The Most Comprehensive List of Pink Floyd Movie Connections on the Web
acw_echoes2001.no-spam@no-spam.yahoo.com (remove "no-spam" from address)
Originally Introduced 16.04.1998 --- Latest Movie Syncs Revealed 16.04.09 --- Last Updated 16.04.09
Significant Updates 07.11.1998, 16.04.2000, 21.12.2001, 31.12.2001, 20.02.2002 (20:02 EST), 16.04.2002, 16.06.2002, 21.12.2002, 01.02.03, 03.03.03, 16.04.2003, 08.05.03, 11.07.03, 16.04.04, 11.07.04, 12.08.04, 20.10.04, 07.11.04, 21.12.04, 01.01.2005, 16.04.2005, 09.03.06, 16.04.06, 18.09.06, 21.12.07, 16.04.08, & 07.11.08
During the latter part of 1997, I heard a rumor that when Pink Floyd's masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon (DSotM) is played while watching the 1939 film classic The Wizard of Oz (TWoO), several connections or synchronicities between the two appear. These connections included the lyrics, the song titles, the mood and timing of the music, and even the cover art. A friend of mine sent me a list of several connections, and I became immediately intrigued. That night I bought a copy of the film and tried the experiment. It was absolutely fantastic! It was way better than I had envisioned. I was extremely impressed with how well the synchronicities lasted through the entire album. So, after watching a few more times, I was absolutely convinced that it was an intentional creation by the band. (I am definitely in the minority in regards to this. Most people think it's all a coincidence.) As an engineer, I asked myself a simple question, "How would they accomplish this task?" They would have to obtain a reel of the film and a projector. How hard would that be for a successful rock band to do? Not that hard considering they had friends in the movie business. Pink Floyd had performed on at least three movie soundtracks already with More, Zabriskie Point, and La Vallee (The Valley Obscured by Clouds). How did Pink Floyd get the idea? Consider this quote taken from the CD booklet for the Zabriskie Point Soundtrack (page 24) when Don Hall describes how Jerry Garcia created one of the songs: "We went into the large studio at M-G-M, which they usually used for the symphony orchestras. And Jerry sat there by himself, on a stool, laying it down. They had the love scene on a loop, and he played live while the film was running. He didn't want to do it away from the film and then cut things in. He played right to every single shot in the scene. That's why there are certain notes over certain frames, over people moving in the desert. He played right while watching it. It was miraculous -- pure genius." Has the band left clues to point to the DSotM/TWoO synchronization? Consider these facts listed in the Shine On book from the box set: "1969 - Judy Garland found dead in her London flat. 1971 - Editors of OZ are charged with obscenity at the Old Bailey. 1971 - Pink Floyd premiere 'Eclipse,' later to be named 'The Dark Side of the Moon' at the Rainbow Theatre." I don't think I need to remind anyone about the biggest song of TWoO, "Somewhere over the Rainbow."
The thing I noticed about DSotM was that the album had one central theme and the songs flowed from one to the other, unlike most rock albums that have distinct breaks between songs. I then realized that several Pink Floyd albums exhibit the same characteristics of one central theme, songs flowing together, and elaborate artwork. I thought to myself, if they truly created the DSotM/TWoO Synchronization, then maybe they did it again. I went to visit my friend Jeff Stillman, who knows a lot about movies, to tell him my thoughts. I wanted to create a list of the biggest, most popular, or most important movies of all time. Our list was something like this: Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, It's a Wonderful Life, The Ten Commandments, and The Sound of Music. So, I went to video store and rented a bunch of movies. The main album I was targeting was Wish You Were Here (WYWH), the follow-up of DSotM. I remember trying Animals with Animal Farm that night. It didn't work. However, my friend Jeff found a connection between Wish You Were Here and one of our listed movies. He told me about it the next day, and after a week or so, he had written up an excellent essay explaining the connections, which is included on this page. From this point further, I began my search for a movie synchronization for each Pink Floyd album, and this web page is the result of my efforts. I only include on this page what I feel are intentional syncs created by the band.
Several new movie syncs were discovered in 2006-2009. On this web page, I describe a total of 33 intentional Pink Floyd syncs spanning 21 albums. Additionally, I reveal 26 movie syncs with 22 solo/duo/other albums.
