By Garrison Thomas
You ever see a movie that has a scene accompanied by the perfect music choice and you feel like you could watch that particular scene on a loop? Yeah, me too.
Johnny English - “A Man for All Seasons”
Johnny English isn’t a great movie, but it has more than a few laugh out loud moments glorifying in its James Bond spoofiness. Outside of Rowan Atkinson’s wanna-be suave spy is an absolute ear-worm of an intro song in Robbie Williams’ “Man for All Seasons”. The song plays over a subtly humorous montage of Johnny English having trouble finding the office where he will receive his first mission. You’ll have a hard time paying attention to what’s on screen because you’re going to sing along with song as it keeps building and building with its fun tempo and suggestive lyrics while feeling the goosebumps on your skin when Williams performs a key change when singing “WITH AN AUTOMATIC!!!”
Johnny English isn’t a great movie, but it has more than a few laugh out loud moments glorifying in its James Bond spoofiness. Outside of Rowan Atkinson’s wanna-be suave spy is an absolute ear-worm of an intro song in Robbie Williams’ “Man for All Seasons”. The song plays over a subtly humorous montage of Johnny English having trouble finding the office where he will receive his first mission. You’ll have a hard time paying attention to what’s on screen because you’re going to sing along with song as it keeps building and building with its fun tempo and suggestive lyrics while feeling the goosebumps on your skin when Williams performs a key change when singing “WITH AN AUTOMATIC!!!”
The Replacements - “I Will Survive”
Everyone in the pre-production meetings must have known that putting a Gloria Gaynor song in a football film would go together like PB&J because why wouldn’t it? The Replacements is one of my favorite guilty pleasure films and the inclusion of “I Will Survive” is the major reason why. If you don’t know the premise, professional football players have gone on strike so replacement players (wash-outs, has-beens, and wannabes) have been hired to replace the pros. The Washington Sentinels have a rough start but begin to form a strong bond in a jail cell after a bar fight with the professional Sentinels players. Wide Receiver (who can’t catch) Clifford Franklin invoked Gaynor’s legendary lyrics to explain why he was hiding behind a jukebox during the bar fight.
Everyone in the pre-production meetings must have known that putting a Gloria Gaynor song in a football film would go together like PB&J because why wouldn’t it? The Replacements is one of my favorite guilty pleasure films and the inclusion of “I Will Survive” is the major reason why. If you don’t know the premise, professional football players have gone on strike so replacement players (wash-outs, has-beens, and wannabes) have been hired to replace the pros. The Washington Sentinels have a rough start but begin to form a strong bond in a jail cell after a bar fight with the professional Sentinels players. Wide Receiver (who can’t catch) Clifford Franklin invoked Gaynor’s legendary lyrics to explain why he was hiding behind a jukebox during the bar fight.
Money Talks - “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything”
Just put a camera in front of Chris Tucker and let the man go to work. Tucker’s Franklin Hatchett is a small-time hustler/ticket scalper just trying to make an extra buck so he can scrape by. Hatchett’s frequently harried appearance shows the exhaustion associated with his lifestyle, but that doesn’t stop him from having fun driving other people’s cars when he’s only supposed to wash them. You can watch the best part of the film below.
Just put a camera in front of Chris Tucker and let the man go to work. Tucker’s Franklin Hatchett is a small-time hustler/ticket scalper just trying to make an extra buck so he can scrape by. Hatchett’s frequently harried appearance shows the exhaustion associated with his lifestyle, but that doesn’t stop him from having fun driving other people’s cars when he’s only supposed to wash them. You can watch the best part of the film below.
Kill Bill Vol. 1 - “Death Rides a Horse”
Simple one of the most badass scenes I’ve ever seen. Kill Bill was one of the very few films that I was explicitly forbidden from seeing before a certain age (see the anime scene). My parents were fairly lenient about what I watched as long as it didn’t have sex scenes. Foul language wasn’t a problem. Fifteen was probably the right age to see Kill Bill though. The Bride has been training throughout the film to confront her former assassin coworkers who betrayed her. And she makes one hell of an entrance when calling for O-Ren Ishii. Tarantino loves to use songs in his films. So much so, that his films just have soundtracks instead of scores. He pays homage to Ennio Morricone by using “Death Rides a Horse” to reveal The Bride O-Ren. I love that Tarantino did not stop the music when The Bride cuts off Sophie Fatale’s arm. The music just dies down a little before swelling once more as a bloodied Bride advances toward her enemies.
Honorable Mention - “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”
My dad wanted me to mention this because it’s his favorite scene from Kill Bill. It’s a nice scene but the “Death Rides a Horse” scene is way better. See for yourself.
Simple one of the most badass scenes I’ve ever seen. Kill Bill was one of the very few films that I was explicitly forbidden from seeing before a certain age (see the anime scene). My parents were fairly lenient about what I watched as long as it didn’t have sex scenes. Foul language wasn’t a problem. Fifteen was probably the right age to see Kill Bill though. The Bride has been training throughout the film to confront her former assassin coworkers who betrayed her. And she makes one hell of an entrance when calling for O-Ren Ishii. Tarantino loves to use songs in his films. So much so, that his films just have soundtracks instead of scores. He pays homage to Ennio Morricone by using “Death Rides a Horse” to reveal The Bride O-Ren. I love that Tarantino did not stop the music when The Bride cuts off Sophie Fatale’s arm. The music just dies down a little before swelling once more as a bloodied Bride advances toward her enemies.
