Brooklyn Music In Film- Last Exit To Brooklyn

In 1964, Hubert Selby, Jr. published his classic novel, Last Exit To Brooklyn. Set in the 1950’s, it portrays a Brooklyn that is far from the tranquil, peaceful suburban image that is often associated with that period.  In stark contrast to the perfect, manicured lawn world of Father Knows Best and The Donna Reed Show, Last Exit To Brooklyn shows us a much grittier and darker world.

Reflecting the dark, complex world of the novel, the filmmakers turned to British singer/songwriter Mark Knopfler to produce an original score of the film, instead of relying pre-recorded, well known songs of the era. Pairing up with Guy Fletcher (his bandmate from Dire Straits), Knopfler produces a soundtrack is matches the plot beat for beat. In writing original music instead of relying on iconic songs of the era, the soundtrack that Fletcher and Knopfler created echoes the dark reality of the world that the characters live in.

Harry Black (Stephen Lang) is cast as the macho, married union boss who is ‘in the closet.’ Tralala (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a prostitute who falls in love with one of her clients. Donna (Ricki Lake) is a 17-year old girl who is pregnant and unmarried. None of them are living anything resembling the idyllic, fictional 1950’s life.

There is nothing light or fluffy about this movie and that also goes for Fletcher’s work. It is dark, full of melodramatic undertones. It matches, scene-for-scene, the characters’ emotions as they struggle to simply survive. As the union workers fight for a decent wage, the music swells. As Tralala falls for her client, the music lightens up, if only a little.

Unlike other films that represent this era, Last Exit To Brooklyn is dark with complicated characters and their complex stories. The soundtrack honestly represents the characters and the choices they must make. There is practically nothing light or airy about the music as it follows the rollercoaster of a story. From the light feeling of love that Tralala experiences for the first time or the anger of workers who are striking for their rights and a decent wage, the score matches beat-for-beat the on-screen drama.

As intense and powerful as the plot is, the soundtrack of Last Exit To Brooklyn is the perfect partner to a story that is atypical for the time period and a reminder of the darker side of life.