I'm a bit late to this thread but .....
It's a film. It apparently is set in 1974 with Northern Soul and Wigan Casino as a backdrop for the boy meets girl story.
Surely the only people who decide what music is used and in what context are the people who are being paid,to use their artistic discretion to determine what music / artists etc, by the people who have invested their MONEY in the project.
Let's not forget that films (just like the records we all love were) are in the main made to make money.
The fact is that we are in a time where someone with the required funds feels that Northern Soul has enough currency to make a viable project. I am sure it could just as easy be set against a Glam Rock background - mind you given Gary Glitter's current notoriety maybe not, as how could you make a movie with that background without featuring his music?
Anyway I digress. The point is, it's a movie. It's not real life, it's a movie. It's not a documentary, it's a movie.
Whether they use all original 60's & 70's tracks or not, it doesn't really matter. It's NOT a Northern Soul movie, it's a movie that uses NS as a backdop. Most people who see it won't even know what's original NS and what isn't.
And say they do use totally original tracks as a lot on here have advocated, then what? Will these only be acceptable if taken directly from original vinyl?
Someone (I forget who) said earlier it's all about the records. That is a whole other discussion that's been played out on here numerous times ad nauseam.
There's Northern Soul - which is about music with a particular beat (irrespective of recording format, era or colour of artists skin)
There's rare soul
and then there's record collecting
Sometimes they can get confused. And I think that's definiterly the case in some the posts on this topic.
As far as the movie goes. Go and see it (I will), don't go and see it. It's a movie, that's all.
Phil