The Big Chill is a 1983American comedy-drama filmdirected by Lawrence Kasdan.
It is about a close-knit gang of friends, including an actor (JoBeth Williams),
a doctor (Glenn Close)
and her husband (Kevin Kline), a Vietnam veteran (William Hurt), and a
journalist (Tom Berenger) who reunite after 15 years when one of their friends,
Alex, commits suicide. The
friends spend the weekend confronting the personal truths, sacrifices and
betrayals that have left them disenchanted. Each must contend with unresolved
issues they have with Alex, and with one another.
The soundtrack by Motown features soul, R&B and poprock musicians from the 1960s and 70s, including Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and Three Dog Night. It also includes the classic Procol Harum track “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”.
Motown scored big with this album, which contains ten ‘60s hits, the sort of music loved by the yuppie thirty something characters in the movie and ready to be rediscovered by the audience that saw the film.