-
A Hard Day’s Night, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and other film music
Everybody needs some Movie to Love
Film music. It already existed in silent movie times. Mostly in the form of an accompanying pianist, who dramatically brought the subtitles closer to the viewer. Film music mediates tension, creates emotions, takes the viewer by the hand and guides him through the action. But if you go to the cinema today, you should not only have very elastic eardrums, but also nerves made of steel. Not so much because of the plot, but because of the rustling of the popcorn bags, the loud smacking of nacho eaters and contemporaries fellow men who have to write a text message quickly during the movie, with a smartphone that shines brighter than a searchlight.
Maybe Mona & Lisa will also produce film music at some point. The next James Bond movie certainly needs a title song. Here are my favorites for an MLT James Bond soundtrack: “The politician who loved me” or “The Prime Minister with the Golden Colt“.
What kind of film music do you think would be a good fit for MLT?
Which is your favorite film score (or a film title that touched you in particular)?
And what kind of film lover you are?
The classic beat type …
-
66 Replies
-
… the dreamy, imaginative type with the sun in his heart…
-
… or does pure blues flow in your veins?
-
You’re very right, Juergen. The score of a film subconsciously tells you how to feel about what you’re seeing, so that you internalize the experience as the characters do. Offhand I can’t think of a single film in which I liked the story but disliked the music, or vice versa. To me the two elements are inseparable.
When it comes to film music, I especially like the major musicals of the 1960’s (My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Camelot, The Sound of Music), as well as pretty much any score composed by John Williams. The Phantom of the Opera really grabs me too.
Your comment about silent films reminded me that my grandmother’s brother played the organ at a movie theater in the 1920’s, making him as far as I know the only professional musician in my family tree.
-
Yeah, David the musicals of the 60s, something special. Imaginative, charming, often very warm-hearted and full of humor. I’m just thinking of Chitty Chitty Bäng Bäng. When I saw the musical film for the first time as a child, I was totally thrilled: this flying car, I loved it. Simply wonderful. I saw the Phantom of the Opera and West Side Story as a live performance. Unfortunately, I don’t know Camelot and The Sound of Music. That your grandmother’s brother played the organ at a movie theater in the 20s is a great detail. Did you get to know him personally?
-
Maybe it’s because I didn’t see them until I was an adult, but I’ve never really warmed up to Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. And that’s very ironic, given that the Dick Van Dyke Show is my favorite sitcom of the 60’s.
My great-uncle lived until I was 25, and in the same town as I did, so yes, I saw him many times. He never really talked about the old days, though. He was more interested in discussing problems that the world would have in the future, which struck me as remarkable.
-
-
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 used classical music that still makes me shiver. especially the Blue Danube Waltz during the trip to the moon scene. Martin Scorsese uses popular music from various eras to wonderful use during Goodfellows.
-
Hello Michael James (or only Michael? sorry), 2001: A Space Odyssey is a very fascinating movie. I saw it the first time on a big cinema screen and was very impressed But I still haven’t really understood the end of the film. Not until today. Maybe you are one of the lucky people who got it.
-
Jurgen I also saw 2001 in the theater and was blown away! I have to admit I never did figure out the ending. I don’t think Kubrick or Asimov (the writer) knew what it meant either! Oh and you can call me whatever you like!
-
-
I love musicals, too, but they’re a whole different beast than a regular movie with a well done score behind it. And while the greats like John Williams, Danny Elfman (my favorite) or Hans Zimmer certainly dominate the film score landscape, some of my favorites scores are from guitar players and other musicians known for their bands or “regular” work. Mark Knopfler is probably my favorite guitar player and he’s done some fantastic film scores, the Princess Bride being my favorite. Trevor Rabin has also done many incredible scores, and I think my favorite of his is The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
-
Very nice music, Roger. Thank you. I didn’t even know that Mark Knopfler also arranged film music. I know some of his solo albums like Shangri-La or Get Lucky, but film music? That was new to me. The title song „Storybook Love“ from the movie „The Princess Bride“ is wonderful. The original movie clips on youtube can unfortunately not be integrated, probably of legal reasons. Really a pity. I have attached a harp cover version. The soulful melody of the song also sounds very nice on this instrument. The film score of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is also great. The main theme reminds me a bit of a mixture of Grieg’s „Peer Gynt“ and the film music of „Lord of the Rings“. I’ve always been kind of interested in the film, but now I have one more reason to watch it.
