Odd title. apologies.
I recently attended a movie at the cinema which had a scene in it that was so greatly enhanced by music that I was almost left only with a "wow" moment. As much as I do not like most movies, I relish the cinematic experience of being left thinking about the movie when it ends. Putting all the pieces together, so to speak.
There's little argument that a soundtrack, or score, greatly enhances a movie from time to time. It dosn't matter whether it's an epic movie like Apocolypse Now with "The End" by the doors being prominent, or a silly made for high school movie like Fast Times At Ridgemont High and it's fantasy scene at the pool with the Cars "Life's Insane" supporting the moment. Once in a while, the combination of the score and scene are so well blended together that you feel privelaged to have paid your $9.75 to get in. Unforgettable moments.
So, what are some of your favorite scene/score combinations that have stuck into your memory banks? I'll start off with a few.....in random order.
A: The short instrumental pieces done by various instruments throughout the whole movie in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". The longer piece that the little riff was taken from fit quite well when they showed it as well.
B: I brought it up earlier. 'The End" by the Doors, twice in Apocolypse Now.
C: A really recent one. Inglorious Basterds near the end of the movie played a more upbeat version of David Bowie's "Putting Out Fires (With Gasoline)". I wont say anything more as to not spoil for those who have not seen it. It might be my favorite, all-rime scene/music combo.
D: "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" used music as well as any movie that wasn't totally about music as I've seen. No one specific scene comes to mind, but the singing into the can scene was neat.
E: Hannibal with Anthony Hopkins using an Aria as part of an Opera scene where Hannibal and the Allegra meet. Kind of an interesting scene as the director lulls us into a very calm, soothing and beautiful peace only to destroy all the tranquility moments later has Lector's presentation leaves the detective hanging. Vide Cor Meum, by Patrick Cassidy
So, what are yours?
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
I rarely watch a movie more than once . . . but the fight scene in "Kill Bill" in the Japanese restaurant choreographed to the music . . . I've watched that a half dozen times.
I'm glad you mentioned "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" . . . that ranks up there with me too.
"Ordinary People" popularized Pachelbel's Canon in D . . . I never get tired of that song.
Of course "Space Odyssey" has to be up there with great music scores.
I'm sure there's more . . . but that's all I can think of right now.
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
A: The short instrumental pieces done by various instruments throughout the whole movie in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". The longer piece that the little riff was taken from fit quite well when they showed it as well.
Ennio Morricone's soundtracks are great. My favorite is from the movie The Mission, with Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons. Good movie, divine music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nye62rh7aaQ
On the lighter side, the Twist and Shout scene from Ferris Bueller is a classic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNPp6x7j9I8
Scorcese is a genius w/ tying music to the scene. The scene in Goodfellas when Henry is driving all over town frantically w/ the Stones' "Monkey Man" playing is awesome.
The only thing that comes to mind for me was
Resevoir Dogs - Stuck in the Middle With You
And anything from Pulp Fiction, I thought they used music really well to set up their scene
In Space, no one can hear me sing!
when Vangelis does a soundtrack, it's usually fairly integral to the flick. it's obvious in Chariots of Fire, but much more artful and interesting (I think) in Blade Runner, where it def sets atypical moods and associations. this is one of my all-time fave soundtracks. another fave is the Twin Peaks Soundtrack, which Lynch and Badalamenti co-wrote. absolutely inspired! hip, creepy, sexy, otherworldly. I don't think the show would have grabbed so many views without that masterful soundtrack.
Others:
Risky Business My fave from this is Love on a Real Train
Dazed and Confused
Easy Rider
2001: A Space Odyssey -- probably where many of us first recall hearing Also Sprach Zarathustra
-=tension & release=-
OK, maybe I'm not taking this seriously enough, but how about...
Bohemian Rhapsody in Wayne's World :lol: IMO, that was classic.
D*mn it Feels Good to Be a Gangsta in the movie Office Space. :lol: :lol: :lol: Watching the white collar office boys put the smack down to the copier with the ghetto rap playing was hilarious!
And Dr. Evil and Mini Me singing It's the Hard Knock Life in Goldmember made me LMAO.
On a more serious note...
Good Morning Vietnam included great music selections, but Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World amidst the scenes of wartorn Vietnam was really powerful.
Sorry to interrupt, :oops: back to more relevant examples of music influencing the movie experience...
Dave "Who" Else
SPONGEBOB: the movie...
Great rock six string in there...
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
I don't think that there are many movie soundtracks, which are so integral to the film series than the James Bond theme.
I completely agree with the Wayne's World vote.
Going back into the far forgotten past - High Noon with Gary Cooper.
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
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D*mn it Feels Good to Be a Gangsta in the movie Office Space. :lol: :lol: :lol:
+1 Love the scene where he's driving in his car, and he comes up upon a black gangster dude, and he then sinks into his seat rolls up the window and locks the door.
In Space, no one can hear me sing!
The entire score to the movie Magnolia. Love that Aimee Mann. The director P.T. Anderson is very good at incorporating music into the movie. He also did the movie Boogie Nights which used music to great affect.
Interview guy: What is the source of your feedback?
Neil Young: Volume.
The opening of The Blues Brothers
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
The one scene in 'Life Is Beautiful' when they go to the opera and they play/sing Offenbach's Baccarole - spine-tingling stuff!
D*mn it Feels Good to Be a Gangsta in the movie Office Space. :lol: :lol: :lol:
+1 Love the scene where he's driving in his car, and he comes up upon a black gangster dude, and he then sinks into his seat rolls up the window and locks the door.
+1
-=tension & release=-
Lots of different types of music and movies. That Wayne's World scene probably caused a bit of a spike for Queen album sales.
I agree with greybeard about the James Bond theme. I was thinking of Extreme Ways by Moby for the Bourne movies, but that's pretty much a lead into the credits bit. I don't think they use it anywhere else but the credits.
That "It's A Wonderful World" sequence in Good Morning Viet Nam almost seemed like it had a life of it's own in that movie. 2 minutes of war-time turmoil type footage to one of the prettiest songs ever. Quite a moment.
That music for Pulp Fiction was quite interesting. All that mega-reverb with the vibrato going in full force did leave an eerie feel to some scenes.
I totally forgot about the Easy Rider sound track gnease mentioned. There were a few scenes in that movie that were really enhanced by the musical selections, especially at the beginning. The Pusher, Born To Be Wild and The Weight stick out in my mind. (Although I still have no clue what The Weight is about)
I thought of another scene recently. The Tango scene in Scent Of A Woman where Pacino (playing a blind retired Army Officer) dances the Tango with a sharp young lass.
I recently watched No Country For Old Men. It had only 16 minutes of music including credits. It's amazing to me how barren that made the movie sound. Perfect for a movie shot in the desert southwest, I guess.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
