Movies with the most moving soundtrack / background music

Cafe Society
1

Hi folks!

I spent the entire holidays watching movies. Watched dozens of movies in an orgy of cinematic excess. Didnt go in for the music, but some of the music was haunting and stuck in my head. Now I am on a project to collect up some of the more memorable pieces of cinematic background music to weep over.

I particularly liked the music scores for the following movies / TV series:
Battlestar Galactica
Blade Runner
Legend og the Shadowless Sword
Ong Bak
Hero
Another Earth
Crouching dragon, hidden tiger (or whatever)

I like deeply emotional music that fits the mood of the moment well, particularly if the mood is sombre or melancholic. I like movies that pack a deep emotional wallop. I am trying to outgrow this, but it’ll take time. :smiley:

Share with me the pieces you particularly liked.

TIA!

2

Requiem For A Dream, composed by Clint Mansell.

3

My all time favourite is the famous music to The Mission by Ennio Morricone. Listen to the haunting Gabriel’s Oboe, or a symphonic setting of the movie’s music.

Also, I like 1492 - The Conquest Of Paradise by Vangelis.

A bit different from your list I guess.

4

Last of the Mohicans

5

The last few minutes of 127 hours are pretty powerful, scored with Sigur Ros’ Festival.

6

Same composer, but I would go for his music in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Ecstasy of Gold is brilliant.

Not sure if it’s quite what the OP is looking for, though. For a movie about such desperate characters, most of the music is anything but somber or melancholic

7

Ever since I saw the movie, I’ve felt that the soundtrack to Glory was magnificent - moving and, yes, glorious.

ETA - If we’re allowed to mention soundtracks based on previously composed works, then Platoon, featuring Samuel Barber’s ‘Adagio for Strings’, is beautiful, and doleful, beyond words.

8

From “Mary and Max” (excellent movie) we have the “Humming Chorus” from “Madame Butterfly”.

Absolutely perfect for that last scene. Moving beyond belief.

9

I, too, think Last of the Mohicans fits the description.

How about most of Phantom of the Opera? Meaning the fairly recent one with Andrew Lloyd Webber songs (and Gerard Butler)?

10

John Barry’s scores for Out of Africa and Dances with Wolves. Both are absolutely haunting, and very lovely.

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Yeah, I like both. I just watched OoA for the nth time over the holidays. I never get tired of that film. Funny thing about both those films, though, is that the succeed despite the lead male actor.

I’m going to throw in Into the Wild. Eddie Vedder did a great job on the soundtrack.

12

The Rocketeer has a wonderfully nostalgic and evocative opening theme. I keep noticing it used for trailers for other movies.

13

The score for Love Actually continues to impress me. And Shakespeare in Love didn’t win the Oscar for nothing. And Apollo 13 is very inspiring.

But the main title of North by Northwest is still the all-time King Daddy of film scores. On this there can be no dispute. Case closed. I win the Internet.

14

The soundtracks for Chariots of Fire, Blade Runner, Until the end of the Word and Garden State.

15

“Excaliber” has a particularly moving soundtrack, especially Wagner’s “Siegfried’s Funeral March from The Ring” at the end.

Jerry Goldsmith’s original score for “Chinatown” rivals the one he wrote for “Patton.” They’re both brilliant.

16

Peter Gabriel:

Passion, Soundtrack from The Last Temptation of Christ
The Long Walk Home, Soundtrack from The Rabbit-Proof Fence

Back about 20 years ago I listened to Passion while driving through the Redwoods in northern California (while also seriously stoned). Good times.

17

Agreed.

Will also add Bram Stoker’s Dracula

18

Strange you should mention Morricone. Over the holidays I Netflicke’d Once Upon a Time in the West for my F-I-L and B-I-L who’d never seen it before. I was reading Wiki off my cell as it went along and giving them commentary on various aspects, like the leitmotifs Morricone used for at least three of the actors, Bronson (Harmonica), Cardinale (Edda Dell’Orso) and Robards. Sergio had Ennio do the music before shooting began and they were played for the actors on the set. Just classic stuff.

Yes, the last time I watched OOA, years after the first viewing, I was awed by just how magnificient the music was, even better than the movie itself. Of course, it was Barry, John Barry.

19

I really don’t recall the music in the rest of the movie, but the plane crash in Fearless set to Gorecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs is incredible.

20

I do love the song that Gonzo sings near the end of the Muppet Movie film named “I’m Going To Go Back There Someday.”. :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

God bless you always!!! :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Holly