I have a few long-term, relentless obsessions. Wilco is obviously one of them. Another is Nutella. Then there’s God Help The Girl. Stuart Murdoch – frontman of Scottish pop group, Belle & Sebastian – has been hard at work making a musical film with this title. Filming starts this summer, but in the meantime Murdoch has released much of the music that will feature in the film in an album, God Help The Girl, and an EP, Stills. Released back in 2009, GHTG might be one of the most beautiful, clever, heart-wrenching albums I have ever heard. I’m writing this up now because Murdoch and producer Barry Mendel (Rushmore, The Sixth Sense, The Royal Tenenbaums…) are offering very cool prizes in exchange for your help in funding the film. Hit the jump to learn how you could procure a Scrabble game with Stuart.
First, the music. As any B&S fan will tell you, Murdoch is the master of quirky, witty lyrics that tend to tell stories of a girl going through some sort of crisis, be it trivial or existential. That goes a long way under the wing of Belle & Sebastian, but GHTG takes Murdoch’s narrative sensibility to a whole other level of magnificence. First of all, GHTG consists of female vocalists (with the occasional male accompaniment), so there’s an air of authenticity to bring the message home that isn’t quite there with B&S. Catherine Ireton’s voice perfects Murdoch’s lyrics. Must-listen songs: “Funny Little Frog” (a rendition of the B&S song, but SO much better), “Act of the Apostle,” “God Help The Girl,” “Perfection As A Hipster,” “I’ll Have To Dance With Cassie,” “I’m In Love With The City”
Here’s the video for “Funny Little Frog” (sung by Brittany Stallings)
A description of the movie from Kickstarter, where Stuart and Barry have set up a nice venue for GHTG fans to contribute to the project:
Set in Glasgow, Scotland, the film is about a girl named Eve who is in the hospital dealing with some emotional problems and starts writing songs as a way of getting better. Songwriting becomes her way forward, leading her to the City where she meets James and Cassie, two musicians each at crossroads of their own. What follows is a story of renaissance over a long, dream-like Summer.
Inspirations for the film come from all over, the French New Wave of Truffaut and Godard, the early post-punk movement in music, pop musical movies of the 70′s and 80s, classics by John Hughes, the great British comedies of Bruce Robinson and Bill Forsythe and just the city of Glasgow itself. And yet this will inevitably be its own film, one that started with a song.
The prizes are pretty killer, including invitations to premieres, personal chill sessions with Stuart (*swoon*), and even walk-on roles in the film itself. Honestly, I really hope for the sake of the gorgeous music that the movie succeeds. I don’t know what to expect, Stuart is not a veteran writer/director, but Barry definitely is on his game. So maybe we’re in for a treat of Once proportions, maybe not. Either way, I want a Stuart-signed poster, so I’m contributing. If you’re into the music, you should too, even if it’s just a dollar. The project will only be funded if they receive at least $100,000 in pledges by February 12th – they’re about 3/4 of the way there, with 19 days to go. Be a friend, help ‘em out.
Another GHTG video, for “Come Monday Night”
N.B. – The videos featured on the Kickstarter website with Stuart and Barry are incredibly unbearably silly. I recommend NOT watching them.
