Most Effective Use of Music in a Movie?

scott182 · 04-10-06, 10:15 PM

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.....?

Aetherus · 04-11-06, 03:18 AM

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.

MASAMUNE2 · 04-11-06, 04:08 AM

Quote:

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.

Hospitaller · 04-11-06, 09:28 AM

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

enrage · 04-11-06, 09:34 AM

The use of the song "Yes! I Am a Long Way From Home" by Mogwai from the movie "Long Way Home"
Brief but good.

Giles · 04-11-06, 09:58 AM

Quote:

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'

OwlAtHome · 04-11-06, 11:27 AM

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly and 12 Monkeys come to mind.

One of my favorites is when 'Good Vibrations' plays in Vanilla Sky.

Filmmaker · 04-11-06, 11:31 AM

Quote:

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...

Mondo Kane · 04-11-06, 11:33 AM

Shaft!

AnonomusBob15 · 04-11-06, 11:38 AM

I'll second Vanilla Sky, esp. Sigor Ros and Radiohead. Good Vibrations was great.

GoldenJCJ · 04-11-06, 11:51 AM

Don't Fear the Reaper at the beginning of The Stand

Aetherus · 04-11-06, 12:03 PM

Quote:

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.

scott1598 · 04-11-06, 12:43 PM

just search music...

Great Scenes with Music
Music in Movies...
best music in movie...
Movies with good...

veritas878 · 04-11-06, 12:44 PM

The opening credits of Reservoir Dogs immediately comes to mind as does the Layla montague in Goodfellas.

Numanoid · 04-11-06, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott1598

just search music...

Great Scenes with Music
Music in Movies...
best music in movie...
Movies with good...

Hey, you're learning.

obzhagen · 04-11-06, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aetherus

...and the dropzone scene in Starship Troopers.

That scene always gets me too. Sends chills down my spine...

Sernov · 04-11-06, 06:14 PM

I like the techno beat in the background during Clarence's confrontation with Drexel in True Romance.

Sernov · 04-11-06, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veritas878

...as does the Layla montague in Goodfellas.

This is good stuff too

Nick Martin · 04-11-06, 06:16 PM

Quote:

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.

scott182 · 04-11-06, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott1598

just search music...

Great Scenes with Music
Music in Movies...
best music in movie...
Movies with good...

Thank you. I should've searched harder.

Another great one... "Tiny Dancer" from Almost Famous

dhmac · 04-11-06, 08:27 PM

Quote:

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.

BigPete · 04-11-06, 09:31 PM

The End at the beginning of Apocalypse Now is fairly effective.

PopcornTreeCt · 04-11-06, 10:41 PM

Jeff Buckley's "Hallejulah" at the end of Lord of War is a good fit.

AJAX · 04-12-06, 06:05 AM

Mascagni's "Cavalaria Rusticana" for Raging Bull.

Filmmaker · 04-12-06, 08:24 AM

Quote:

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.

04-10-06, 10:15 PM	#1
scott182 Member Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 207	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.....?

04-11-06, 03:18 AM	#2
Aetherus Cool New Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 41	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.

04-11-06, 11:27 AM	#7
OwlAtHome Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Todash Posts: 808	The Good, The Bad & The Ugly and 12 Monkeys come to mind. One of my favorites is when 'Good Vibrations' plays in Vanilla Sky. __________________ Never judge a movie by it's box-office totals.

04-11-06, 11:33 AM	#9
Mondo Kane DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 8,008	Shaft! __________________ F-nado

04-11-06, 11:51 AM	#11
GoldenJCJ DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,849	Don't Fear the Reaper at the beginning of The Stand __________________ ...

04-11-06, 09:28 AM	#4
Hospitaller Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 228	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

04-11-06, 09:34 AM	#5
enrage Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 286	The use of the song "Yes! I Am a Long Way From Home" by Mogwai from the movie "Long Way Home" Brief but good.

04-11-06, 11:38 AM	#10
AnonomusBob15 DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Auburn University Posts: 2,396	I'll second Vanilla Sky, esp. Sigor Ros and Radiohead. Good Vibrations was great.

04-11-06, 12:43 PM	#13
scott1598 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: I want to go to there! Posts: 19,358	just search music... Great Scenes with Music Music in Movies... best music in movie... Movies with good... __________________ "stranger than fiction" Movie collection "almost famous" SteelBook™ collection "Even though I am no better than a beast, don't I have the right to live?"

04-11-06, 12:44 PM	#14
veritas878 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 63	The opening credits of Reservoir Dogs immediately comes to mind as does the Layla montague in Goodfellas.

04-11-06, 06:14 PM	#17
Sernov Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: the 26th parallel Posts: 558	I like the techno beat in the background during Clarence's confrontation with Drexel in True Romance.

04-11-06, 09:31 PM	#22
BigPete DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: not CT Posts: 9,479	The End at the beginning of Apocalypse Now is fairly effective. __________________ "What, are you kidding? Leviticus is an action packed thrill a minute! From the beginning where the lord tells Moses how to properly sacrifice animals (with much talk of blood and killing and the word "asunder" used a couple of times), to the very end where he's telling Moses what the value of a human being is, insofar as how much he should give to priests. And the bit in the middle about how everyone should keep their clothes on? Wow, just WOW, that's all I have to say." -Otto

04-11-06, 10:41 PM	#23
PopcornTreeCt DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Central Florida Posts: 25,826	Jeff Buckley's "Hallejulah" at the end of Lord of War is a good fit.

04-12-06, 06:05 AM	#24
AJAX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 76	Mascagni's "Cavalaria Rusticana" for Raging Bull.