Does it matter which electronic music masterpiece you choose on your Netflix adventure?
(Photo of Edgar Froese of Tangerine Dream by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images) Getty
Barely a day has passed since the arrival of Bandersnatch, the latest iteration of the popular Black Mirror series. From the moment it arrived simultaneously worldwide on Netflix, subscribers and fans of Charlie Brooker’s oft-dystopian sci-fi series dove into the choose-your-own-adventure style movie, directing its various options and exploring its twisty plot.
At first recalling series favorite San Junipero for its apparent throwback 1980s setting, the UK-set story follows an aspiring young programmer named Stefan in his attempt to create a video game based on a complex book written by a mysterious novelist. But what makes Bandersnatch different essentially from the start is its interactivity, presenting the viewer with options that direct where the narrative leads. Some of the choices appear benign, such as the selection of the protagonist’s sugary breakfast cereal, while others prove anxiety-inducing and grave. Warning: some spoilers follow below.
One such decision—and, indeed, where one of the most innovative aspects of Bandersnatch lies—comes from the selection of music. This occurs at two points in the story, the first coming early on during a double-decker bus ride to a business meeting with video game company Tuckersoft. Looking at his walkman, Stefan holds two cassette tapes, one by the Thompson Twins and the other a Now That’s What I Call Music compilation. If the viewer selects the former, they are treated to the new wave ballad «Hold Me Now,» which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the UK Singles Charts. If they instead choose the latter, it plays The Eurythmics’ «Here Comes The Rain Again,» a synthpop classic which peaked at No. 4 in the US and No. 8 in the UK.
In execution, picking which tape Stefan listens to in his headphones feels gimmicky at best, a slight diversion that provides a brief bit of enjoyment while hinting at the power the viewer may wield not long thereafter. Yet the second musical choice given to the viewer does far more than press play. Instead, their decision resonates more-or-less throughout the remainder of the film.
