Matches That Play A Starring Role in Movies and Music!
Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element
Did you know that a single match (=the 5th element) was responsible for saving the world at the end of the movie The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis? For phillumenists (collectors of matches), we recommend a great film from 1932 called The Match King that follows the real life story of the rise and fall of Swedish Safety Match tycoon Ivar Kreuger. Matches have been used as plot devices over the past 90 years in movies and in popular culture. There are even rock groups that named themselves after matches like Matchbox Twenty , The Matches , and the hard rock group Matchbook Romance – Voices [FULL ALBUM, HQ] – YouTube
The rock musician Beck references matches many times in his music and writings. He even wrote a book titled Playing With Matches, wrote with the words “match stick strike” in “Sissyneck” on his album “Odelay” and referenced matches in the song “Cell Phone’s Dead” on his album The Information. The Britpop group PULP mentioned matches in their song Dishes on This Is Hardcore. The Beatles covered the Carl Perkins rockabilly song Matchbox in 1964 with Ringo singing vocals then Paul and John sang about “two of us burning matches….” in the song Two of Us on “Let it Be”. Elvis Costello wrote and performed his song Motel Matches. The group MGMT’s song “It’s Working” on their album Congratulations “….It’s just like striking matches..The polish lies.” The rock group PAVEMENT’S song on their ’90’s masterpiece album Slanted & Enchanted “Circa 1762” “….Lighting a Burnt Match”, their is a country, rock and blues group named Striking Matches. The song “And No Matches was released by the German Techno group Scooter
Here are a few more famous movies that used matches as part of their plot lines: “Casablanca”, “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Grifters” John Cusack’s character Roy tells his grifter mother Lilly played by Anjelica Huston that he’s a match salesman , Pulp Fiction “You play with matches, you get burned.” Match books have made frequent cameo appearances to light up the chain smoking characters in the AMC TV series Mad Men. Matches were mentioned in the movie The Hunger Games as a means for survival and a struck and flaming match made an appearance lighting Malcolm Beach’s (Morgan Freeman) stogie when he meets Tom Cruz in the SciFi movie OBLIVION. The AMC TV law procedural show “Better Call Saul” features it’s own custom matches in it’s opening credits in season 1,2 and 3.
What other movies or popular songs can you come up with in addition to the above that reference matches?
Of course, if you want to promote your business using the most economical and effective and timeless form of advertising be sure to get in touch with the ‘match mavens’ by calling 800.605.7331 or checking out TheMatchGroup for us to make your match!