U2 references in movies

[corianderstem]

In the Simpsons episode where Homer is in a barbershop quartet they play a song on the roof of Moe's that is very remeniscent of when U2 filmed the "Where the Streets Have No Name" video on the top of the whiskey store in L.A. I always thought it was some sort of homage.

It's definitely a Beatles homage, as George Harrison drives by in his limo and says, "It's been done." Love it!

Also, Where the Streets Have No Name plays prominently (and awesomely) in a really intense scene between Jeff Bridges and Rosie Perez in "Fearless."

Won't say which scene, so as not to spoil anyone who hasn't seen it ... go rent it!

 

[maro_chik]

Also, Where the Streets Have No Name plays prominently (and awesomely) in a really intense scene between Jeff Bridges and Rosie Perez in "Fearless."

I watched that movie on TV a while back just because I heard Streets on the commercial for it. It turned out to be a really good movie.

 

[zoo99]

Almost every episode of the Gilmore Girls they stick in a U2 or Bono refrence.

 

[BluRmGrl]

Almost every episode of the Gilmore Girls they stick in a U2 or Bono refrence.

Oh really??? Then I may just have to get myself interested in the show - I've never seen it before.

 

[*Viviana*]

Almost every episode of the Gilmore Girls they stick in a U2 or Bono refrence.

Really? I watch Gilmore Girls and I only remember one time when Lorelai said something about Bono, although I don't remember what it was.

 

[nathan1977]

In the shooting draft of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," they're making a point of how intense Cameron is in the early going, and they cut to a shot of Cameron in bed, while "Sunday Bloody Sunday" plays behind him.

It was cut, however.

 

[U2DMfan]

Ferris Bueller has a large u2 poster on is wall.

or maybe it's the other guy who crashed his dad's car, but it's one of the two.

there is a website with a load of U2 references.
Gilmore Girls has 4 or 5 Bono mentions on it.
I'll see if I can find it.

 

[U2DMfan]

http://www.michaelvox.com/popculture.html

there it is

 

[edge3]

Also in Neighbours - I seem to remember Toadie had a JT/R&H era U2 poster in his bedroom. Plus about 12 years ago someone was reading a music magazine which had The Edge on the front cover.

Also in Blown Away Jeff Bridges wife first hands over the tape of JT to Tommy Lee Jones & says something like "...you must have heard of U2...you know the Irish band..". TLJ is later seen singing ISHFWILF at the top of his voice while making bombs. They also play WOWY in one scene as Jeff Bridges goes off on his motorbike.

In Gods Country is played at the end of 3 Kings & I've just watched the commentary on DVD version of American Beauty & the Director talks briefly about Bono & U2 concert - something about a girl shouting "I wanna have your babies...BONO!"

There's been loads of U2 references on TV in UK over the years. Off the top of my head here's a few I can think of :

- about 18 months ago they had 'One' playing in Emmerdale (one of the major soaps).
- from a 1988 (probably) episode of kids TV show Grange Hill they had a scene with kids in bedroom with UF era poster on bedroom wall. Kids then inserted tape into cassette player & Desire started blasting out.
- about 2 years ago in Hollyoaks (Channel 4 soap) one of those young lads had a 2001 era U2 poster in their room.
- about 3 years ago ITV played Zoo Station while advertising one of their programmes.
- they often have U2 songs playing on sports programmes : after England won the world cup in rugby they had a 'homecoming' match at Twichenham against a Barbarians side on the BBC - at the start of the programme they played A Sort Of Homecoming. They also played Vertigo at start of BBC sports personality of the year 2004 & this was also played on ITV at a Grand Prix recently. They also had ISHWILF on a big champions league football match a few years back & Desire was played on Channel 4 after England won a cricket match against New Zealand last year.

 

[mtoreilly]

The Unforgettable Fire was used a lot in the Olympics over the summer - I heard it loads of times.

And of course, anyone in the UK will surely know that Beautiful Day is the theme tune for ITVs The Premiership.

And I remember an episode of Linda Green (God that show was bad) where Liza Tarbuck sings I Still Haven't Found... for karaoke.

 

[edge3]

And of course, anyone in the UK will surely know that Beautiful Day is the theme tune for ITVs The Premiership.

Yea, I was gonna mention that....just thought it was a bit too obvious. You know they still play BD on the Coca-Cola championship version. They also played BD in Millenium stadium at FA cup final last year - I wonder if they will today? Also Elevation has featured a lot at Rugby (when they score a try) & Cricket matches (when the batsmen hits a boundary).

 

[corianderstem]

In Gods Country is played at the end of 3 Kings

Ooh, I can't believe I forgot that one! When I saw that movie in the theater, I got so excited when I heard that intro over the massive speakers. So. Awesome.

 

[edge3]

Also - Sometimes in the OC, Elevation & BD in Smallville, One in ER....etc.etc....the list is endless....what's that Irish Mafia film with Sean Penn in it called? - R&H era I think. I seem to remember they had Trip Through Your Wires playing in one scene in the Irish pub...that's it...State Of Grace.

 

[joerags]

There was a movie called, I think, "Just one of the Guys", about a teenage girl dressing and looking like a boy and fooling everybody that she is a boy so she can convince her journalism teacher that she is a good writer. Her brother is horn-dog and his wall is plastered with naked girls. But there is one poster of U2. The movie is from 1985 and it was a poster of U2 from the UF days.

