Best use of songs in films

coconut5

A good soundtrack can really elevate a film from being mediocre to great if used in the right way.

For example, I love the scene in Jerry Maguire when Tom Cruise is in his car after writing the manifesto about 'less customers, less money' and he's changing stations on the radio until he finds 'Free Fallin' by Tom Petty and sings along. It's just such a great scene.

What other scenes from films can you think of where music is used that is really great?

TheIrishGrover

Disregarding orchestral music and sticking to actual songs, there are a few. The first, and my favourite it Magnolia....... Just so this doesn't turn into a "list" thread, I just love the way it ties in all the various, seemingly unconnected, strands in one three minute scene seamlessly. We knew they were all interconnected but to see it so portrayed was fantastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_phQnNE80

Another, even though it only plays a bit is from Lords Of Dogtown. It's a bit more poignant if you've also seen the AWESOME doc Dogtown and Z-boys that the film was based on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGL9voGtVpA

Plus, Cameron Crowe's use and love of music in movies is famous. Up there with Tarantino and Scorsese. This should give a few ideas........

Mr. Denton

Always loved this scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubpRcZNJAnE

It's entirely out of place with all the slapstick & smart-ass humour that goes before it and after, yet I couldn't imagine the movie without it or my liking the overall movie half as much without it.

hidinginthebush

I think Martin Scorsese uses songs amazingly. The scene in goodfellas when Jimmy is plotting all the murders in his mind at the bar and sunshine of your love comes on, its just soooo evil! And the Layla ending played as all the bodies are found. Then there's house of the rising sun at the end of casino, where loads of murders take place. Suits the heartlessness so well!

He uses a lot of my favourite songs, so that kinda helps!

I also love when voodoo Chile kicks in as Daniel day Lewis sings it with a pipe at the start of in the name if the father, prompting a riot. Once again, the wildness of the song matches the chaotic scenes that follow so perfectly.

Peyton Manning

One of my favourite scenes in recent years:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tJoIaXZ0rw

Absolutely nails down that "I'm on top of the world, just nailed the chick off my dreams and everybody is happy for me" feeling. This scene never fails to make my smile

Phony Scott

If you want a soundtrack that has great lyrics etc, the first thing that springs to mind for me would be 'An American Werewolf In London'. I don't know if it was the first film to use a recurring song theme, but this is the first film I remember seeing it in. It's clever. The ending is so sad and downbeat, then hilariously they throw this song into the credit's. :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze9g0eEpzX4

I was never a big fan of 'Goodfellas,' very overrated imo, but Scorsese nails the soundtrack by capturing a sense of the era the film takes place. I think the highlight of the film is the outro to Eric Clapton's Layla. The plot reflects the songs closure; it's curtains for the majority of the characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbwFXngs9Lw

bnt

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Plus, Cameron Crowe's use and love of music in movies is famous. Up there with Tarantino and Scorsese. This should give a few ideas........

Yep - I was going to post the Tiny Dancer moment, but I see it's already #1 on that list.

I don't know if I'd pick out a "best" example, but I was blown away by Vincent Gallo's use of progressive rock music in Buffalo '66 - a gritty film where you would not expect that to work at all. Two examples:

Christina Ricci tap-dancing to Moonchild by King Crimson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnsdxcLsBV8

Yes' Heart of the Sunrise in the strip club scene (VERY NSFW):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEwl8vOdw6A

ChunkyLover_53

All along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix in the movie The Watchmen.

The scene where Rorschach + Niteowl are heading to the base

'Outside in the cold distance, a wild cat did growl, 2 riders were approacching and the wind began to howl!'

Get goosebumps everytime. :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ySu-kY3YWc

Outkast_IRE

Almost famous the bus scene with elton johns tiny dancer, its a great scene and shows just how quickly things can turn from bad to good again by something so simple as a song on the radio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qn3tel9FWU

cocokay

28 days later...especially "in the house in a heartbeat" by john murphy, so atmostpheric, gives me shivers!
always loved bram stokers dracula score as well.

littlehedgehog

Requiem for a Dream, and the entire soundtrack.
It takes the movie from great to amazing.
When I hear the first couple of chords, I get shivers. Fantastic music.

