DJ scenes in movies and TV series that aren't really about DJ or club culture

We all know the famous Urei scene in Frog River of course, but what other movies and TV series have such? Can be good, can be bad, can be so hilariously bad they’re good.

La Haine had a fairly scratch-tastic one from memory - haven’t seen that movie in years - probably slightly toe curling scene now.

This came up in conversation recently, how so few movies capture club nights convincingly - we were struggling to think of really good TV or film scenes that actually capture the feel of a contemporary (or near contemporary) night out.

Most club scenes are just so, dunno, clean and obviously fake? There is no sweat, the actors who dance are very likely all sober and also probably not real clubbers, and definitely not enjoying the music (if there even is any, it’s probably added during editing so they can record what the actors are saying without problems)

Part of the problem is that being in a loud club is an experience. The big sound system, the lights, the crowd, the booze and the drugs. Even footage from real clubs looks a bit silly most of the time, when you look at it from a laptop screen, sober, with very low volume. It’s very difficult to feel it, like you feel it when you’re actually there.

I think I know what the problem was. Nightclubs are dark and you could never really capture that mood with the lighting and cameras of old, they were always a bit too lit up. There’s much better technology now to film them. Did anyone watch the Get Down? Thought it was pretty crap, really, but the club scenes were really well done, I thought.

This is one of my all-time favourites, from Coogan’s Bluff. It’s a bit ridiculous really, which is why I like it.

Harvey playing the most unHarvey track in the last Mission Impossible was a bit much…

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@MGG Apologies for going off topic almost immediately, but I enjoy this nugget from the MI extras (which are as equally entertaining as the film): TC chucked himself off the roof of the Grand Palais for part of that scene, and they cut the whole thing for time …

Captures a peaking room in its own rather unique way, I’ve always thought

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25th Hour: DJ Cipha Sounds cuts up Liquid Liquid. Another problem is the unrealisticly audible dialogue, a real club scene would have somebody slurring “what?” every five sentences.

Summer Of Sam: Bobbito plays Machine “There But For The Grace Of God” a couple of months before the 12" promo was pressed.

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V necks, very Balearic

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I don’t even remember that happebing?!

@jolyon Given what Ms Stone and her lovely friend get up to in this bit, it’s strangely always Mikey D’s dancing that has stayed with me

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Yeah that one sprung to my mind too. Quite liked that, seem to remember the OST for this is pretty cool too.

Absolutely loved “Blue” by LaTour which is playing in the background. Bought from Eastern Bloc not long after as the sticker on the 12” said it was from the film. I played it so much over 25 years that my copy was trashed and I sold it on. I must find a new copy.

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@jolyon 25 years worth of dancefloors with a slightly funny feeling in their tummy that they can’t quite put their finger on why.

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It’s disappointingly expensive now too

@mgg @GrimsbyRiviera It’s after TC and Superman have HALOd on to the roof of the Grand Palais, and before the tremendous punch-up in the mysteriously impeccable club loos.

DJ Harvey stars as himself in the new Mission: Impossible film - News - Mixmag

The latest John Wick also features a cameo by the doorman from Berghain.

I’ll just leave this here without comment

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Benny’s farewell party from City Of God:

Does anyone recognise what The Groovy Crowd are dancing to at 0:42?

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It is interesting that, especially in a cartoon, they aren’t using the usual trope of a DJ with turntables.