21.12.07 - Well, it's hard to believe that it has been 10 years since I was introduced to the Dark Side of the Moon / The Wizard of Oz synchronicity (or synchronization). It's also been 10 years since I discovered my first seven Pink Floyd syncs with It's a Wonderful Life, Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Gigi, Doctor Zhivago, Sayonara, and The Sound of Music. That period of time was very exciting and rewarding for me. I really felt that I had broken new ground in music entertainment, not by combining random music albums with movies, but by actually unlocking the clues left by Pink Floyd in the artwork, the lyrics, the song titles, and the themes. Now, ten years later, with 120 intentional movie syncs found, the majority of them by me, I am still enthusiastic and excited about this amazing form of art. The question that I ponder is whether or not these discoveries will ever gain widespread acceptance.
I've had a great deal of satisfaction and fun trying to crack the code. This journey has led me to consider other bands that were connected to Pink Floyd in some way. The most obvious connection was with Alan Parsons, the engineer on Dark Side of the Moon. He was intimately aware of and involved in the creation of this sync. This led him to form The Alan Parsons Project with musician and song writer Eric Woolfson. This fruitful venture produced many great syncs.
The most intriguing link is to The Beatles. In 2003, someone was posting messages on a popular sync website claiming to have inside knowledge of the creation of some movie syncs. The biggest claim was that Pink Floyd were not the first to sync but rather got the idea from someone else. In not so many words, the poster was hinting towards The Beatles. This is not such a far stretch, since both bands have recorded many albums at Abbey Road studios, and they actually met each other while The Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper's and Pink Floyd were recording their first album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. I believe this is where the idea was shared between the two bands. Who actually came up with the idea will probably never be known. One thing's for sure, they are all good at keeping secrets.
Radiohead, for whatever reason, has been a popular source for many sync experiments even before I realized their true involvement. [Radiohead is yet another group that has utilized the] Abbey Road studios. See a pattern? I started testing their music with movies around the end of 2003. Much to my delight, these other sync enthusiasts were right about Radiohead. The torch has been passed.
Recently, I've been devoting a lot of my syncing time to the music of Paul McCartney. I've also been looking at the solo works of George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon. The first sync of any artist is usually the hardest to solve because I'm not really sure if he actually did it or not. It's quite possible that after The Beatles went their separate ways, some of them might have abandoned the syncs, never to return to the art form. Until someone discovers one, there's no way to be certain. I keep searching...
Where do we go from here? These ten years of discovery have been awesome, but eventually the end of the rainbow will be reached. My 2008 New Year's resolution is to make more of an effort spreading the theory to others through various means. Part of my problem is that I really enjoy spending my hobby time on the hobby itself, not writing about it. So, I apologize for writing so little the last ten years, but I really want people to dive into the heart of the topic by actually trying some of these syncs, not just reading about them. What saddens me the most is that this window in history is closing. With the advent of iPods and buying singles instead of whole albums, this art form is fading away. Many people are so over-entertained and have such short attention spans that they don't appreciate the subtleness of the sync art form. I can't believe how many people say that Dark Side of the Moon with The Wizard of Oz is not obvious enough. I really feel sorry for them.
What I really wonder is what do the members of these great bands think about the lack of propagation of their sync creations. Are they disappointed? They have dedicated their professional lives to not only creating great music that is enjoyed by millions but also to crafting the music in such a way to fit to movies. The syncs are truly extraordinary works of art, but so few people are truly experiencing them. I feel very privileged to be one of the few who enjoys these wonderful creations. Thank you for all your hard work.
Sincerely,
Andrew C. Wendland
16.04.09 - I am pleased to reveal two new syncs on the 11th Anniversary of The Pink Floyd Movie Synchronization Story. The first sync consists of a film, which about 11 years ago won 11 Academy Awards. The film is the 1997 blockbuster Titanic. And not to be outdone, the second sync consists of a film, which was the first to earn 11 Academy Awards. That film is the 1959 classic Ben-Hur. A big clue was given by Nick Mason when he talked about this film in interviews.
07.11.08 - We were saddened by the passing of the legendary musician Richard Wright earlier this year. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends.
