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Ten Great Movie Premises Based on Song Titles

By Dustin Rowles & TK | Posted Under Seriously Random Lists | Comments (56)



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We’ve known for years now that Hollywood has completely run out of ideas, which is why they’re hitting the sequel, the remake, and the reboot bottles pretty hard. But pretty soon, Hollywood is going to run out of old ideas to recycle. But don’t despair, Hollywood. Before you start regurgitating your cud and eating it again, TK and I have a better idea: Start making movies based on song titles! There are billions of songs out there, and if you scan your iPod for a few minutes, even the most dimwitted studio executive could probably up with a premise or two.

To that end, TK and I are here to get you started, Hollywood. Here are ten great movie premises based on song titles alone.

“Bitch Went Nuts” (Ben Folds) — A spoof comedy based on the psycho, stalker female genre — Fatal Attraction, War of the Roses, Swimfan, Malicious, Obsessed, etc. Directed by Jason Friedburg and Aaron Seltzer, starring Kenan Thompson and his psycho-stalker, Anna Faris. — DR

“Meet Me In The City” (The Black Keys, originally by Junior Kimbrough): I love movies about gutwrenching heartbreak. The repeated lyric, “Please don’t leave me right now” makes your heart crack a little, and it’s the focus of the song. I don’t always want to see the big proclamation of love and the guy getting the girl and riding into the sunset. Sometimes I want to see the dark side. It beats standing in the rain with a boombox, because it’s not about getting the girl back. It’s about a terrible knowledge that this will end. You’re just not ready for it right now. And then it ends, and the resulting downward spiral? That’s the movie I want to see. Ryan Gosling stars, Neil LaBute directs. — TK

“Hobbit on the Rocks” (Toad the Wet Sprocket): An existential sci-fi drama about a Jabba the Hut type loner who spends his nights on a barstool drinking actual Hobbits (on the rocks) until he passes out. Directed by Jim Jarmusch Hobbit on the Rocks is a meditative movie about the intoxicating powers of Hobbit juice and its ability to simultaneously bring us closer while driving us to despair. Vince Vaughn, in a dramatic turn, will star as the Jabba-type character. — DR

“Porcelain” (Tonedeff): Similarly, I’m tired of the saccharin-sweet teen flicks that trivialize high school. I want something that helps you realize how harsh kids can be to each other (“we’re all just little kids with scarred hearts, and other kids who think they’re bigger than they really are”). Ellen Page breaks out of the quirky Juno-mold and becomes the loner whose desperate decisions take her to the brink. She’s reunited with Hard Candy director David Slade. — TK

“The Mayor of Simpleton” (XTC): A spin-off of Dumb and Dumber, The Mayor of Simpleton is a comedy about the mayor of a remote town in the Midwest comprised of the extended families of Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne. The mayor must save the town from its own rampant stupidity before they all die of obliviousness. The Farrelly Brothers will direct. Dane Cook and Dax Shepard will star. — DR

“Iron Swan” (The Sword): Forget Pirates of the Caribbean. Pirate movies should be dark, dirty, violent and yes, scary. This one would combine the gritty rough-edginess of piracy with morbid, Cthulhu-esque mythos. Much as I love Johnny Depp, this is a job for someone with the crazy eyes. Karl Urban plays the pirate, with either Cate Blanchett or Tilda Swinton as the evil queen bent on his destruction. Sam Raimi directs. — TK

“My Telly’s Gone Bung” (Crowded House): An Australian thriller about an unhinged serial killer staying in a motel who goes on a murdering spree after his television loses reception. The police eventually soothe him into submission by screening the Australian soap, “headLand” on a hotel wall. Mel Gibson will play the serial killer. Ron Howard will direct. — DR

“American Nightmare” (The Misfits): Crazed hillbilly finds his wife cheating on him and begins plotting her violent demise. Film quickly turns into a psychosexual torture-porn movie starring mostly unknowns. Eli Roth (of course) directs, though he is killed during filming in a freak blender accident. — TK

“Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” (The Flaming Lips): An anime movie from Hayao Miyazaki about a Japanese school girl and master of martial arts who is forced to protect her small town from man-eating pink robots. Pink because they’re gay. And they’re hungry for penis. Also, old people’s medicine. But mostly penis. — DR

“Squeeze Me Macaroni” (Mr. Bungle): A tale of sexual perversions and dysfunction focusing on a man and woman who fall in love when they discover that they both really love food. And not in the way most of us do. They struggle for acceptance. A sequel is already in the works. David Fincher directs. — TK









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Comments

“The Mayor of Simpleton” (XTC): A spin-off of Dumb and Dumber

I will find your fingers and shatter every little bone in them for that.

