I've always held that a well done film score can elevate a film from good to great. Themes from films like Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey have become as iconic as the films they accompanied, which shows the power a good piece can hold.
What soundtracks, or individual pieces mean a lot to you? Ones that sent a shiver down your spine or brought a tear to your eye when you first heard it. I'm talking about original scores mostly, but if a movie took a song already written and made it fit in a film for you, then who am I to judge?
I'll kick us off with a couple that mean something to me:
When I was growing up, my Dad was a HUGE western film fan (still is actually), so I was exposed to them a lot myself and it has now become a favourite genre of mine. The first one I ever watched was the original 3:10 to Yuma, but the first one I truly loved was The Magnificent Seven, my god what an opening theme!
I knew there and then that I would love the film, and it has remained one of my favourite themes to this day.
As I said before, I believe a good score can elevate a theme from good to great, and I think the same can be said for a specific scene in a film.
Sticking with the Western genre, I give you one of the greatest films of all time - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Only I haven't gone for the obvious iconic main theme, this time I've gone for one of my favourite scenes in any film, where The Ugly stumbles across the cemetery he's been searching for the whole movie....just listen to that score!
Legitimately still sends shivers down my spine whenever I watch that scene.
The first DVD I ever owned was the horror - 28 Days Later, an excellent film that has an equally excellent score. Since it was the first DVD I owned, I obviously watched it...a lot. There is a scene in the film, (probably the most famous scene) where this plays in the background during the whole time, it fits the scene so unbelievably well I just had to include it, had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I think everyone has heard this piece in some form or another by now, but here it is in its original form -
I won't post the scene itself, its a little too much for a family forum, but I'd certainly recommend watching the film if you haven't seen it, or just re-watching that scene if you have!
So, those are three of many, many musical compositions in films that mean something to me, for various reasons. Over to you folks, I'm dying to know!
10-15-2016, 11:25 PM
charliepanayi
It's ridiculous that this never got a proper release anywhere, not even on streaming sites!
although i gotta be honest a lot of the best non-symphonic music is from tv shows (mr robot, sherlock holmes, doctor who, dark matter)
i really liked gravity ost too
10-16-2016, 02:07 AM
Calliope
high five ocean's eleven
I am also fond of:
The Cornetto Trilogy
Cruel Intentions
Trainspotting
24 Hour Party People
Dancer in the Dark
a theme emerges, I am not sorry
10-16-2016, 03:15 AM
Pheesh
Star Wars is the obvious choice for good reasons.
Almost Famous gets a lot of praise for the soundtrack, but the original compositions are equally beautiful.
I love Clint Mansell soundtracks as well, Requiem for a Dream and his adaptation of Swan Lake for Black Swan was amazing.
And I gotta agree with 'Her', amazing soundtrack.
10-18-2016, 04:09 PM
Bubba
This one is pretty famous but it's such an amazing piece of music. Originally, John Boorman had money for a full score but they were struggling to finance the movie so they did away with the orchestra entirely. The whole score is just this song and little variations of it.
