when Peter rejects his father’s brainwashing and fights back.
While using the song instantly amps up any scene’s sense of gravitas, Gunn brilliantly plays into the song’s lyrics both times it’s used. The first time, Peter “breaks the chain” when he splits up the Guardians — Rocket, Groot, and Nebula are left behind when he and the others join Ego, succumbing to his desire to know his father. The second time, when Peter eschews his biological family for his chosen one, he “breaks the chain” in rejecting Ego’s plan to destroy countless worlds in the name of power. In doing so, he maximizes the song’s impact and Peter’s emotional journey in the film.
6) “Creep” – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Gunn skillfully established Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s change in tone and its narrative focus by using Radiohead’s “Creep” to open the film. Its haunting sound perfectly underscores the traumatic flashback of Rocket’s past we see as the film begins, and it serves as our bridge into the present, where we see a grown Rocket singing along to the song.
Lyrically, “Creep” also gives us a glimpse into the character’s state of mind — due to his past, he feels like a “weirdo” — and sets up Gaurdians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s journey with startling efficiency and emotion.
7) “O-o-h Child” – Guardians of the Galaxy
Usually, the climax of a Marvel superhero movie is a nail-biting, heightened affair, yet Gunn found a way to introduce humor into the Guardians’ face-off with Ronanthe Accuser using the Five Stairsteps’ soul song without sacrificing narrative significance. Quill challenging the imposing Ronan to a dance off is not only hilarious and one of the standout moments of the film, but it also allows Peter to distract his foe long enough for Drax and Rocket to line up fire on Ronan.
“O-o-h Child” is perhaps one of the best examples of the meticulous thought Gunn puts into his music choices for a film. While certain songs may seem to be included because they’re beloved hits and entertaining at first glance (or listen in this case), they also tie back to the story and/or a character.
What’s your favorite needle drop in a James Gunn film? Tell us below in the comments!