FortuneChip

"Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears features near the start of Donnie Darko, with the camera going through the school showing all the stereotype crowds etc. Great scene, below great movie

scico rocks

I think Sean Penn did an amazing job with Eddie Vedder for the soundtrack of Into The Wild.
The songs/soundtrack perfectly complimented the movie.

BostonB

There so many. I think the starwars has always had great music.

The English patient.

Last of the Mohicans especially the last scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii3KhHCu6Os&feature=related

e_e

The version of Mack The Knife that's played at the end of A Prophet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QDkF2VutZo

Mike Litoris

Observe and Report using Queens Battle Theme. Cant find a clip unfortunately.

Deisler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmF_Phk6eIE&feature=related

JohnFalstaff

The Rolling Stones - Jumping Jack Flash
Following on from the Scorsese love in this thread here is an early example of the master at work. This is a scene from Mean Streets, it's the first time we get to see De Niro's character Johhny Boy and it's one of the greatest entrances in cinema history - made by Scorsese's use of his second favourite band The Rolling Stones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMxCHyEa3ek

Madonna - Like A Prayer
And a personal favourite: Harmony Korine's Gummo with music courtesy of Madonna. In a movie of great music and great scenes this one stands out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij0YgYAofHk

Everyone should watch Gummo at least once, it's the American movie of the 90's.

KilOit

This scene gave me goosebumps with another John Murphy track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMns4c-0sq0

Bodhidharma

I assume the OP isn't referring to film scores here, I think the best use of songs in a film is Rocky 4. Ok, so its basically a 90 minute montage with some non music bits in it but the music really gets ya going. By the end I would have fought Drago. I tip my hat to Mr John Caffertyand Mr Robert Tepper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eij5IGNNcc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SUzcDUERLo

Thundercats Ho

epgc3fyqirnbsx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aljlKYesT4

ReacherCreature

This springs to mind. It's well worked, even if I'm not a fan of the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl2spWNoXuA

grohlisagod

Ecstasy of Gold in TGTBTU.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PwpOmjAu1M

foxyboxer

T2. Bar scene. I need you clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.

Bad-to-the-bone-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-aaaad!
It set's up this T-800 as the bad-ass-anti-hero.

prospect

Face Off, 'Somewhere over the rainbow' during the shoot out scene.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/8Kza8nKSrjI

humanji

ChunkyLover_53 wrote: »

All along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix in the movie The Watchmen.

The scene where Rorschach + Niteowl are heading to the base

'Outside in the cold distance, a wild cat did growl, 2 riders were approacching and the wind began to howl!'

Get goosebumps everytime. :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ySu-kY3YWc

Oddly enough, I thought Watchmen was a perfect example on how to get the soundtrack so very wrong and so very right, depending on the scene. The first two bits of music fit perfectly with film and what's happening:

The opening scene playing Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" is perfectly played against a really violent scene, and Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" playing over the history of the supers just fits so well.

But then you get the above scene (which, I could be wrong, but I've a vague memory of it being "Voodoo Chile" in the cinema instead of All Along The Watchtower), and I think it's just so ill-fitting that it's painfully jarring. The same with the sex scene with "Hallelujah". I find it odd that some of the music is absolutely spot on, where as others are so off you'd wonder if it was just pulled out of a hat.

Da Shins Kelly

Pretty much all of Tarantino's films have great music and scenes that compliment each other, but I think this is my favourite. It's so trippy and just kinda weird but really mesmerising at the same time, and the music is really suitable. The chemistry between Uma Thurman and John Travolta is great too. It's just a classic.

wayfarers

The Mysteries of Love sung by Julee Cruise on Blue Velvet. Sexy, sinister and dreamy.

D'Agger

I've always loved this scene, Denzel being a badass and Still Dre coming on....love it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InPoPRfqNWM

tunguska

The Darjeeling limited - Strangers by the Kinks. Magnificent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lshQ2LL0-3Y

bnt

Another one I like is Battle Without Honor or Humanity by Tomoyasu Hotei, best known for its use in Tarantino's Kill Bill Part 1. Here he is doing it live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm6xg1CdNCc

Aglomerado

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Disregarding orchestral music and sticking to actual songs, there are a few. The first, and my favourite it Magnolia....... Just so this doesn't turn into a "list" thread, I just love the way it ties in all the various, seemingly unconnected, strands in one three minute scene seamlessly.

