Best use of music in a movie (1 Viewer)

[Marko_J]

And how can we forget Hi-Fidelity, and About a boy...
Zoo station from U2 in the about the boy

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

I agree with Conan the Barbarian. Very effective use of music. The music from the beginning upto the end of "The Wheel" scene is in another league.
The Hunt for Red October.
I really liked the music used in Total Recall.

 

[AaronMg]

Resevoir dogs when that policeman is getting his ear hacked off

Also, in Forrest gump - Free Bird by Lynard Skynard playing when Jenny is about to jump off the roof of the building.

 

[RickER]

Ohh how i love movie music...i have 200 movie scores on CD. My short list (the music helped make these movies):

Star Trek:the motion picture

Blade Runner

Last of the Mohicans

Krull

Excalibur

 

[Bob Marker]

I agree that a musical score can "make" a movie. Among my favorites:

Ulee's Gold
On Golden Pond
Last of the Mohicans
A River Runs Through It
The Thin Red Line
Our Town
The Shawshank Redemption
Musical score for the documentary "The Way West"

Bob

 

[Kevin Porter]

Rick, what kind of CD are you using that's big enough to fit 200 scores on it?

 

[Chris]

I've never heard a soundtrack as well used, as well thought out as "Bis Ans Ende Der Welt" (Until the End of The World) where U2/REM/etc. is used so effectively that it advances the story and provides insights into the minds of the characters. It really is a great work of using music to advance the plot. Including:

(1) A tokyo scene where the entire mood is set
(2) A scene in the Australian desert
(3) A travel scene where pygmy music defines a character

It's beautiful filmmaking, and the soundtrack is unrivaled (IMHO)

 

[Josh Simpson]

My favorite uses of music in movies..

Vertigo,
Psycho,
Star Wars Saga,
Superman,
Jaws,
Halloween.

For me, these movies wouldn't be nearly as effective without the wonderful score.


Others that are not far behind....Schindler's List, E.T., Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones movies.

 

[Adam Horak]

C'mon people!

Office Space - Damn it feels good to be a gangsta

 

[RickER]

How i wish i could get 200 scores on 1 CD. Nahhh, would be a pain if it got scratched. Not that any of mine are. I treat my music like gold, and indeed some of mine are gold. I used to buy a lot of movie music. I think it is a lost art now. I remember being able to HUM a good music cue...Raiders of the Lost Ark anyone? The last movie i saw was T3...i kept waiting for some good music, like the main theme. But you didn't get that until the end credits. When i think of movie music...i don't think of rock song compilations that were not even in the movie. I think of a score written for it...and when you listen to it you know whats going on, even without a picture. Jaws...you don't have to SEE the shark to know its coming. The last soundtrack, and only one of the year i bought was The Two Towers. Great score, and i hope it revives it like Star Wars did in the 70s.

 

[ThomasC]

70 posts and no one mentions "Wise Up" performed by Aimee Mann and Co. in Magnolia. Shame on you all!

 

[Kachi Khatri]

Here's one not mentioned: SEXY BEAST

Great score..esp. where it shows Ben Kingsley's coming from the airport to visit his old pal, Ray Whinstone.

 

[Dan D.]

Great topic!

Sure, the whole Star Wars saga is fantastic, but my specific favorite scene is at the end of Return of the Jedi when Vader discovers the secret about Leia during his lightsaber battle with Luke. From the point where Luke screams "No!" and unleashes the full force of his anger on Vader, there is a beautiful, dramatic piece of music which, if I remember correctly, is the first time we hear a chorus in the trilogy (Jabba's band excluded ). It's not as over-the-top as "Duel of the Fates", but that's true of the original trilogy vs. the new one anyway. I do love "Duel", though.

Choral works are always great in soundtracks. As JohnE mentioned above, Arthur's last ride in Excalibur with "O Fortuna" from Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" playing was a particularly amazing scene.

Also...

The ending montage sequence in Donnie Darko with that haunting rendition of "Mad World"

The launch of the Enterprise in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

The whole soundtrack to "The Untouchables"

And how the hell could this thread get this long without anyone mentioning Kubrick???

 

[JonathonSan]

Truman Show: When Truman begins to freak out in the street outside of the office buildings. I believe it was Anthem by Phillip Glass

 

[Sergio Z.]

Raiders: The Map Room piece....that build up is simply awesome!!

Superman: opening title sequence!

as far as dramatic cues go,

Gladiator: the sad music when Max finds his wife and son

English Patient, right after Katherine tells Almashee (not sure on spelling) "I've always loved you." - tear

 

[Aaron Garman]

Another great one is Hook by John Williams. I need to pick this one up because it is definitely one of his finest works. Not only does the score match the film very well, but it stands alone as a great piece of music.

I also love the opening credits music used for Hullk by Danny Elfman. It has such a haunting feel to it that goes with the visuals. At the same time, it is also a nice homage to the music from Herrmann's Vertigo. The first time I heard it, I did not pick up on that. But try it out again and you'll notice to similarities between the two.

AJG

 

[Sergio Z.]

""Sixteen Reasons" and "Llorando" ("Crying") in Mulholland Dr. Both are eerily intense in context."

Yes, the Llorando part was eerie, especially in the theater!!! I almost forgot about that! Must watch it again

 

[Benjamin_L]

Every track in Reqiuem for a Dream is fantastic (though maybe not in the traditional sense), especially those performed by the Kronos quartet. The 1st time I watched the film and the title theme kicks in, It filled me with a pervading sense of doom. The 2nd time I literally broke down. Never watch that film alone.

No disagreements with any of the other scores mentioned, except for a few pieces of the Fellowship soundtrack.

Great that we can finally agree on something.

 

[Joshua_Y]

Another great one is Hook by John Williams. I need to pick this one up because it is definitely one of his finest works. Not only does the score match the film very well, but it stands alone as a great piece of music.

Excellent choice! I meant to mention Hook but forgot too...one of my favorite Williams scores...

 

[John Kilduff]

"Scarface" and "Midnight Express"-Two great scores by the legendary dance master Giorgio Moroder. He is way cool.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

Really, Moroder is a quality worker.