Representing the mainstream wing of Britain's Punk rock scene, The Clash produced songs that were as raucous and groundbreaking as they were memorable. Because of their politically charged lyrics of protest, their tunes has been used frequently as score music in many films and TV shows.
From action films like Iron Man 2 to comedy TV classics like The Simpsons, The Clash and their punk melodies are perfect for any kind of movie or show. As underscore, the music of The Clash automatically adds additional meaning to any scene it plays under.
As far as remakes go, RoboCop was an ambitious attempt at reviving the classic action film from the 1980s. The movie follows a police officer in a hyper-violent version of Detroit who is gunned down in the line of duty. Scientists bring him back using robotics, and the super cop goes on the hunt to find the people who killed him.
Of all the hits from The Clash, "I Fought the Law" is one of their strangest and most humorous. Though they typically spoke out against authority, "I Fought the Law" was an interesting look at the other side. In the context of Robocop, the song is used for its face value and the film strips away the political meaning. Like the character in the song, the villains fought the law and the law won.
American Splendor is a biopic that exists in its own sub-genre, it is a rare example of a biopic where the subject has a cameo. The film tells the life story of alternative comic book writer Harvey Pekar and the life he led that resulted in his amazing comic book series, American Splendor.
It is established that Pekar is a vinyl record collector and music buff, therefore The Clash song featured in the film is a deep cut from their library. "Know Your Rights" is a call to arms for civilians against police brutality and the overall hardships of working life. Pekar himself extols his own life philosophy and it is just as raucous as the one in the song.
Not only was the 1970s the decade that birthed The Clash, but it was also the groovy setting for That '70s Show. The hilarious sitcom focuses on hapless teen Eric Forman and his group of friends as they live their day-to-day lives in the second half of the 1970s.
Late in the first season, the character Hyde is wooed by a strange new woman in the episode "Punk Chick". His new love interest is from the big city and she revels in her punk lifestyle, including her adoration of The Clash. The song "I'm So Bored With the U.S.A." features prominently and matches Hyde's own boredom with his small Wisconsin environs. Though the song is about the US's aggressive foreign policy, it still matches with the episode when taken at face value.
Stranger Things is not only a great horror adventure show, but it also is a time capsule of the mid-1980s as well. The show revolves around a group of tweens who find a young girl who exhibits strange mental powers, which opens the door to a strange world of horror and intrigue in their small town.
Though many films and TV shows use The Clash for their political content, Stranger Things focused on the pop elements of their music to great effect. In the episode "Will the Wise", the song "This is Radio Clash" appears and reminds viewers that The Clash were also excellent hitmakers. In the scene it underscores, it also helps to set the tone for the audience, as it pumps the viewer up with its upbeat riffs.
The Iron Man films often featured a plethora of hard-rocking tunes, and The Clash fit in perfectly in the first sequel. Iron Man 2 takes place six months after the first movie and sees Tony Stark battle a Russian scientist who created his own Iron Man tech in order to get revenge against the Stark family.
Though Iron Man is mostly known for its inclusion of the music of AC/DC, The Clash and their song "The Magnificent Seven" is featured prominently. The song invokes imagery of westerns, and action in general, when taken at face value. Its upbeat tone and hard-rocking riffs play well under the comic book action of the film.
Though there have been a lot of movies about rock music, few were as fun as School of Rock. The film follows a failed musician who cons his way into a teaching job at a swanky private school. While there, he harnesses the students' musical talents to form a rock band that competes in a battle of the bands.
The film runs the gamut of all genres of rock, and Punk naturally made an appearance as well. Drawing from a lesser-known track from The Clash, the song "Stay Free" appears in the film. The song is a recollection of the freedom of the narrator's school years, and the desire to return to carefree days. Like the students in the film, the narrator found a way to cut loose in their repressive school environment.
Director Wes Anderson has produced many great films, but The Royal Tenenbaums was one of the first to really put him on the map. The film focuses on a family of eccentric people who all come to live in the same house for a variety of reasons.
With traditional Wes Anderson flair, the film is a strange portrait of its characters. The song "Police and Thieves" appears and is used as an illustration of the character Margot, and her strange relationship with her family and the law. On top of its message, the song is also a peppy mirror to the eccentric visuals of the film.
The angst of the 1990s was perfectly personified by the titular character of the animated series Daria. The show centers around a smart teenage girl who goes through life while dealing with her fellow students as she gleefully exists on the outside of what is popular.
The episode "Mart of Darkness" sees Daria's town invaded by a new big-box store that seems to sap the minds of its residents. The song "Lost in the Supermarket" is used to hilarious perfection in the episode as it too is a treatise on the oppressive force of consumer culture.
Though The Simpsons has featured many great musical moments, it was the use of one of the best songs of The Clash that is most memorable. The show follows the day-to-day life of the Simpson family and their many antics in the town of Springfield.
The episode "Natural Born Kissers" finds Marge and Homer attempting to spice up their love life and getting into hijinks. The classic tune "Rock the Casbah" is featured prominently and is used cleverly. Like the characters in the song, Marge and Homer are acting out against the norm, which is something that they don't usually do.
Like the music of The Clash, Grosse Pointe Blank is a unique twist on an established genre. The film follows a professional assassin who is sent to his hometown to do a job. Coincidentally, his high school reunion is happening at the same time.
"Armagideon Time" is a reggae-infused tune from The Clash that is all about the crushing boredom of small-town existence. While the character of the film has a thrilling life as an assassin, he can't help but fall victim to the overpowering sameness of his hometown and his old persona.
