Ranked: Favourite Film Soundtracks

[Reader disclaimer: there will be spoilers discussed. This piece also contains material that might be sensitive to some readers].

There are many components to a film: cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, lighting, acting. In certain genres, a key aspect tends to stand out more than others, for example, music composition in horror is essential for creating that tension and unease that we typically associate with scary movies (such as the orchestral stab when we experience a jump scare or the rise of string instruments when tension is being built). 

Before the late 20s (with The Jazz Singer (1927) being one of the first examples of films with synchronised speech in it), films often relied on non-diegetic music to demonstrate the emotions of what we saw on-screen. It's still an important component today, however, music has changed drastically since the Silent Era of piano compositions to modern-day remixes and scores on a grand scale.

Here are some of my favourite examples of music used in film.

10) Time by Hans Zimmer - Inception (2010)

Hans Zimmer is one of my favourite film composers. From the macabre yet stunning soundtrack of The Dark Knight (2008) to his playful and enchanting work on The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Zimmer is undeniably talented at utilising every instrument to evoke emotion from the audience.

One of his greatest examples of work (in my opinion, obviously) is the final scene of Inception (2012), in which we see Dom (Leonardo DiCaprio) using the spinning top but leaving to greet his children before we ever see if the top falls or stays upright, leaving the ending ambiguous as to whether or not Dom and the others have returned to reality.

The song Time is played over this sequence, a powerful yet melancholic piece that finishes with lone keys played on the piano. It conveys almost a sadness and provides the audience with a taste of closure before the song abruptly ends on the shot of the spinning top. In comparison to the rest of the soundtrack, Time feels like a solid landmark at the end of the film, one that beautifully marries rising brass and string instruments with the poignant and saddening notes of the piano.

9) The Kiss by Trevor Jones - The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

I can't say that The Last of the Mohicans (1992) as a film has aged particularly well but there are two aspects of this film which are still unfaltering in their impressive nature: Daniel Day-Lewis' performance and the soundtrack.

When I think back to the films I watched as a child and the songs I remember, this one has always stuck in my mind. The Kiss comprises mainly of violins and drums in a romantic, almost Celtic fashion. At this point in the film, Hawkeye (Day-Lewis) seeks out Cora (Madeline Stowe) and they passionately embrace, finally succumbing to their mutual attraction for each other.

As a viewer, this scene is a moment in the making. We witness the romantic tension between the two lovers for so long and desperately await that climactic moment wherein they kiss, so the rise from minor to major chords feels empowering and relieving. 

8) Hellraiser by Christopher Young - Hellraiser (1987)

Talking of films from childhood, this spot on the list had to go to one of my all-time favourites: Hellraiser (1987). Obviously most horror films from the 70s/80s renaissance are indisputably iconic, from Charles Bernstein on A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), John Carpenter on Halloween (1978) to one of the most famous themes in pop culture, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells for The Exorcist (1973). 

Out of all of them, however, I had to nominate Christopher Young's work on Hellraiser. I believe my attachment to this soundtrack is founded in both nostalgia but also due to its likeness to composer Danny Elfman's discography: they both tend to use gothic themes intertwined with classical styles of musical composition, which I think works effectively when it comes to horror films. 

Either way, as soon as Hellraiser starts playing, I'm immediately thrown back to the first time watching it, sitting in absolute awe of Doug Bradley. 

7) Bundle of Joy by Michael Giacchino - Inside Out (2015)

Let's be honest. There are plenty of Pixar soundtracks that could sit on this list. Some of you might be surprised to see that I've picked something remotely new as opposed to something more nostalgia-based from the 90s, such as Toy Story (1995) or Monsters, Inc (2001).

I went to see this film on my 19th birthday and this is one of the first pieces of music to be introduced to us: the birth of Riley (Kaitlyn Dias). This small piece of music, with just the piano alone, evokes this sense of wonderment and childlike happiness that seemingly captures Riley's personality before we're even able to see her character grow up on-screen. It's heartfelt and light, something that Pixar films are most certainly renowned for. 

I believe that if I had seen this film as a child, I would've had a fond nostalgia for its music. As an adult, I can appreciate what Giacchino is trying to translate to his audience and it works.

6) Bunsen Burner by CUTS - Ex Machina (2014)

It came as a surprise to me when I watched Ex Machina (2014) after listening to The Prodigy's 2015 album, The Day is My Enemy because one of the songs on the tracklisting actually samples Bunsen Burner in a more sped-up format. So, every time I listen to the Ex Machina soundtrack, I'm reminded of The Prodigy.

