(Note: This post contains spoilers for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”)
It’s well known how filmmakers creatively and carefully deploy music to set the tone, atmosphere, and emotion of a scene. That’s why setting ridiculous music to an otherwise serious scene can turn it into something new and weird.
One of the must exciting and emotionally resonant scenes in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is one toward the end of the movie, in which Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) finally meet in person after speaking through the Force for the whole film. They discover they’ve been manipulated by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), who wants Ren to murder Rey.
Instead, the bond growing between the movie’s protagonist and antagonist causes Ren to turn on his master Snoke and kill him. Then Ren and Rey team up to battle Snoke’s group of awesome-looking guards in what’s one of the best-looking close-quarters battles in the “Star Wars” franchise.
It’s a powerful moment in the film — but set it to a different song, and the battle becomes instantly ridiculous and even pretty hilarious. Twitter user @rachlikesbands tested the theory playing some really not-at-all-appropriate music over the battle, like “Footloose.” The result is kind of amazing.
https://twitter.com/rachlikesbands/status/956671192123039746
In fact, @rachlikesbands has been recutting the scene with different music for a couple of days, creating an ever-expanding thread of hilarity. Here’s the Praetorian Guard fight (a much longer cut) set to “Africa” by Toto.
https://twitter.com/rachlikesbands/status/955785081288880130
Here’s part of the “Star Wars” battle with “Toxic” by Britney Spears playing — which would actually make a pretty killer music video.
https://twitter.com/rachlikesbands/status/955869025778765826
Here’s the fight with Electric Light Orchestra’s “Mr. Blue Sky,” which really lightens the mood.
https://twitter.com/rachlikesbands/status/955773075043340291
And finally, here’s the “Star Wars” scene, as well as some of the other stuff going on in “The Last Jedi” that’s intercut with the battle, set to Kenny Logins’ “Danger Zone.” This mix, by Twitter user @DNMERON, actually makes for a pretty effective ’80s montage.
https://twitter.com/DNMERON/status/956992627022409728
There are a whole lot more to watch, all of which @rachlikesbands has compiled here, making for a pretty funny way to kill a Friday afternoon.