Supertracks

Whenever the quality of a movie is under discussion, others usually bring up plot, dialogue, special effects, editing, etc. The first thing I notice in any movie is the music. And I don't think the average movie go-er recognizes the effect music can have over an image or a scene. This is a bad example, but a recent one: I recently went to go see Superman Returns. There's lots of elements I loved, a few I was disappointed in *cough, Lois, cough*, but the very first five seconds is what I enjoyed the most. When that solo trumpet played a perfect fifth to a star sprinkled black screen (otherwise known as the beginning of the Superman Theme), I felt like I was five-years-old again. Held within those simple notes, lives an image of a kind, blue-eyed, indestructible force working to protect the earth. It just brought a big, goofy grin to my face. Who knew five seconds of sound could be packed with so much power? With this in mind, here's my new list:

5 Favorite Movie Soundtracks (not including musicals):


1. Amelie
This amazing score by Yann Tiersen has no equal. The accordian driven instrumental pieces are filled with the romance, urgency, and creative brilliance that IS Amelie. But it doesn't out-shine the story and the stunning visual images, but rather it compliments them. Whenever I stick this CD into my car player, I find myself driving very fast 'cause the tracks are so irresistible!

2. Kill Bill I and II
These soundtracks are so eclectic. From fast-paced mariachi, to gorgeous Japanese vocals, to Johnny Cash; the boundless range of musical genres is comparable to Quentin Tarantino's wide film influences.

3. Magnolia
This soundtrack is what introduced me to the music of Aimee Mann. I believe I read somewhere that Paul Thomas Anderson (director) based this whole movie around her songs.

4. The Shining
Watch this movie with the sound off sometime, it's not half as creepy. Everytime I hear the eery rolling of that timpani I get chills up my spine.

5. Breakfast at Tiffany's
Ok, this MAY be because it's one of my favorite movies of all time. But primarily it's on this list because of "Moon River". I read in an Audrey Hepburn biography that Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer wrote this song not only for the movie, but wrote it with Audrey Hepburn in mind. This makes sense to me because the song has such a graceful melancholy to it, as did Audrey herself. It just puts a lump in my throat and I have no idea why.

Feel free to add your own choices to the comments, and hopefully it won't lead to the discussion of underoos again:)

ALSO, I have one extra song I'd like to add to my "5 Favorite 80's Songs" list. I heard the song, "In a Big Country" by Big Country on the radio a few days ago. I made a mental note that I must add this song to the list 'cause it rocks, that's all there is to it.