What are some the moments where you thought music really elevated scenes in movies to a new, breathtaking level?
I'll mention a few of my favourites:
*UNMARKED SPOILERS AHEAD*
The Land Before Time. "Discovery of the Great Valley" is great music for a great scene when Littlefoot and his friends finally reach their destination. The whole scene is built on the music, and you really hear the main theme in all its glory.
Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace. "Duel of the Fates" makes a strong entrance when the battle between Darth Maul and Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn begins, and the theme makes its presence known whenever we see these characters fighting.
Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones. "Finale" is a very good track during the ending sequence of this movie, because first we hear a massive orchestral version of "Imperial March" when we see Clone Troopers going to war and then we get straight to the beautiful "Across the Stars" love theme when we see Anakin and Padmé's wedding.
Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. "Anakin's Betrayal" accompanies one of the most tragic scenes ever when we see how the clones kill off the Jedi. The sad and epic choral melody builds up and makes us feel the anguish which takes place on screen. Of course there are many other scenes with great music as well, but I felt this one was one of the most dramatic.
Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope. "Binary Sunset" gives us a magnificent and heartbreaking version of the Force theme when we see Luke looking at the horizon, pondering what he should do next.
Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. "Carbon Freeze" gives us the most emotional version of the Han Solo and the Princess love theme when Han kisses Leia passionately right before he's put in carbonite. This heartbreaking scene with the famous lines ("I love you." "I know.") makes this one of the best scenes in Star Wars movies.
Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. "The Dark Side Beckons" and "Light of the Force" are definitely some of the most emotional scenes in this movie: the first, choral cue accompanies the duel when Luke finally defeats Vader by cutting the dark lord's arm and is about to slay him, and the second cue is played when Luke burns Vader's armour in the pyre on Endor when a powerful version of the Force theme is played.
The Lion King. "To Die For" and "King of Pride Rock" are very powerful choral cues in this movie. The first cue is played during the stampede scene when Mufasa saves Simba and gets killed in the process. The second cue is played when Simba has defeated Scar and takes his rightful place as the new king.
Jurassic Park. "Welcome to Jurassic Park" (titled in the soundtrack as "End Credits") gives us the full choral version of the Jurassic Park main theme when we see a dinosaur in its full glory for the first time. The epic and magic feeling you get when you see this scene and listen to the music is simply marvellous and shows John Williams's talent as a composer.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Both "The Ecstasy of Gold" and "The Trio" are very fantastic cues in the movie. The first cue accompanies one of the characters in an epic, choral way as he's searching for the treasure. The second cue is played when the three main characters get ready to face each other in an epic showdown, and the music really builds up the tension when we wonder who will survive the coming battle.
There are many other great moments with music as well, but it'd take a while to list all of my favourites. So, please share your thoughts about this matter with us and tell us what movie scenes with music really shocked you in a positive way. :)
