| Sophie Durbin |
Berlin & the Trylon Present: A Celebration of Giorgio Moroder is a one-night-only event on Thursday, February 5th at Berlin, supported by the Trylon Cinema. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online.
I would strongly recommend that everyone who’s anyone attend Berlin & the Trylon Present: A Celebration of Giorgio Moroder on Thursday, February 5. While our beloved Trylon Cinema does well at staying/excelling in its lane, the occasional creative foray into other local spheres is always appreciated by yours truly and I can’t wait to see what the hospitable crowd at Berlin has awaiting us. Will you, too, be peeling yourself out of your movie theatre seat and putting on your dancing shoes? Dearest reader, please allow me to help you with your Giorgio homework as you prepare for your wild night out.
Your Personal Giorgio Moroder Syllabus
Pre-Requisite: Plan on seeing at least one of the “Giorgio Moroder, Mood Engineer” series at the Trylon to understand his music for film in context.
Foundational Texts and Tunes
- Moroder is a legendary composer and producer, known as the Father of Disco, but first he was a performer himself. On his 1972 album Son Of My Father you’ll find his two finest solo moments: the title track (you may be familiar with the Chicory Tip version) and “Underdog.”
- Those who have never heard of Moroder will still recognize the all-time run he had with Donna Summer, if only by ear. I’m assuming you’ve heard “I Feel Love,” “Love to Love You Baby,” etc. enough, but have you revisited “On the Radio” lately? Preferably in its original context in Foxes, which according to me is one of maybe 3 good coming-of-age movies ever made about American girls?
- Moroder was responsible for “Call Me,” Blondie’s iconic contribution to the American Gigolo soundtrack… but did you know that he originally rang FLEETWOOD MAC to perform it?!! As a known Fleetwood Mac hater/Debbie Harry worshiper, I am pleased that this did not come to pass.
- “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin from Top Gun is reportedly the song Moroder is most proud of. And for? good reason! There’s nothing better than that elevator scene when the familiar melody kicks in.
- Scarface wouldn’t be half the psychotic classic it is without its hypnotic score. My favorite moment: Elvira’s entrance, where she floats down to earth (in another elevator scene!) as her theme trickles in.
- It wouldn’t be a syllabus without something meant to test your critical thinking skills, no? Moroder co-produced the soundtrack to Leni Riefenstahl’s Impressionen unter Wasser, which she released just shy of her 100th birthday after a 48-year filmmaking hiatus. Riefenstahl is known best today for directing Nazi propaganda films in the 1930s, though her technical contributions to cinema were also formidable.
Extra Credit
Watch Electric Dreams, a generally forgotten 1984 sci-fi rom-com with Virginia Madsen and Harold the shut-in from Twin Peaks Lenny Von Dohlen. “Together In Electric Dreams,” known best now as a minor hit by Phil Oakey from the Human League, is a perfect song that should be available in karaoke bars everywhere but never will.
Extra Extra Credit
Build a time machine and help transport me back to Pitchfork Music Festival 2014, where I saw Giorgio, just on the crest of his post-Daft Punk career renaissance. He DJ’d off of his laptop to thousands of adoring fans who never thought they’d get to see him on stage, and announced to us all that it was “the best night of his life.”
Edited by Olga Tchpikova-Treon