# Movies with the most moving soundtrack / background music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2013, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928 "2013-01-03T06:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/1 "2013-01-03T06:25:54Z")
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. 😃 Share with me the pieces you particularly liked. TIA! ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/2 "2013-01-03T09:27:03Z")
_Requiem For A Dream_, composed by Clint Mansell. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/3 "2013-01-03T10:03:08Z")
My all time favourite is the famous music to [The Mission](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mission_(1986_film)) by Ennio Morricone. Listen to the haunting [Gabriel’s Oboe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixby9BzJfEo), or a [symphonic setting](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oag1Dfa1e_E) of the movie’s music. Also, I like [1492 - The Conquest Of Paradise](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60MKSBT_wWM) by Vangelis. A bit different from your list I guess. ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/4 "2013-01-03T10:53:12Z")
Last of the Mohicans ---
**Author:** ![\_Undecided\_Adrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/eada6e/32.png) [@\_Undecided\_Adrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Undecided_Adrian)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/5 "2013-01-03T11:07:49Z")
The last few minutes of _127 hours_ are pretty powerful, scored with Sigur Ros’ _Festival_. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2013, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/6 "2013-01-03T11:08:31Z")
> [@K364](#): > > My all time favourite is the famous music to [The Mission](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mission_(1986_film)) by Ennio Morricone. Listen to the haunting [Gabriel’s Oboe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixby9BzJfEo), or a [symphonic setting](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oag1Dfa1e_E) of the movie’s music. Same composer, but I would go for his music in _The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly_. [Ecstasy of Gold](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubVc2MQwMkg) 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 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/7 "2013-01-03T11:15:52Z")
Ever since I saw the movie, I’ve felt that the soundtrack to [Glory](http://www.amazon.com/Glory-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B000000WH5/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1357211650&sr=1-1&keywords=glory+soundtrack) was magnificent - moving and, yes, _glorious_. ETA - If we’re allowed to mention soundtracks based on previously composed works, then [Platoon](http://www.amazon.com/Platoon-1986-Film-Songs-Era/dp/B000002IKT/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1357211798&sr=1-1&keywords=platoon+soundtrack), featuring Samuel Barber’s ‘[Adagio for Strings](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRMz8fKkG2g)’, is beautiful, and doleful, beyond words. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/8 "2013-01-03T11:58:54Z")
From [“Mary and Max”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0978762/) (excellent movie) we have [the “Humming Chorus” from “Madame Butterfly”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne3jJ9R8DL8). Absolutely perfect for _ **that** _ last scene. Moving beyond belief. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/9 "2013-01-03T13:15:25Z")
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)? ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/10 "2013-01-03T13:44:50Z")
John Barry’s scores for _Out of Africa_ and _Dances with Wolves_. Both are absolutely haunting, and very lovely. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/11 "2013-01-03T15:22:50Z")
> [@artemis](#): > > John Barry’s scores for _Out of Africa_ and _Dances with Wolves_. Both are absolutely haunting, and very lovely. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/12 "2013-01-03T15:46:57Z")
**The Rocketeer** has a wonderfully nostalgic and evocative opening theme. I keep noticing it used for trailers for other movies. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/13 "2013-01-03T16:27:46Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/14 "2013-01-03T17:06:23Z")
The soundtracks for Chariots of Fire, Blade Runner, Until the end of the Word and Garden State. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/15 "2013-01-03T17:49:43Z")
“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. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/16 "2013-01-03T17:54:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/17 "2013-01-03T18:13:36Z")
> [@toast\_pakora](#): > > Last of the Mohicans Agreed. Will also add _Bram Stoker’s Dracula_ ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/18 "2013-01-03T19:07:45Z")
> [@K364](#): > > My all time favourite is the famous music to [The Mission](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mission_(1986_film)) by Ennio Morricone. Listen to the haunting [Gabriel’s Oboe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixby9BzJfEo), or a [symphonic setting](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oag1Dfa1e_E) of the movie’s music. 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. [QUOTE=artemis] John Barry’s scores for Out of Africa and Dances with Wolves. Both are absolutely haunting, and very lovely. [/QUOTE] 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. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/19 "2013-01-03T19:14:02Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Otto_Sweet_Heart)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928/20 "2013-01-03T19:44:54Z")
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.”. 🙂 🙂 🙂 God bless you always!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Holly [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-the-most-moving-soundtrack-background-music/645928.md?page=2)