The Dark Side of the Rainbow is the original Wizard of Oz movie, whilst listening to Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon'. It allegedly syncs up with the movie in multiple significant ways. A good deal of the synchronizations are just people looking too hard (and are really stupid, tbh), but theres a good number of really interesting ones, too.
If you've seen/tried it, do you think it syncs up? Or is it just some potheads that got a little too into it?
While I think it DOES sync up at quite a few parts, I highly doubt that it was planned.. Either way, it's pretty interesting to watch.
If you've seen/tried it, do you think it syncs up? Or is it just some potheads that got a little too into it?
While I think it DOES sync up at quite a few parts, I highly doubt that it was planned.. Either way, it's pretty interesting to watch.
001) The first indicator that the setup is correct: The transition from Speak to Me to Breathe syncs with the fade-in of producer Mervyn LeRoy.
Note: In the prologue, the word "Time" (one of the songs on the CD) is written with a capital letter even though it isn't at the start of the sentence. Also you will find the word "Heart" capitalized in the middle of a sentence -- a sound particular to The Dark Side of the Moon.
002) "Leave, but don't leave me ..." Auntie Em appears to say "... Leave ..." to Dorothy, who then turns to leave, looking a bit down in the mouth.
003) "... Look around ..." Dorothy looks around.
004) "... Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry ..." The two farmhands holding the cart are smiling and the other farmhand below is crying. This one is not exactly on time with the "smiles you'll give" part, but because of the good timing with "tears you'll cry", it makes it worth the mention.
005) "... All you touch ..." Dorothy touches the farmhand holding a bucket on his arm.
006) "... When at last the work is done (drumstrike)..." the drumbeat syncs with the farmhand hitting his finger with the hammer, and immediately after the word "done" -- he is done for the time being, with his work.
007) (Y) Right after "... Dig that hole ..." the farm hand points to the ground.
008) (HH) "Don't sit down ..." Dorothy not only doesn't sit down, she steps upon the bench next to the pigpen.
009) "... Balanced on the biggest wave ..." Dorothy balances herself on the rail of the pig pen.
010) (B) Song shifts from Breathe to On the Run as Dorothy falls off the fence.
Note: (C) At the switch to On The Run, the beginning music matches the apparent mood change of the scene and emotions of the other characters, as they are concerned with Dorothy's well being.
011) Auntie Em shows up and begins talking as the woman's voice on DSOTM chatters away.
012) Dorothy's gaze travels across from right to left as the sound effect in On The Run moves in the same direction audibly.
013) Toto wags his tail in time to the clicking sound effect.
014) (EE) Toto's ears perk up at the sound of the explosion at the end of On The Run.
015) (X) The rumbling at the end of On The Run lends itself nicely as the sound of distant thunder, and enhances the feeling of seeing shafts of sunlight piercing the clouds.
016) The chimes in Time begin at the appearance of Almira Gulch, on her bicycle, and the chimes stop when she dismounts. ["I've got a bike. You can ride it if you like. It's got a basket ..." (Syd Barrett /Pink Floyd from Bike)].
017) (V) Uncle Henry is holding a paintbrush, and as he raises and drops it, it's as if he is ringing a bell.
018) At the first bass chord of Time the scene changes to inside Auntie Em's house.
019) (B) Dorothy and the rest of the cast appear to move and react to the rhythm and mood of the music.
020) Almira Gulch points her finger on the bass chord.
021) "Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town", This is said just a little before Toto jumps out of the basket and onto the ground where he kicks off to go back to Dorothy in his hometown.
022) "... Waiting for someone or something to show you the way ..." Dorothy waits for Toto, who pops his head in her bedroom window.
023) "And you are young and life is long ..." a reference to Dorothy's youth?
024) "Ten years have got behind you ..." You see Dorothy's back.
025) "No one told you when to run ..." Dorothy is running away from home.
026) Guitar solo in Time begins on scene change.
027) During the guitar solo of Time, the words "Past, Present and Future" are visible on the sign advertising Professor Marvel fame.
028) (J)+(M) "... to come up behind you again ..." as Professor Marvel comes up behind Dorothy.
029) "... But you're older ..." referring to Professor Marvel's age?
030) "... Or half a page of scribbled lines ..." referring to the photo that Professor Marvel sneaks out of Dorothy's basket. A picture is worth a thousand words, and it's the size of half a page.
031) "Hanging on in quiet desperation ..." Describes the quiet and desperate way in which Dorothy hangs upon the words of Professor Marvel.
*SPECIAL RHYTHM SYNC: (CC) On the Definitive Version DVD (2.0, 5.1. etc) beginning at 13:53 to 14:00 is a segment right after the words "You thought I'd something more to say ..." a double strike to the keys accentuates the opening of Dorothy's mouth to speak, followed by keyboard tickling ala Richard Wright, and with each fingered note, Dorothy moves her head around as she tries to sneak a peek at what's in the crystal ball. It sounds silly but the more you watch it, the better it gets! Try it.
