Top 10 Music Moments in Movies

June 26th, 2008

A movie without music would most definitely be flat. Boring. Unfinished. Music is essential to a film – it provides colour, creates emotion, establishes mood, or simply just reminds you to have a good time. Sure, there are Movie Musicals (pffft please), but even in a regular ol’ Talkies, sometimes the most interesting plot or character developments happen with the aid of song. Some of these moments are definitely more memorable than others, so let’s take a look at some of the best, shall we?

10. Adventures In Babysitting‘s Babysitting Blues

Elisabeth Shue has fallen off the radar a bit as of late, which is sad since she is an Academy Award nominee for Christ’s sake! And oh yes – she starred in one of the greatest family films of all time: Adventures In Babysitting. Even though she shouldn’t be cutting a record anytime soon, when Shue, as the overwhelmed babysitter, found herself on a stage in a crowded bar and was forced to sing the Babysitting Blues, she instantly became the dream ‘Sitter of kids everywhere (and their parents’ worst nightmare). [WATCH]

9. Trainspotting‘s Lust for Life

“Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family, choose a f*cking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends… Choose your future. Choose life. I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who need reasons when you’ve got” …a great opening Iggy Pop song to accompany one of the best monologues of the past 15 years. [WATCH]

8. The Breakfast Club Library Dance

In what may arguably be one of the best teen movies of the 80s, 5 students of different backgrounds and archetypes are forced to spend a Saturday together in the school library for detention. What follows is a character journey where these 5 seemingly different teens slowly begin to realize that they have a lot more in common than originally thought. The scene where this becomes clear is when they have an impromptu dance party to kill the time. We see the prom queen dancing pretty, the nerd with no rhythm, the bully working out his aggression and the psycho girl dancin’ all odd-like – but they are all bonding to the same song: We Are Not Alone by Karla DeVito whose lyrics fittingly spell out the entire message of the movie. Looking back on it now, it’s just as lovable as ever. [WATCH]

7. Se7en‘s Opening Credits

Se7en, which is the creepiest movie of the 90s also has the creepiest opening title sequence – all due to a remix of Nine Inch Nails‘ Closer (precursor). In said sequence, we see the hands of our John Doe meticulously writing, cutting, crafting – but our focus is elsewhere as Trent Reznor’s unusual white noise/creaky instrumentation kicks in. It puts us directly where masterful director David Fincher wants us: on edge and freaked out. [WATCH]

6. Jack Rabbit Slim’s Twist Contest in Pulp Fiction

Yeah, yeah, I know – if I’m going to pick a film where John Travolta dances, why wouldn’t I go with the dance-heavy Saturday Night Fever? (Or its ill-conceived sequel Staying Alive?) Well, because disco is dead, folks. And in Pulp Fiction, a non linear movie full of carnage, Royales with cheese, Gimps and adrenaline shots administered directly into the heart, watching two beautiful people simply do the Twist for a few minutes is certainly unexpected but also most welcome. [WATCH]

5. Shaun of the Dead‘s Queen Smackdown

Zombie movies have been the horror genre du jour as of late, and so it was refreshing to see one that added a lil’ humour to the mix with Shaun of the Dead. One of the funniest scenes is the unintentionally choreographed self-defense routine to Queen‘s Don’t Stop Me Now. The song adds the needed tension yet provides some much deserved laughs. The next time I’m smacking down zombies, I’ll make sure to have some Freddie blasting on my iPod. [WATCH]

4. Reservoir Dogs‘ Bloody Ear

Quentin Tarantino likes his blood and he likes his music. He’s well-known for infusing his graphic films with some major classic tune-age, but no more so than in 1992′s Reservoir Dogs – the film that put the then up-and-coming Tarantino on the map. Case in point, the pivotal scene in which Michael Madsen’s Mr. Blonde tortures Officer Marvin Nash is beautifully juxtaposed with the “Dylan-esque pop bubble gum favourite,” Stuck In The Middle With You by Stealers Wheel. You end up cringing as you see an ear get sliced off, but your foot doesn’t stop tapping. [WATCH]

3. Napoleon Dynamite‘s Canned Heat Dance

Napoleon Dynamite helped launch the age of the quirky comedy and definitely spawned a few catchphrases (“Tina, come get some ham!”), but what sells the movie is one of the final scenes where Napoleon, everyone’s favourite underdog, bravely hits the stage to help save his best (and only) friend’s attempt at winning the Class President elections. As he puts his practiced D-Qwons Dance Grooves to use, one can’t help but both laugh at and cheer for the guy. He is the ultimate, lovable moonboot-wearing dork who, with a few hilarious moves to Jamiroquai‘s Canned Heat, becomes the coolest guy in school (even if it’s just for an afternoon). [WATCH]

2. Pretty In Pink‘s Prom Finale

In 1986′s Pretty In Pink, Molly Ringwald’s Andie is sought after by a trio of boys: Steff, the stuck-up rich boy; Blane, the misunderstood nice guy; and Duckie, the platonic best friend. It all comes to a head during the final scene at their Prom where Duckie might finally have his chance to take the relationship to the next level, where Blane finally sticks it to Steff and then professes his love to Andie – leaving Duckie in the dust. Yay! to Andie and Blane, but poor Duckie! Just like high school, the scene is confusing and wrought with emotion, which is only elevated by OMD‘s classic If You Leave. In the end, it’s the song’s yearnful strings and ‘ooohs’ which make the scene what it is: one of the most heartbreaking yet uplifting teen movie moments. [WATCH]

1. Wayne’s World Car Sing-A-Long

Years before the unfortunate incident that is The Love Guru, Mike Myers brought us this quintessential pop culture moment: the car ride headbang to Queen‘s Bohemian Rhapsody in Wayne’s World. Now, because of this scene, no one is safe on the road when this song hits the radio. The scene perfectly articulates the suburban idea of a bullshit-free good time. I mean, who hasn’t at some point mindlessly driven around with friends (going to the next great party or stripmall) and just rocked it out to that great sing-a-long song of the moment? If you haven’t, you poor bastard, let Wayne & Garth show you how it’s done. [WATCH]

Posted on Thursday, June 26th, 2008 at 9:38 am by Soja and is filed under Music & Videos.