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The best use of a soundtrack

post #1 of 29
1/19/08 at 12:39am
Thread Starter 
You only get 1 choice for a scene and a runner up.

My favorite use:

Last of the Mohicans, the end scene on the mountain where they are chasing down the war party.

Runner up:

Another Mann movie Heat. The bank robbery scene. So simple but what tension it creates.

Edit: If you have youtube examples it would be cool.
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post #2 of 29
1/19/08 at 12:47am
Opening of McCabe and Mrs. Miller. Leonard Cohen's lyrics to The Stranger Song told me all I'd need to know about the film I'd be watching for the next couple hours. It's perfect and utterly simple.

Runner-Up: The Running scene in Mauvais Sang, which uses David Bowie's Modern Love to perfect effect.
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post #3 of 29
1/19/08 at 12:53am
Mean Streets. Because someone had to.

Runner-up: Once Upon a Time in the West. Chills down my spine.

I wanted to use The Commitments, but that'd be cheating since it's kind of a music movie.
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post #4 of 29
1/19/08 at 1:00am
Another good one: Michael Andrews fools people into thinking Donnie Darko is a good movie with his score.
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post #5 of 29
1/19/08 at 1:01am
I'll be really obvious with mine to get them out of the way, not necessarily my favourites

Simon and Garfunkel - The Graduate

Stealers Wheels - Reservoir Dogs
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post #6 of 29
1/19/08 at 1:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll
Another good one: Michael Andrews fools people into thinking Donnie Darko is a good movie with his score.
Play a Tears for Fears cover and everyone calls it genius. Play "Waves of Mutilation" during a party on a zeppelin and everyone calls it shit.
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post #7 of 29
1/19/08 at 1:03am
"There's such a thin line between clever and stupid."
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post #8 of 29
1/19/08 at 1:12am
I know someone's going to bring up the theme of Requiem for a Dream during the montage at the end of everyone's failure at the pursuit of the american dream. The depressing yet powerful theme booming as Leto loses an arm, Wayans goes to prison to get raped, Connelly goes ass to ass, and Ellen is committed.
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post #9 of 29
1/19/08 at 1:25am
The 'Death is the Road To Awe' section of the Fountain deserves a mention, its pretty much one of the greatest cinematic experiences I had in the last decade. Just an incredible fusion of music, visuals and ideas.
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post #10 of 29
1/19/08 at 1:29am
As beautiful as the music is in this movie, I don't think it's what people are paying attention to...

That's right, I just whipped out some Godard. Also, the first person to post The Big Chill is cruisin'for a brusin'.
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post #11 of 29
1/19/08 at 2:02am
In Pleasantville, the diner scene where the kids' eyes are being opened, and the Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Take Five" is pulsing on the soundtrack. It works for the scene on a superficial level, and if you know about the song, it adds not just one but two additional layers to what's going on. Simply exquisite.

(And sort of an unfortunate high point for the film; it's good, but nothing else quite measures up to that one transcendent moment.)
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post #12 of 29
1/19/08 at 2:22am
The Girl Next Door- The scene where Matt loses Elisha Cuthbert they play Satchels "The Suffering" while he sleepwalks through his day thinking about her. Great scene from a good movie with a kick ass soundtrack all the way through.
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post #13 of 29
1/19/08 at 2:30am
GoodFellas. "Layla". Thread over.
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post #14 of 29
1/19/08 at 3:14am
When Shaun throws the Batman soundtrack at that fat zombie.
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post #15 of 29
1/19/08 at 3:45am
Goddamn it, somebody beat me to Goodfellas!

It's an odd moment, and it's not a licensed song, but the opening scene of Taxi Driver, where he's delivering the monologue about rain washing the scum off the streets, the saxophone tune being played has always added quite a bit to that scene in my opinion.

It might be kind of obvious as well, but does the twist scene in Pulp Fiction count?
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post #16 of 29
1/19/08 at 3:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by movieme
It's an odd moment, and it's not a licensed song, but the opening scene of Taxi Driver, where he's delivering the monologue about rain washing the scum off the streets, the saxophone tune being played has always added quite a bit to that scene in my opinion.
I'm pretty sure that was the last score Bernard Herrmann ever did.
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post #17 of 29
1/19/08 at 4:12am
The obvious one that springs to mind immediately is 'Stuck In The Middle With You' as Michael Madsen ginsu's some ear sushi.

