Suburban Guerrilla

Diversion of the Day

Jan 31st, 2006 at 11:35 am by Susie

Okay, I need a little lighthearted diversion today. Category: Favorite movies in which music plays a prominent role - either as in a traditional musical or as a soundtrack.

Discuss.

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63 Responses to “Diversion of the Day”

on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:39 am1yank in london

Deliverance. I still get shivers up my spine when I hear Duelling Banjos….
on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:47 am2Dan

I just wanted to say thank you for producing a well designed, eminently readable, truly sane website. I must also say that it is probably the most appealing artistically of all of the political websites that i frequent. I find myself more and more coming to this one for its sane, balnced view
on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:55 am3Bob Munck

That Thing You Do! Tom Hanks, Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Charlize Theron, … OK, I even like the little “where are they now?” placards at the end. So sue me.

The “I get no kick from champagne” scene in Blazing Saddles.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:57 am4merciless

Excalibur, my favorite bad movie, with that incredible, stirring music that I thought was Wagner till a colleague set me straight (ok, now I can’t remember who wrote the stuff. Geez.)
on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:59 am5donviti

You just can’t go wrong with Goodfella’s or Rocky
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:07 pm6Rob in Hawaii

I’ll go with the Blues Brothers for musicals and say amen to Goodfellas for soundtrack.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:09 pm7steveeboy

SPINAL TAP

CB4

The Rutles

Quadrophenia
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:18 pm8Susie

Spinal Tap, Blues Brothers, Animal House, That Thing You Do, High Fidelity, West Side Story, Grace of My Heart (which has such an AWESOME “period” soundtrack), American Graffiti, American Hot Wax, Empire Records.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:19 pm9Choco Chip Kooky

Oh Brother Where Art Thou?

The music is woven into the story so masterfully that it becomes a character in the story itself. George Clooney is wonderfully funny and that’s a huge bonus.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:19 pm10lutton

Heavy Metal

Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:21 pm11Jeff

Pulp Fiction.

The surf guitar tunes used as background music and bumpers is clever and adds a great deal to the overall feel of the film.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:26 pm12Gort

A Clockwork Orange for the way the 2nd movement of the 9th is part of the story.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:27 pm13k

“Streets of Fire (a rock ‘n roll fantasy)”
Music by Meatloaf, I believe.
Caricatures instead of characters, alternate-reality 50’s look-feel, and Ry Cooder guitar for mood music. And the good guys win a bitter-sweet victory, and drive off in a stolen car. You can’t ask for more.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:28 pm14Spryboy

Brokeback Mountain.

In addition to the very haunting pedal guitar soundtrack, each song is perfect for the moment in which it plays, telling a part of the story as well as setting the time and place precisely.

“No one’s gonna love you like me…”

“King of the road!”

Some really brilliant and inspired choices that lend extra, subtle depth to the story in addition to providing touch-stones for the time shifts in the movie.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:34 pm15John

I’ve got to agree with The Blues Brothers and since I think everyones music taste get somewhat stuck in their teen years I’ve got to say Footloose.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:36 pm16Chuck

For serious movies that are worth watching:Anything with a John Williams soundtrack. We used to have a tape collection his music from Star Wars, Superman, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The music is simply stunning and sets the theme exceptionally well (see the Love theme in Superman I or the Empire’s Theme in Empire Strikes Back).

A guilty pleasure, both as a movie and as a soundtrack is Flash Gordon from the early 1980’s. It’s Queen in all of their glory. It doesn’t have the mainstream appeal that Highlander had, using many songs from The Works. Need I say anymore?
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:42 pm17james richardson

2001 A Space Odyssey

One of those movies I saw when I was very young, and the combination of the Monolith and Strauss stuck with me over the years.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:43 pm18Dave

Lots of good choices here, but they’ve missed All That Jazz, one of the most perfect movies ever played. I still look myself in the mirror most mornings and say “It’s showtime folks”.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:49 pm19will

I know it’s been said already, but it’s gotta be “Goodfellas.” There’s that amazing (and sad) scene where “Layla” plays and the bodies are turning up on meathooks, etc.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:54 pm20emptywheel

Wim Wenders’ “Until the End of the World”

A deeply flawed but absolutely amazing movie. I must have bought that soundtrack 6 times now, after “losing it” so many times.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:58 pm21dsmaloney

Guilty guilty pleasure:
Natural Born Killers
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:05 pm22Will

South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut

Best Animated Musical Ever

“Shut Your F’ing Face Uncle Fucka”
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:12 pm23Susie

Oh yeah, somewhere I do have the soundtrack to “Until The End of the World.” Haunting. “Barry Lyndon” was great, too. And “Chicago,” which I didn’t even expect to like.