Aimee Mann's music in "Magnolia" is superb.

I also like: the beginning of "Peter's Friends" where Tears for Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World plays over a montage of 1980s world events.

And: Every single song used in "The Big Chill" - stuff by the Band, Procol Harum, Marvin Gaye, Three Dog Night, Rolling Stones etc. It gave me loads of ideas for further listening.

blue note

A fair bit of Kubrick should be there.

We'll meet again in Dr. Strangelove. Really captures the lunacy of the whole thing.

The speeded up s€x scene in A Clockwork Orange with The final movement of the William Tell Overture.

ImpossibleDuck

Tom_Brady wrote: »

One of my favourite scenes in recent years:

*500 days of summer song*

Absolutely nails down that "I'm on top of the world, just nailed the chick off my dreams and everybody is happy for me" feeling. This scene never fails to make my smile

In that same movie The Temper Trap's "Sweet Disposition" could not have fitted in any better with Zooey Deschanel in that movie. Both song and actress just elevate you to some other place when you first hear/see them and when you hear/see them both simultaneously....wonderful

But for my favourite...there's so many to pick from but I think I might have to go for "Stuck in the middle with you" in Resevoir Dogs.

Alfred Hitchcock always said, that in a highly dramatic film you need to give the audience a break somewhere in the middle. Resevoir Dogs was a film were all the characters were highly strung due to the circumstances. Everyone was accusing each other then when they all left and it's just the Cop and Mr. Blonde. Blonde turns on the radio and movie magic happens

There's an age restriction so I think if I embed it it wont play, so here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=komvFIGYBYM

And also...for obvious reasons: "Adagio for Strings" in "Platoon" was one of the greatest moments in my movie buff life

losthorizon

Mr. Denton wrote: »

Always loved this scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubpRcZNJAnE

It's entirely out of place with all the slapstick & smart-ass humour that goes before it and after, yet I couldn't imagine the movie without it or my liking the overall movie half as much without it.

beautiful

trad

Sweet Home Alabama in Con Air

PunkFreud

While most people are picking backing tracks, I'm gonna have to go with this scene from Mulholland Drive. The song and scene pull together a few themes from the movie, plus it's genuinly a nice song. I always find Lynch great for utilizing music in his films.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIpkMg9sh6Q

Owenw

This may not be to everyones taste but 'Ruby Tuesday' is used to oddly similar effect in these two very different films:

Royal Tenenbaums - Margot and Richie in the tent after his attempted suicide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKnvD5Ok5iY

(3min 30sec into the clip)

Children of Men - when Jasper helps his wife with the assisted suicide kit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBKFCLd6mZE

Sorry, couldn't find the exact clip on its own.

I would add Wendy Carlos's version of 'Funeral of Queen Mary' adds a suitably menacing feel as the main theme to A Clockwork Orange.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI-mDTdeKR8

TimmyoTooleI

The End by The Doors in Apocalypse Now. Song seemed to fit the film perfectly - the helicopter blades, the sunsets, the haunting craziness of it all

grohlisagod

I love Joker and the Thief by Wolfmother in the casino scene in The Hangover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2qZY5WFOYg

johnny_ultimate

A film that particularly stands out for its music usage in recent years is Evangelion 2.22. There are two scenes in particular - the 'berserk' sequence and the ending - have stunning musical accompaniment. Sat there in an absolute trance watching in the cinema. The almost childlike music act as a powerful a contrast to the visuals. Here's one of 'em, but SPOILERS AHOY.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnsKeAejgs0

Also, the entirety of Lost in Translation is a masterclass in atmosphere through music. The OST is great, but the utilisation of the likes of Just Like Honey provides the real goosebumps. The last two or three minutes of the film are IMO profoundly moving as the bittersweet song plays over shots of Tokyo highways. Wonderful stuff.

coconut5

Oh yeah, my other example was going to be Dazed and Confused. I love that movie, even though nothing really happens in it, but the characters, the vibe, and the soundtrack all make it good!