EDIT: Forgot the runner up. Laugh if you want to but the bit in Magnolia where they all sing 'One is The Loneliest Number' may be pretentious to some, but it worked for me.
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post #18 of 29
1/19/08 at 5:00am
2001: A Space Odyssey, when the primate celebrates discovering a use for a bone, and Mr Strauss lends that scene all the momentum it deserves.

As for a runner up, it's much tougher. I guess the theme of Lawrence of Arabia playing for the second time when Peter O'Toole and his guide go into the desert for the first time. You know you're in for a ride.
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post #19 of 29
1/19/08 at 5:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll
"There's such a thin line between clever and stupid."
If you are going to quote something, quote it right.
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post #20 of 29
1/19/08 at 5:36am
#1: INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE

When the old knight lifts his heavy sword and then wackily falls over, accompanied by whimsical "What's happening right now is very funny!" music from John Williams.

#2: PURPLE RAIN

That flourish of synth-bass when Appollonia takes off her top. Followed by a slow zoom-in on a smirking Prince.
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post #21 of 29
1/19/08 at 5:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Piano
If you are going to quote something, quote it right.
Oh, you.
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post #22 of 29
1/19/08 at 9:05am
Batman Begins: Right after Rachel leaves, and Bruce starts walking briskly to the Batcave. The music just plays great with the switch of intensity on Bale's face, as it slowly picks up and hits high as he goes into the cave to reveal the cowl. Just felt heroic. Actually lots of Hans Zimmer stuff I could put up here.


2nd place: Casino Royale: Mr White we need to talk. It was just awesome how the the theme finally went full blast at the end, let alone we got the old version of the theme, not some techno bullshit. Along with Craig's last line, this sent the movie out on a high note.
(off topic: the best moment for me in the movie though is when Bond is trying to get to Vespar underwater and he goes from killer back to loving her just from a simple kiss. That performance shift really just sold me as Craig as a potential for best James Bond).
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post #23 of 29
1/19/08 at 9:12am
American Psycho:

Hip to be Square and Sussudio

Just....um, yeah.
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post #24 of 29
1/19/08 at 9:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by grundle
Laugh if you want to but the bit in Magnolia where they all sing 'One is The Loneliest Number' may be pretentious to some, but it worked for me.
"One" plays at the beginning of the film. The song they all sing is "Wise Up." As for my list:

1. Boogie Nights - The cast breaks into a fully choreographed disco dance number set to The Commodore's "Machine Gun."

2. Grindhouse: Planet Terror - In the opening scene, Rose McGowan go-go dances to Robert Rodriguez's amazing Grindhouse theme.

More movies need dancing.

Edited to add Youtube links.
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post #25 of 29
1/19/08 at 10:00am
1. http://youtube.com/watch?v=2WouklLX_zE

2. http://youtube.com/watch?v=8tiGCeWaYuM
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post #26 of 29
1/22/08 at 2:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dross View Post
"One" plays at the beginning of the film. The song they all sing is "Wise Up."
My previous response to this post is in the transfer ether somewhere. I stupidly named the wrong song initially. It is of course Aimee Mann's 'Wise Up'. Thanks again for the correction Dross.

Magnolia 'Wise Up' sequence.
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post #27 of 29
1/22/08 at 10:41pm
Best: 'The Empire Strikes Back'. It's easily John William's best score. The first time that you hear the Imperial March is phenomenal. All of the star destroyers coasting through space, ending on a closeup on Vader looking out at them. Beautiful.

Runner-up: Same movie, but the Yoda/Force theme is stunning when Yoda lifts the X-Wing fighter out of the swamp.
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post #28 of 29
2/10/08 at 4:33pm
Hey, in case any of you sees Macca around, tell him I say Hi:

Best: From Russia with Love - James Bond wanders into his hotel room and proceeds to scan boringly the whole place for bugs in a loooooong take while the 007 theme swells bombastically in the background. A climactic scene and a major turning point in the rest of the series made all the better by a score that renders its true importance in the history of cinema.

Runner up: A View to a Kill - The Beach Boys. Bond snowboarding to evade his pursuers... I bet Martin Scorsese wakes up at nights all covered in sweat for not having thought of that one.
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post #29 of 29
2/10/08 at 4:48pm
Sinnerman's use at the end of Inland Empire is incredible, it's just pure catharsis and it works incredibly well.

The tap dance scene at the end of Zatoichi has the same sort of thing, but it's entire soundtrack and its use of on screen elements to create composition if fantastic anyways.
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