Regardless, Bunsen Burner has been firmly etched into my memory ever since I watched this film for the first time. It's electronic, ebbing introduction fades effortlessly into a strong, three, minor-notes sequence that never feels repetitive, only tense. Within the context of the film, this is the climactic scene of the final act, wherein Ava (Alicia Vikander) turns on her creator, Nathan (Oscar Isaac) and fatally stabs him: we, as the audience, realise Ava's inability to feel true empathy and that she truly is a threat.

Bunsen Burner feels, in a way, like the empowerment of a freed prisoner but also the final curtain of the characters we have grown to trust and even like within the narrative. It's a musical double-edged sword.

5) Rohan by Howard Shore - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The entire discography of The Lord of the Rings franchise is impressive. There's no denying that. However, I'd argue that the second film, The Two Towers (2002), holds some of the best use of Howard Shore's work; the grand scale of the battle scenes, the intimate moments between characters, the light-hearted nature of comic relief.

Rohan is my favourite of all these themes, as it's used to both present touching scenes (such as the freedom of Théoden, played by Bernard Hill) but also the more melancholic moments, such as Éowyn (Miranda Otto) lamenting the dying landscape of her home and the ill-nature of her people.

Every geographical location in Middle Earth has its theme and Rohan is distinct in its use of string and brass instruments, conveying an atmospheric feeling of grandeur and unity. 

4) I Got 5 On It by Michael Marshall ft. Luniz - Us (2019)

In his first film, Jordan Peele demonstrated his ability to handpick songs that were absolutely perfect for the narrative, with Get Out (2017) featuring artists such as Childish Gambino and Flanagan & Allen. In his second film, Peele truly stepped up his game by not only delivering some more iconic songs but giving one of the most haunting remixes of an R&B song I've ever heard.

I Got 5 On It, originally sung by Luniz, is remixed with a dramatic, high-pitched underscore, which elevates a formerly relaxed song to a song of panic, paranoia and frustration. This, accompanied with the scene of Adelaide and Red's (both played by Lupita Nyong'o) expertly choreographed fight, makes for both an entertaining yet nerve-wracking experience. 

This trend of taking 80s/90s songs and giving them new life is so enjoyable and I genuinely hope we see more of that in the future.

3) In the House, In a Heartbeat by John Murphy - 28 Weeks Later (2007)

This simplistic piece of music is by far one of the best examples I've seen in a horror film, period. John Murphy's In the House, In a Heartbeat begins with two piano notes, then layers that with a four-chord sequence. This builds louder and louder, eventually transgressing into electric guitar and drums, mirroring the increasingly tense scene it accompanies of Don (Robert Carlyle) abandoning his wife to flee from extremely fast zombies. 

As someone who plays music and finds interest in learning chord progressions, this track opened my eyes to the idea that a song doesn't have to have a lot of fancy notes in order to be impactful. What 28 Weeks Later (2007) does so efficiently is creating even more tension through its music, producing almost a sensory overload for the viewer. 

Don's escape scene in the first act is honestly one of the reasons that I actually favour this sequel over its predecessor film.

2) Mr. Moustafa by Alexandre Desplat - The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Wes Anderson is renowned for his quirky characters, pastel backgrounds and oddly catchy music. Out of all the films he has produced thus far, however, I believe The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) has the best soundtrack: it's fast paced, dramatic yet completely endearing. 

Much like The Two Towers, this film has musical themes for locations and chapters of the narrative, the best arguably being the Mr. Moustafa theme in which we are introduced to the titular character (played by Ralph Fiennes). It features a variety of sounds, it's pace is typical of iambic pentameter and it's playful rhythm parallels the playful nature of the character itself. 

I adore it, as I adore the film.

1) Death is the Road to Awe by Clint Mansell - The Fountain (2006)

If you're a new reader of mine, or just unaware of my top 10 films in general, then I'd like to explain that The Fountain (2006) is my favourite film of all time. It's generally regarded as one of director Darren Aronofsky's lesser films, despite it featuring A-list actors such as Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, but to me I think it's more of a spiritual journey rather than purely a film.

In the third act, three timelines merge to demonstrate the acceptance of death, how grief is a valid process and how the inevitability of us dying is not always the end. This, shown through stunning, golden-toned sfx, is accompanied by Death is the Road to Awe; this is one of the first experiences I've had where a song made my heart stop, my hair stand on end, my breath shorten. It is, simply put, exquisiteness. 

There's a specific section of this track where the sound falters and then explodes into a crescendo of violins, harmonic choir voices and drums that mirrors the on-screen scene of Tom (Jackman) ascending into the galactic nebula named Xibalba (also known as the Mayan afterlife). It's dramatic, powerful, almost alien. And it's beautiful.

