A lot of people call Suda 51 (creator of Lollipop Chainsaw) the Quentin Tarantino of videogames. While I see some similarities there, I don’t think the analogy is quite right. Quentin Tarantino is big on “real talk” wit and grit, while Suda is much more surreal and silly. Rockstar’s Hauser brothers are the real Tarantinos of the gaming world. Suda’s work has always been more like a cross between the films of David Lynch and Stephen Chow. That is, until now.
Everything about Lollipop Chainsaw seems to be moving more towards the Tarantino formula for mainstream appeal. The game has Hollywood screenwriter James Gunn on tap to deliver buckets of banter custom made for American audiences. It’s got Little Jimmy Urine (seen above) from Mindless Self Indulgence teaming with iconic Silent Hill and Shadows of the Damned composer Akira Yamaoka on the game’s original score to create a tone that’s equal parts top-shelf class and hedonistic sass. Then there are the eclectic licensed songs on the soundtrack, including Pac-Man Fever (Buckner & Garcia), You Spin Me Round (Dead or Alive) and Speed (Atari Teenage Riot) among many others (see the full list below).
I’ve long been of the opinion that Tarantino’s movies would not be so readily consumed by the masses if it weren’t for their “I wish I could talk like that!” screenwriting and “Hey, this song is so quirky yet strangely familiar!” soundtracks. It will be interesting to see if the same formula works to help make Lollipop Chainsaw a blockbuster hit.
Nemesis – Arch Enemy
Empire State Human – The Human League
Lollipop – The Chordettes
The Way of the Fist – Five Finger Death Punch
Rock ‘N’ Roll (Will Take You To The Mountain) – Skrillex
Pac Man Fever – Buckner & Garcia
Turtle Crazy – Toy Dolls
Mickey – Toni Basil
Stop Reading, Start Doing Pushups – Destroy Rebuild Until God Comes
1,000 Cigarettes – MSTRKRFT
Riot Rhythm – Sleigh Bells
Heroes Of Our Time – Dragonforce
Speed – Atari Teenage Riot
You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) – Dead or Alive
Cherry Bomb – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Needled 24/7 – Children of Bodom
