5 Favorite Films with a great Soundtrack
Comments(30)
- By Venkman
I love movies with a good soundtrack. When you see the visuals of a film up on screen, placed in sequence with just the right music, something magical happens. It plays with your emotions and gets you to feel what the filmmaker wants you to feel. I would say at least half the enjoyment and experience of watching a film is the soundtrack.
I have listed five movies that I think have an incredible soundtrack. Now the soundtrack of these films comes from various artists and is not based on an original score. Those are placed in a whole different category. I have also added the songs of the soundtrack(in case you want to know).
Once
This wonderful movie about two strangers who meet and share a connection with life and music is full of original songs written and performed by the two stars of the film. They actually won an Academy Award for best original song, for “Falling Slowly.” This was one of my favorite films the year it came out and it was one of my favorite albums.
“Falling Slowly” Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglová
“If You Want Me” Irglová and Hansard.
“Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy” Hansard
“When Your Mind’s Made Up” Hansard and Irglová
“Lies” Hansard and Irglová
“Gold” (Fergus O’Farrell) Interference
“The Hill” Irglová
“Fallen from the Sky” Hansard
“Leave” Hansard
“Trying to Pull Myself Away” Hansard
“All the Way Down” Hansard
“Once” Hansard and Irglová
“Say It to Me Now” Hansard
“And the Healing Has Begun” (Van Morrison, Collector’s Edition only) Hansard
“Into the Mystic” (Morrison, Collector’s Edition only)
500 Days of Summer
The soundtrack of this film had a good mix of indie and classic hits that are blended together to bring this love story that is not really a love story to life in a vividly fantastic way. The music in this film helps move the story forward and gives you a sense of who the characters are.
“Us”-Regina Spektor
“There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” – The Smiths
“The Boy With The Arab Strap” – Belle & Sebastian
“Bad Kids” – Black Lips
“Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want.” – The Smiths
“She’s Like The Wind.” – Patrick Swayze
“Have I Been a Fool? ” – Jack Penate
“There Goes the Fear” – The Doves
“You Make My Dreams” – Hall & Oates
Knight Rider Theme
“Sweet Disposition” – Temper Trap
“Quelqu’un M’a Dit” – Carla Bruni
“Veni, Vidi, Vici” – Black Lips
“The Music” – Paper Route
“Mushaboom” – Feist
“Hero” – Regina Spektor
“Infinite Pet” – Spoon
“Bookends” – Simon & Garfunkel
“Vagabond” – Wolfmother
“She’s Got You High” – Mumm-Rah
Garden State
The Grammy Award winning soundtrack for this film just sets the whole tone for the story perfectly. After this movie came out I started seeing more films turn to smaller independent bands to fill their movies with music.
1. “Don’t Panic” – Coldplay
2. “Caring is Creepy” – The Shins
3. “In the Waiting Line” – Zero 7
4. “New Slang” – The Shins
5. “I Just Don’t Think I’ll Get Over You” – Colin Hay
6. “Blue Eyes” – Cary Brothers
7. “Fair” – Remy Zero
8. “One of These Things First” – Nick Drake
9. “Lebanese Blonde” – Thievery Corporation
10. “The Only Living Boy In New York” – Simon & Garfunkel
11. “Such Great Heights” – Iron and Wine
12. “Let Go” – Frou Frou
13. “Winding Road” – Bonnie Somerville
Rushmore
One thing that director Wes Anderson really knows how to do perfectly, is pick the right music for his films. Wes Anderson has said that he picks out the soundtrack for the movie before he writes it for inspiration. Although I love all of his movie and the songs that he chooses to put in them, Rushmore is my favorite.
“Hardest Geometry Problem in the World” – Mark Mothersbaugh
“Making Time” – The Creation
“Concrete and Clay” – Unit 4 + 2
“Nothin’ in the World Can Stop Me Worryin’ ‘Bout That Girl” – The Kinks
“Sharp Little Guy” – Mark Mothersbaugh
“The Lad With the Silver Button” – Mark Mothersbaugh
“A Summer Song” – Chad & Jeremy
“Edward Appleby (In Memoriam)” – Mark Mothersbaugh
“Here Comes My Baby” – Cat Stevens
“A Quick One While He’s Away” – The Who
“Snowflake Music” (from Bottle Rocket) – Mark Mothersbaugh
“Piranhas Are a Very Tricky Species” – Mark Mothersbaugh
“Blinuet” – Zoot Sims
“Friends Like You, Who Needs Friends” – Mark Mothersbaugh
“Rue St. Vincent” – Yves Montand
“Kite Flying Society” – Mark Mothersbaugh
“The Wind” – Cat Stevens
“Oh Yoko!” – John Lennon
“Ooh La La”" – Faces
“Margaret Yang’s Theme” – Mark Mothersbaugh
Almost Famous
When it comes to putting together a classic soundtrack for a movie, director Cameron Crowe knows what he’s doing. Almost Famous is one of my favorite movie soundtracks of all time. You just can’t go wrong with the music he chose to put in the movie, and the scenes he puts the music to turns out magical.
