# movies knownmore for their soundtrack than anything else **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521 "2019-05-25T23:58:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/21 "2019-05-26T03:18:39Z")
The ultimate example: Zappa’s _Uncle Meat_ was written as a soundtrack for a movie he was making, but was never completed, though a version was released on home video. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/22 "2019-05-26T03:20:11Z")
“Unchained.” Who hasn’t heard “Unchained Melody”? Who has actually watched “Unchained”? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/23 "2019-05-26T03:22:53Z")
Although a popular movie, the singles off of the soundtrack for “Dirty Dancing” were played in heavy rotation on the radio and VH1 for long period of time. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/24 "2019-05-26T03:45:45Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > That’s more about the score, not the soundtrack, isn’t it? If that’s what the OP meant, then fair enough. But I think most people don’t make the distinction, and even if they did it should still count. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/25 "2019-05-26T04:04:42Z")
The Harder they Come is considered a primer for Reggae. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/26 "2019-05-26T04:10:39Z")
The Bodyguard Hugely popular award winning Whitney Houston album. Mediocre movie. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/27 "2019-05-26T04:18:53Z")
_A Summer Place_ > [@ekedolphin](#): > > I’ll add “Chariots of Fire” and “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Both with memorable themes, but I haven’t seen the latter and don’t remember the former. _Chariots of Fire_ was nominated for seven Oscars and won four, including Best Picture, so it’s a bit more than just a good soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/28 "2019-05-26T04:43:49Z")
Vision Quest, on the strength of Madonna’s Crazy for You, among other tracks. Less Than Zero. Most notable cuts were the Bangles cover of A Hazy Shade of Winter along with LL Cool J’s Goin’ Back to Cali. I couldn’t make it through a full viewing of Vision Quest, and Less Than Zero, I wish I hadn’t. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/29 "2019-05-26T04:57:02Z")
The Brazilian film _Orfeu Negro_ (“Black Orpheus”) is just okay otherwise, but the soundtrack is brilliant. It introduced the then-new bossa nova sound to an audience of millions worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/30 "2019-05-26T07:16:23Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > Vision Quest, on the strength of Madonna’s Crazy for You, among other tracks. > > Less Than Zero. Most notable cuts were the Bangles cover of A Hazy Shade of Winter along with LL Cool J’s Goin’ Back to Cali. > > I couldn’t make it through a full viewing of Vision Quest, and Less Than Zero, I wish I hadn’t. I’ve only seen less than zero once because i read the book…was i ever disappointed … ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/31 "2019-05-26T08:46:50Z")
Westerns are so out of vogue nowadays, I wonder how many people would at least recognize soundtracks like _ **The Magnificent Seven** _, _ **The High Country** _, and _ **The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly** _ even though they probably have never seen and couldn’t name the movie. The same thing goes for war movies like _ **The Great Escape** _, which had one of the greatest soundtracks ever. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/32 "2019-05-26T08:51:23Z")
> [@Kimble](#): > > I’d say _Singles_ qualifies. Absolutely. For people my age - I turned 18 in 1992 - \*Singles \*is a soundtrack album first, a film second. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/33 "2019-05-26T09:31:26Z")
How about _Star Wars_? Imperial March, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/34 "2019-05-26T12:02:37Z")
_The Last Waltz_ deserves mention. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/35 "2019-05-26T12:08:05Z")
I think _ **The Big Chill** _ qualifies. A lot of 30-somethings identified with the movie, but much of that was because of the 60s soundtrack. Take away the soundtrack, and it’s not really much of a movie…unless you enjoy seeing Kevin Costner receiving the attentions of a funeral home technician. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/36 "2019-05-26T12:09:14Z")
> [@Kimble](#): > > I’d say _Singles_ qualifies. After two decades of vinyl and cassettes, this was the first CD I ever bought. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/37 "2019-05-26T12:35:43Z")
**Garden State**. A decent enough early 2000s indie film. But mostly it’s known for its early 2000s indie soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/38 "2019-05-26T13:20:21Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Purple Rain, perhaps? This was my immediate thought. I think it’s the only soundtrack album I own where I’ve never actually seen the film. No particular resistance to doing so - the opportunity has just never really arisen (and at this point may well never). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/39 "2019-05-26T14:21:54Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > I think _ **The Big Chill** _ qualifies. A lot of 30-somethings identified with the movie, but much of that was because of the 60s soundtrack. Take away the soundtrack, and it’s not really much of a movie…unless you enjoy seeing Kevin Costner receiving the attentions of a funeral home technician. _The Big Chill_ was a quite popular movie in and of itself. It made $56M on an $8M budget. And that wasn’t all due to the soundtrack. It also got some [decent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Chill_(film)#Accolades) award recognition. “Ever gone a week without a rationalization?” A ton of good Goldblum quotes. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521/40 "2019-05-26T14:35:10Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > \ …good Goldblum quotes. “I forgot my mantra.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-knownmore-for-their-soundtrack-than-anything-else/834521.md?page=3)