Posted by: Jay at April 24, 2009 12:10 PM

I find pastrami to be the most sensual of all the cured meats.

Posted by: Kolby at April 24, 2009 12:13 PM

"Nailing Descartes to the Wall - (Liquid)Meat is Still Murder" by Propaghandi.

Zombie Descartes comes to life as a powerful lich, intent on continuing his experimentation with live animals. This time, however, he's increased his reign of terror by vivisecting live humans, in an attempt to locate their souls and consume them.

A ragtag group of vegan warriors are forced to do battle with his undead horde, who are intent on devouring or destroying all living things. They ghouls also wear a lot of fur and leather, which really grinds those rascally vegans' gears!

Posted by: Snath at April 24, 2009 12:15 PM

Holy various grammar errors, Batman!

Posted by: Snath at April 24, 2009 12:16 PM

Can we play?

"You're The One For Me, Fatty" (Morrissey): Not-So-Shallow Hal finds his gal (or guy).

Or how about a movie based on a music group name?

Big Head Todd & The Monsters: Beastly Boy and his gang terrorize Manhattan!

Posted by: Cindy at April 24, 2009 12:17 PM

Well let's fill up the think tank with brain juices:

"Stinkfist" (Tool) Taking place after the re-election of George W. Bush, a behind the scenes look at a close-knit group of secret service pals trying to make due with their stake in life. Fully animated by Dreamworks and feating the vocal stylings of Morgan Freeman and Pauly Shore.

Posted by: annoyingmouse at April 24, 2009 12:20 PM

"Brenda" (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion): About a bitch named Brenda who fucking sucks. Starring Katherine Hei---I mean Paris Hil---hold on, Jennifer Lop---no wait, I got it! Jane Fonda. She's a biiiiiiiiiiiiitch.

Posted by: Kballs at April 24, 2009 12:22 PM

"Down in Mexico" (The Coasters): Just a solid ninety minutes of Vanessa Ferlito revisiting her lap dance scene from Death Proof. It's be NC-17, due to nudity. I'd get mentioned in the local paper for seeing it over one hundred times...

That scene was straight-up sultry...

Posted by: Skitz at April 24, 2009 12:22 PM

Fat Bottom Girls by Queen, or, conversely, either Working On A Sex Farm or Big Bottom by Spinal Tap. How meta is that? A movie based on lyrics from a band made up for a fake rockuumentary? I need to lie down now. I refuse to get all sappy and suggest Another Auld Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg. The world does not need another fucked up rom com or Lifetime movie, unless they can make it actually, you know, entertaining. Maybe 1985 by Bowling For Soup?

Posted by: slower lower at April 24, 2009 12:29 PM

"Rape Me" (Nirvana) An ensemble comedy starring Tom Seizemore, Bai Ling, and the entire mexican gang in Sin Nombre. There is no premise. It is unrated and will never be released.

Posted by: annoyingmouse at April 24, 2009 12:35 PM

“Iron Swan” I want to see this movie right now.

Also, I heart "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." I now have to go see if there's a video and listen to it.

Posted by: lizzieborden at April 24, 2009 12:41 PM

"Why Don't We Get Drunk (And Screw)" - Jimmy Buffett

Bi-polar mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt is called into action to stop a flasher from turning shopper's paradise into his personal peep show. But when Barnhardt can't bring the culprit to justice, a surly police detective, is recruited to close the case.

Posted by: JakesAlterEgo at April 24, 2009 12:46 PM

I usually name my scripts after songs. Y'know, in case anyone was wondering...

