A few weeks ago, a friend of mine (T. Martin) posted his list of his Top 10 Favorite Movie Soundtracks.
In order to understand what we mean by this, I the topic into three categories.
CATEGORIES
The albums will be diveded into three categories:
1. Score - this will be focused on the instrumental music composed originally for the movie.
2. Soundtrack - this will focus on popular music used by the filmmakers.
3. Original Musical - this will focus on musical albums composed just for this film.
I already wrote about my top 20 movie scores. Now, I am moving on to Soundtracks. One of the things that surprised me was how many of the movies on this list are movies that I don't really enjoy. But the soundtracks are fantastic and so I am ranking them based on those merits.
10. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
This soundtrack is one of the most underrated. It is pure fun. It has that retro-80's rock but with all the innocence of the main characters. I cannot help but smile when I listen to this music.
9. The Graduate
This is the first soundtrack on this list that is almost exclusively from one musical group. It works so well because Simon and Garfunkle set the tone for the entire movie and fill the movie with so many of their now-classic songs that it amazes me that they are all in this movie. "Sounds of Silence" is so evocative at the beginning and ending of the movie and it still resonates to this day.
8. Saturday Night Fever
I really don't like this movie and I am not a fan of disco. But the BeeGees completely owned this era with this soundtrack. It is a testament to them that even though I don't care for this musical genre, I can appreciate all of the classic songs they made for this movie from "Stayin' Alive," "More than a Woman," "We Should Be Dancin," "Night Fever," and "How Deep is Your Love."
7. Pulp Fiction
There is something about this soundtrack that feels very much of that specific time in movies. It has this strange ecclectic mix of nostalgic songs like "Son of a Preacher Man" and "You Never Can Tell." But it also has some cool covers like Urge Overkill's "Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon." Tarantino knew how to use music to give a specific feel for his movie that is unique.
6. Swing Kids
Back in the late '90's there was a resurrgence of interest in Swing music and Swing dancing. But years before that, there was Swing Kids. Not only was it a fantastic movie, but it did something that I didn't think was possible: it made Swing music cool. In the context of the movie, you could see the energy and life and rebellion found in the music. Before, listening to Swing music would make me think of the older generation and it felt mild. But now whenever I hear it, I feel the need to get up and dance.
5. Forrest Gump
This soundtrack is like a tapestry of American music from the '50's through the '80's. Zemeckis was able to find music that captured the different times and eras of the main character's life. There is something about how the music has a way of transporting you across time.
4. American Graffiti
I believe George Lucas was the one who really pioneered the use of movie soundtracks with this film. And his use of the music is sometimes so subtle that you barely notice its effects. But the songs he chose were so specific to that time of his life and they are filled with a fun and innocence that seems to be lost. When you listen to it, you can feel the culture of the time before the counter-cultre of the middle '60's.
3. Dirty Dancing
I detest this movie, which has one of the most morally corossive themes of any film. But the soundtrack is amazing. What is strangely special about it is that the music is about young desire and romance, but the music is innocent while the movie is illicit. It's like the innocence of the music sanitizes the horrible morals of the film. That is a testament to the power of that soundtrack: it has the power to make you feel good.
2. Highlander
Some will object to this soundtrack being so high on the list, but Queen outdid themselves with their soundtrack to this movie. They bring you the heights of human grandeur ("Here we are/ born to be kings we're the princes of the universe!") to the depths of utter despair ("Who wants to live forever when love must die..."). As much as I love Queen, this might be some of my favorite work they have done.
11. Footloose
Every song on this Soundtrack is great. It is pure 1980's pop, but it is filled with such pure joy. Even the super cheesy songs like "Dancing in the Sheets" have such a silliness to it that I can't help but smile. I am not ashamed to say that "Never" still gets my blood pumping and makes me wish I could dance like Kevin Bacon (or is dancing double). And that title song is such a great opening and closing song that it always fills me with joy.
HONORABLE MENTIONS;
-Can't Hardly Wait
-Breakfast Club
-Grosse Pointe Blank
-Guardians of the Galaxy
-The Karate Kid
-Resevoir Dogs
-The 40-Year-Old Virgin
-Juno
-When Harry Met Sally.
Thoughts?
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