Thursday Movie Picks: Unforgettable Film Scores
1) Atonement
Atonement has my favorite score of all time. I love how they incorporated the typewriter into Briony's theme. It's just lovely and compliments the movie so well.
2) The Lion King
Not just for the iconic intro of The Circle of Life, but THIS part of King of Pride rock is probably my favorite piece of music ever written for a film. It's so beautiful and perfect.
3) The Social Network
It's funny, I was so mad during the Oscars when this won over Inception for Best Original Score. I still think Inception has a fantastic score but this one has grown on me so much. This and Gone Girl are *chef's kiss*
I can't stand Aborement and i don't recall the score but I will take a listen to it. The Lion King has a great score and deserves a mention but Can't stand Social Network and hated that music. Seeing Jesse Eisenberg there just makes me want to punch his lights out. Nope, no strong opinions from me...hahahaaa
ReplyDeletelol I remember you hate Atonement! I actually really like Eisenberg, I think he's an interesting actor.
DeleteAtonement does have a great score, it's such a powerful film and the score adds greatly too it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen Lion King from start to finish but have walked through the room enough when my nieces & nephews were watching it on endless loop to be familiar with the score. It is a solidly composed set of songs though honestly I think I'll gag if I hear "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" one more time!
I hated The Social Network and recall next to nothing of the score.
Congrats on a good choice in theme! In honor of its specificity I tried to incorporate some of the notable pieces of each of my picks. I went with three that had won Oscars for Best Score.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)-Dorothy (Judy Garland) is “Off to See the Wizard” (Frank Morgan) “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” when she is told by Glinda the Good Witch (Billie Burke) to “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” with the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) who wishes “If I Only Had a Brain”, the Tin Man (Jack Haley) who wonders what would happen “If I Only Had Heart” and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) who tells them “If I Only Had the Nerve” what he would do “If I Were King of the Forest”. After being told by Munchkins how things were “In the Merry Old Land of Oz” they find themselves pursued by the Wicked Witch (Margaret Hamilton) who wants Dorothy’s ruby slippers and causes no end of trouble until the word can be spread that “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!”
Oklahoma! (1955)-“Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’” when Curly (Gordon MacRae) comes riding up on “The Surrey with the Fringe On Top” to court Laurie (Shirley Jones) who is hesitant to express her true feelings to him because “People Will Say We’re in Love”. Unsure she turns to her friend Ado Annie (Gloria Grahame) who tells her “I’m Just a Girl Who Cain’t Say No” but also tells her “Many a New Day Will Dawn” when she’ll have another chance with Curly if the dangerous Jud (Rod Steiger) who is pursuing Laurie doesn’t get in the way. But then “Pore Jud is Daid” but everyone else is happy because:
“We know we belong to the land
And the land we belong to is grand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Aye-yip-aye-yo-ee-ay!
We're only sayin'
You're doin' fine, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma
O.K. L - A - H - O - M - A
OKLAHOMA!”
West Side Story (1961)-“Something’s Coming” between the enemy gangs the Jets and the Sharks but “Gee, Officer Krupke” gets in the way before they can rumble. During the big competition dance at the gym which follows former Jet Tony (Richard Beymer) sees “Maria” (Natalie Wood) sister of Shark leader Bernardo (George Chakiris) and knows that “Tonight” is special. Later when Bernardo’s girlfriend Anita (Rita Moreno) tells Bernardo things are better in “America” Maria realizes “I Feel Pretty” and that she and Tony share “One Hand, One Heart” even as Anita tells her “A Boy Like That” will bring only heartache. But she believes and tells Tony “Somewhere” away from all the conflict “There’s a Place for Us”.
Thank you! I've never seen Oklahoma but I'm familiar with the music. I only saw West Side STory once, and I didn't care for it but it is something I'd be willing to give a second chance.
DeleteI hate the Wizard of Oz. lol. I know, I know...
The lack of so much as nomination for Gone Girl score is truly the biggest disgrace they ever committed, one of my all time fav scores
ReplyDeleteIt really is. Massive shame.
Delete3 amazing film scores as I do like the score from Atonement a lot. Of course when it comes to NIN, I pretty much like a lot of what Trent does (though I will admit he's made a few duds like "Deep" from Tomb Raider). The soundtrack for The Social Network is great but it's Gone Girl that is Trent & Atticus' best work based on what I've heard so far...
ReplyDeleteI used Gone Girl elsewhere or else I would've probably chosen it. I love "Sugar Storm" from that track.
DeleteI like all of them just the right amount.. I don't think I was such a fan of soundtracks back then so it's probably good to revisit these movies for the soundtracks now. :D
ReplyDeleteI love movie soundtracks. They never feel overplayed. I don't think I really got into them until the mid 2000's.
DeleteI liked these scores but didn't love them. But the films are good :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you like them too!
DeleteThanks for your theme suggestion, I love it. I have totally forgotten the Atonement score, I will have to give it a listen again.
ReplyDeleteThe Inception score is just about the only thing I like about the movie.
Social Network - I can't recall how the score sounds like now, but I remember it being quite distinctive when I saw the movie