Posted by: Sofía's Identical Hand Twin at April 24, 2009 12:48 PM

Rooster; gritty movie about a respected American soldier serving in a war torn country who, upon learning that back home his dog Alice strangled herself on her chain leash in the backyard, has a bit of a meltdown and steals a gorgeously-plumed fowl from a dictators' palace grounds. When special forces are sent out to find him and the bird, he leaves behind his brothers in arms to protect them from the increased threat, and goes rogue, nearly insuring his imprisonment back in America (for abandoming his post) and his death in this strange unfriendly land, all to have his beautiful bird. In protecting the one thing in his life that he loves that isn't either oceans away or dead, he learns about the value of life, love, and letting go. Yes, that's a lot of run on sentences. I got excited.

It will have muscles, combat, espionage, asploshuns, exotic locales, beautiful animals, American pride, angst, a peppering of quirk, and not a drop of girlxploitation. Everyone will argue whether the bird, is real, a symbol, or a hallucinated symptom of growing madness. It will rock.

/I have something in my eye

Posted by: Sweetie Dahling at April 24, 2009 12:51 PM

"Natalie Portman" - Ozma

Two hours of me stalking romancing Natalie Portman.

Posted by: henchman for hire at April 24, 2009 1:08 PM

Well you know he ain't gonna die, cause you can't kill him!

Posted by: Jay at April 24, 2009 1:20 PM

1) I believe that TK and I are secretly separated-at-birth twins.

2) Kolby, you almost killed me. Sensual indeed.

3) Sweetie Dahling, you killed me, nailed my coffin shut and tossed me in the ocean to rot with the fishes. I too have something in my eye.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at April 24, 2009 1:21 PM

Ech. I just noticed all the poor grammar in my description. I blame that on copy-and-pasting from imdb.

Posted by: JakesAlterEgo at April 24, 2009 1:22 PM

Hurt, the original Johnny Cash version.

It would be of the cinema verite/torture porn genre.
Lead character gets repeatedly tomahawked in her stupid face.

Get me Paltrow's agent on the horn. If not, let's attach Lohan.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 24, 2009 1:30 PM

Totally, Jay. I'm thinking his girlfriend Gloria back stateside would be the one who calls him with the news.

Posted by: Sweetie Dahling at April 24, 2009 1:31 PM

"And they’re hungry for penis. Also, old people’s medicine. But mostly penis."

For when the metal ones come for you.

And they will.

(Well-referenced, Dustin.)

Posted by: Sean at April 24, 2009 1:44 PM

"Hobbit juice"? what the hell? Next thing you know there's gonna be a book for recipes made from the sperm of really short people.

Ew. EWW.

Posted by: figgy at April 24, 2009 1:52 PM

"A Lap Dance Is So Much Better When The Stripper Is Crying" (Bloodhound Gang)

Clumsy title, be I see this as the long-awaited follow up to Striptease, where a down on her luck Demi Moore attempts a stripping comeback in her cougar years. Ashton Kutcher in his directing debut.

Posted by: logar at April 24, 2009 1:59 PM

"Mexican Radio" -- it's "WKRP in Cincinnati" meets "The Border."

Two pirate radio DJs who run drugs (Dr. Johnny) and hos (Venus) on the side bring a crooked border patrol agent (Jack Nicholson) into their schemes. Illegal immigration and hijinks ensue.

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at April 24, 2009 2:02 PM

Whatta ya know, Figgy. A semen cookbook.

Posted by: JakesAlterEgo at April 24, 2009 2:04 PM

Oh, I know about that, Jake, I meant a NEW book, with a more specific, um...list of ingredients.

Posted by: figgy at April 24, 2009 2:08 PM

"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (The Beatles):

Some kid named Maxwell, finally gets up the courage to ask out his dream girl. Then freaks out, sneaks into her house and kills her with a hammer. Then, after that, he does some annoying stuff in class and the teacher makes him write on the board, so he kills her with a hammer. And so on and so forth. Death by hammers is good movie fodder.

Posted by: Ryan at April 24, 2009 2:08 PM

Five stars for the Bungle idea.

I've loved that song/album since 9th grade.

Posted by: Recondite at April 24, 2009 2:17 PM

Well, you could substitute "semen" for "Jake's semen" if you'd like to be more specific. But you gotta give me, like, a week or so to get you enough.

Posted by: JakesAlterEgo at April 24, 2009 2:17 PM

But you gotta give me, like, a week or so to get you enough.

Slacker.

Posted by: Snath at April 24, 2009 2:24 PM

Recondite, originally, I was going to use "My Ass Is On Fire," but I decided to try and keep it clean.

