Exceedingly Good Needle Drops: Why A 1915 Kipling Poem Is The Cherry On Top Of The 28 Years Later Trailer
The use of this particular song in the trailer is a masterstroke of filmmaking. It perfectly captures the film's themes of isolation, despair, and the search for meaning in a world gone mad. The poem's lyrics are also eerily prescient, foreshadowing the horrors that Jim and his fellow survivors will face in the coming days.
The Power of Music
The song's slow tempo and minor key create a feeling of unease, while the lyrics paint a picture of a world that is both beautiful and dangerous. The line "The world was ours, we had it all" takes on a new meaning in the context of the film, as Jim and his friends struggle to survive in a world that has been ravaged by a deadly virus.
The Complexity of Kipling's Poetry
Rudyard Kipling was a complex and controversial figure. He was a strong advocate for British imperialism, but he also wrote some of the most beautiful and moving poems in the English language. "The Man Who Would Be King" is a perfect example of Kipling's contradictory nature.
On the one hand, the poem celebrates the spirit of adventure and the desire to conquer new worlds. On the other hand, it also contains a deep sense of loss and regret. The poem's two protagonists, Peachy Carnehan and Daniel Dravot, ultimately fail in their quest to become kings. They are betrayed by their own hubris and by the harsh realities of the world they have entered.