# Movies with soundtracks that are (in some way) unusual. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 11, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478 "2012-02-11T00:45:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/41 "2012-02-13T23:07:01Z")
It’s not a movie, but didn’t _The Sopranos_ make a point that all the ‘soundtrack’ music was actually being played by something or someone in the scene? That was kind of neat. I vaguely remember that technique from one or two low budget movies, but can’t think of an example. – I don’t think they quite stuck to it, but it held for certain values of all. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/42 "2012-02-14T02:24:31Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > another (sort of) related question - when did background music soundtracks become the norm for film? was it always? China Syndrome is the only film I can remember without background music - there must be others, right? Lots of films lack music. Tod Browning;'s 1931 **Dracula** 9the one with Bela Lugosi) has no music aside from the opening credits and music heard when they’re at the theater (and then it’s music that’s “naturally there”, not a score). I believe the cio-produced Spanish version made on the same sets at the same time is similarly scoreless. IIRC, Stanley Kubrick’s **Paths of Glory** has no music. At the end, a woman sings a song. Again, it’s music that “occurs naturally”, not a score. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/43 "2012-02-14T03:05:12Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Search the IMDB for Crash and you get a boatload of hits. If you can find movie (good luck) or a book that is older than [this](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429862/), I’d like to see it. 🙂 > > Fact is movie and song titles often get reused. Kurt Cobain was probably unable to use the Internet to find out that there already was a British band named “Nirvana.” Bands, filmmakers, and the like these days do not have the same excuse. Artists, if you are going to choose a one-word title, please be aware that it is likely already taken, and go to Google to verify. Along with Tarantino, Wes Anderson (mentioned once up above) uses unusual but effective music. > [@Wash](#): > > Similarly, _A Knight’s Tale_ uses classic rock songs throughout, including the opening scene where the crowd of peasants at a joust are singing (and doing the drumbeat) along to Queen’s _We Will Rock You_. For a lot of people, that was their “this movie sucks” moment. Reflecting on it, I have seen many “medieval” movies with electric guitars, and I always picture some middle-aged producer thinking that kids love guitars. In A Knight’s Tale, I do like that they made it a point, rather than just putting it because they could. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/44 "2012-02-14T03:51:23Z")
> [@Ura-Maru](#): > > It’s not a movie, but didn’t _The Sopranos_ make a point that all the ‘soundtrack’ music was actually being played by something or someone in the scene? Generally true - _except_ for the opening and closing music for each episode. But in almost all other cases, the music was coming from somewhere, usually a car stereo, radio, the stereo in a store or restaurant, etc. But there _are_ scattered instances of “disembodied” music with no physical source making its way into episodes during certain scenes. The montage of Chris relapsing on heroin at the Italian festival in the 6th season, with Tim Buckley’s song “Dolphins,” for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/45 "2012-02-14T04:10:27Z")
Woody Allen’s **Sleeper** is set several hundred years in the future, and the soundtrack is ragtime played by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Here’s the [theme](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oU7UyDyerQ). Sleeper is one of my favorite Woody Allen films, in large part because of the soundtrack. It gives it a very interesting vibe. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/46 "2012-02-14T04:38:31Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Generally true - _except_ for the opening and closing music for each episode. But in almost all other cases, the music was coming from somewhere, usually a car stereo, radio, the stereo in a store or restaurant, etc. But there _are_ scattered instances of “disembodied” music with no physical source making its way into episodes during certain scenes. The montage of Chris relapsing on heroin at the Italian festival in the 6th season, with Tim Buckley’s song “Dolphins,” for instance. Music coming from an on-screen source is called diagetic music. Trivia. