Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > Movie Talk
Reload this Page >

Most Effective Use of Music in a Movie?

Movie Talk A Discussion area for everything movie related including films In The Theaters

Most Effective Use of Music in a Movie?

Old 04-10-06, 10:15 PM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Most Effective Use of Music in a Movie?

I'm sure this has been done before, but I just saw The New World this weekend and I don't think there could have possibly been a better musical choice than to use "Vorspiel" from Wagner's "Das Rheingold" in the scene where the English are sailing towards Virginia -- absolutely perfect.

Another one I always think of for some reason: "American Girl" by Tom Petty in The Silence of the Lambs?

More please.....?
Old 04-11-06, 03:18 AM
  #2  
Cool New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Speaking of Richard Wagner, Excalibur is rife with his music and are pefect fits throughout the movie. "Prelude to Parsifal" for Perceval (well duh) and the Grail scenes, "Prelude to Tristan and Isolde" for the Lancelot and Guinevere scenes, "Siegfried's Funeral and Final Scene from Gotterdammerung" for the opening and closing scenes of the movie.

"Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff is so overused in movies, but Excalibur is the only movie to use it effectively.

Last edited by Aetherus; 04-11-06 at 03:40 AM.
Old 04-11-06, 04:08 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Aetherus
"Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff is so overused in movies, but Excalibur is the only movie to use it effectively.

I never get tired of hearing this one. Such an exciting song.
Old 04-11-06, 09:28 AM
  #4  
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
cliche I know, but the music/score in the original Psycho just seemed to be dead on (pardon the pun)

also the Basil Poledouris score from the original Conan movie is excellent in my opinion
Old 04-11-06, 09:34 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The use of the song "Yes! I Am a Long Way From Home" by Mogwai from the movie "Long Way Home"
Brief but good.
Old 04-11-06, 09:58 AM
  #6  
Moderator
 
Giles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 33,630
Received 16 Likes on 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Hospitaller
cliche I know, but the music/score in the original Psycho just seemed to be dead on (pardon the pun)
and yet, the same score was brillantly redone for 'Re-Animator'
Old 04-11-06, 11:27 AM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Todash
Posts: 808
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly and 12 Monkeys come to mind.

One of my favorites is when 'Good Vibrations' plays in Vanilla Sky.
Old 04-11-06, 11:31 AM
  #8  
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Right now, my location is DVDTalk, but then again, you should already know that, shouldn't you?
Posts: 6,364
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by OwlAtHome
One of my favorites is when 'Good Vibrations' plays in Vanilla Sky.
That's funny...I think that movie's use of songs is divine, some of the most inspired I've ever found in a film, but I thought that particular song was an odd, emotionally jarring exception...diff'rent strokes and all, I guess...
Old 04-11-06, 11:33 AM
  #9  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Mondo Kane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 11,660
Received 112 Likes on 100 Posts
Shaft!
Old 04-11-06, 11:38 AM
  #10  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Auburn University
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I'll second Vanilla Sky, esp. Sigor Ros and Radiohead. Good Vibrations was great.
Old 04-11-06, 11:51 AM
  #11  
DVD Talk Hero
 
GoldenJCJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Colorado
Posts: 27,136
Received 3,160 Likes on 2,036 Posts
Don't Fear the Reaper at the beginning of The Stand
Old 04-11-06, 12:03 PM
  #12  
Cool New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
also the Basil Poledouris score from the original Conan movie is excellent in my opinion
Basil Poledouris can write memorable thematic material: The final battle sequence in Conan the Barbarian, the canyon run in The Hunt for Red October, and the dropzone scene in Starship Troopers.

Alan Silvestri writes the quiet, introspective piano pieces rather well, as can be heard in Forrest Gump, and Contact. They are so innocent and child-like, I've actually used them as lullabys for my children when they were infants.
Old 04-11-06, 12:43 PM
  #13  
Inane Thread Master, 2018 TOTY
 
OldBoy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Are any of us really anywhere?
Posts: 49,298
Received 889 Likes on 752 Posts
just search music...

Great Scenes with Music
Music in Movies...
best music in movie...
Movies with good...
Old 04-11-06, 12:44 PM
  #14  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The opening credits of Reservoir Dogs immediately comes to mind as does the Layla montague in Goodfellas.
Old 04-11-06, 01:03 PM
  #15  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Numanoid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Down in 'The Park'
Posts: 27,881
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by scott1598
Hey, you're learning.
Old 04-11-06, 05:57 PM
  #16  
Member
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Hamden, CT
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Aetherus
...and the dropzone scene in Starship Troopers.
That scene always gets me too. Sends chills down my spine...
Old 04-11-06, 06:14 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: the 26th parallel
Posts: 561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I like the techno beat in the background during Clarence's confrontation with Drexel in True Romance.
Old 04-11-06, 06:15 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: the 26th parallel
Posts: 561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by veritas878
...as does the Layla montague in Goodfellas.
This is good stuff too
Old 04-11-06, 06:16 PM
  #19  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,586
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by scott182
I just saw The New World this weekend and I don't think there could have possibly been a better musical choice than to use "Vorspiel" from Wagner's "Das Rheingold" in the scene where the English are sailing towards Virginia -- absolutely perfect.
Replacing the film's original score...not fond of that.
Old 04-11-06, 06:18 PM
  #20  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by scott1598

Thank you. I should've searched harder.

Another great one... "Tiny Dancer" from Almost Famous
Old 04-11-06, 08:27 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
dhmac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Kissimmee, Florida
Posts: 7,422
Received 67 Likes on 58 Posts
Originally Posted by Aetherus
Speaking of Richard Wagner, Excalibur is rife with his music and are pefect fits throughout the movie. "Prelude to Parsifal" for Perceval (well duh) and the Grail scenes, "Prelude to Tristan and Isolde" for the Lancelot and Guinevere scenes, "Siegfried's Funeral and Final Scene from Gotterdammerung" for the opening and closing scenes of the movie.

"Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff is so overused in movies, but Excalibur is the only movie to use it effectively.
I would add that it's important to remember that the "O Fortuna" movement from "Carmina Burana" wasn't overused when Excalibur featured it in 1981. Only after Excalibur re-popularized this music was it then overused by other movies (and TV shows and commercials, etc., etc.) -- much like the Intro to Richard Strauss's "Also Sprach Zarathustra" was (and still is) severely overused after 2001: A Space Odyssey re-popularized it in 1968.
Old 04-11-06, 09:31 PM
  #22  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: not CT
Posts: 9,617
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
The End at the beginning of Apocalypse Now is fairly effective.
Old 04-11-06, 10:41 PM
  #23  
DVD Talk Hero
 
PopcornTreeCt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 25,913
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Jeff Buckley's "Hallejulah" at the end of Lord of War is a good fit.
Old 04-12-06, 06:05 AM
  #24  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Mascagni's "Cavalaria Rusticana" for Raging Bull.
Old 04-12-06, 08:24 AM
  #25  
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Right now, my location is DVDTalk, but then again, you should already know that, shouldn't you?
Posts: 6,364
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by Sernov
I like the techno beat in the background during Clarence's confrontation with Drexel in True Romance.
Just in case you care, that song is called "I Want Your Body (Instrumental Mix)" by Nymphomania. You can find it on a CD called "Big Hard Disk, Vol. 1". I bought it just for that track.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.