SPOILER ALERT: Rocker Steve Perry refused to let The Sopranos creator David Chase use his classic song "Don't Stop Believin'" in the mob show's final scene until he knew the fate of the drama's leading characters. The ex-Journey frontman kept Chase waiting until three days before the long-awaited finale aired in America on Sunday. Perry is a huge Sopranos fan and feared his 1981 rock anthem would be remembered as the soundtrack to the death of James Gandolfini's character Tony Soprano - until Chase assured him that wouldn't be the case. Perry says, "The request came in a few weeks ago and it wasn't until Thursday that it got approval, because I was concerned. I was not excited about (the possibility of) the Soprano family being whacked to 'Don't Stop Believin''. Unless I know what happens - and I will swear to secrecy - I can't in good conscience feel good about its use." And Perry was so true to his word, he didn't even tell his family the song featured in the finale. He adds, "I didn't want to blow it. Even my wife didn't know. She looked at me and said, 'You knew that and you didn't tell me?'"
Thing is, the regular watchers have built up such an emotional connection to these characters, and even as the last episode of the Sopranos was busy tying up some storylines, it left others intentionally open -- and introduced NEW ones. For those with such an emotional investment in the show and the characters, not getting closure can be terribly frustrating. But life isn't like TV. All your stories don't get conveniently wrapped up all together in one bow. Doors close, windows open, roofs collapse.
Don't stop!
Me, I love it. I think it was one of the gutsiest ways to end a long-running series. If you follow the Tony Gets Whacked theory, following the discussion he had with Bobby Bacala a few episodes previously, then it's a great and morbid illustration of death. There he is, with his family, slightly apprehensive, then -- nothing. Black. Never know what happens to Carm, to AJ's film project, to Meadow's career, what happens to Sil, Uncle Ju, everybody and nobody. All gone.
Whoa that just creeped me the hell out. I'm going to have to look at some pictures of roller coasters to feel better now.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-13 03:04 am (UTC)IMDB is your friend
Date: 2007-06-13 02:07 pm (UTC)Re: IMDB is your friend
Date: 2007-06-13 02:16 pm (UTC)I just didn't need the last 30-45 seconds of the episode repeated a good 10 times in a row.
Re: IMDB is your friend
Date: 2007-06-13 03:01 pm (UTC)Don't stop!
Me, I love it. I think it was one of the gutsiest ways to end a long-running series. If you follow the Tony Gets Whacked theory, following the discussion he had with Bobby Bacala a few episodes previously, then it's a great and morbid illustration of death. There he is, with his family, slightly apprehensive, then -- nothing. Black. Never know what happens to Carm, to AJ's film project, to Meadow's career, what happens to Sil, Uncle Ju, everybody and nobody. All gone.
Whoa that just creeped me the hell out. I'm going to have to look at some pictures of roller coasters to feel better now.