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What do you think are the best uses of a song in a film ?

post #1 of 54
10/4/04 at 12:18am
Thread Starter 
What do you reckon are the best uses of a song in a film so far
(be it pop, ballad, techno, rap, rock, metal, etc.) and please state why
for any choice/s named.

Any song/s that have played over end credits, with no visuals being
seen, don't count.
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post #2 of 54
10/4/04 at 12:29am
I think the "Layla" montage in GoodFellas is one of the most brilliant uses of a song ever. The music is mournful, which perfectly fits what is basically the end of the glory days of the mob.
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post #3 of 54
10/4/04 at 12:32am
Yeah, Layla and And Then He Kissed Me from Goodfellas have to make any list.

I'd say something like "God Only Knows" from Boogie Nights.
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post #4 of 54
10/4/04 at 12:42am
Stand by Me -- a beautiful song that was so resonant in tha tmovie.
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post #5 of 54
10/4/04 at 1:26am
Dickson's bang-on with the Layla/GoodFellas call.

Gorecki's 3rd Symphony over the final minutes of Peter Weir's Fearless is as good as movies get.

Manhunter's climactic shootout to In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida.

Another great Boogie Nights song choice: Spill the Wine.

And Donnie Darko riding home on his bike to the sound of Echo and the Bunnymen's The Killing Moon. I just knew I was in good hands when that song kicked in during the opening scene.
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post #6 of 54
10/4/04 at 1:34am
I'm a believer-Bullet in the Head
Can't you hear me knocking- Casino
Big Gun-Last Action Hero
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post #7 of 54
10/4/04 at 1:35am
Well, obviously "As Time Goes By" in Casablanca is high up on the list.

I also thought "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" in A Mighty Wind was f'n brilliant.
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post #8 of 54
10/4/04 at 1:45am
Doesn't really count, but I think the Soprano's theme song is absolutely perfect. I'm surprised wasn't written specifically for it. Whenever that rolling bass line starts and I see the Jersey turnpike, I turn instantly into Sopranos-mode.
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post #9 of 54
10/4/04 at 2:11am
I'm really digging the score by Poledouris for Conan. To me it's perfect for that film.

Hotei's "Battle Without Honor..." works for me in Kill Bill 1.
Meiko's "Flower of Carnage" in Kill Bill 1
Cash's "A Satisfied Man" in Kill Bill 2
Gary Jules's version of "Mad World" in Donnie Darko
Morricone's "Man with the Harmonica" in OUATITW
Metallica's "Master of Puppets" in Old School was pretty fun.

I guess I'm thinking more in terms of scores than songs.
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post #10 of 54
10/4/04 at 2:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Electrichead
Hotei's "Battle Without Honor..." works for me in Kill Bill 1.
Metallica's "Master of Puppets" in Old School was pretty fun.
Totaly agree.

My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult - After The Flesh in The Crow was great, the kinetic feel of the music matched the action of the scene. (granted you could argue that a number of songs could have went here but if I ever hear this song I’m instantly back in this scene)
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post #11 of 54
10/4/04 at 3:24am
more recently, the NIN track in Man on Fire was just nuts.. thats the kind of combination that can make you start breaking stuff.
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post #12 of 54
10/4/04 at 3:46am
Stuck in the Middle with You - Pulp Fiction
About Her - Kill Bill vol. 2
New Slang - Garden State
Save Me - Magnolia
Don't Stop Me Now - Shaun of the Dead

Special mention to

Jon Brion and Ennio Morricone
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post #13 of 54
10/4/04 at 3:54am
All of DAZED AND CONFUSED.

Raindrops... in SPIDER-MAN 2.