There are tons of movies with U2 posters on walls:
Mrs. Doubtfire
Wildcats, with Goldie Hawn
One of the Nightmare on Elm St. movies

The Sopranos are big U2 fans. They played Elevation while Adriana and Carmello were at the gym in one episode and the Mysterious Ways dance mix in the Bada Bing when Tony bashed that guys head with the fish plaque.

 

[joerags]

The beginning of Runaway Bride with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. In the beginning of the movie,they play ISHFWILF

 

[gareth brown]

not being rude, but those who thought Simpsons episode with Homer singing on a rooftop was a U2 'homage' kinda make me laugh...particularly when GEORGE HARRISON drives by and says "It's been done"...

 

[ZeroDude]

not being rude, but those who thought Simpsons episode with Homer singing on a rooftop was a U2 'homage' kinda make me laugh...particularly when GEORGE HARRISON drives by and says "It's been done"...

It's actually about the time when George said that about U2 performing Streets on the roof "It's been done"... of course by the Beatles

 

[gareth brown]

exactly.

 

[Stefan]

I have seen a movie once about a seriel killer who listens to U2 (I think it was "I still haven't found..." and "With or Without you" or maybe Streets) before he commits his deeds. Maybe it was inspired by the actual story of a killer who listened to "Exit".

 

[Stefan]

On a lighter note: Rigth now I'm watching a film called "U2 my friend" by Phil Joanou. Bono has a conversation with the main character, who has made a documentary about the band, for about a minute and you see the Popmart stage. I don't think the rest of the film has anything to do with U2 though

 

[Lynz778]

In the movie Looking For Alibrandi, one of the boys in his last year at highschool commits suicide, and With or Without is played. It's one of the saddest scenes I have seen in a long time.

 

[vicu2guy]

wow I'm glad somebody made this thread. I remember I watched "Taking Lives" about 3 weeks ago and it was litterally the day after I saw U2 in Vancouver the night that they played bad. The 2 friends I watched it with had all been at the concert with me and we all immediatly looked at each other with a look of "OMG we just heard this U2 song last night!". I very cool moment indeed.

It's kinda fitting because the opening scene of the movie takes place in 1983 which is fitting for when ' Bad' was released. The song also plays at the very end of the movie too.

 

[learn2kneel]

not being rude, but those who thought Simpsons episode with Homer singing on a rooftop was a U2 'homage' kinda make me laugh...particularly when GEORGE HARRISON drives by and says "It's been done"...

It's actually about the time when George said that about U2 performing Streets on the roof "It's been done"... of course by the Beatles

???

Did George say that? I know George Harrison was referring to the whole "Get Back" on top of the Capitol Records that the Beatles did, but I thought there was some kindof U2 reference in there too since they were both playing ontop of a small bar/whiskey joint in a busy street. "It's been done" I thought was referencing that U2 and the Beatles already did that.

 

[prisz25]

I'm watching The Banger Sisters right now and not that they say anything about U2 but right in the beginning you see a billboard that has U2 on it and it says "U2 live from ..." I couldn't see the name it was probably Boston but it was so unexpected.. I was actually thinking man it would be funny if they mention U2 and BAM there they are on a billboard.LOL

 

[Neenie]

Bono's duet with Frank Sinatra "I've got you under my skin" was played at the ending credits of "Twins"

 

[Mr Gloria]

The Pillow Book wasnt an independent realease!!!!

it was pretty big...it was a Peter Greenaway Film....and it had Ewan MacGreggor!!!!

by the way....in the Credits it says it was written by Brian Eno!!

interesting how it is credited as his work...and not U2/brian Eno

 

[BluRmGrl]

No one's mentioned this yet, so I'm probably wrong, but I thought on "Father Ted" there's a Joshua Tree poster on Dougal's side of the room -- or am I just completely daft?

 

[edge3]

I'm Alan Partridge (aka Steve Coogan) has a few episodes with U2 references. One time he talks about "the song Sunday Bloody Sunday" : something about how awful sundays are or something. There's also a whole episode where he's looking for Bono's house (I think). He drives up to Bono's house and says something about "The Joshua Tree's" in the drive & at the end a spoof Bono turns up. Also at the beginning one of his female assistants says something like "do you like my pictures of each member of U2" (she has them glued to the front cover of her folder). As you can imagine it's all pretty funny.

Also in The Fast Show that weird office guy mentions a load of songs one time. This includes a U2 song.

And the big Zoo TV U2 heads were featured every week on Channel 4's TFI Friday (with Chris Evans). I think it was around 1998-99.

 

[digsy]

On a lighter note: Rigth now I'm watching a film called "U2 my friend" by Phil Joanou. Bono has a conversation with the main character, who has made a documentary about the band, for about a minute and you see the Popmart stage. I don't think the rest of the film has anything to do with U2 though

thats "Entropy" the film about a U2 music video director who makes a film isnt it?
all shot in Cape Town where i'm from - i was at the concert they show later in the film, all recorded live at teh show with Bono delivery his lines on stage and the Wedding being shown on the big Popmart screen. it made no sense at the time causei dont think anyone knew they were even shooting a film but it all came together when i saw the movie.

 

[digsy]

I can't tell you how many people i've met that list "with or without you" as one of their favorite songs because it was the song that got ross and rachel back together.

weird that, cause its actually the song that was played when they broke up.

ross had made the list comparing rachel to his otehr girlfriend - she was pissed, he dedicated the song to her on the radio and then when rachel tells the radio DJ what he did she cuts the song short with something like "rachel todl me what you did and i dont want to play your song anymore"

its fnny and sad at the same time, great use of the song though