I screwed that up though, I think.

Posted by: TK at April 24, 2009 2:32 PM

The Smiths catalog alone would keep Hollywood in business for years. For example:

"Shoplifters of the World Unite" - a lower budget version of Oceans's 11, starring
Seth Rogen/Jonah Hill/Paul Rudd/other available Apatow flunkie and Winona Ryder as a petty thieves who gather their small-time criminal buddies to pull
off the ultimate score, the Michael Buble CD boxed set from the Terre Haute Target store.

"Girlfriend in a Coma" -- An updated version of "While You Were Sleeping" with Lindsay Lohan replacing Sandra Bullock and Lori Petty playing the Peter Gallagher role. However, Lindsay plays a stripper with a split personality who pretends to be lady love of an injured club DJ (Petty). Hijinks ensue when
Lindsay discovers that her fame hungry parents are actually responsible for the DJ's downfall. Music score by kd lang.

and finally...stop me if you think you've heard this before....

"Hairdresser on Fire" -- starring Denis Leary as a NYC firefighter who just
doesn't give a crap. Gwyneth Paltrow makes a cameo as the charred ashes.

Posted by: swingdude at April 24, 2009 2:37 PM

"Melt With You" -- Modern English

"Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Global Warming and Enjoy Midtown Oceanfront Property"

A comedy in which the entire population of Manhattan is forced into living on the only block not covered by water, where rent on an 8X6 bathroom that sleeps 12 is $1,000,000 a week per person.

Midwesterners dryly refer to it as "Swimover Country."

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at April 24, 2009 2:39 PM

I don't think "clean" applies to any of the Bungle oeuvre, which is a good thing.

Posted by: Recondite at April 24, 2009 2:40 PM

Hey Slim, don't you mean the original Trent Reznor version? Johnny Cash covered his original from something like 10, 12 years ago.
Other than that...Damn mighty fine idea

Posted by: TheSharp at April 24, 2009 2:54 PM

"November Coming Fire" from Samhain:

A cult of death-worshipping, shape-shifting druids conduct ancient ceremonies to purge the world of "uncleanliness", as manifested by the toxicity of nature engendered by the abuse of man. Through consuming large amounts of blood and feeding it to a consecrated area (not Stonehenge), a Gaean fire is rendered that rises and sweeps humanity, akin to a worldwide Passover event.

Nevermind, this would have been better done before the apocalyptic genre made a farce of itself.

However, the album predates these (1985) and still hasn't lost any of its dark luster.

Posted by: Recondite at April 24, 2009 2:56 PM

Gems from "Squeeze Me Macaroni":

"Sipon the spinach, gotta cream the corn. Sperm scrambles the eggs and a meal is born. Cooking like a beginner but I'm going up in her. Had Fritos for lunch, having bush for dinner. Chef Boyardee and the Three Musketeers shove Charleston Chews in their rears like queers. Holy moley guacamole said my Chips Ahoy. Gonna pinch a ravioli and the Pilsbury Dough-Booooy."


"Pump some humpin' rump roast!"

"Bananarama or Ram-a-banana?"

Now read aloud, then speed up what you read about 10 times and you have an approximation of what Patton does in that song.

Posted by: Recondite at April 24, 2009 3:14 PM

hobo-humpin slobo babe (whale): the paris hilton story

Posted by: gp at April 24, 2009 3:29 PM

"We Both Go Down Together" by the Dememberists

A rich boy and poor girl fall in love and throw themselves off a cliff together because dude's parents won't give their consent. There won't be a dry eye in the house. So pretty and sad.

"And while the seagulls are crying
We fall but our souls are flying"

Posted by: HB at April 24, 2009 4:00 PM

That would be "Decemberists"

Posted by: HB at April 24, 2009 4:00 PM

And no one mentions anything by the Decemberists? Practically anything from Castaways & Cutouts, Picaresque, or The Crane Wife could be made into a movie (Particularly The Crane Wife since it's already a folktale.)

Really, who WOULDN'T want to see a movie based on A Cautionary Tale?

Posted by: annie_reckson at April 24, 2009 4:03 PM

"Recipe for Hate" -- Bad Religion

Former "Hell's Kitchen" contestants compete in an "Iron Chef"-style cookoff where the secret ingredient is ... Gordon Ramsey!

