I really like his rendition of So Into You, for obvious reasons, so I wanted to see if there was an actual full recording of it somewhere. A google search of his name brought up his website: markwillms.com. So I wrote him an email asking him if he perhaps had it on one of his albums or something.
Here's the better part of the email exchange:
Note: I should have checked the soundtrack page on this very website first, but I forgot about it until after I sent the emailI wrote:I love the song you played for one of the final scenes in Lost In
Translation (has lyrics "I'm so into you") and was wondering if you
could tell me what the name of the song is, if it's an original
composition or a cover, and whether there is a way to get a full
recording of the song?
Mark Willms wrote:Thanks very much for your interest. The song is by a
'70s band called Atlanta Rhythm Section or ARS. 'So
In To You' probably appears on several compilation
albums, or might be attainable on line. Sophia
Copolla owns the rights to my performance of it, and
I'm not sure if she plans to release the full length
version.
I wrote:If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up being cast in the
movie? Were you already in Tokyo and Sophia found you there, or did
she know your work previously and asked you to come along?
Just something interesting.Mark Willms wrote:To answer your question, it was
just a case of right place, right time. I was
entertaining at the very bar it was filmed at & Sophia
cast me after the original pianist didn't work out.
Go figure. Take care