In just three weeks, “L’Amour ouf” attracted more than 3 million spectators to French theaters. The passionate romance between Clotaire and Jackie, played by François Civil and Adèle Exarchopoulos, takes place in the north-east of France in the 80s and 90s. To transport spectators into the atmosphere of the time, director Gilles Lellouche has concocted a masterful soundtrack. Composed of emblematic titles such as “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinéad O'Connor but covered by Prince, “Eyes Without A Face” by Billy Idol or even “That's My People” by NTM, the soundtrack of the film cost no less than 750,000 euros, explained the producers.
A retro soundtrack and love at first sight for The Cure
Among these hits, it is undoubtedly “A Forest” by The Cure which has established itself as the centerpiece. The song by Robert Smith's cult group marks two emblematic scenes: the love at first sight between the young Clotaire and Jackie, who dance frantically in the corridors of their high school, and their reunion, years later, to this same melody. To win the heart of Jackie, a fan of The Cure, Clotaire even steals a vinyl of Seventeen Seconds to offer it to him. This key moment, enhanced by the music, makes the 1980 gothic rock hit an essential narrative element of the film.
ALSO READ: “200,000 euros”: Gilles Lellouche wanted this song for “L’amour ouf” but he had to give it up because of the price
It is therefore no surprise that since the release of the feature film, “A Forest” has experienced an unexpected resurgence in popularity. As our colleagues at “Purecharts” indicate, the title climbed to 124th place in the Top Singles in France, with nearly 778,700 plays, and rose to 128th place in the Top Spotify France, with more than 71,000 streams. On Shazam France, it reached 21st place, and it has just entered the Top 40 of iTunes France. With these numbers, “A Forest” is now among The Cure's most popular tracks alongside classics like “Boys Don't Cry” and “Friday I'm In Love”, enjoying a strong comeback in the French musical landscape.
As a whole, the film's soundtrack also stands out in the rankings. It has just reached 23rd place in the Top French Albums with 2,800 purchases, highlighting the success of the director's nostalgic approach. This renewed interest in The Cure coincides with the release of their new album, “Songs Of A Lost World”. Unveiled last Friday, it is praised by critics and the public, and is already a hit in the United Kingdom.