-
-
Hi Jurgen, I think MLT could do some remarkable music for film, and with their diversity any film I think. Action for the next 007 movie, and I like your “The Politician Who Love Me”. “I Bought Myself a Politician” could be a theme song for a political satire movie easily. I think “Nothing Is In Vain”, and “Dreams” could make a great sound track as it’s melody and mysterious feel grabs me. I remember on my commute to and from work pre 2020 on the train I think many imaginative movies played out in my head as I listened to Nothing Is In Vain and Dreams. In MLTs video “MonaLisa Twins In Finland”, I remember when I first saw the video, the part where they are in the airplane in the clouds with “Nothing is In Vain” felt so awesome. It felt like a superb soundtrack for a movie. I hope a movie producer discovers Mona and Lisa’s music.
-
Hi Jung, thank you for the great idea to produce “I bought Myself a Politician” as a satirical film. I already have a plot for the MLT James Bond movie: Joris Bohnson (the name was changed by me, because no political topics are allowed in the forum), as Double Zero, in secret mission of Her Majesty with a golden Colt in his handbag, to protect the Royal Empire from the villains Maerkel and Makron. His mission: to cut all bridges between Great Britain and the E.U. His secret weapon: a Swiss Army knife with a microchip-controlled high-performance jigsaw. His Bond vehicle: a nuclear-powered air mattress. Bond girl and assistant: Theresa June.
But now seriously. Yes, the flight scene from “MLT fly to finland” has something movie like (thanks for the video link). I felt the same way when I saw the video clip “Walking in the air”. I also immediately thought of film music. The video is just so beautifully filmed, that would be a wonderful opening credits (introduction?) for a movie. The combination of music and video fits together perfectly. You are welcome to come up with a corresponding action… 🙂
-
-
Now at the risk of getting booted out of the Club by fellow members, I will mention this one where the film score and the movie complement each other so well, and that stand out for me amongst all the 70s movies I recall. This one kind of kicked off disco, but it was kind of cool before disco took off.
Then came John Travolta and Olivia Newton John in the many “Grease” movies. My little sister was a huge Grease fan, and so in my teens I had not choice but to be subjected to the Grease re-runs on Friday nights in the Roe household.
-
I don’t think you’ll be getting booted out of the club, Jung. Who else should put the many, interesting topics in the forum? No, that would be an own goal.
I believe the film Grease manages the balancing act between trash and cult. When the film was shown in the cinema at the time, I thought it was totally stupid. Even the title…But getting older not only means that the beauty suffers a little and the hairstyle gets a little bit confused, but you can also see many things more relaxed, calm and open to some topics. And today I have to say: Yes, Grease is kind of cool. A piece of contemporary musical history.
PS: If you really want to be kicked out of the club, then you have to set something like this here (even that I like somehow today):
-
-
My all time favourite and most memorable musical movie was “To Sir With Love” that featured 60s female artist Lulu’s #1 hit song “To Sir With Love” in 1967. I remember watching this movie on the old black and white with the whole family, and my parents liking it so much they went and bought the soundtrack LP, which I still have, and play occasionally on the record player. I remember my mom and older sister singing along to the album. It’s a charming movie about a high school teach, played by Sidney Poitier, in a rough London neighbourhood in the 60s. He turns a bratty class room of teenagers into adults. I highly recommend it. In the movie, singer Lulu starred in it and sings her hit song in one of the scenes at the end of the movie.
Great topic Jurgen! 🙂
-
The official single, To Sir With Love, 1967.
-
Unfortunately, I don’t know the film, Jung, but I like the music. This is such classic 60s music. Pleasing melody and a beautiful voice.