Maxine Nightingale's 'Right Back Where We Started From' in SLAP SHOT.
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post #14 of 54
10/4/04 at 4:00am
But what about Never Gonna Dance in Swing Time? Or the entire Concert Hall scene in the Man Who Knew Too Much?
Still my favorite is the sing speak "Can You Read My Mind" in Superman. That changed my life.
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post #15 of 54
10/4/04 at 4:08am
All of Queens music from Highlander

Pink Floyd's the Wall
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post #16 of 54
10/4/04 at 4:15am
I say Over the Rainbow is Sky Captain as the song is very close to Totenkopfs hopes and dreams.......
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post #17 of 54
10/4/04 at 5:38am
Aimee Mann's Wise Up in Magnolia
Bob Dylan's Fourth Time Around in Vanilla Sky
Cream's Sunshine of Your Love in Goodfellas
Ennio Morricone's Man with the Harmonica in Once Upon a Time in the West
Ennio Morricone's The Sunset (Il Tramonto) in Kill Bill Vol. 2
Geto Boys' Still in Office Space
Gioacchino Rossini's William Tell Overture in A Clockwork Orange
Luis Bacalov's Summertime Killer in Kill Bill Vol. 2
Rolling Stones' Can't You Hear Me Knocking in Casino
Wham!'s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go! in Zoolander
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post #18 of 54
10/4/04 at 9:42am
Gary Jules' "Mad World" in Donnie Darko
Massive Attack's "Angel" in Snatch
Ray Charles' "I Can't Stop Loving You" in Metropolis (anybody else think Ray Charles could or ever would be the perfect soundtrack for the apocalypse? Neither did I....)
Both Aimee Mann songs in Magnolia
Bjork's "Venus As A Boy" in Leon/The Professional
Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang [My Baby Shot Me Down]" in Kill Bill
Frou Frou's "Let Go" in Garden State
NIN's Closer Remix in Se7en
Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life" in Transpotting
Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" in Almost Famous
Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" in Do The Right Thing
"Till We Meet Again" in Dr. Strangelove (sorry, i don't know who sings it...)

Also, in the "not sure it counts" category, Pippin's song in Return of the King.
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post #19 of 54
10/4/04 at 9:53am
Great idea for a thread. My contribution would have to be Elliott Smith's "Miss Misery" from Good Will Hunting, but I'm sure there are more great ones that I just can't think of at the moment.
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post #20 of 54
10/4/04 at 10:15am
Without You - Harry Nilsson in Rules of Attraction. The song just made the scene that much more poignant.
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post #21 of 54
10/4/04 at 10:26am
Every song in the original version of Donnie Darko.
Rammstein´s Feuer Frei! in the opening of Triple X.
That Michael Jackson song in Rush Hour.
Metallica in Old School.

Johnny Cash. Dawn of the Dead.
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post #22 of 54
10/4/04 at 10:40am
The best use of music in a movie is OBVIOUSLY any number of trailers set to "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor". I'm shocked at your collective ignorance in the matter. Isn't it blatantly obvious that audiences are at LEAST 23% more 'pumped up' and 'ready for ACTION' when that song is in a trailer?
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post #23 of 54
10/4/04 at 12:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Electrichead
Morricone's "Man with the Harmonica" in OUATITW
Ennio Morricone is the man! I love his music in Argento´s Bird with Crystal Plumage.It´s so beatiful that it brings tears to my eyes.
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post #24 of 54
10/4/04 at 12:32pm
"Killing Moon" Echo and the Bunnymen- Donnie Darko

"Misirlou" Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Pulp Fiction

"Dust in the wind" as sung by Will Ferrell- Old School

"You're my best friend" Queen - Shaun of the dead

"When the man comes around" Johnny Cash- Dawn of the dead '04

"Everybody's talkin'" Harry Nilsson- Midnight cowboy

"Born to be wild" Steppenwolf- Easy rider

"Power of love" Huey Lewis and the news- Back to the future

"Shout" Lloyd Williams- Animal House

"Mrs. Robinson" Simon and Garfunkle- The Graduate

"Where is my mind" The Pixies- Fight CLub

Thats all I've got for now.
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post #25 of 54
10/4/04 at 12:53pm
I forgot to mention Old Boy. I don't know what any of it's called, or the performers, but I really dug it. My copy of the score has been ordered.
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post #26 of 54
10/4/04 at 1:21pm
Steppenwolf's "The Pusher" at the opening of Easy Rider.
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post #27 of 54
10/4/04 at 1:52pm
Marvin Gaye's "Heard It Through The Grapevine" in The Big Chill
Kenny Roger's "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" in The Big Lebowski
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post #28 of 54
10/4/04 at 3:32pm
"Dare to Be Stupid" - Transformers: The Movie