Honourable mentions

Of course, I didn't have room to fit all of my favourites on here, so here are also some honourable mentions:

• What's Up Danger by Blackway & Black Caviar - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
• Pray For Me by The Weeknd ft. Lamar - Black Panther (2018)
• Bang Bang by Will.I.Am - The Great Gatsby (2013)
• Redeemer by Jonathan Davis ft. Marilyn Manson - Queen of the Damned (2002)
• Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins - Top Gun (1986)
• Burly Brawl by Don Davis - The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
• Main Theme by Marilyn Manson - Resident Evil (2002)
• Down to Earth by Peter Gabriel - Wall-E (2008)

- K

Dear Hollywood: Reboot Your Attitude

This morning, I awoke to the news that there is currently a bidding war for the rights to Train To Busan (2016), the intention being that James Wan wants to produce a remake. I, for one, hate this idea.

Train To Busan is barely two years old and, in my eyes, completely fine as it is. It was a tremendous success for Korean cinema and undoubtedly a thoroughly entertaining film in its own right. The only reason they are trying to buy the rights is to piggyback off director Yeon Sang-ho's success and make more money for an idea that's already been executed well.

Remakes are problematic, in many senses of the word. I admittedly have a strong disdain for them, purely because most remakes that are put out into the world in recent years are unnecessary and reflect badly on the original material.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

For example, when A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) was announced a few years ago, I knew a lot of people who were excited for it. I was biased and hated the entire concept of the franchise being rebooted because I have such fond memories of watching the original films as a kid and, to me, no one else was worthy of playing the iconic antagonist, Freddy Krueger.

Lo and behold, I was right: post-release, the film received a lot of negative feedback from both critics and fans alike. While I cannot deny Jackie Earle Haley's talent as an actor, something he most definitely proved in Watchmen (2009), he just couldn't fill Robert Englund's shoes effectively. But I digress. If anything, the director and visionaries behind that film are to blame, not the actors hired.

It leads me to question whether Hollywood are aware of the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". In many of these examples, from The Thing (2011) to Godzilla (1998), it seems to me that the people behind the scenes think that new-age technology and advancements in CGI make up for what they lack in original concept or writing. One of the main selling points of the Nightmare remake was that they had made Freddy Krueger look like a real burn victim and demonised his character further by writing him to be a blatant child rapist.

Yes, the franchise is a horror and yes, Freddy Krueger's character isn't supposed to be redeemable, but at least the original was both terrifying and amusing at the same time. Haley's portrayal of Krueger was downright disgusting and unpleasant to watch, and not in the fun way that you'd expect from watching a horror film.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

On the flip-side, CGI can be used effectively to bring a concept into the modern day and even improve upon a concept that's already been done.

For example, whilst I wouldn't say it's my favourite film ever, I thoroughly enjoyed Alice in Wonderland (2010), a remake of the 1951 Disney animated feature. The special effects used to enlarge Helena Bonham Carter's head, elongate Crispin Glover's body or even transform Matt Lucas into two, incredibly chubby twins were cartoonish and slightly disturbing, stereotypical of auteur Tim Burton's films but also a truly accurate homage to both the original film's unique eccentricities and Lewis Carroll's book. 

In some cases, an updated version of a film can be just as iconic as it's predecessor. It (2017) quickly became popular for its new depiction of the classic villain Pennywise, originally played by Tim Curry and now donned by brilliantly talented Bill Skarsgård. Pennywise will always be known for the red hair, the white gloves and Tim Curry's unnerving smile but now we can recognise him to be freakishly tall with blazing, orange hair and eyes that move in different directions. This newer version will be thought of fondly, in retrospect, as are most villains (e.g. Leatherface, Ghostface, Jason Voorhees etc.)

Ex Machina (2015)

However, when it comes down to it, there are too many remakes being churned out of Hollywood, like overly-tenderised meat through a grinder: so much of the film's original flair is lost through cheap tactics (such as jump scares, CGI or lazy writing) and becomes disappointing. It seems ridiculous to me that Hollywood allocates money to these projects and not ones that are more original concepts, such as Get Out (2017) or The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016).

For me, the front-runners of genuinely exceptional and well-executed films right now are A24, an independent film company that have produced films already considered culturally iconic in cinema, such as Under the Skin (2013), Ex Machina (2015), Lady Bird (2017) and Hereditary (2018). These films are deemed successful due to their content, not their budget, and that's the big difference.

If Hollywood continues to churn out garbage, then I fear people will become accustomed to it, unable to truly appreciate original work when it finally gets its chance to shine. There is nothing wrong with a remake...as long as it's done well. And I can't say that it's the case for most remakes I've seen in recent years.

- K