Sometimes there are movies that you’ve seen at some point. You don’t really know exactly what the film was about, but one thing stuck: the title or the main song. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is such a movie for me. The melody has accompanied me for decades and is always just beautiful.
-
-
An interesting tidbit. Beethoven is credited as being the pioneer and for having set the groundwork for “movie soundtracks”. It started with his 6th Symphony and great movie score composers like like John Williams benefited from Beethoven.
-
I can’t find the clip anywhere on the internet, but Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” was used to great effect in the climactic scene of the 1978 Burt Reynolds film “The End”, which is easily the best comedic movie I’ve ever seen that no one I know has heard of.
-
Then I’m in good company, David. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard of Burt Reynold’s film “The End” yet. But I watched excerpts from the film. Seems to be very funny. Another movie on my list of movies I’d like to see. I didn’t find the movie scene with “My Way” either. But the title itself.
-
-
And here is another film classic that should not be missing: The Third Mann. A 1949 British film noir shot in black and white by Carol Reed. The film became known through „The Harry Lime theme“ played by Anton Karas on the Zither.
-
Millions of people have listened to the sounds of their music. They have generated joy and enthusiasm, they are the secret stars of every blockbuster. And yet their names are not familiar to most moviegoers: we are talking about the film composers. In keeping with the topic, I once did a bit of research: who are the composers behind the great music titles of film history? At this point, I would like to introduce the top 5 of the film music industry. Starting with the 5th place in the ranking, I would like to introduce you to some of the greatest film composers of the last decades. I took the ranking from a film magazine and it is therefore only a very subjective assessment. The best film composer doesn’t really exist, but only a few, very good musicians. Depending on which genre and style you personally prefer, every film lover has his own favorite.
Place number 5: Hans Florian Zimmer. He was born on 12 September 1957 in Frankfurt a.M. and is the best-known German-speaking composer who was able to gain a foothold in Hollywood. He has been nominated for an Oscar eleven times and has won it once so far – for the film music for “The Lion King”. His setting of “Gladiator” remains monumental and unforgettable, minimalist the chamber play-like work on “As good as it gets”. Among fans, however, his work on “Inception” is the big favorite – especially the piece “Time”, which he drives to ever new musical highlights.
-
Number 4: John Towner Williams. He was born on February 8, 1932 in Queens/ New York and is one of the most influential film composers in Hollywood. He not only composed, but also worked as a conductor and producer of orchestral music. Especially his collaboration with Steven Spielberg on “Jaws”, “Schindler’s Legacy” and “Jurassic Park” made him unforgettable. His setting of the science fiction saga “Star Wars” is also indescribable. Williams won the Oscar five times, including for “Anatevka” and “E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial”.
-
Number 3: Bernard Herrmann. He was born on June 29, 1911 in New York City and set to music perhaps the most famous scene in film history – the murder in the shower in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”. For this great director he composed numerous other film music, including “Vertigo”, “Marnie” and “North by Northwest”. Herrmann received the Oscar in 1942 for his work on “The Devil and Daniel Webster” and also created unforgettable music for “Fahrenheit 451”, “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Taxi Driver”. Here is a melody from the Hitchcock movie Vertigo.
-
Number 2: Ennio Morricone. He was born November 10, 1928 in Rome. Morricone was an Italian composer who also published works under the pseudonyms Dan Savio and Leo Nichols. He composed the music for more than 500 films, became world famous mainly through his collaboration with Sergio Leone – including “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, “Once Upon a Time in the West” and “Once Upon a Time in America”. Also outstanding are his sensationally melancholic works on “Mission” and “Cinema Paradiso”, legendary also the setting of “The Untouchables” with Kevin Costner and Sean Connery. In 2007 Morricone received an Oscar for his life’s work, in 2016 for the compositions for Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight”.
