Nottingham Contemporary

The Screen at Contemporary presents SLOW. FAST. STRANGE.  A collection of films where the soundtrack is the main character.

Music and film have long been entwined.  Each affects the other profoundly. They can blend harmoniously; they can contort each other. In symbiosis, they leave us seeing music and hearing image. Curated in collaboration with our friends at Running Circle Records, we have selected films with some of the best scores, and paired them with further listening recommendations. 

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KING CREOLE (1958)

Elvis Presley plays Danny Fisher, a young man denied his diploma for fighting at school. With his opportunities limited, he gets pulled into the criminal underworld of New Orleans, where his singing talents get him noticed.

Elvis famously didn’t enjoy the films he was contractually obliged to make, dismissing them as  kitsch "teeny-bopper" fodder. King Creole packs a different punch; the opening song alone captures a rawness from Elvis he had never shown on screen before. King Creole sounds fantastic and has a grit that is lacking in other Elvis pictures, but it cannot be ignored that Elvis and stars like him are indebted to largely uncredited Black musicians who created the iconic sounds of jazz and rock and roll.

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Further Listening Recommendations from Running Circle Records

Whilst we always have a selection of Elvis in-store, we went out of our way to pick up his 1956 self titled album, probably his most influential LP having been referenced by so many other artists, particularly through its artwork. London Calling by The Clash and Rain Dogs by Tom Waits (another of our recommendations) bear a stark visual resemblance.

Pick up a copy of all these recommendations on vinyl at Running Circle in Sneinton Market, just 10 minutes walk from Nottingham Contemporary.

Access

This event is inclusive for wheelchair users; our building is wheelchair accessible with lift access to all floors. If you require a wheelchair space, please email info@nottinghamcontemporary.org or phone 0115 948 9750 so we can ensure a space is set up for you.

If you require a free ticket for a carer, please contact us using the details above to arrange this.

This event will take place in The Space. Find information about getting here, our building access and facilities by clicking here.

If you have any questions around access or have specific access requirements we can accommodate, please get in touch with us by emailing info@nottinghamcontemporary.org or phoning 0115 948 9750.