Top Movie Soundtracks

by Danielle Callesen

What makes a “good” movie truly captivating and unforgettable?  There are a number of reasonable answers to this question, but I’m more than willing to argue that a movie’s score/soundtrack is a large part of it.  A film’s soundtrack is like a guiding light for the audience, intimating when the tears should flow and the laughs should echo.  The soundtrack alone is fully capable of telling the film’s essential story with or without dialogue as its aide.

Along with dilapidated mansions consumed by feral vines, modern cities with jagged buildings and polluted streets, and aged fishing boats braving violent waves, soundtracks help to establish a movie’s atmosphere.  Music emotionally connects us to the human interaction(s) going on in the world of the film.  It speaks for us during those intense car chases or those unbearable goodbyes.

I’ve selected five soundtracks that I feel not only superbly encompass the atmosphere of the movies they are a part of but contain superior music (sometimes surpassing the quality of the film).

Great Expectations (1998)

Great Expectations was a brave endeavor on director Alfonso Cuaron’s part as he tackled Charles Dickens’s legendary novel.  The movie itself is watchable but doesn’t exactly mirror greatness, at least not like its predecessors.  Susan Bode’s set decoration and John Kasarda’s art direction are lush and artsy, easily impressing most viewers.  But what stands out is the soundtrack.  Featuring old and new artists: Tori Amos, Mono, Chris Cornell, Reef, Pulp, Duncan Sheik, Poe, Scot Weiland, The Verve Pipe, Lauren Christy, Fisher, Iggy Pop, David Garza, Grateful Dead, Cesaria Evora, and original music by Patrick Doyle and Ron Wasserman, this soundtrack offers unique surprise.  “Life in Mono” by Mono poignantly enhances the romance between Finnegan Bell (Ethan Hawke) and Estella (Gwyneth Paltrow), even if their performances don’t soar.

Highlights:  Mono-“Life in Mono” and Chris Cornell-“Sunshower”

Donnie Darko (2001)

This is by far Richard Kelly’s best film to date.  The story is complex and imaginative, drawing in viewers of all ages.  Since this sci-fi fantasy takes place during the presidential election of 1988, the music is a reflection of what a troubled teen may be inclined to listen to during that period.  Michael Andrews composed a haunting and ominous score to compliment a series of magnetic artists: INXS, Tears for Fears, The Church, Duran Duran, Oingo Boingo, Joy Division, and Echo and the Bunnymen.  Donnie Darko’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) efforts to cope with his family, high school, visions of a massive bunny rabbit claiming the world will end in 28 days, and falling in love with schoolmate Gretchen Ross (Jena Malone) are even more intensely felt courtesy of these various artists.

Highlights: INXS-“Never Tear Us Apart,” The Church-“Under the Milky Way,” Joy Division-“Love Will Tear Us Apart,” and Echo and the Bunnymen-“Killing Moon”

Garden State (2004)

While I’m not a fan of Zach Braff, I have to admit he does have a knack for compiling first-rate soundtracks.  It is obvious that he understands the importance of just how much music can heighten the emotional experience of a movie.  While the story behind Garden State is hardly intricate, it does manage to efficiently explore family estrangement and human detachment.  And while Zach Braff and Natalie Portman are keeping quiet around a fireplace or throwing knowing glances at one another in a bathtub, the soundtrack speaks volumes for them.  Braff’s mix of current artists and older gems holds an impeccable balance of quality: Coldplay, The Shins, Zero 7, Colin Hay, Cary Brothers, Remy Zero, Nick Drake, Thievery Corporation, Simon and Garfunkel, Iron and Wine, Frou Frou, and Bonnie Somerville.  The heart and charm of Garden State lies in its music, and even Zach Braff seems to take pride in that.

Highlights: Frou Frou-“Let Go” and Cary Brothers-“Blue Eyes”

Marie Antoinette (2006)

Whether you liked Sofia Coppola’s take on the doomed queen or not, it is doubtful you couldn’t appreciate the anachronistic soundtrack that met it with beautiful defiance and attitude.  While we may have been expecting piano pieces, we are delivered a colorful set of punk and new wave acts that irreverently spice up the 18^th century: Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bow Wow Wow, The Strokes, The Radio Department, New Order, Gang of Four, Adam and the Ants, Windsor for the Derby, The Cure, Air, and Squarepusher.  As the young queen Marie Antoinette rebels against her title and royal expectations, this soundtrack serves as a brilliant manifestation of her struggle for freedom amongst a constant reminder of duty.

Highlights: Siouxsie and the Banshees-“Hong Kong Garden,” New Order-“Ceremony,” Adam and the Ants-“Kings of the Wild Frontier,” and The Cure-“All Cats Are Grey”

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

I know I am not the only one who is not a fan of the hugely successful romantic teen vampire phenomenon that is Twilight.  That being said, I was blown away by the high caliber of the soundtrack that is unnaturally paired with an insipid storyline and lackluster performers.  The preceding film’s soundtrack did not thrill me with acts like Paramore setting the film’s mood, but quite a sense of growth is apparent with New Moon’s selection of artists: Death Cab for Cutie, Band of Skulls, Thom Yorke, Lykke Li, The Killers, Anya Marina, Muse, Bon Iver and St. Vincent, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Hurricane Bells, Sea Wolf, Ok Go, Grizzly Bear, Editors, and Alexandre Desplat’s enchanting score.  I’m not looking forward to Eclipse, but it looks like it will be delivering an equally worthy soundtrack with competent artists (Bat for Lashes, Florence and the Machine, and Fanfarlo to name a few).

Highlights: Thom Yorke-“Hearing Damage,” Lykke Li-“Possibility,” Bon Iver and St. Vincent-“Roslyn,” and Grizzly Bear featuring Victoria Legrand-“Slow Life”

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