-
Placement number 1: Jerrald “Jerry” King Goldsmith. He was born February 10, 1929 in Los Angeles / California. Jerry Goldsmith made it to the first place of the ten most important film composers of all time very closely, but well deservedly. The American has composed more than 200 works. His most famous work is the music for the first feature film of “Star Trek”, which was later also used for the successful series “The Next Generation”. He was nominated for an Oscar 17 times, but received the award only once – in 1977 for the composition of the film “The Omen”. Goldsmith created romantic-melancholic music for “Chinatown” and “The Russia House”, dark and at the same time gentle scores such as “Alien” and “Poltergeist” and experimental-minimalist works such as “Planet of the Apes”. Other well-known settings: “Freud”, “Total Recall”, “Basic Instinct”, “Air Force One” and “L.A. Confidential”.
Would you have made the placement like this or are you even missing important film composers who are particularly important to you and were not listed here?
-
-
Jurgen, Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head is a beautiful and wonderful song, and MLTs Summer Rain is in the same realm in beauty and poetic lyrics. Patrick Swayze was a great actor and I remember was very popular in the 90s, it’s too bad he passed away. He reminds me of another movie where the theme song and the movie complemented each other very much, in fact for me the song has become synonmous with the movie. I don’t think this movie left anyone without teary eyes by the end.
David, I saw Burt Reynolds “The End” in the theater when it first came out. I think my teenage crush on Kristy McNichol might have influenced my going to see it in the theater. She played the part of the daughter in the movie.
-
Yes Young, it’s sad that Patrick Swayze had to die relatively young. The soundtrack of Ghost really gets under your skin. And if you don’t have wet eyes at the end of the film, then I don’t know either.
A quick note about Grease and Dirty Dancing. I think there are many examples in film and music history that an entire film or a piece of music was torn apart by the critics and later these pieces developed into an incredible cult. I’m just thinking of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Star Wars.
On the subject of couples and dancing (yes I know, there are really, really many of them), the film “Flashdance” comes to my mind in particular. I think the main song and also the dance performance are just great. I saw the film in the cinema in 1983 or 1984 together with a friend and the sound performance in the Film Palace was great for that time. For me, the plot itself belongs to a topic that I now call the Cinderella syndrome (not in the medical sense but in the sense of the actual meaning): poor girl from socially disadvantaged backgrounds gets to know rich guy and finally becomes happy with him until the end of all days (and if they did not die, they are still alive today). My Fair Lady and Pretty Women work according to the same principle. Are there also films that work exactly the other way around?. Poor boy conquers the heart of a rich, powerful woman?
-
-
Juergen, as an example of “the other way around”, how about Titanic?
-
Titanic? Yes, of course. I didn’t even think about the film, because I never saw it. Sure, I know the film music and also the most famous scenes, but disaster films have never interested me very much. Maybe because I don’t like disasters, the world is already broken enough. Moreover, the ending of Titanic offers so little surprise. Ship leaves the port and sinks into the sea. End. Certainly a great movie, but somehow too sad. The only similar movie I’ve seen is „The Poseidon Adventure“. But thanks. You’re right, of course: Titanic contains the reverse Cinderella syndrome.
PS: Sorry if the idioms, or terms often don’t fit. But I can’t do it any other way with the translation. (I meant „umgekehrt / umgedreht“ but what fits? reversed, inverse, the other way around?)
-
I didn’t see Titanic in the theater either, Juergen, for reasons similar to yours: we already know how it’s going to turn out. But a few years ago I was exploring time-reversed videos on YouTube, and found one for the ship sinking in Titanic. It was really cool watching people shoot straight up out of the water like missiles before grabbing onto some part of the boat! Long story short, I ended up watching the whole film because of that.
By the way, there’s nothing wrong with your phrasing. I put it in quotes just to make it clear what I was referring to.
