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11th Jul 2014

Nine Films That Would Be Nothing Without Their Soundtracks

If you're going to make a film, you're going to need a killer tune.

Sue Murphy

With Begin Again in our cinemas on July 11th, this got us thinking about those films that would be nothing without their soundtracks. From Tarantino to Scorsese, here are the nine films that would be nothing without those tunes.

1. Pulp Fiction.

Tarantino had already made quite an impact with Reservoir Dogs and the amazing use of Stuck in the Middle with You but Pulp Fiction brought that to another level. The film would have been nothing without that dancing contest set to Chuck Berry’s amazing You Never Can Tell or Uma’s rocking out to Neil Diamond’s Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon. Simply, Pulp Fiction was already Tarantino at his best, the soundtrack just brought it to another level.

2. Romeo and Juliet.

Baz Luhrman’s Romeo and Juliet was definitely moody and depressing enough to get away with just an original score but Luhrman was never going to let that be the case. The soundtrack for the film is filled with epic moments, none more so than the introduction to Romeo along with that killer Radiohead track, Talkshow Host, and the first time he met Juliet set to the beautiful Des’ree Kissing You. Stunning.

3. Dirty Dancing.

If it’s a film that will include a lot of dancing, you are going to need a killer soundtrack. If it’s a film with Patrick Swayze, well that soundtrack better be smooooth (we felt those extra o’s were necessary). Suffice to say Cry to Me and Time of My Life made the film. Nobody puts Baby in a corner, certainly not when she can dance.

4. Once

John Carney’s last film not only captured the beauty of Dublin set to some stunning tunes, it also brought out the depth of feeling in its town main characters. If you don’t die inside when Hansard belts out Leave or have a slight tear in your eye for Falling Slowly, you must have lost all emotion.

5. The Bodyguard.

Whitney Houston’s voice was enough to melt the charts for weeks on end, it was also enough to melt the heart of Kevin Costner. That instant when Costner stares at her on the screen while she sings Run to You; perfection.

6. Love Actually.

It is the arguably one of the best Christmas films around and it would be nothing without the tracks that interweave through all of the separate love stories. However, the scene where Emma Thompson realises her husband has been having an affair will destroy your entire soul. Worse again, it’s set to this, this the most soul-searching song of all time.

7. Saturday Night Fever.

One of the most important films from the 70’s and one that certainly encapsulates what the disco era really felt like, Saturday Night’s Fever soundtrack featuring the Bee Gees was monumental. Who doesn’t know this dance routine? Better still, who has attempted it in public?

8. Goodfellas.

Scorsese understands film like no one else on this planet, he probably loves it more than anyone else on the planet too. He understands immediately what shot works, what song works, what actor works; he single-handedly handed Robert De Niro’s career to him on a plate. That tracking shot, that dress, that song; Then He Kissed Me by the Crystals. Beautiful.

9. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

George Clooney in a Coen brothers film with a perfect country soundtrack? Yes, it happened. As soon as you saw those prisoners step into the studio and sing Man of Constant Sorrow, you just knew it was going to be on your list of favourite soundtracks.

Honorary mention.

Begin Again.

John Carney’s new film Begin Again will certainly be one to watch, the film lives for its soundtrack with amazing performances from Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. However, this is a tune to watch. Adam Levine? What a voice.

Begin Again will be in cinemas July 11th.