16.04.08 - Click here for my short bio.
Todd Ellis, a major contributor to these sync discoveries, is getting married to Laura Dickinson on 07.10.06. I am honored to be one of the groomsmen.
The weather was perfect for the beautiful outdoor wedding, and everything turned out very well. Everyone had fun at the reception, dancing the night away. Congratulations to the newlyweds!
I have two tickets to see Roger Waters live on Monday, 18.09.06, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Stase and I will be sitting in Section F, Row 10, Seats 11 & 12. These seats are on the main floor. I predict that this will be a great show!
The Roger Waters show was fantastic. It was even better than I had envisioned. It goes without saying that the sound quality, the lighting, the visual presentations, and everything that comes with it was top-notch excellent. The show primarily consisted of classic Pink Floyd songs, including the entire Dark Side of the Moon. Roger did play some of his solo works, including one of my favorites, Perfect Sense. He also performed a new song, which made me wish he'd do another rock album in the near future. I must admit that I do enjoy listening to Ca Ira from time to time; however, rock is still my favorite. All in all, Roger and his band put on a great performance.
I have two tickets to see David Gilmour live on Thursday, 13.04.06, at The Rosemont Theatre in Chicago. Stase and I will be sitting in Section 103, Row F, Seats 5 & 6. These seats are really close to the stage. I'm really looking forward to this show.
The David Gilmour show was spectacular. It exceeded my expectations in every way. From the sound quality to the lighting effects, from the musicianship to the song selection, from the beginning to the end, this was a fabulous show. The first part of the show consisted of songs from David's new album. The second part consisted of classic Pink Floyd music, including my three favorites: Wish You Were Here, Time, and Echoes. I am so thankful that I was fortunate enough to get tickets to this show. It was nice to see Richard Wright perform as well. After the show, a group of fans were gathering around the rear entrance to the theatre. There were three white unmarked vans behind a temporary barrier. After only a short wait, the band exited the building and loaded up in the vans. The fans cheered, and that's when I held up my sign that read "CAST AWAY." I'm pretty sure that David and his wife (and maybe Richard) saw me and my sign; well, at least I hope they did. That was the icing on the cake for me.
David Gilmour's new CD "On an Island" was released on 06.03.06. My first guess for a sync was with the movie "Cast Away" with Tom Hanks. My guess was right...
On April 16, 2005, I asked my girlfriend Stase Schwartz to marry me, and she accepted. We are planning to get married on 11.11.05. And believe it or not, she enjoys watching syncs with me.
Well, it's official. Stase and I got married on 11.11.05 in Northville, Michigan. The reception followed in my childhood hometown of Westland. Everything turned out really nice, and we were so glad to spend this special occasion with our family and friends. David Hoak was the best man, and Todd Ellis was one of the groomsmen.
Our honeymoon was one week at the Bahia Principe Akumal resort in Mexico near Tulum and Playa del Carmen. We visited both of these towns and climbed pyramids at Chichen Itza and Coba. It was the best vacation of our lives.
Thank you, Pink Floyd, for putting aside your differences and performing for Live 8 on 02.07.05. Although I would have liked to have been there, I enjoyed the concert on TV. I feel very fortunate that I saw Pink Floyd live in concert on 14.07.1994 and Roger Waters live in concert on 25.07.1999. In 1994, I had no idea about what was to become my favorite hobby. In 1999, I had no idea about the extent of the secret syncs. As I continue this journey, I want to thank you for all that you have done.
My friends and I went to the Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular on July 8, 2004. It was an entertaining show. They even showed clips of The Wizard of Oz and Metropolis during Dark Side of the Moon. Todd, Derek, and I enjoyed the lasers, the images, the music, and the crowd.
My uncle Rick, who had a big influence on my musical tastes, Todd, and I went to The Australian Pink Floyd Show on November 24, 2004. I must say that they put on a great show. The sound quality was excellent, and the band was right on with every note. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was glad to catch this one.
Let me be the first to say, "I survived 'til 2005, so Point Me at the Sky, and let it fly."
For individual syncs, click on an album title or a movie title below. For the entire list of syncs, click on the link at the bottom.
Warning: Clicking the link below will reveal all the syncs.
PUBLIUS ENIGMA
