Film soundtracks....

[Goodsoulette]

How important to a film do you think they are? Personally I think they can make and break a film, and no I'm not talking musicals so lets try not to get into that territory. I got thinking about it because I pulled out Goodfellas to watch again, I think it is the greatest film with an absolutely perfect soundtrack. Which in turn got me thinking about Layer Cake which again is brilliant, I mean who would have thought of battering the living daylights out of someone to Duran Duran? but it works. Anyways, what are your favourites? I have no kids all week and a barrel of chocolate to get through shall take recommendations up.

[Mattk]

I agree that they can add to a film.Tarentino uses them to good effect.

[mountainboo]

I totally agree. I think Hannibal has a very good soundtrack. Its very classical, but I love that anyway. But it suits the film and helps to create the atmosphere. Also The sum of all fears is a soundtrack I really like. Particularly horror film soundtracks are important ie Jaws, without it would it be quite as spooky? Na. Oh, another good soundtrack - The fog and Halloween, admittedly very similar but equally as spooky

[Goodsoulette]

You are so right about horror films Boo. If I get too scared I just turn the sound down and problem solved.

[mountainboo]

lol goodsoulette. OMG how about the sixth sense, that is a great soundtrack?

[buzybee]

I adore film soundtracks, there a passion of mine.They make such an impact on a film you could almost have no talking and let the music talk instead! I think the 'Amelie' soundtrack is amazing, although the film is subtitled the music speaks for itself.

But theres one soundtrack that i just love no matter what and its South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut its absolutely hilarious. its crude, insulting and completely BRILLIENT!!
great for laughs!

[Goodsoulette]

Buzybee, you were doing so well until that last paragraph.


I think it was the Friday the thirteenth soundtrack that spooked me greatly as a child.

[mountainboo]

Yeah, friday the 13th was a scary one especially that weird chck chck noise thats in it, and nightmare on elm street. Do you remember the lost boys, i adored that soundtrack as a kid.

[Goodsoulette]

That is a cracker of a soundtrack. I generally quite like the brat pack films soundtrack. Pretty in Pink is my fave of those, so I suppose the wedding singer is pretty good for a soundtrack too.

[Goodsoulette]

oh and thats despite thinking 80s music on the whole is pretty sh1te

[LeMarchand]

Whilst I agree with you, I am saddened that so many people consider the "collection of songs from and inspired by" a movie to be the pinnacle of movie soundtracks.

What about such great composers as Basil Poledouris (Conan, Starship Troopers), John Williams (Jaws, Superman, ET), John Barry (various James Bonds, Somewhere in Time), Jerry Goldsmith (The Omen, various Star Treks), Michael Nyman (most Peter Greenaway films, The Piano), Ennio Morricone (The Mission, Once Upon A Time in America) and so on?

I'm not denigrating the art of choosing songs to fit a film or TV show (in fact, most "new" music that I discover comes from heading to TV.com after hearing a track on a show) but I find it disheartening when a collection of often already-popular songs is hailed as a great movie soundtrack by the masses when the work done by composers such as those listed above often goes unnoticed.

@ tonyted: I know what you mean - Murray Gold has written some lovely music for Doctor Who, but why does it have to be SO LOUD?

[Whickerman]

Soundtracks are essential - try watching the Omen with the sound down, the music makes the movie.

If you mean the songs rather than incidental music, the songs help set the tone. Some of the best have been Labyrinth, Lostboys, Porkys, Streets of Fire, the original Wickerman, Empire Records, and any Tarantino movie. It's not that i like the songs themselves, but as part of the whole project they work - can you imagine a 50s American Diner scene without some rock'n'roll?

[yinyang]

Funnily enough, I didn't see this question when you posted it because I was settling down with my husband to watch Goodfellas. And, yes, all the way through I kept thinking what a brilliant soundtrack it was and how the music changed through all the decades it portrayed.
It can really date films ;though sometimes in a good way - can you imagine all the Brat Pack films without the 80's sountrack.
Watching a film without music is like eating when you have a bad cold, it's just not the same.

[Whickerman]

Or Forrest Gump - the songs set the tone for the eras over the 40 years it's set in

[fiest82]

I quite like Sofia Coppola's movies cos then tend to have really interesting soundtracks, e.g. The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette etc. Also, like Garden State, Brokedown Palace while most Tarantino movies have original soundtracks too.

[yobanfa]

The film "10 things i hate about you" has got a brill soundtrack so has "A knights tale" and so has "Coyote ugly" watch any of them and you will end up buying the soundtrack