Below is one of my favorite scenes of all time.
“America” – Simon and Garfunkel
“Sparks” – The Who
“It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” – Todd Rundgren
“I’ve Seen All Good People: Your Move” – Yes
“Feel Flows” – The Beach Boys
“Fever Dog” – Stillwater
“Every Picture Tells A Story” – Rod Stewart
“Mr. Farmer” – The Seeds
“One Way Out” – The Allman Brothers Band
“Simple Man” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
“That’s The Way” – Led Zeppelin
“Tiny Dancer” – Elton John
“Lucky Trumble” – Nancy Wilson
“I’m Waiting For The Man” – David Bowie
“The Wind” – Cat Stevens
“Slip Away” – Clarence Carter
“Something In The Air” – Thunderclap Newman
Honorable mentions would include the Forest Gump soundtrack, which is a classic. And most recently the Where the Wild Things are soundtrack by Keren O and the Kids.
Don’t you sometimes wonder what your life would be like if it had a soundtrack? I guess if we are all walking around with ipod’s we kind of do, but no one else is listening. If you had a soundtrack to your life what musical artists and songs would you compile in the movie of your life?
These are just a few of the great movie soundtracks out there. What are some of your top choice’s for best movie soundtracks?
"Once"? Venkman, you big softie, you.
Also, no love for Tarantino or the soundtrack to Transformers: The Movie? Everybody sing along! You Got The Touch!
Queen Of The Damned's soundtrack was pretty decent.
Just a shame the film wasn't.
My personal favourite film soundtrack isn't so much a soundtrack as it is a score.
Clint Mansell's The Fountain kills me everytime.
What about The Crow? That soundtrack is a favorite of mine. Also I'm glad the Almost Famous soundtrack is on here. I'm a big classic rock fan and that's one of my favorites. So many good songs on there.
Personally I love the Freddy Vs. Jason OST, tough I've never seen the film. But I absolutely LOVE the OST.
And I'm quite surprised that The Bodyguard OST isn't on here.
(JK)
YEAH! I love The Crow soundtrack too!
Don't laugh, but I really like the Elizabethtown soundtrack. And much love to Dazed & Confused.
The Crow should be on the top of this list!
How is it that Mortal Kombat & The Crow did not make the list??
Tough list to try and make here! It's hard enough when we have differing movie tastes but music too?!?
I'd agree the Crow, Mortal Kombat and the Fountain deserve recognition for different reasons but the greatest score is still Last of the Mohicans!
Never heard of Once but now I want to see it after listening to that track. beautiful. thanks.
Yeah, I gotta little soft sport in me. Your right about Tarantino, he does have great music in his films. As for You've got the Touch… yes… great song.
It's been a long time since I've seen Queen of the Damned, so I don't remember the music in it. But I will check it out! Thanks for the suggestion!
Good call with The Crow Soundtrack! I don't know how it slipped my mind but it did, thanks for bringing it up!
No way! Both great soundtracks! Like I said Cameron Crowe knows what he's doing when it comes to music and his films.
The Crow yes good call, but Mortal Kombat? I haven't heard it or seen the film in YEARS!
Awesome! Such a great little film!
It is a Great Film. I loved it. It's sound interesting. I want to see again more and more. I love The Crow soundtrack too! You have done great yet and hope you will continue with same here.
Thank you so much for posting .
That was the first great soundtrack with songs that had nothing to do with the movie. I fell in love with industrial music thanks to that album!
Cat Stevens songs are featured in some of your selections. What about Harold and Maude with an entire Cat Stevens soundtrack? It's awesome.
"You got the Powaaaa! yeah!"
man, now I gotta watch that.
I liked Watchmen’s sounds
Just because you haven't heard it or seen it in years doesn't make the soundtrack any less worthy here!
Speaking of Mansell, Requiem for A Dream's soundtrack was pretty smashing. Especially the "daa-da-da-da-dat brurrt brrrrooooo" violin part.
I really liked the Juno soundtrack, it worked well for the movie's style.
This list could be filled by Wes Anderson movies. Also, Adventureland had a cool soundtrack.
Blues Brothers, anyone?
agreed!!!!
the neverending story. boom. in yo'face. how could you not like this classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3khTntOxX-k
I agree with the five listed here as very good soundtracks but I'd like to add:
Deathproof, City of God, In the Mood For Love, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2, Trainspotting, 24 Hour Party People, Chasing Amy, and Royal Tennenbaums,
Thank you for giving Clint Mansell his moment to shine. The Fountain soundtrack is amazing! It has all the right ingredients of a movie score.