The other day one of my fave online peeps, author Kathleen Peacock, posted a youtube video of Til Tuesday’s Voices Carry. I am a HUGE fan of Amiee Mann and I think her soundtrack work on Magnolia was freaking brilliant. That got me thinking of some of my fave musical moments in movies. I’m not talking about musicals, no. I’m talking about those moments of perfection when a song and a scene meld together to create a goosebumpy moment. Or an “ah-hah” moment. The song is used to show something, rather than the characters telling. This is oh-so important in any kind of writing.
So Kathleen and I decided to compare notes and do a post about our top five songs in movies. Now, I’m pretty sure that Kathleen and I are sisters from another mother, so I’m interested to see how similar our lists are. Pop over to her blog, please, and check out her post.
Here’s my top five with a (hopefully) short explanation of why I think each rocks.
Bohemian Rhapsody – Wayne’s World
I wasn’t quite in my teens when Wayne’s World came out, but I thought this scene was hilarious. Of course, once I hit my teens and started cruising around town on the weekends, I came to realize the significance of the scene AND the song. Replace Bohemian Rhapsody with Smells Like Teen Spirit and you have every Friday and Saturday night of my senior year.
Don’t Fear the Reaper – The Stand
If you’re a fan of Stephen King, then you know music plays a large part in his writing. I think this is one of the best movie openings EVER. I mean, it’s pretty creepy without the music. But once you add Blue Oyster Cult’s Don’t Fear the Reaper, it’s perfectly creepy and scary and, well, icky.
Wise up – Magnolia
This scene, well, I can’t watch it without crying. It’s just so brilliant and amazing and does an awesome job of tying in all the characters’ story lines. It’s an odd little scene, but I think that’s why I love it so much.
Mad World – Donnie Darko
If you haven’t seen Donnie Darko, then don’t watch the clip, cuz it’s the end. Actually, if you haven’t seen Donnie Darko, stop reading this post and go watch it. It’s freaking amazing. It’s one of my favorite movies and this is probably my favorite ending to a movie. The song fits the mood and the tone perfectly, and adds to the heartbreak. Another scene that always make me cry.
Tiny Dancer – Almost Famous
I strongly believe in the power of music to heal. The right song, at the right time can make a decision suddenly crystal clear, allow you to bawl your head off, or make you unbelivable happy. And that’s what this scene in Almost Famous is all about. It’s about healing, making amends and knowing that you are exactly where you’re meant to be.
What are some of your favorite movie music moments?
