Thirding.
And since they’ve already been mentioned, I’ll add something completely different from either: Velvet Goldmine.
The Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day-Lewis version)
Oh, I just came here to say “NO mention of The Last of the Mohicans???” - It is SO beautiful and haunting. I’ve listened to the whole score endless times.
When I was really young, I had a record album consisting of music from various sword-and-sandal and gladiator movies, Ben-Hur, Spartacus, that kind of thing. Sweeping military procession music, vast armies marching through Rome headed by the Roman eagle standard. You can imagine how popular I was with the kids listening to KC and The Sunshine Band over and over (though I loved them, too).
The Rocketeer --James Horner’s opening music for this is one of the most beautiful orchestral openings I’ve ever heard. Evidently Disney thought so, too, because they’ve re-used it multiple times in several trailers and the like.
I realize it’s become fashionable to dislike John Williams and accuse him of blatrant theft, but I love many of his scores – Stars Wars and the first two sequels, the Indiana Jones films, Superman, Jurassic Park. I also liked his non-film music, including the Olympic themes and his Hymn to New England (which was film music, in a way, because they used to use it as the opening music at the Boston Museum of Science Imax theater, though not anymore)
The Magnificent Seven – Elmer Bernstein’s music was great, even if they stole it to sell Marlboro cigarettes for years.
And I loved John Barry’s James Bond scores.
American Hot Wax
There isn’t any reason but the music to watch it. Doo-wop and early rock is my favorite music, and this has a lot of it, including performances by some of the original performers, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Frankie Ford, off the top of my head. It’s supposed to be a story about Alan Freed, but it falls dead on that part, it’s just pure fantasy.
I’ll second that.
I will also second Garden State and the soundtrack to Scrubs. If nothing else, Zach Braff has a talent making playlists.
I recently saw the Decaprio film “The Beach”. While the film is ok, I enjoy the early 2000s brit pop/trip hop/electronica soundtrack.
I also really enjoy the infinite playlist from “Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist” (AKA Pitchfork.com: The Movie)
Knockaround Guys
My parents own the score to Out of Africa. I’ve still never seen the movie, but the music is lovely.
Along with The Rocketeer, the music for Dragonheart gets used in a lot of trailers.
I made it through American Beauty because I like just about every Thomas Newman score. Even the early TV stuff.
And I third Garden State. Thanks for introducing me to Imogen Heap!
Star Trek the Motion Picture has an amazing score.
“Children of Men” – the English classic/prog rock originals, the new covers of same, and, most of all, the choral/orchestral works composed for the film by John Taverner.
Blues Brothers 2000. I saw it in the theater and kept thinking, “Jeez, I wish I’d waited for the DVD so I could have skipped over everything but the songs.”
Yojimbo.
Especially at around 0:55 here.
As a Lord of the Rings book lover, I would not have accepted the movies as readily without their fabulous, lovely pitch-perfect scores. I own the soundtracks and listen to parts of each often.
The only great thing about The Big Chill is the music.
Perhaps under a lot of radars, Grosse Pointe Blank.
Toys.
Bad movie, great music.
Scrooged.
I know someone who hates Tori Amos with a burning passion…except the song “Happy Workers” featured in that movie.
12 Angry Men
Great Escape-Very catchy tune
In both Matewan and Songcatcher, the Appalachian music is haunting.