bruce springsteen on film

AS BLINDED BY THE LIGHT HITS CINEMAS, WE CELEBRATE THE BEST OF THE BOSS...

1 ‘The Wrestler’

The Wrestler, 2008 Mickey Rourke wrote to Bruce asking him to read Robert Siegel’s script and write a tune. Springsteen got in the ring with a gorgeous “song about damage”, its universal ache couched in the specifics of “broken bones and bruises”.

2 ‘Lift Me Up’ Limbo, 1999

The enigmatic climax to John Sayles’ magnetic indie drama/thriller gets weightless backing from the Boss’ rarely heard falsetto. A unique beauty, Springsteen’s zero-gravity plea proves even his outtakes can elevate a film. 3 ‘Streets Of Philadelphia’

Philadelphia, 1993

For Jonathan Demme’s Aids movie, Springsteen ditched his early’90s crutches. No riffs, no cars, no muscle t-shirts… Crafted from minimal backing and resonant lyrics, his simple, spectral hymnal drips with forlorn despair and poignancy. 4 ‘Dancing In The Dark’

The Place Beyond The Pines, 2012 Counting their ill-gotten gains, Ryan Gosling, Ben Mendelsohn and pet dog dance to Springsteen’s

deceptively dark hit. “I’m always looking for life,” said director Derek Cianfrance of the semi-improv scene, which emerged after Gosling played ‘Dancing…’ on set. 5 ‘Hungry Heart’

Warm Bodies, 2013

Springsteen’s 1980 breakout hit also energised Risky Business, but its cheeky use in 2013’s zom-romcom takes the lead. Even Nicholas Hoult’s zombie perks up as Teresa Palmer drops the needle on Bruce’s big-pop paean to universal longing.

6 ‘Stolen Car’ Cop Land, 1997

The music does (most of) the talking during an intimate moment in Sylvester Stallone’s sombre outing. Springsteen’s minimalist story-song of a man’s guilt is precision-paired with Stallone’s run-down cop’s regrets. 7 ‘I’m On Fire’

The Hunter, 2011 Springsteen’s slow-burner provides perfect backing for Willem Dafoe’s haunted hunter in the Aussie mood movie.

Between its tense rhythm track and smouldering lyrics, ‘I’m On Fire’ is so sweaty with pent-up obsession it ought to come with ice cubes. 8 ‘Stand On It’

Ready Player One, 2018

Springsteen knocked out his rollicking tale of reckless racers during smallhours sessions for ‘Born In The USA’; it was issued as a B-side. Spielberg’s retro-fantasy banks crate-digging cred for using it after Parzival’s first race. 9 ‘the Time That Never Was’

Patti Cake$, 2018

Geremy Jasper compared his time living in his parents’ basement to a Springsteen song. Duly, he deployed this potent doo-wop deep cut (a 1980 outtake) to frame his indie crowdpleaser about a plussized girl’s rap dreams. 10 ‘Rosalita (Come Out

Tonight)’ The Heartbreak Kid, 2007 The Farrellys’ misguided-marriage comedy is choppy, but Bruce’s beatnik barn-burner briefly guns its engine. As Ben Stiller gets to know Malin Åkerman on the road, Springsteen and an all-cylinders E Street Band “make that highway run”. Kevin Harley