I was informed yesterday that U2 was very particular in the 80s and 90s about what movies the band would lend their music out to. Apparently before being the go-to band for commercial tuneage, U2 would have to preview a movie and decide if it was worthy of their music.
Hopefully this is the most accurate list possible, but you may disagree with a technicality or two on whether the songs listed were really written for the movie or if it is even a U2 song in the first place. After consulting my buddie (and U2 expert) James, here is a list of the songs written specifically for films, the movies and how well the movies did both financially and critically.
"Heroine" and instrumental works from the UK film Captive (1986)
Garnered an abysmal 4.1 IMDb rating and that is all the information I can find about how the movie was received. There is no information about how it did at the box office. The only professional review I can find is at the New York Times by Paul Brenner. He calls it a "sleek thriller," but no official rating is given.
"Stay (Faraway, So Close)" from Germany's In Weiter Ferne, so nah! (1993, Faraway, So Close! - US title)
The band's first collaboration with Wim Wenders resulted in a 6.9 rating on IMDb and sits at 60 percent on Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. Despite earning only $810,000 at the US box office, the movie was appreciated more overseas, earning the Grand Prix du Jury and receiving a nomination for the Palme d'Or at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.
"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" from Batman Forever (1995)
It is considered the beginning of the end for the Batman movie franchise in the 90s. Batman Forever, which changed directorial hands from darkly imaginative Tim Burton to over-the-top cheese Joel Schumacher, receives a 5.4 IMDb rating and 45 percent on the Tomatometer. The $100-million blockbuster fared well at the box office, earning $184 million in the US and another $152 million in international gross. Critically, the third Batman film was a mixed bag with some saying it was "great bubblegum for the eyes" and "lighter, brighter, funnier, faster-paced, and a whole lot more colorful than before" while others were not so optimistic, stating it was "suitable for boys five and under" and even unbearable.
"Goldeneye" from Goldeneye (1995)
Finally U2 is associated with a generally well-accepted movie (and I'm not just saying that because I'm a James Bond fan). The 17th release of the James Bond franchise saw a new face as 007. Although Bono and the Edge only wrote the music for the title track, leaving the singing to Tina Turner, they still get credit. Goldeneye received a 7.2 on IMDb and 80 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. From a financial point of view, the movie was the most profitable at the time of its release when you combined domestic and international grosses. While there were some negative reviews, critics were mostly excited to see that the British spy could survive after the Cold War came to an end.
"Mission: Impossible Theme" from Mission: Impossible (1996)
While Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton didn't write the music outright, they did update the theme song for the 1996 film starring Tom Cruise. Mission: Impossible is underrated in my opinion in that it does take its self seriously as a spy film, but it also gives the audience an explosive ending that probably doesn't belong in the real spy world. The movie sits at a 6.8 on IMDb and 56 percent on the Tomatometer. It raked in $457 million worldwide, which comes in second place in the franchise so far (with the sequel having the highest total and J.J. Abrams third entry in last). Most critics who didn't enjoy the film blasted it due to the plot not making much sense, and those who did praise it looked past the convoluted premise and told audiences to just enjoy the ride.
"The Ground Beneath Her Feet" and "Stateless" from The Million Dollar Hotel (2000)
The movie that started this research project didn't fare well with hardly anyone. It has a 5.5 on IMDb and was given a piddly 24 percent on Rotton Tomatoes Tomatometer. At the domestic box office the film didn't even reach $60,000 on an estimated $8 million budget and no information was given on the foreign box office receipts. Even the film's star and producer, Mel Gibson, ragged on the film, calling it "boring as a dog's ass." Like many mistakes in his life lately, he went back and apologized for his thoughtless act.
"The Hands That Built America" from Gangs of New York (2002)
Martin Scorsese's 19th century gangster epic is the highest rated movie on IMDb, with a 7.4 from more than 100,000 voters, that U2 has been linked to. While Goldeneye was higher rated at Rotten Tomatoes, Gangs of New York received a solid 74 percent on the Tomatometer. Financially, this film did not see the same fate as its Web site ratings. The movie made only $193 million ($77 of it in domestic gross) after spending a budget of $100 million. Overall praise was high, with some stating it fell short of the hype preceding the film. The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, Best Actor and Best Song for U2's effort, but won none of them. U2 lost to Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile.
"The Hands That Built America" from Gangs of New York (2002)
Martin Scorsese's 19th century gangster epic is the highest rated movie on IMDb, with a 7.4 from more than 100,000 voters, that U2 has been linked to. While Goldeneye was higher rated at Rotten Tomatoes, Gangs of New York received a solid 74 percent on the Tomatometer. Financially, this film did not see the same fate as its Web site ratings. The movie made only $193 million ($77 of it in domestic gross) after spending a budget of $100 million. Overall praise was high, with some stating it fell short of the hype preceding the film. The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, Best Actor and Best Song for U2's effort, but won none of them. U2 lost to Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile.
"Winter" from Brothers (2009)
The most recent soundtrack work for U2 is this entry for the Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal drama-war film. Released three months ago, the movie has had a medium reception. After only 10,000 votes, it too sits at a 7.4 rating on IMDb, but falls much shorter at Rotten Tomatoes than Gangs of New York, receiving a 59 percent on the Tomatometer. The film has grossed $38 million worldwide, three-quarters of that being in domestic receipts. Not accounting for the three powerful leading performances, critics have mostly considered Brothers a traditional melodrama. U2's contribution received a Golden Globe nomination, but lost to "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart.
The most recent soundtrack work for U2 is this entry for the Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal drama-war film. Released three months ago, the movie has had a medium reception. After only 10,000 votes, it too sits at a 7.4 rating on IMDb, but falls much shorter at Rotten Tomatoes than Gangs of New York, receiving a 59 percent on the Tomatometer. The film has grossed $38 million worldwide, three-quarters of that being in domestic receipts. Not accounting for the three powerful leading performances, critics have mostly considered Brothers a traditional melodrama. U2's contribution received a Golden Globe nomination, but lost to "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart.
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