Use of Music in Films

faceman

What film has the best use of music in a film and why? Theres 2 categories that it can fall into:

Type 1. The soundtrack playing during a film, im trying to steer clear of orchestral pieces here. What is your favourite use of a song in a film and how does it add to the scene?

Type 2. The use of a song in a film that the characters sing or perform to.

My choices are:

Type 1. Film: Donnie Darko - Song: 'Head over heels' by Tears for Fears.
Ive always felt that this was a spooky song anyway but the way the scene in a one shot steady and the timing of the acting with the song is quite surreal. It mirrors the theme of the film. Its one of my fav scenes in cinema.

Type 2. Film: Napoleon Dynamite - the dance scene (sorry cant think of the song name!) I dont like the film but this scene is class!

Discuss with examples!

Declan A Walsh

Type 1: Stuck in The Middle With You by Stealers Wheel in Reservoir Dogs. I think anybody who saw that ear-cutting scene in the warehouse always remembers it whenever they hear that song! Actually, Quentin Tarentino always played a lot of attention to the songs used in his films.

Type 2: Sorry my mind's gobe blank here - I can only think of ones I can't stand!

IvaBigWun

The use of INXS "Never Tear Us Apart" on the Donnie Darko directors cut was beautiful.

Kingp35

Type 2: The scene in almost famous when they sing "Tiny Dancer" on the tour bus is a great scene imo.

Rabies

Bambi. Can't remember the setting, but it is raining and the animation plays along with the music or the other way around.

Sad Professor

You're kinda describing diegetic and non-diegetic sound. Diegetic sound has a source within the action of the film (e.g. a radio), and non-diegetic sound comes from outside (e.g. soundtrack, voice-over, etc).

Anyway my song choices:

Type 1: God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters by Moby in Heat.

Type 2: Wise Up by Aimee Mann in Magnolia.

Dont be at yourself

I love in both Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction where as the camera follows the character leaving the room, the music stops, only to come back in when he returns. I dunno if Tarantino invented this, but I love it all the same.

Spinal Tap deserves a mention too, in particular the Stonehenge scene

Where is my Mind in Fight Club. A great combination of film and music. They compliment each other to perfection.

The tracking shot of Henry Hill going into the night club in Goodleffas. Can't think of the song. Just an amazing piece of cinema.

Necronomicon

The score in John Carpenter's Halloween. Suited the film down to the ground, and aided the eerie atmosphere to no end.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Type 1 - The Mission. The feeling of peace that Gabriel's oboe gives me is amazing.

Type 2 - The Lion King. The power of Circle of Life mixed with the humour of Hakuna Matata....

Charlie

Type 1; Sigur Ros - "Untitled 4 (a.k.a. Njósnavélin, The Nothing Song)." from Vanilla Sky. Its the very last scene when David Ames (cruise) is on top of the tech support building and he finally works it all out. Beautiful piece of music that captures the entire feeling of the scene. One of my favorite scenes in cinema, there's something about the setting, the music and teh conclusiveness of it all that evoked many different emotions when I first saw it.

I know people ave mixed feelings about this film but, its soundtrack is phenomenal, with the likes of Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Jeff Buckley, Peter Gabriel. An album I never get bored listening to.