Soundtracks
What do Steven Speilberg, Quentin Tarantino, and Alfred Hitchcock all have in common? They all want to know about my opinions on movies. In fact, people are always asking me, “Hey Jeremy, as the best movie expert of all time ever, what are your favorite movie soundtracks??” Well, rest assured, the long wait is over.
As someone who loves both music and movies, I often find soundtracks to be one of my favorite aspects of a film. While usually underappreciated, a movie’s soundtrack plays a significant role in establishing the atmosphere and keeping the audience engaged throughout. A film’s soundtrack terrify us just like Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s dub reggae and chaotic jazz; it can make us sob during moments like when “You and Who’s Army” plays in Incendies; or it can make us nostalgic when movies like Guardians of the Galaxy perfectly capture a decade’s best music. However, Hollywood seems to be in an era of mediocre musical biopics. In these movies, thoughtful soundtracks are often replaced with random compilations of an artist’s most popular hit songs. Rather than enhancing the atmosphere of a film, these movies often just distract their audiences from horrendous filmmaking with songs that they might recognize and hum along to. Movies that come to mind are Back to Black, Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody, and probably the upcoming A Complete Unknown (I haven’t seen this, but I’m not optimistic about a Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothee Chalomet). After watching Back to Black recently, and being thoroughly disappointed, I decided to rewatch movies with some of my favorite soundtracks and have created a top ten favorite soundtracks from films that I would recommend to anyone.
10. Batman (1989)
Director: Tim Burton
This movie captures everything I love about cheesy superhero movies and the music of the 80s. Tim Burton leans into the goofy atmosphere of Batman’s character, and the music from Prince makes it all the more fun to watch. One of my favorite things about this movie is the way that the music is incorporated into the scenes. Jack Nicholson’s Joker is followed by a henchman with a jukebox, making his character equally hilarious and badass. Prince’s original album for this movie stayed at number one on the Billboard 200 for six consecutive weeks. If you’re hesitant to watch two hours of Michael Keaton in tight black leather, at least give the album a listen; you won’t regret it.
9. Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Director: Stephen Chbosky
This soundtrack does an incredible job of capturing the delightful yet devastating atmosphere of a group of depressed high school students. Being adapted from the book, the movie features some amazing music that’s mentioned in the novel such as The Smiths’ “Asleep” as well as songs from Rocky Horror Picture Show. However, Chbosky also paid much attention to the rest of the soundtrack, calling the soundtrack process “the biggest delight in making the film.” I didn’t get the chance to go to high school in the 90s, but I’m sure I would’ve made a ridiculously cheesy mixtape that resembled this movie’s soundtrack. And I can’t discuss Perks of Being a Wallflower without acknowledging the tunnel scene: one of my favorite musical moments in any movie I’ve seen.
8. Baby Driver (2017)
Director: Edgar Wright
Baby Driver is another film that incorporates an amazing soundtrack into the movie’s plot — making it almost feel like a character in its own right. Similarly to the way that the protagonist uses music to stay focused during bank heists, the music in this film keeps you locked in until the closing credits. Featuring artists like Queen, The Beach Boys, The Commodores, Steve Miller, and Simon & Garfunkel, the movie is filled with iconic songs that perfectly match the adrenaline-rushed pacing of the plot.
7. Magnolia (1999)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Magnolia is probably the best movie on this list. This soundtrack is often overshadowed by brilliant directing from Paul Thomas Anderson as well as amazing acting performances from Tom Cruise, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Julianne Moore. However, Aimee Mann’s beautiful folk rock music is what truly ties this masterpiece together. Perfectly setting the tone of the film, this soundtrack functions as an emotional consistency across the different heart-wrenching plot lines in Magnolia.
6. Mid 90s (2018)
Director: Jonah Hill
Mid 90s is a movie for prepubescent white boys who yell at their mothers. And while it makes way too much sense that Jonah Hill directed this movie, I hate to admit that the soundtrack consists of some incredible music. During the corny, digitally shot skateboard montages, the soundtrack features some of my favorite hip-hop artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Nas, and so many more. Maintaining the angsty teen vibe of the film, the movie also includes artists like Nirvana and the Pixies. Ultimately, although the movie itself tends to be melodramatic and silly at times, the soundtrack still makes this such a fun watch.
5. Dazed and Confused (1993)
Director: Richard Linklater
Starting off with Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” Dazed and Confused is filled with rock and roll classics from beginning to end. This soundtrack is exactly what you’d expect from a 90s high school party in Austin, Texas. With artists like Bob Dylan, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Kiss, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, this is the perfect soundtrack to listen to - and the perfect movie to watch - when you’re engaging in some fun underage drinking.
4. Do the Right Thing (1989)
Director: Spike Lee
The soundtrack of Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, perfectly matches the explosive rise of hip-hop in New York during the late 80s. Legendary rap music like Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” reflects this era of black empowerment in the face of oppression. Characters like Radio Raheem resemble political resistance as well as the cultural prominence of hip-hop music. On the other hand, Spike Lee’s father, Bill Lee, masterfully composes a beautiful jazz score that captures the exhausting atmosphere of a Brooklyn heat wave.
3. Boogie Nights (1997)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Given that he has two movies on this list, it’s no secret that Paul Thomas Anderson knows how to make an amazing soundtrack. However, unlike Magnolia, Boogie Nights’ genre of cocaine disco comedy is accompanied by music that just makes you want to dance. With artists like Marvin Gaye, the Commodores, Electric Light Orchestra, The Beach Boys, and so many others, Paul Thomas Anderson is somehow able to make John C. Reilly look like he can dance. As the mood of the film plummets in the second half, the soundtrack takes you there too, somehow making me cry for Mark Wahlberg’s pornstar character, Dirk Diggler.
2. Wild Style (1983)
Director: Charlie Ahearn
Within the midst of a musical revolution in the 80s, Wild Style was the first of its kind. Often credited for inventing the hip-hop movie genre, this film combines stunning graffiti, insane breakdancing, and a revolutionary soundtrack. The iconic artists featured in this movie portray the entire film as an 80-minute music video. Grandmaster Flash has a live DJ set along with the Cold Crush Brothers, Fab 5 Freddy, and so many more legends from this famous era of hip-hop.
1. Almost Famous (2000)
Director: Cameron Crowe
Putting these movies in order from best to worst was a difficult task, but I never questioned that Almost Famous would be at the top of this list. The plot of this movie follows a 15-year-old journalist who runs away from home to follow a famous rock band called Stillwater. However, this movie is actually based on the true story of Cameron Crowe’s childhood, when he followed artists like Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers Band, the Eagles, and others. Holding the record for the most money ever spent on the rights for music in a soundtrack, Crowe’s movie pays homage to the era of music that shaped his childhood. It’s a movie that makes you feel nostalgic for a time period you never lived in.
If you made it through this article, thank you for reading. And you’re welcome. Until next time that I turn a pretentious Letterboxd list into an article…