How did we all forget “Hard Day’s Night”? Duh!

I must confess that the very first musical movie I saw (and thus the one with the most powerful hold on my psyche) was Herman’s Hermits in “Hold On.” It was playing at the neighborhood movie theater and I remember it was $.25. I kept collecting soda bottles and turned them in for the deposits; I think I saw it five or six times.

I’m so embarassed.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:13 pm24PeterVE

“Last Tango in Paris”

Gato Barbieri’s saxophone says more than 100 pages of dialogue.

(In an alternate universe, it would be Astor Piazzolla’s bandoneon saying more than 100 pages of dialogue).
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:15 pm25Susie

Gato Barbieri tried to pick me up in a bar once - the old Aqua Lounge, on 52nd St. He’s very short. Diminutive, really.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:20 pm26truth

Tin Cup. Great bluesy soundtrack - better than the movie.

Mixed Nuts. Horrible, forgettable holiday movie. Best Christmas album ever. (album - dates me!)
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:24 pm27Madmatt

The original Heavy Metal movie!!!!!
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:25 pm28Maya

Even more than South Park, I love the soundtrack to “Team America: World Police”. I swear, Matt & Trey really only write comedy to showcase their music. Fuck yeah!
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:28 pm29Ben

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

“There’s no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There’s no knowing where we’re rowing
Or which way the river’s flowing”
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:33 pm30Tommy

The Blue Angel

Pennies from Heaven

The Man Who Fell to Earth

Sounder
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:39 pm31carsick

I own “Until the End of the World” and “High Fidelity” but another that comes to mind even though I haven’t seen the movie in years was the soundtrack to a terrific little movie called “True Romance”. The original score was very tropical sounding and was a nice mellow counter balance to the harshness of the action.
Great and memorable soundtrack. I may even have to go buy it now.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:51 pm32Marisa

DiG!

I am Trying to Break Your Heart

Garden State
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:52 pm33Colleen

STOP MAKING SENSE
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:53 pm34PT&S

For the sake of breaking new ground:

Soundtrack: Last of the Mohicans. Musical: 1776.

And heaven help me, I truly enjoy Moulin Rouge.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:53 pm35Rob G

Merciless, the main theme in Excalibur was part of “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff (”Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi”, I believe), but my favourite part was the use of “Siegfried’s Funeral March”, which is by Wagner (e.g. when Percival throws the sword into the lake).

I actually thought it was a good movie - not by most current standards - more like a Greek tragedy. Very stylized, and quite lovely.

My favourites, for music;

The Third Man (that zither!)
Last of the Mohicans (lovely theme, esp. the last 10 minutes).
The Deer Hunter (hokey, but so what).
Blade Runner.
The Mission.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:01 pm36carsick

RobG - My son and I just watched the Third Man the other day. The zither was great and the soundtrack definitely adds deep layers to that movie.

I wanted to mention one other I have. “Paint Your Wagon” Okay, so it’s kind of funny to hear Clint Eastwood try to sing but Lee Marvin singing “Wanderin’ Star” is worth the price of admission alone. I once heard a band called Crash Test Dummies use that song for their entrance.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:07 pm37pecos

Like Colleen sez, “Stop Making Sense.”
Also, Herzog’s “Aguirre, Wrath of God” for its haunting Popul Vuh track, and Kubrick’s “2001, A Space Odyssey.”
Also Sprach Zarathustra feels cliche today, but it wasnt’ when Kubrick made the film.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:09 pm38Susie

“Falling in Love,” soundtrack by Dave Gruesin.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:09 pm39J Clark

It needs to be a movie and soundtrack no one has ever heard of or seen. May I highly recommend “Songcatcher?”
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:19 pm40Fred

At random:

Lloyd Dobler with the boombox in the rain playing Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.”

Mr. Hulot’s theme, which recurs like a running joke between old friends.

Paul Heinreid getting everybody to sing “La Marseillaise” and the chilling mirror-image of that scene, the Aryan kid singing “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” in “Cabaret.”

Random Philadelphians singing “Time Is On My Side” in “Fallen”

“Teacher’s Pet” — either Parker Posey’s audition in “Guffman” or the one by Jack Black and the kids in “School of Rock”

Steve Vai as the devil’s guitarist in “Crossroads”

And it’s not a movie, but “Once More With Feeling”
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:19 pm41Spryboy

Love it or hate it, I love the music in “Moulin Rouge”…
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:31 pm42Susie

Oh, I loved “Songcatcher.” Great songs.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:32 pm43Jen

24 Hour Party People
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:52 pm44Linkmeister

Er, you’re all too young to remember “A Hard Day’s Night?”