"Good Golly Miss Molly" - King Ralph

"Funk Soul Brother" - She's All That
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post #29 of 54
10/4/04 at 3:50pm
"What A Wonderful World" - 12 Monkeys
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post #30 of 54
10/4/04 at 4:05pm
Innocent When You Dream [by Tom Waits] playing at the conclusion of SMOKE

Pipeline [by The Chantays] playing during the alley chase in THE WANDERERS
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post #31 of 54
10/4/04 at 4:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson
I think the "Layla" montage in GoodFellas is one of the most brilliant uses of a song ever. The music is mournful, which perfectly fits what is basically the end of the glory days of the mob.
See, I think it's more than that. What's brilliant about Goodfellas (and this sequence in particular) is that without sugarcoating anything, the film captures the humanity of a very despicable milieu.

During the "Layla sequence", Scorsese can't help feeling the tragedy of even a bunch of lowlifes killing each other. Only Scorsese would unironically match a piece of music like that, with what basically is just one powermad/greedy/paranoid hood, rubbing out his accomplices. It's really a banal and shallow scenario, but Scorsese is moved. By all logic, we shouldn't be feeling any empathy here -- but Scorsese does....

....and so do we.
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post #32 of 54
10/4/04 at 4:42pm
My pick would be "Smoke Get's In Your Eyes" by The Platters -- from American Graffiti.

So romantic.
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post #33 of 54
10/4/04 at 7:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gl2899
"Where is my mind" The Pixies- Fight CLub

How the fuck did I forget that one....
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post #34 of 54
10/4/04 at 8:01pm
Audioslave's "Shadow On The Sun" in Collateral was perfect, I thought.
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post #35 of 54
10/4/04 at 8:21pm
A few off the top of my head:

Everything in its Right Place, Vanilla Sky
Tiny Dancer, Almost Famous
Theme, Last of the Mohicans (final battle scene where its cut to the music)
Some Velvet Morning, Morvern Callar
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post #36 of 54
10/4/04 at 8:55pm
Moon River - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Goin' Out West - Tom Waits - Fight Club (the scene when we first see the basement of the bar)

Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan - Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

The End - The Doors - Apocalypse Now

The Carny and From Her to Eternity - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Wings of Desire
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post #37 of 54
10/4/04 at 9:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kittyinjammies
Without You - Harry Nilsson in Rules of Attraction. The song just made the scene that much more poignant.
Have I told you lately that you're perfect?
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post #38 of 54
10/4/04 at 9:23pm
The End-Apocalypse Now
Somewhere over the rainbow-Face Off
Ooh La La-Rushmore
Ill Grand Silencio- Kill Bill (Technically it wasn't in the film but it sounded badass on the trailer when it was played while crazy 88's descended those stairs)

Electric, the only piece of popular music played in Old Boy was 'Winter' a classical piece, I can't remember the name of the composer, the rest was all an original score, still a stunning score though.
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post #39 of 54
10/4/04 at 10:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thinking Hurts
Great idea for a thread. My contribution would have to be Elliott Smith's "Miss Misery" from Good Will Hunting, but I'm sure there are more great ones that I just can't think of at the moment.
That's worth mentioning.

Killing moon and mad world are probably better examples for this topic, but whenever I hear something by tears for fears I see Donnie getting off the bus. (Head over heels)
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post #40 of 54
10/5/04 at 4:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Agent Helix
The best use of music in a movie is OBVIOUSLY any number of trailers set to "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor". I'm shocked at your collective ignorance in the matter. Isn't it blatantly obvious that audiences are at LEAST 23% more 'pumped up' and 'ready for ACTION' when that song is in a trailer?
Ok so I know that you were being sarcastic and all but as far as music used in trailers there are a couple that come to mind.

