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vanilla sky (december 2001)

fjömiðlatilkynningar

in an unlikely development, iceland's publicity-shy and artistically uncompromising sigur ros have won the hearts of hollywood's mainstream, with no fewer than three of their songs gracing the soundtrack to the new tom cruise/penelope cruz/cameron diaz blockbuster, vanilla sky.

former rolling stone journalist, director cameron crowe (almost famous/jerry maguire) has become a huge fan of the band and their first usa release 'agaetis byrjun' (pias america). having already requested use of 'svefn-g-englar' and the album's title track in the movie, cameron went to see the group play at la's wilshire theatre back in october. so impressed was he, that he asked to use a live version of the previously unrecorded 'njosnavelin' [formerly known as 'the nothing song] for a hard-to-score sequence towards the film's climax.

cameron then also requested a copy of the group's atmospheric filmed live backdrop so that he could cut footage direct from their show into the final cut of vanilla sky. the material was originally shot in iceland by singer jonsi birgisson on his hand-held video camera.

this is the first time sigur ros have agreed to let anyone use their music in a film, with jonsi saying 'yes', because he thought the idea of tom cruise acting over their music was "funny", and also because watching 'almost famous' made him want to be in a rock'n'roll band.

vanilla sky opens in america on december 14 and the uk in early february.

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