Released on July 14, “Summer 85” delighted the press and the public, especially with its brilliant use of The Cure’s track “In Between Days”. But it’s another piece, “Sailing” by Rod Stewart, which caught our attention and perhaps defines François Ozon’s film even better.
Summer 85 : one of the most beautiful films of the year
Released on July 14, 2020, the latest film by filmmaker François Ozon has been hailed by the press (our review here) and will have brought to French cinemas, as of July 28, more than 214,000 spectators. A much more than respectable box office score given the very harsh context linked to Covid-19, as well as its subject which is not aimed at a family audience. Sensual, amorous, endowed with an aesthetic from which transpire melancholy and reverie, this drama which recounts the dazzling love of two young boys during the summer of 85 shines in all its aspects, including its musical aspect. Because like any other movie it may look like, the Call Me by Your Name by Luca Guadagnino, Summer 85 also has his iconic piece of music.
English music for maximum emotions
In 2017, for Call Me by Your NameLuca Guadagnino had thus counted on the work of the musician Sufjan Stevens whose piece Mystery of Love (2017), composed for the film, became iconic. François Ozon chose an existing piece, In Between Days (1985) from The Cureto make the musical flesh of his Summer 85.
But next to Mystery of Love by Sufjan Stevens, the Italian director had also chosen words by FR Davida song that has become just as iconic of Call Me by Your Name. In the same way, François Ozon also uses another piece for the history ofSummer 85to know Sailing (1975) by Rod Stewart. And this song, in the meaning of its lyrics and the director’s use of it, is arguably the most important song in the moviemore than that of The Cure…
In Between Days vs. Sailing
– WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD –
We will not take away In Between Days a fundamental point: without this piece, no film, or else something else entirely. Indeed, as François Ozon explained, he wanted to title his film Summer 84 and absolutely wanted to use this track from The Cure. Problem, the latter was released in 1985. We find ourselves in an anachronistic situation, and Robert Smith – leader of The Cure – therefore declares that it is impossible for him to sell him the rights to the song. But never mind, François Ozon, determined at all costs to use In Between Dayspersonally writes him a letter to announce that he is ready to change the title of his film to Summer 85if he can use the famous title under these conditions.
In Between Days is everywhere : in the teaser, in the trailer, at the beginning, during and at the end of the film. It is certain that this piece is both the choice of the filmmaker and that of the man, who admits to having had partly autobiographical inspirations for Summer 85. Moreover, the film opens with the Voice off of Alexis, who offers the spectator his account of the facts. With his lyrics that begin with “Yesterday I got so old“, we are more than ever in the music of the film, but not really in the music of movie history. The piece of film history, the piece that is heard and experienced by the charactersis actually Sailing by Rod Stewart.
If the words of In Between Days go very well with the film, those of Sailing (navigate, in VF) stick to it even more. Indeed, the sequence of the meeting between Alexis and David takes place on the water, when Alexis has capsized with his small sailboat and David comes to save him. And the last sequence of the film is that of the meeting between Alexis and Luc, who leave together to sail on the sailboat previously owned by David. “I am sailing/Stormy waters/To be near you/To be free“, you can hardly find better than Sailing to tell the story of freedom, love and danger that is Summer 85.
One of the film’s most symbolic scenes takes place in a nightclub, when David does the The party to Alexis by putting a walkman helmet on his ears, who plays Sailing. The difference between this track and the one playing in the nightclub (The plane takes off on the Champs-Élysées de Stars de la pub) is similar to that of Claude Pinoteau’s film, and it is one of the most successful and beautiful passages ofSummer 85.
Sailingthe piece for history
To further signify the importance of this piece, it is this one that Alexis listens to when he goes to dance on David’s tomb, to honor the promise they had made to each other. Let us recall here, Summer 85 is adaptation of Aidan Chambers’ novel titled in French The…