-
Jurgen, David, in those movies mentioned like Ghost, Pretty Woman, and Titanic it appears the music is quite awesome and expresses the underlying emotion behind the movie brilliantly, but in contrast the motion picture itself alone without the music score with the just the scenes, acting, and plot etc could be quite dry and bland, kind of like reality itself. Have you ever sat at a public square in the middle of the city somewhere? You see people walking by, traffic going along, and you hear the hustle and bustle of the city. And then someone, a busker, starts playing a lovely tune on the guitar or sings, and suddenly the atmosphere changes. A kind of magic in the air, and the situation suddenly fills with feeling/emotions. That bland street scene suddenly becomes full of life. In our lives things go on in motion, but it is deep in our mind, heart and soul we have feelings and emotions of happiness, sadness, joy as life unfolds etc…With movies, often times I think it is the music that accompanies it that brings to the surface those feelings and emotions most dramatically and effectively. With “Titanic” for me it’s that song that really made it remarkable over the story which just follows the reverse Cinderalla syndrome cliche, poor boy meets rich girl and the universe goes into turmoil because of it, with the final outcome (sinking ship disaster) we all know from the history books. When you watch the trailer with the theme song playing in the background, it is interesting and you feel the emotions of that moment in time of those characters. The POWER OF MUSIC!
-
Jung, you’re so right. I know this phenomenon. Even a boring supermarket or the underwear department of a department store suddenly looks exciting and cheerful with the right music.
You described it in a very poetic and literary way, which I like very much. I sometimes think of things more technically and analytically, but basically we both mean the same thing: Music usually immediately activates consciously or unconsciously memory patterns and associated emotions in our brain. As soon as music sounds, the entire experience changes. In the brain, certain neurotransmitters are expelled and these then play on the score of your emotional life. Works a bit like a drug, but is much healthier, legal and has no known side effects. (So from a neurophysiological point of view). You feel dynamic or relaxed, become happy or sentimental, feel euphoric or anxious. It is not for nothing that there are music therapists who use these mechanisms. (I have to admit without envy your description of the phenomenon Music -The Power of Music- is clearly more pleasing and beautiful. Shakespeare would have bowed to you, he would have only looked at me with a raised eyebrow 🙂 )
As you have already described it very nicely, the key to many exciting films lies in the music. Watch a horror movie and turn off the sound. Suddenly, the whole plot seems strange, surreal and sometimes even disjointed and the immersion is lost. Even the dialogues in some films seem „wooden“ without film sound and you immediately notice the difference between talented actors and those who would like to be. The good actors have a strong non-verbal expression, such as facial expressions and gestures, and can also convey emotions without sound. Bad actors seem very uninvolved without sound and show hardly any emotions. Her acting seems flat and awkward. you ask yourself: what are the actors actually doing there? Funny fact, it gets really exciting when the auditory input does not match to the visual image shown at all. Some Film-Producer deliberately use this technique to make the viewer laugh, even irritate him or creat fear.
-
-
Hi Jurgen, that Zither video you posted is really nice. I like the solo instrumentation like that. It reminded me of another favourite movie score with a solo instrument from “To Sir With Love”. Sometimes a single instrument playing a solo voice can be the most intimate and touching, like the music of Zamfir with flute.
In this track from the “To Sir With Love” soundtrack, they utilized a clavichord I believe. Some sources says it is harpsichord and others say clavichord. This track was composed and played by accomplished movie score composer Ron Grainer who wrote music scores for several 60s movies and TV series later and won an Emmy.
-
I totally agree with you, Jung. Sometimes the simple, minimalist performance of a song is more impressive or just more intense when only a single instrument or voice conveys the entire mood of a song (so it doesn’t always have to be the “Wall of Sound”). I like the piece of music from “Sir With Love”. It is difficult to say which instrument is to be heard (clavichord or harpsichord, the instruments sound kind of the same to me). You have already convinced me: I will watch the film one day (especially since I like Sidney Poitier as an actor).
Minimalist music. At this point I spontaneously think of the song “While my guitar gently weeps” by the Beatles. In addition to the well-known version, there was also an alternative recording in which George Harrison’s voice is calm and impressive in the foreground. This has nothing to do with film music, but since there was a corresponding performance by “Cirque du Soleil” in Las Vegas, it fits into the topic as a musical performance halfway through. I really like both versions, but I like the quiet, smooth recording even better than the track from the White Album. This version better reflects the sensitive and thoughtful side of George and shows in which direction his solo career will develop later.
PS: Have you seen the cinema production of The Beatles “Love”? In Germany, the film unfortunately only was shown for two weeks in the cinema and at that time I was on vacation.
-
Log in to reply.
