Ampersand Mixtape 9: A Musical homage to Silver Screen Icons

Get ready to be immersed in the world of cinema through a musical journey curated by Charles Leonard, with the latest installment of the Ampersand Mixtape series. This unique audio adventure is a tribute to the silver screen, featuring songs that celebrate the magic of the movies and the larger-than-life characters that grace them. Ampersand Mixtape 9, titled Celluloid Heroes, is a carefully crafted playlist that brings together a diverse mix of tracks alluding to heroes, villains, and everything in between.

Meet Your Host and Creative Team

Guiding us through the cinematic soundscape is host Charles Leonard, whose passion for both music and movies shines through in his selection of tracks. The visual dimension of the mixtape is captured by illustrator Anastasya Eliseeva, providing an artistic representation that complements the auditory experience. Production for this mixtape has been handled by Reframe, with the French Institute of South Africa offering their support to help bring this project to fruition.

Setting the Soundtrack for Movie Lovers

The playlist spans a broad range of musical genres, ensuring that there's something for every kind of film aficionado. Listeners can expect to delve into Jean Knight’s Mr Big Stuff, experience the jazz tones of Miles Davis in Générique, and relive the magic of silent films with The Cinematic Orchestra's Man with a Movie Camera. Rock and pop are well-represented too, with The Kinks' nostalgic Celluloid Heroes and Roxy Music’s 2HB, an ode to Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart.

The mixtape doesn't shy away from the darker side of cinema either, featuring Bauhaus’ iconic Bela Lugosi’s Dead, which pays tribute to the legendary actor known for his portrayal of Count Dracula. Fans of classic cinema and modern movies alike will find tunes resonating with their favorite films and stars within this mix.

From the energetic beats of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love to the psychedelic rock of The Stone Roses’ Fools Gold, each track serves as a reminder of the powerful relationship between motion pictures and the music that often defines them.

mixtape, movies, music