Six Superb Soundtracks

Soundtracks are often not given enough credit in the film world, from us as critics and film lovers, but they have a stronger effect on the audience than you’d think. I have found that those pivotal goose bump moments occur when the music over the image is perfectly fitting; culturally and emotionally, allowing us to feel more involved with the movie.

Since soundtracks aren’t often conversed I thought I would shine a light on the under-discussed element of which soundtracks really absorb you into the film and make you feel like you’re fighting alongside Jack Sparrow on the Black Pearl, or you’re beating up Edward Norton in Fight Club.

These are my six favourite movie soundtracks, each of them contributing to an unforgettable film experience. I will be discussing the key aspects of these soundtracks that make them stand out in a long line of movie music, however, the reasons why I love them might be why you possibly don’t, which makes this all the more exciting.

6. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

Firstly, I’d like to start the ball rolling with the film 500 Days of Summer. Who doesn’t love a tale of love, heartbreak and comedy combined with a unique indie flare? That’s what we get in this soundtrack and film; including music from famous artistic loners such as Morrissey – outcasts that speak for a mixture of generations, old and new.

Director Marc Webb has brought to life an offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn’t believe true love exists, and the young man who falls for her. With many references to music throughout the film, the soundtrack naturally plays a crucial part in this movie. It includes mentions of 80’s British rock music such as Joy Division and The Smiths. The soundtrack is filled with indie music to fit the genre and themes within this film, intending to captivate an audience of people who can relate to Tom Hansen and Summer Finn. The soundtrack includes Here Comes Your Man by Pixies, Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap, Us by Regina Spektor and Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel.

These are just a handful of many great songs in this film but one that I want to talk about in particular is Hero by Regina Spektor. This song is applied to a very pivotal scene, where they show a split screen of what the protagonist Tom Hansen wants to happen, and what actually happens when he turns up to Summer Finn’s party. I don’t want to delve too much into this – if you haven’t seen the film, I highly recommend you do! But the reason why it works so well and why it is on my list, is because of how highly relatable the scene is, and with the lyrics of the song being “I’m the hero of the story, don’t need to be saved” – we all feel like we are the heroes of our own story, but nobody is ever there to save us. If you like indie rock music, and an incredibly unique love story, then this film and soundtrack is perfect for you.

5. Pulp Fiction (1994)

The next superb soundtrack I would like to bring to your attention is that of the Tarantino classic Pulp Fiction, which I’m sure most of you have seen. This incredibly popular anachronic and episodic narrative means we can have a variety of different styles of music. Due to its miniature tales woven into one, we can be listening to the chilled Al Green, then suddenly we are thrown into something like Misirlou by Dick Dale (or to the younger audiences, Pump It by the Black Eyed Peas)

This Tarantino tale (starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman and Tim Roth) delves into the lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster’s wife, and a pair of diner bandits. Their worlds intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption (not to mention a comedic flare throughout – “Oh man, I shot Marvin in the face”). With the Urge Overkill’s Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon and the fantastic Jungle Boogie by Kool & the Gang, it’s difficult not to love this soundtrack.

Something special that this soundtrack does is that it navigates the film from being a serious, gory and violent thriller into a comedic and unfortunate tale of gangsters. One of the more memorable and iconic scenes in this film is when Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega enter a dancing competition at the diner. The musical choice of Jack Rabbit Slims Twist Contest/You Never Can Tell performed by the brilliant Chuck Berry for this scene makes it one of the most iconic scenes Tarantino has ever produced, keeping the scene light-hearted and full of entertainment.

The soundtrack for this film alone can speak for itself, it contains the right amount of quirky, fun songs paired with the deeper and well executed monologue of Samuel L. Jackson’s character Jules Winnfield, I haven’t seen a soundtrack like this in all the films I have watched, and because it is so unique, I think it is very well deserved of being in my top 6 soundtracks.

4. The Great Gatsby (2013)

The third soundtrack which I would like to draw your attention to is The Great Gatsby. We are thrown into a world where liquor cost next to nothing and parties are a regular weekend occurrence for these New Yorkers. This invigorating story requires a bold, rich and party-esque soundtrack, therefore Luhrmann had many different alleyways he could explore to bring this picture to life, and he chose the right one.

Baz Lurhmann brings us his adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, and it is quite something. I would say the music has largely contributed to this. To give little insight into the film for those who haven’t seen it, the movie is about a young man named Nick who moves into a home located next to the mysterious Jay Gatsby, Gatsby is drawn to Nick because Nick has access to something he wants, the events which follow reveal a tale of love, wealth, lies, deceit and hope.

The soundtrack is not what you would expect for an adaptation of an old novel set in the 1920’s. Artists include Jay Z, Beyoncé, Lana Del Rey, The XX and Will.i.am. You would think the use of modern music would tarnish the realism needed to tell a story of 1920’s America but this is not the case. The artists have modernised the classic sound of jazz and blues, adding rap, techno and operatic sounds, which brings a contemporary twist to the flick.

My favourite song included on the soundtrack has to be Together by The XX. This song is used in several scenes, as well as the credits. With the film debatably ending on a negative note, the slow and majestic sound that The XX brings to life really captures the emotion we see on the screen into frequencies we hear. Following the story through another sense, we are connected to the emotion expressed through the key characters in The Great Gatsby on a modernised level, possibly making it more relatable to the modern day audience. The main reason I love this soundtrack and why I have put it on my list is because it links many cultures together, largely through the music.

3. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Not another Baz Luhrmann film! – Yes, It has to be said, his adaptation of Romeo + Juliet has an incredible soundtrack! I couldn’t not mention it! I do have a soft spot for Luhrmann and his vibrant films. It is difficult to take on the challenge of turning one of the most famous plays in history into a film, and Luhrmann has executed it well, alongside the fantastic acting and mise-en-scene, he provides us with a mixture of sounds; operatic and rock.

I’m sure you all know the classic Shakespearean tale of Romeo and Juliet, but to give a brief description, it is about a man and woman who fall in love, but there’s a catch. The families they come from are rivals. Where “ancient grudge break to new mutiny” and “the pair or star crossed lovers take their life”. As you can see, Luhrmann has kept the Shakespearean dialogue in the film (just like The Great Gatsby) adding a dynamic of different cultures, with the classic language and modern music of the 1990’s. Songs include: Talk Show Host by Radiohead, Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) by Quindon Tarver and the most memorable song from the film, when Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes see each other through the fish tank: Kissing You by Des’ree.

The song I would like to highlight mostly is When Angels Cry by T-Rock, played during the prologue of the film. It is hard to explain the almighty epicness secreted through this song. If you haven’t seen it I would strongly recommend going on YouTube and watching the 3 minute clip. This song also has narration of the prologue over it by the late Pete Postlethwaite. The operatic sounds provided by this song layered over short snippets of the film create tingles and goose bumps (it’s at this moment you know you are in for an emotional roller coaster) I see all these combinations and contrasting connotations in the introduction as a recipe for success. I take my hat off to you Luhrmann! Bravo.

2. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

For number 2 I would like to shine a light on Fried Green Tomatoes. When having scenes of misfortune and death, musical directors can use music to their advantage. Give us a violin during a death scene and we will almost definitely be in tears, and this is what director Jon Avnet and Thomas Newman did, however you can hear more than just a violin playing; you can hear the emotion, which is why this soundtrack works so well.

I have a feeling some of you might be confused as to how this film is up here with Luhrmann and Tarantino’s works, but its soundtrack is truly superb. The film is based on the novel by Fannie Flagg. It weaves together the past and present through the blossoming friendship between Evelyn Couch, a middle-aged housewife, and Ninny Threadgoode, an elderly woman who lives in a nursing home. Every week Evelyn visits Ninny, who tells her stories about memories of her youth in Whistle Stop, Alabama, in the 1920’s, where her sister-in-law Idgie and Idgie’s friend Ruth ran a café. These stories, along with Ninny’s friendship, enable Evelyn to begin a new, satisfying life while allowing the people and stories of Ninny’s youth to live on. I think it’s safe to assume this isn’t a film you will all have heard of, but the soundtrack… it will warm your heart and break it at the same time.

The music producer for this film is the famous Thomas Newman, who has produced music for films such as Skyfall, The Green Mile, Wall-E, Saving Mr. Banks and many other memorable movies. So for those of you who haven’t seen this film, you can take my word for it; this soundtrack is outstanding. This soundtrack deserves a place on my list because it isn’t bombarded with a vast amount of instruments. The reason I like Newman is because he can reveal the beauty of single instruments, presenting the power behind the solo. The music holds onto you, and perfectly represents the visuals on the screen.

1. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

I had to save my all-time favourite for last… Pirates of the Caribbean! This Disney franchise (2003 – present) is nothing like the generic Disney film, it has an incredibly strong sense of wit and sarcasm. Who doesn’t love a sarcastic protagonist? Especially one with dreadlocks, bandanna, mustache and rum-breath.

More precisely, I would like to focus on the music in the second film of the series, Dead Man’s Chest. Hans Zimmer produced the music on this film alongside Klaus Badelt. The films take place in a fictional historical setting, a world ruled largely by an amalgam of alternative versions of the British Empire and the East India Company, with the pirates representing freedom from the ruling powers. Don’t be fooled by the historical context: the main focus in the franchise is Jack Sparrow, and we watch him get out of incredibly sticky situations. The unusual idea of an optimistic villain as the protagonist is the reason why this is my all-time favourite movie.

So what is it about the music of Pirates of the Caribbean that I love so much? Hans Zimmer has produced music for films such as Inception, Batman, Gladiator and 12 Years A Slave. Zimmer captures the exact feeling intended, applying a bigger intensity and emphasis on the cinematic experience. My favourite piece of music in Dead Man’s Chest is ‘The Kraken’. The scene where this piece is applied occurs when a sea monster, the Kraken, attacks a ship.

Zimmer has carefully selected the right components to provide different build ups and tensions for the audience, and enhances the theatrical experience. Starting with the deep bass from the cello, creeping up to a contrast with a quartet of violins. The music fits the theme perfectly, and with the use of the organ – a traditional instrument played in the 18th century, and with the instrument’s prevailing theme throughout the film, it is molded to this piece of cinematography. The music in this film could easily speak for itself because it is that powerful and dynamic, however, this being paired with images of a ship being attacked by a sea monster – we get a stronger feel of the music, and we can picture ourselves in the scene.

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Every movie has a different feel and vibrancy secreted through the soundtrack. Whether it be the amazing comedic soundtrack or the soundtrack to a corrupt war film. Something which isn’t noted enough is the power of music in film, when in my opinion, it holds important parallels with the cinematography.

If you could make a soundtrack for the film about your life, what songs would you include? Who would you want to compose the soundtrack? Let me know in the comments.

(top image: The Great Gatsby – source: Village Roadshow Pictures)