I have a habit of falling for movie (and TV) soundtracks. Not the whole schmere, just some parts that other people seem to hardly notice.[1] I give you a few examples that flip my bic:
1. In the soundtrack of “Groundhog Day” there are two bits by George Fenton. One happens when Bill Murray is telling Andie MacDowell facts about her past no one else would know: “you like boats, but not the ocean ……” The little thematic background is heartbreakingly beautiful to me. Another Fenton bit in the same movie is during the carving of the ice sculpture of MacDowell. I’ve been sorely tempted to sit down and transcribe them, but haven’t yet. I like Fenton.
2. During the film, “Enchanted April” there is a scene where Michael Kitchen “plays” a Richard Rodney Bennett piece from a upper room window in the Italian castle (a wonderful character in the movie actually). This little melody still haunts me from time to time and when it strikes me I have to sit down at a piano and play it out. My family thinks I’m nuts on this one, I think.
3. During Kenneth Branagh’s film of “Much Ado About Nothing” (one of my favorites from the Bard – it has a number of magnificent lines), there are several very sweet bits as well as some really stirring ones from Patrick Doyle, that I have to avoid or I play them over and over and drive anyone in the house nuts.
4. A Richard Addinsell composition in his soundtrack for an old Brit war film (something “Squadron”). The piece is none other than the “Warsaw Concerto.” A breathtakingly beautiful thing of sheer wonder that seems impossible to play in full piano mode (the original score is easier I think). My #3 son, who is a very talented pianist, took up the challenge to learn the thing, after I offered him a nice round sum to do it, but gave up after a week. This one doesn’t really fit the original thesis, but I love it anyhow.
5. Some of the instrumental backups to the Church scripture CD’s. There are a few really moving sections (for me).
Anyone else out there have this weird obsession? Or maybe you just have a favorite movie song. Come on, Spill!
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[1] I’m a broken down rock and roller. Played in a few no-account bands. I did have some formal training, but I can’t claim that it had any lasting effect.
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
Not on task, but it’s always humorous when non-smokers use smoking terms incorrectly. It’s “flick my Bic”.
I’ve got several playlists in iTunes dedicated exclusively to movie and TV soundtracks, including one I work out to.
You’re not alone!
One of my favorite uses of music in a movie is Forrest Gump. Because the lyrics often relate to what is going on–like when he’s doing the jogging thing and the song being played is “Running on Empty.”
The best scene though is when Jenny is all beat up from her cokehead boyfriend in the disco era and she’s leaving him. The Doors are playing. The song says “Don’t you love her madly, don’t you love her face” and she looks at her black eye in a mirror, “Don’t you love her as she’s walking out the door,” and she slams the door on her way out.
Ray, I did say “flick” in my head. Really.
I hate to lessen your ‘breathtakingly beautiful’ post__ but if I hear the soundtrack of Rocky__it’s in my mind for days.
On Grooveshark, just two days ago, I was listening to some of those same Patrick Doyle bits from “Much Ado About Nothing” and also “Henry V.”
I study to soundtracks basically nonstop. It helps to pass the 12 hour days, and I was actually listening to one when I saw BCC’s RSS feed. immediate distraction. While I might not admit my music preference on facebook, here’s a few favorites.
1. Star Trek (2009)- f. horns had talent, and some impressive recording studio work.
2. Batman Begins (a fair amount of people seem to like this one)
3. Ratatouille
4. Hook
5. The Incredibles
6. Enemy at the Gates
7. Wall-e (repair ward)
8. The Way We Were (J. Williams; I might assume you’ve listened to his other scores)
9. Tron Legacy- solar sailer (Daft Punk… is there room for house music on BCC?)
10. Glory- the closing scene.
All the music from Dr. Who… but most especially “Doomsday”
I am PASSIONATE about film scores. My current favorite is Alexandre Desplat (I listen to the Painted Veil score over and over again). He wrote the music to the most recent Harry Potter movie, and as a side project he worked on The King’s Speech. Check it out on iTunes. The melody in “Obliviate” from Harry Potter breaks my heart.
Here’s a recent post I did on film scores if you’re interested:
http://landoflauralot.blogspot.com/2010/09/bad-scores.html
Also a fan of Batman begins. The Harry Potter score was good, I haven’t bought it, but I’ve seen the movie 3 times and enjoyed the music more each time.
Henry V and the background music in the creation scenes of the blonde temple ceremony.
Thanks for this post. I’ve learned about some great new music I plan to buy soon.
I love movie soundtracks! Like #10, I am a fan of The Painted Veil soundtrack. Right now my favorite is the music from the recent BBC production of Emma. Little Dorrit has gorgeous music, too. And anything by Martin Phipps is brilliant (The Virgin Queen, North & South, and the BBC Sense & Sensibility). Many of those are quite figure-out-able on the piano, too.
Tiny Dancer, in Almost Famous.
Meet Joe Black. Steamy scene by the swimming pool, but the accompanying music is hauntingly beautiful. And of course for lots of grins and toe-tapping, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, is wonderful. Thanks for all the suggestions. It will be fun to search them out.
I appreciated the mention of the music from the temple presentation; that is a very uplifting score.
I’d like to submit for consideration the main theme to “Last of the Mohicans” …. that is definitely some music to run by.
The Opening from Charlotte’s Web, music by Danny Elfman.
I love love love the whistle tune from the ST:TNG episode “The Inner Light”.
Favorite soundtracks are Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, and Lord of the Rings.
Gosh, maybe I should branch out from sci fi/fantasy sometime…
OH! #16 — O Brother, Where Art Thou? has absolutely fantastic music. Definitely yes!
Some of my favorite soundtracks are the Lord of the Rings and Ben-Hur. Those are some good music.
Just to throw some more out, Dimitri Tiomkin’s “Friendly Persuasion,” “High and the Mighty,” and “High Noon.”
Yes yes! I often return home from an endowment session trying to plunk-out the melodies accompanying the film. I often feel like I return to the temple so often – not because I’m spiritually superior or hungering and thirsting after spiritual knowledge… but rather so that I can remember how the melody goes when the waves are crashing against the rocks.
So often I wish credits were listed at the end of more Official Church media projects. I’d love to talk with the composer.
Mostly I find myself rolling my eyes at the music in new films. In recent years I’ve been hearing so much of the style heard conspicuously in the Pirates of the Caribbean and the new Batman movies that turns the strings into just so much percussion accompanying showy brass. I would like to say, however that the low brass-heavy score of Inception impressed me and seemed appropriate for the subject matter.
If we’re talking about classics, I still find Maurice Jarre, who did some of the great David Lean films (e.g. Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago), irresistable. A quirky, ignored score I’ve always liked is the one for On the Waterfront.
@ SRL (24): I’m right with you. The Inception piece was original not because of Hans Zimmer, but Zack Hemsley. There’s a fine line between cheezy musick and a beautiful composition.
And for the record, Pirates only had one good song. The same music 3 CD’s later got old fast. HP did a much better job of changing it up.
@23: Credits would be nice. If not on the film, the website would be a great alternative.
Benny & Joon.
O Brother, Where Art Thou ?, The Insider, & The Da Vinci Code. Also, the song Kate Winslet plays on the piano in ‘Sense & Sensibility’. The official version is sung during the end credits, but I like Kate’s simple version best.
T-NC, *exactly* on the Winslet internal version.
two steps from hell. excuse the name; they’ve written music for many big-name hollywood trailers and release very little music out to the public.