NOTE: Song changes to The Great Gig In the Sky as Dorothy grabs her bag. This begins what is, in my opinion, the most impressive segment of the whole sync.
032) (H) The sound of a slide guitar, similar to that of a warning siren, is heard as we see an approaching tornado.
033) (voice says) "And I am not frightened of dying ..." as the tornado heads towards a house.
034) The drums kick in as a tree is uprooted by force of the wind.
035) Clare Torry's wailing, keeps with the mood and intensity of the tornado scene, and seems to display the emotions of Dorothy. Several other nifty rhythm syncs are seen during this piece, such as the door flying off its hinges, a piece of furniture or appliance falling over on the porch, Dorothy stomping on the storm shelter door, etc.
036) After Dorothy gets bonked on the head by the window, Clare Torry's wailing eases and Dorothy begins dreaming.
NOTE: The song playing during the entire tornado scene and while the house is up in the air is The Great Gig in the Sky (TGGITS).
037) The "cha-ching !" of Money is heard as Dorothy steps out into colourful Munchkin Land. Money would be associated with colour and better living, as is apparent from Dorothy's reaction.
038) "... get back ..." The Munchkins get back in the bushes.
039) (A) "Don't give me that do-goody-good bullshit." as Glinda, the (do-goody) good witch comes a-floating down, in her big, green, and then pink bubble.
040) During the guitar solo of Money, the Munchkins move to the music; when the guitar is played in a "plucky" manner, they take more halting, hunched-over, and cautious steps. However, once the Munchkin with the tall, gray hat leaps forward, the guitar solo goes wild, and all the Munchkins start dancing away. The soldiers also appear to march in time with the music.
041) (N) "Share it, fairly ..." As a Munchkin shares some flowers with Dorothy.
042) During the beginning of Us and Them the organ plays music similar to what might be heard in a funeral parlour, as the Munchkin Coroner unrolls the Certificate of Death.
043) (O) At the beginning of Us and Them, various voices may be heard, and at times it appears that the Munchkin officials are the ones who are doing the talking.
044) The ballerinas from the Lullaby League enter to "Us ... Us .... Us ...".
045) (W) The fellows from the Lollypop Guild kick and jerk a little dance to the rhythm of the music.
046) (S) "Forward! he cried ..." The Munchkins officials thrust out their hands and all seem to shout "Forward!" to Dorothy.
047) (GG) "... and the front ranks died ..." A rank (row) of soldiers is seen falling back to let Dot through. Another word (with a little artistic license) "for moving" aside or "falling back" would be "die".
048) (G) "... moved from side to side ..." as the Munchkins move to the left and right at the appearance of the Wicked Witch.
049) "Black and blue ..." On "black" we see the Wicked Witch wearing black , and as "blue" echoes, we see Dorothy wearing blue.
050) "And who knows which is which ..." - Which is Witch?
051) "Up and Down ..." On "up", the Wicked Witch of the West is holding her broomstick upright, and on "down" she lowers it.
052) (T) "... down, down down ...", the Wicked Witch of the West is bending down to retrieve the ruby slippers from her dead sister's feet.
053) "And in the end it's only 'round and 'round..." As Glinda points to Dorothy's feet which are now turning 'round.
054) (I) "... and 'round ..." as there is yet another shot of the ruby slippers and Dorothy turning her ankles round -- very strange.
055) (C) "Haven't you heard? It's a battle of words ..." Glinda appears to whisper this line to Dorothy, and then returns to her "battle of words" with the Wicked Witch.
056) (J) "Listen son, said the man with the gun ..." Her hand in the shape of a gun, The Wicked Witch points at Dorothy.
057) "... and OUT ... " Glinda heads out of Munchkinland in her bubble.
058) (R) "With ... Without" Dorothy begins walking with Toto in her arms, and on "Without", she puts him down.
059) (J) "Out of the way, it's a busy day! I've got things on my mind" as Dorothy passes through the Munchkins, she indeed has a busy day, and lots on her mind as she's off to see the Wizard.
060) Scene changes at the same time that Us and Them changes to Any Colour You Like
061) "The lunatic is on the grass" The Scarecrow isn't on the grass but he's made of grass and he's certainly dancing around like a lunatic.
062) "You raise the blade ..." A Toucan, with a bill resembling a blade, raises it in the air.
063) "... thunder in your ear ..." as the Appletrees are screaming at Dorothy.
064) (N) "... all that you touch ..." Once again Dorothy is touching a man's arm (see #5).
065) (N) "... all that you see ..." as Dorothy and Scarecrow take notice of an oil can -- which is something that the Tin Woodsman would like a taste of in order to feel better.
066) Dorothy listens for a heartbeat (or lack thereof) in the Tin Woodsman's chest, and we hear that very sound in DSOTM.
Note: The CD returns to the beginning, again with the heartbeat, as the Tin Woodsman is singing If I Only Had a Heart.
