Sounding Off: Actors As Singers? A Closer Look at the SUCKER PUNCH Soundtrack

Allison Loring

by: Allison Loring
February 24th, 2011

Have you ever wondered what Emily Browning looks like as a blonde? Well, SUCKER PUNCH answers that question. What about the question, can Emily Browning sing? The SUCKER PUNCH soundtrack takes on that question, but it's up to us, the audience, to determine its answer. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until Tuesday, March 22, when the soundtrack is released, to weigh in on Ms. Browning's turn as a singer.

The soundtrack will give us three opportunities to listen to Browning (who plays Baby Doll), as she is featured on three tracks with her version of The Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” The Smiths’ “Asleep,” and she also joins Yoav on “Where Is My Mind?” (originally performed by The Pixies). Browning is not the only actor from SUCKER PUNCH to lend their voice to not only their characters, but the soundtrack as well, with Carla Gugino (who plays Madam Gorski) and Oscar Isaac (who plays Blue) also featured on the soundtrack on their version of Roxy Music’s “Love Is The Drug.”

This is not Gugino's first foray into music, as she will also be singing in the upcoming movie ELEKTRA LUXX (to be released Friday, March 11) with "All I Want To Do Is Fall In Love," but this will be the first time for Browning and Isaac. Beyond how they sound on the soundtrack, I will be most interested to see how these tracks play within the film itself - whether the characters will break out into song or just have the music play over the scene. (Hey, it worked for Robert Pattinson when his song, "Never Think," played over one of his scenes in TWILIGHT.)

It is a tricky business mixing film and music, whether taking singers and trying to turn them into actors or actors and turning them into singers, and the results are not always music to one’s ears. Certainly, there are exceptions to every rule, with artists such as Justin Timberlake getting real critical recognition for his performance in THE SOCIAL NETWORK, and actors like Gwyneth Paltrow making waves with her turn as a country music singer in COUNTRY STRONG, along with appearances on shows like Glee and her recent performance with Cee-Lo at the Grammys. Even Taylor Momsen, who is best known for her role as Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl, turned in a surprising good rock track, “Make Me Wanna Die,” with her band The Pretty Reckless, as featured on the KICK-ASS soundtrack last year.

Beyond the actors in the film taking on the songs populating the soundtrack, established artists will be featured as well, with Björk teaming up with Skunk Anansie on “Army Of Me (Sucker Punch Remix)” and Skunk Ananasie putting their take on The Stooges’ “Seach and Destory.” Then the Dead Weather’s Alison Mosshart and Autolux’s Carla Azar come together on their remake of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows,” Emilíana Torrini on Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit," and Queens join Armageddon Aka Geddy to mash up two of their hits on “I Want It All/We Will Rock You Mash-Up.”

Neither the actors or the artists are taking on much new material, the soundtrack is mainly covers of previously performed songs, which may or may not work to the actors' advantage. I always love to hear a new take on a well-established tune, but it will be interesting to see if these tracks bring something new to the table or end up sounding more like a bad karaoke session.

Who are you most excited to hear? What do you think about actors performing on their film’s soundtracks?

The track listing for the soundtrack as reported so far is:

1.  "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" - Emily Browning
2. "Army Of Me (Sucker Punch Remix)" -  Björk featuring Skunk Anansie
3. "White Rabbit" - Emilíana Torrini
4. "I Want It All/We Will Rock You Mash-Up" - Queen with Armageddon Aka Geddy
5. "Search and Destroy" - Skunk Anansie
6. "Tomorrow Never Knows" - Alison Mosshart and Carla Azar
7. "Where Is My Mind?" - Yoav featuring Emily Browning
8. "Asleep" - Emily Browning
9. "Love Is The Drug" - Carla Gugino and Oscar Isaac

This soundtrack will be available through WaterTower Music.

Source The Playlist

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