Watch This: The Social Network Opening Credits That Could Have Been
David Fincher’sThe Social Networkis finallyout on DVD/Blu-Ray this week, and it offers a pretty spectacular, in-depth look at the creation of the film (go here for all our past coverage of the film). One of the things that’s always interested me about the movie is the opening credits sequence, which has gone through several changes from conception to execution. Originally, it was supposed to be done inone long, continuous shot, but that idea was shelved.
Additionally, Aaron Sorkin has statedin interviewsthat he wanted to use Paul Young’s cover of “Love for the Common People” over the opening credits. He later commented, “David [Fincher] didn’t just do something different; he did something 180 degrees opposite…The way that’s shot, the way that’s scored, that tells the audience, ‘This isn’t your father’s college movie.'” Indeed, Trent Reznor’s haunting score at the beginning is what sets the tone perfectly for the dark nature of the film. But today, we have a glimpse into what would have happened if this had been Aaron Sorkin’sThe Social Network.
Yesterdayon Twitter, I put out the call for anyone to produce an alternate version ofThe Social Networkopening credits that would use Sorkin’s desired song. /FilmerWesley Burleson(who writes over atThe Film Fan) rose to the challenge, and his video is embedded below. Suffice it to say, I think it would have been a completely different movie had Sorkin gotten his way:
For comparison,here’s Trent Reznor’s track, which plays over the final verseion.
What do you guys think? Do you prefer Sorkin’s version or Fincher’s choice?
[Update:Several people in the comments are pointing out that, had this song been used, the sequence would have been cut/shot differently. I agree that this is the case, but the above is obviously just a mental exercise. Also, for reference, here’s the excerpt from Sorkin’s originalSocial Networkscript that describes this sequence/music.]
[Update 2:/FilmerJohn Heuerdirects me to the following interview clip withTrent Reznor,which features the original cut of the opening credits featuring David Fincher’s prior song of choice, Elvis Costello’s “Beyond Belief.” The relevant clip begins around 4:30 into the video.]