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/47 "2012-02-14T05:36:56Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > For a lot of people, that was their “this movie sucks” moment. Reflecting on it, I have seen many “medieval” movies with electric guitars, and I always picture some middle-aged producer thinking that kids love guitars. In A Knight’s Tale, I do like that they made it a point, rather than just putting it because they could. There were a couple of places where the film makers explicitly showed that they were “translating” some of the cultural bits for modern audiences. In the scene where they dance, the music starts off with period instruments and composition while they perform a pattern dance, and gradually changes to Bowie’s “Golden Years” with modern dance moves. I’ll admit that on first viewing I didn’t get some of this, though I still thought it was a decent movie. On a second viewing, it clicked and I started to like it a lot more because they were making a point by deliberately including modern elements so that viewers could get, on a visceral level, how people in that time period felt about jousting and war games. Ladyhawke, on the other hand, is good _despite_ the music, which had no reason to be “modern” other than the director apparently thought synthesizers sounded cool. Most of the movie could have done without a soundtrack, I’d argue. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/48 "2012-02-14T06:32:46Z")
> [@Sleel](#): > > Ladyhawke, on the other hand, is good _despite_ the music, which had no reason to be “modern” other than the director apparently thought synthesizers sounded cool. Most of the movie could have done without a soundtrack, I’d argue. Agreed. Also, nothing against Willy DeVille, but I want to mute the credits every time I see _the Princess Bride_. It’s a bit saccharine and incongruous. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/49 "2012-02-14T14:58:45Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Music coming from an on-screen source is called diagetic music. Trivia. Slight spelling correction: [Diegesis - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diegetic#Film_sound_and_music) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/50 "2012-02-14T15:13:24Z")
The soundtrack to \*\*\*Honeymoon in Vegas \*\*\*consisted of a variety of artists doing Elvis covers. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/51 "2012-02-14T17:46:57Z")
**The Big Lebowski** may be the only movie to feature music by Captain Beefheart and Moondog. ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/52 "2012-02-14T18:28:43Z")
_Inception_ uses the Edith Piaf song as a central element. The tempo of the song indicates the “dream depth” of the characters. [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/hans-zimmer-extracts-the-secrets-of-the-inception-score/](http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/hans-zimmer-extracts-the-secrets-of-the-inception-score/) ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/53 "2012-02-14T18:48:49Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > **Dead Man** had a soundtrack of solo (mostly electric) guitar by Neil Young. Guitars themselves aren’t unusual, but _just_ electric guitar _and nothing else_ is unusual. And most of the soundtrack was improvised by Young as he was watching the film. I don’t know much about soundtracks, but I imagine that to be quite an unusual way of composing one. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/54 "2012-02-14T19:15:39Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > _2001: A Space Odyssey_ famously abandoned the commissioned score in favor of the mostly classical music Kubrick had been using as a filler for editing - those tracks became the iconic pieces used. “a filler for editing”??? tut-tut ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/55 "2012-02-14T19:40:17Z")
**Maximum Overdrive** , being mostly carried by AC/DC songs. **Flash Gordon** , wonderfully done by Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/56 "2012-02-14T20:54:33Z")
The DVD extras for _The School of Rock_ reveal that Jack Black and the entire cast and extras on set filmed an appeal to (I think it was) AC/DC to use “Highway to Hell,” the rights to which had been previously denied, in the movie. The band relented and the song was used. ---
**Author:** ![Renifer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Renifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renifer)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/57 "2012-02-17T05:27:03Z")
The Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows has a song that breaks into a few rounds of “witchlike” chanting. The chanting is in Japanese. Nothing else about the movie was remotely Japanese, except possibly that Japanese horror movies were gaining popularity when the movie was made, and nothing in the Blair Witch story had anything to do with Japan. The only explanations were that the band had some link to Japan, or that the music producers used Japanese for “foreign gibberish.” For a movie made in 2002, I hope it was the former. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/58 "2012-02-17T11:23:04Z")
> [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > “a filler for editing”??? > > tut-tut 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478/59 "2012-02-17T15:32:21Z")
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical that, being set in an opera house, attempts to mimic opera without actually being an opera. As a result, all of the songs sound like operatic music to a lay-person, but have incredibly anachronistic elements (electric guitar solos, pausing the music to read a letter, etc.). Depending on who you ask, this is either fine or the worst thing ever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-soundtracks-that-are-in-some-way-unusual/612478.md?page=2)