Brilliantly directed by Richard Lester, it was the forerunner of music videos.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:53 pm45Melanie

Wherefore Art Thou, Brother?
on 31 Jan 2006 at 2:59 pm46ESaund

Dirty Dancing!
on 31 Jan 2006 at 3:00 pm47Doh

Diva?

Crouching Tiger, hidden dragon?
on 31 Jan 2006 at 3:01 pm48ChetBob

“Good the Bad and the Ugly” (with the other Eastwood movies) and “Once Upon a Time in the West,” particularly the latter. No one would have given a damn about Sergio Leone and spaghetti westerns, or Clint Eastwood if it hadn’t been for Enrico Marinconi’s incredible scores weaving the landscapes together with the characters and their unseen emotional pasts and current drives.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 3:04 pm49kathyp

Easy Rider
The Third Man
American Graffiti
on 31 Jan 2006 at 3:11 pm50alphabitch

Diva.

But also ditto to Brother Where Art Thou, Songcatcher, Spinal Tap, Easy Rider, A Mighty Wind, Pulp Fiction, and Natural Born Killers.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 3:24 pm51Rob G

Farinelli (1994) about a castrato singer. One of the arias (about an hour into the film) would be worth the price of admission to any film.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 5:46 pm52Cos

And let’s not forget Cat Stevens in Harold and Maude…
on 31 Jan 2006 at 6:12 pm53emma goldman

“Stop Making Sense” and “High Fidelity,” of course, but also John Sayles’ “Baby, It’s You.” And I’ll throw in “Casablanca,” for the two scenes where the music is absolutely crucial.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 6:31 pm54A Hickerson

Pi by Darren Aronofsky, 1998. Far and away the best movie when it comes how the music affects your “watching” experience. Try watching the movie without sound and you’ll fall asleep.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 7:37 pm55Bladerunner

Diva
Star Wars
Blade Runner
40 Year Old Virgin
Blues Brothers
Moulin Rouge
Easy Rider
Foot Loose; because it’s good when everyone in the theatre starts to dance!
on 31 Jan 2006 at 8:28 pm56Henry

And if you liked the scene in Casablanca where they sang the Marseillaise (I do–who doesn’t?), then you have to see the earlier version of that scene in Grand Illusion by Renoir, which is even more moving and less rah rah.

As for musical scores, there is no topping Bernard Herrmann in Vertigo and Psycho; Hitch let the music take over in the key scenes in each, which is all you need to know. Close runner-up: Fumio Hayasaka’s score for Seven Samurai, in which the main theme changes moods from comic to heroic to elegaic.

Finally, for movies about music: Pennies From Heaven.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 8:45 pm57Bruce from Missouri

Run, Lola, Run—That thumping techno soundtrack that accompanied Lola’s 3 runs…plus two songs sung by Franka Potente, the lead actress. The movie soundtrack was co-written by Tom Tykwer, the writer/producer/director.

Walk The Line, of course.

And of course, Pink Floyd—The Wall
on 31 Jan 2006 at 9:10 pm58Richard

“Something Wild” - ’80s movie with Melanie Griffith, Jeff Daniels and Ray Liotta. Check it out if you can find it.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 9:27 pm59Molly, NYC

O Lucky Man!
on 31 Jan 2006 at 9:50 pm60stellans

Several of my favorites have been mentioned already: John Williams’ film scores, O Brother Where Art Thou, and Blues Brothers, for instance.

A couple of others: The Big Chill, Bull Durham, and the LotR trilogy.
on 01 Feb 2006 at 12:41 am61George Johnston

The Sting (as in Joplin and ragtime)
on 01 Feb 2006 at 4:19 am62tosser

Fictional, music integral to plot:

‘Round Midnight
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Tender Mercies

Documentary, about musician(s) or music:

Louie Bluie
Thelonius Monk: Straight, No Chaser
Deep Blues

Music Biopic:

32 Short Stories about Glenn Gould

Concert Film:

Stop Making Sense

Soundtrack to movie not explicitly about music or musicians:

The Long Riders(Ry Cooder)
The Hot Spot(Miles Davis & John Lee Hooker-together!)
Alfie(Sonny Rollins)
on 01 Feb 2006 at 7:57 am63john griffith

David Mansfield’s soundtrack for “Heaven’s Gate” .

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Diversion of the Day

63 Responses to “Diversion of the Day”

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