Breaking Me Down by Soil in the XXX trailer-that song is ten times more entertaing than that movie but it made me want to see it (the trailer at least)

Crash by Meathods of Mayhem in the Driven trailer- you couldn’t find a better song to go with that movie or a race sequence but it is nowhere in that movie (I use the term lightly)

Any Rob Zombie song used in Every Trailer of the 90s- but never on the sound track (well almost never)
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post #41 of 54
10/5/04 at 4:55pm
Clearly Earth Angel and Johnny B. Goode in Back to the Future.
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post #42 of 54
10/5/04 at 5:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darth_Chocula
Stuck in the Middle with You - Pulp Fiction
I think you mean "Reservoir Dogs", not "Pulp Fiction." I agree with this choice, because my favorite uses of music are moments where the song being played is juxtaposed with the action on the screen. This particularly works well when you have an upbeat song paired with a dark moment on film (or video).

Two more favorite moments include "I Can See Clearly Now" and "99 Luftballons" in the film "Grosse Pointe Blank." Both songs are played while the action on screen is grim (an assassination attempt in the first case, disposal of a body in the second).

My favorite use of a song ever was in a television show, though. It was an episode of "The X-Files", and I think it was called "Homecoming." It was about a family of incestuous freaks. They drove around in an old convertible, and they always had Johnny Mathis playing (specifically his song, "Wonderful, Wonderful"). You hear this harmless love song playing in the background as these freaks murder people they see as enemies. I thought it was nifty.
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post #43 of 54
10/5/04 at 6:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigassposer
Ok so I know that you were being sarcastic and all but as far as music used in trailers there are a couple that come to mind.

Breaking Me Down by Soil in the XXX trailer-that song is ten times more entertaing than that movie but it made me want to see it (the trailer at least)

Crash by Meathods of Mayhem in the Driven trailer- you couldn’t find a better song to go with that movie or a race sequence but it is nowhere in that movie (I use the term lightly)

Any Rob Zombie song used in Every Trailer of the 90s- but never on the sound track (well almost never)
If you're going for music in the trailer I'd say Gladiator's usage of the Conan theme song made it that much cooler.

For a whole film I'll go for the score in Conan.
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post #44 of 54
10/6/04 at 8:40am
"everybody's gotta learn sometime" by Beck from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
"between the bars" by Elliot Smith from Good Will Hunting
"Where is My Mind?" by the Pixies from Fight Club
"The End" by the Doors from Apocalypse Now
"Ready Steady Go" (Korean Style) by Paul Oakenfold from Collateral
"Just Like Honey" by The Jesus & Mary Chain from Lost in Translation
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post #45 of 54
10/6/04 at 1:29pm
"Man of Constant Sorrow" from O Brother, Where Art Thou?
"Down in the River to Pray" from O Brother
"Stuck Inside Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
"White Rabbit" from Fear and Loathing
"A Woman Like You" from The Big Lebowski
"Blueberry Hill" from 12 Monkeys
"Brazil" from Brazil
"Tennessee Stud" from Jackie Brown
"Didn't I Blow Your Mind?" from Jackie Brown
"Bonzo Goes to Bitburg (My Brain is Hanging Upside Down)" from School of Rock
Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" from Apocalypse Now and 8 1/2
Beethoven's 9th from Equilibrium
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post #46 of 54
10/6/04 at 2:48pm
For trailers, I really liked Jackson's use of "Lux Aeterna" for the Two Towers.

"Long Tall Sally" in Predator
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post #47 of 54
10/6/04 at 3:34pm
The Who's "A Quick One (While He's Away)" from Rushmore
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post #48 of 54
10/6/04 at 5:47pm
"Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber in Platoon when Elias is left behind.
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post #49 of 54
10/6/04 at 6:01pm
You just beat me, Schleppy.

I'll add The Faces' "Ooh La La" in Rushmore. One of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands, when that started up I couldn't blink or close my mouth.

The Rolling Stones, "2000 Man" in Bottle Rocket.
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post #50 of 54
10/6/04 at 7:25pm
i think these have all been said already but mine are:

bang bang- kill bill
where is my mind- fight club
he needs me (i dont know if thats actually the title)- punch drunk love
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