(Reality, made-for-TV, Food Network)

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at April 24, 2009 4:12 PM

"It's All Been Done" (Barenaked Ladies)

Two members of a population of space-time traveling mutant humans chase each other throughout history in a series of near misses and wry escapades where they cause or influence major events.

Posted by: That Girl at April 24, 2009 4:13 PM

annie, I always thought that "The Perfect Crime" would make a great movie. Whenever I listen to it, I have the whole story pictured in my head - a moody, atmospheric heist flick, like a 70's bank robbery movie...

Posted by: GreenMyEyes at April 24, 2009 4:14 PM

Now now. Whale doesn't deserve that any more than XTC.

Posted by: Jay at April 24, 2009 4:20 PM

I saw the picture and thought "Good fucking call." The other songs I don't really know, although I like the sound of "My Telly's Gone Bung."

I'd suggest "Closer," by NIN. Y'all know what I'm talkin bout.

Posted by: SaBrina at April 24, 2009 6:18 PM

"The Man Who Sold the World" David Bowie

Genius invents technology that will solve world-wide problems, like cold fusion or cure for AIDS. Giant evil corporation masquerading as fluffy loving corporation offers to buy technology and employ genius for billions of dollars. Genius takes job; company reveals itself as evil. Company proceeds to twist geniuses technology to suit their evil ways. *fade to 30 years later when world is destroyed* Young genius who grew up idolizing older genius discovers older genius in mental hospital run by evil corporation. Young genius happens to be underground revolutionary. He and gang of rebels bust genius out of mental hospital. Kick-assery ensues. Young genius and rebels take down evil corporation.

John Malkovich stars as older genius. Christian Bale stars as Younger Genius.

I thought way too much about this.

Posted by: stardust savant at April 24, 2009 6:36 PM

What about Skullcrusher Mountain by Jonathan Coulton?

Posted by: Archvillain at April 24, 2009 7:49 PM

Lola by the Kinks

Driven to near despair after being dumped by his one and only true love, Ray (Paul Rudd) finally decides to take that walk on the wild side, only to meet up with the mysteriously sensual Lola (Daniel Radcliffe in a surprising turn - hey, it's hard to find anyone under 30 who'd look good in drag. I almost went with Elisha Woods, but he has strange teeth).

Supporting cast includes David Duchovny as the transgender proprietor of Alternating Current.

Posted by: funtime42 at April 24, 2009 8:08 PM

"Francis Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle"

Slasher/horror film. Marcus Nispel directs.

"The KKK Took My Baby Away" by Ramones.

Done as a Troma movie.

Posted by: JPCool at April 24, 2009 8:20 PM

"The KKK Took My Baby Away" by Ramones."

that's my ringtone :)

Posted by: gp at April 24, 2009 10:43 PM

Hey Slim, don't you mean the original Trent Reznor version? Johnny Cash covered his original from something like 10, 12 years ago.


Posted by: TheSharp at April 24, 2009 2:54 PM


-------------------------------------------------
You'd be correct sir/madam/dude.

I drink waaaaay too much. :)

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 25, 2009 2:03 AM

You can never drink too much.

You can only drink just enough.

And then you pass out.

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at April 25, 2009 2:30 AM

I would definitely see "Iron Swan". I likes me some Karl Urban.

Posted by: The Kilted Yaksman at April 25, 2009 8:06 PM

i seem to remember reading somewhere that P.T. Anderson built the entire plot of Magnolia out of the line "Now that I've met you would you object to never seeing each other again?" from Aimee Mann's song Deathly. In the movie Melora Waters' character says it to John C. Reilly on their date.

Posted by: causaubon at April 26, 2009 8:35 AM

Hey, funny man, don't drug Hayao Miyazaki into this ok? He had enough problem already with his son ruining his studio's good rep by creating horrid anime based on some English fantasy book. He probably finished directing stuff anyway.

On the other hand, I'd watch Black Swan or Meet Me In The City. Both kinda sound awesome. Neil LaBute and Ryan Gosling? I'm in!

As for making songs into movie: How's Beatles' Rocky Raccoon or Happiness Is A Warm Gun?

Posted by: yocean at April 26, 2009 3:40 PM