Nothing is quite as good as the first play-through of the CD but the second play-through and partial third are still rather fun. Results as this point will vary due to return speeds on your particular CD players -- unless you have the Definitive version; a pre-recorded sync of DSOTR on DVD.
Second Play-through
067) (S) At the transition from Speak to Me to Breathe the Tin Woodsman straightens out his leg, and begins dancing to the music (somewhat).
068) (Z) Tin Woodsman sways to and fro to the sound of Dave's bending guitar strings.
069) "... and high you fly ..." As the Wicked Witch stands on top of the house with her flying broom.
070) "Run, rabbit! Run!" The Wicked Witch throws a fireball at Scarecrow and he tries to run from it..
071) (U) A weird laugh is heard as Dorothy, Scarecrow and Tin Woodsman jump back in fright.
072) Cowardly Lion laughs and a laugh is heard.
073) "... And there is time to kill today ..." as the Wicked Witch seeks to kill Dorothy with the deadly Poppies.
074) "... Shorter of breath and one day closer to death ..." Dorothy and Cowardly Lion appear to be dead.
075) During this segment, the diminutive cries from Clair Torry accentuate the sadness and hopelessness that Scarecrow is experiencing, as he fears that his friends have died.
076) (E) "Home, home again ..." As the camera pans over to the Tin Woodsman, who is, once again, frozen in his rusted state, just as he was when Dorothy & Scarecrow found him.
077) (O) "Far away across the field ..." The Emerald City can be seen far away across the field.
078) (Y) "... The tolling of the iron bell ..." The Fearless Foursome look around as if they've heard the sound of a bell.
079) "...calls the faithful to their knees ..." the Scarecrow stumbles to his knee.
080) (FF) TGGITS begins with the WWotW and her flying monkeys in the sky, and the Last chord of the song is played when we see the writing in the sky.
081) "Cha - ching !" The message SURRENDER DOROTHY is seen written in the sky.
NOTE: (P) Money is playing while in the Emerald City -- again, a reference to the colour of money (American at least) and to the higher standard of living than that which Dorothy is accustomed.
082) "I'm in the high fidelity class ..." Cowardly Lion raises his hand high. There are more connected actions between the song and the movements of the Lion which are better seen than described.
083) As the Fearless Four (and Toto too) enter the Temple of the Wizard of Oz, somber, even religious sounding music plays.
NOTE: The working title to this tune, later changed to The Great Gig in the Sky, was the "religious track" by the members of the band during the recording of DSOTM.
084) (AA) "And after all, we're only ordinary men", seems to be the emotional response from the Four as they stand trembling in the presence of the great and terrible Oz, whom they believe is more than ordinary.
085) (E) "Black and blue ..." The Wizard is seen in the midst of the blue smoke.
086) (D) "God only knows ..." Scarecrow is on his knees as if seeking the counsel of whom he perceives a god.
087) "... round and round ..." as we read the sign pointing to the home of the Wicked Witch that says "If I were you I'd turn back". Maybe they should turn 'round?
088) (A) "Listen son, said the man with the gun ..." Scarecrow has a gun.
089) "... Down, down, down ..." the flying monkeys swoop down to capture Dorothy.
090) "... With ... without ..." Dorothy is with the flying monkeys, but Tin Woodsman, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow are without her. . . And who'll deny she's what the fighting's all about?
091) "Out of the way ...", the Wicked Witch appears to be telling Dot to get out of the way and she moves aback.
092) "... You raise the blade ... You make the change..." is said shortly before the blades of the Lances are raised by Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Woodsman after they have changed into the uniforms of the three Winkies (witch's guardsmen).
093) (DD) "Got to keep the loonies on the path ..." as the Winkies march along the path to the castle.
094) The beat of the drum works well with the axe whacks to the door, and the music reaches a climax as Dorothy is set free from her prison.
095) "... All that you hate and all you mistrust ..." during which the hateful and mistrustful face of the Wicked Witch is seen.
Third Play-through
096) "...and tears you'll cry..." Dorothy has tears streaming down her face.
Note: "Run, rabbit, run" is heard for the third time, and each time, the main focus is on Scarecrow.
097) (L) The Wizard points and an explosion is heard.
098) (Q) Glinda emerges from her bubble the moment the words to Time begin.
099) "... to come up behind you again ..." Glinda stands behind Dorothy waving her wand.
100) "... come - to - naught ..." the words sync with the tap - tap - tap of Dorothy's ruby slippers.
101) "The time is gone, the song is over..." and so is Dorothy's trip to Oz.
102) "... Home, home again ..." Dorothy awakes back home, in Kansas.
103) (F) "... Calls the faithful to their knees ..." as Auntie Em, on bent knee brings a glass of water to Dorothy.
104) (K) "... To hear the softly spoken magic spell." Dorothy speaks the incantation that brought her home from the land of Oz, "There's no place like home".
105) (BB) The credits roll before a backdrop of the Kansas firmament, as plays The Great Gig In The Sky.
THE END