Honorable Mention - “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”
My dad wanted me to mention this because it’s his favorite scene from Kill Bill. It’s a nice scene but the “Death Rides a Horse” scene is way better. See for yourself.
| |
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - “The Ring Goes South”
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - “Isengard Unleashed” - The Last March of the Ents
Howard Shore is a genius. You know that. I know that. We all know that. His work on both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series will be remembered for centuries because the music immediately puts you in Middle-Earth. It is so synonymous with that world that every game or fan film set in Middle-Earth do their best to emulate Shore. "The Ring Goes South" is my favorite piece because it runs through all three films in different forms. Sometimes it’s slower and more melancholic while other times it’s upbeat and empowering. It is one of the major through-lines that reminds you of when the company first left Rivendell. The song makes you want to go on a quest with some of your best mates.
“Isengard Unleashed” holds a special place in my heart because it is so dour to start when the Ents find their friends have been killed by Saruman and the Uruks. On your first watch, you might think that the Ents will just mourn and not do anything because inaction has been their only plot point through the entire film. But the song builds and you realize that the Ents are going to war.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - “Isengard Unleashed” - The Last March of the Ents
Howard Shore is a genius. You know that. I know that. We all know that. His work on both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series will be remembered for centuries because the music immediately puts you in Middle-Earth. It is so synonymous with that world that every game or fan film set in Middle-Earth do their best to emulate Shore. "The Ring Goes South" is my favorite piece because it runs through all three films in different forms. Sometimes it’s slower and more melancholic while other times it’s upbeat and empowering. It is one of the major through-lines that reminds you of when the company first left Rivendell. The song makes you want to go on a quest with some of your best mates.
“Isengard Unleashed” holds a special place in my heart because it is so dour to start when the Ents find their friends have been killed by Saruman and the Uruks. On your first watch, you might think that the Ents will just mourn and not do anything because inaction has been their only plot point through the entire film. But the song builds and you realize that the Ents are going to war.
| |
Every First Trailer for The Hobbit Film Series.
Brought Howard Shore back.
Play on audience’s nostalgia of the Lord of the Rings Film Series
Play Pippin’s song over the trailer for the final film
Brought Howard Shore back.
Play on audience’s nostalgia of the Lord of the Rings Film Series
Play Pippin’s song over the trailer for the final film
| | |
“Come and Get Your Love” - Guardians of the Galaxy
You can tell that James Gunn had a great time directing this film and subverting the audience’s expectations. It starts off like any other superhero film with a dark dreary landscape with unsettling music and you’re waiting for an opening action scene that sets the plot into motion. But that’s not what we get. No, we get something far better. Our hero puts headphones on and plays some of his favorite tunes while looking for treasure and the title of the film just pops up on the screen with the musical cue before disappearing so we can focus on more of our hero’s antics. No dramatic title appearing from a black screen or a slow dissolve. There it is and there it goes. Moving on.
You can tell that James Gunn had a great time directing this film and subverting the audience’s expectations. It starts off like any other superhero film with a dark dreary landscape with unsettling music and you’re waiting for an opening action scene that sets the plot into motion. But that’s not what we get. No, we get something far better. Our hero puts headphones on and plays some of his favorite tunes while looking for treasure and the title of the film just pops up on the screen with the musical cue before disappearing so we can focus on more of our hero’s antics. No dramatic title appearing from a black screen or a slow dissolve. There it is and there it goes. Moving on.
Undercover Brother - “Family Affair”
Yes, this is a musical moment as it does involve music. Mr. Feather spends most of the film trying to suppress his inner blackness as he has brainwashed a promising black presidential candidate. However, he can’t hold it in when Mary J. Blige’s “Family Affair” comes on because… well who can, really?
Yes, this is a musical moment as it does involve music. Mr. Feather spends most of the film trying to suppress his inner blackness as he has brainwashed a promising black presidential candidate. However, he can’t hold it in when Mary J. Blige’s “Family Affair” comes on because… well who can, really?
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - “A Life Without You (Is No Life At All)”
Walk Hard is better than Walk the Line. Yeah, I said it. John C. Reilly gives an amazing performance as Dewey Cox. The soundtrack is impressive, especially when you consider that this is a spoof film. The film has a lot of catchy songs like “Walk Hard”, “Take My Hand”, “Guilty As Charged”, and “Let Me Hold You (Little Man)” but this song has such an earnest quality that actually resonates because the film shows all the debauchery in which Dewey takes part. Many artists sing songs just to sell records even though they don’t actually believe what they are selling.
Walk Hard is better than Walk the Line. Yeah, I said it. John C. Reilly gives an amazing performance as Dewey Cox. The soundtrack is impressive, especially when you consider that this is a spoof film. The film has a lot of catchy songs like “Walk Hard”, “Take My Hand”, “Guilty As Charged”, and “Let Me Hold You (Little Man)” but this song has such an earnest quality that actually resonates because the film shows all the debauchery in which Dewey takes part. Many artists sing songs just to sell records even though they don’t actually believe what they are selling.
Chef - “I Like it Like That”
You ever hear a song in a movie that you haven’t heard in years so you thank that movie in your mind for re-introducing that song to you? No? Kind of? Well, you get the idea. I would always remember hearing the pop version of this song that came out in the late nineties. But I was always hoping that the original would come on the radio instead. This scene put a huge smile on my face because it exhibits a joy one gets when working on their passion. It also makes your mouth water something fierce.
You ever hear a song in a movie that you haven’t heard in years so you thank that movie in your mind for re-introducing that song to you? No? Kind of? Well, you get the idea. I would always remember hearing the pop version of this song that came out in the late nineties. But I was always hoping that the original would come on the radio instead. This scene put a huge smile on my face because it exhibits a joy one gets when working on their passion. It also makes your mouth water something fierce.
This is a very short list of my favorite musical moments and I will be adding more in the future. What are some of your favorite music moments in movies? Comment below!