# Post your favorite "non-musical" movie themes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies, music\ **Created:** [March 19, 2023, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376 "2023-03-19T20:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/101 "2023-03-21T19:20:38Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > _Repo Man_ (1984) – Iggy Pop I couldn’t help but notice that the maps in those titles show a Highway 66 in New Mexico (ETA and Arizona, now that I actually watched the whole thing), and then it hit me – Route 66 was still an official US Highway at that time. The route wasn’t decommissioned until a few years after that movie came out. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/102 "2023-03-22T17:44:47Z")
_ **Ederlezi** _ from _Dom za vešanje_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EZf00ad3G6o/maxresdefault.jpg "Ederlezi: Time of the Gypsies - Goran Bregović, Emir Kusturica") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZf00ad3G6o) The theme for _ **The Big Blue** _ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RR-IGipxXI8/maxresdefault.jpg "Eric Serra - The Big Blue Overture") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR-IGipxXI8) The theme for _ **Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon** _ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/s6qO3mQBNBs/hqdefault.jpg "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6qO3mQBNBs) The theme for _ **The Last Emperor** _ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MI5DyZXcHVI/hqdefault.jpg "The Last Emperor (Main Title Theme)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI5DyZXcHVI) _ **The Order of Death** _ by PIL (theme for _Hardware_) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EnWsAUSgsJo/hqdefault.jpg "Hardware (1990) "The Order Of Death" (Public Image) Music Video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnWsAUSgsJo) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/103 "2023-03-22T18:22:50Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I wish I could go back to the '80s… ☹ That’s where I’m a Viking! Seriously, High School, college, kids-- it was a stellar decade for me. ---
**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:** [March 24, 2023, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/104 "2023-03-24T22:26:04Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Bond is already over represented. My favorite alternative to Bond: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eBuS4pBF7v8/hqdefault.jpg "Our Man Flint - Movie Titles") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBuS4pBF7v8) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2023, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/105 "2023-03-24T22:56:27Z")
I’ll add the theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It’s probably better known as the theme from TNG, but it was first used here (and the thread specified movie themes). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HEGEaFC4CR4/hqdefault.jpg "Star Trek The Motion Picture (1979) - Opening + Main Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEGEaFC4CR4) ---
**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:** [March 25, 2023, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/106 "2023-03-25T00:31:57Z")
This is one of my favorite Bond themes, just because Carly Simon sings it: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Wy-c8aAntWA/maxresdefault.jpg ""The Spy Who Loved Me" Opening Credit Sequence") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy-c8aAntWA) I like Sheena Easton too: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8kNksLL0sv4/maxresdefault.jpg "For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton - Blu Ray 1080p [HD]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kNksLL0sv4) ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2023, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/107 "2023-03-25T15:04:31Z")
From a late 60’s blockbuster: [Where Eagles Dare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_Eagles_Dare) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dh7S7V-y500/hqdefault.jpg "WHERE EAGLES DARE (1968) - Main Title Music") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh7S7V-y500) A couple that are somewhat obscure In [Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merry_Christmas,_Mr._Lawrence) Ryuichi Sakamoto (of Yellow Magic Orchestra fame) not only played one of the leads, but also provided the score. I’m gonna cheat, since the soundtrack is way too syntheziser-y for my taste and instead pick a version with Sakamoto solo on piano from 2010 (?), which is just beautiful. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LGs_vGt0MY8/hqdefault.jpg "Ryuichi Sakamoto - Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGs_vGt0MY8) In 1990 Gerard Depardieu played Cyrano in [Cyrano de Bergerac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrano_de_Bergerac_(1990_film)). This was before Depardieu went crazy and was still considered a great actor, but somewhat flawed human. He even got some Hollywood parts. The score, by Jean-Claude Petit, was excellent, almost John Williams-_y_ in style and orchestration: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_zkcfzbyJa0/hqdefault.jpg "Cyrano De Bergerac 1990 ~ Theme (soundtrack)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zkcfzbyJa0) And finally Giorgio Moroder and [Midnight Express](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Express_(film)). He made two fantastic tracks for the movie, where the first, fast song is heavily in disco/EDM style. Not surprising as he, along with Kraftwerk, invented the whole genre. The movie was problematic even when released and I don’t want to think too hard about what a modern audience would think. But that was 45 years ago and it’s not as if the movie has made a lasting impact, beyond the [Turkish Prison meme](https://www.google.com/search?q=turkish+prison+meme). I think very few know what inspired the joke in Airplane. Back to Moroder: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bTHDa6Akqvo/hqdefault.jpg "Midnight Express Theme - The Chase") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTHDa6Akqvo) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/K13xeCbw-Qs/hqdefault.jpg "Giorgio Moroder - Midnight Express - Love's Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K13xeCbw-Qs) # ---
**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:** [March 25, 2023, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/108 "2023-03-25T15:10:48Z")
One of my favorite courtroom dramas. Kirk Douglas’s performance is fantastic! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7k5bPRvSw3I/maxresdefault.jpg "Gene Pitney - Town Without Pity (1961-62), Film Tribute") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k5bPRvSw3I) ---
**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:** [March 25, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/109 "2023-03-25T16:13:06Z")
> [@Charlie\_Tan](#): > > Giorgio Moroder and [Midnight Express](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Express_(film)) The love theme isn’t half bad – evocative and sung well; the girl singer has a good voice. ---
**Author:** ![Hakushon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hakushon/32/5503_2.png) [@Hakushon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakushon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2023, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/110 "2023-03-29T06:49:57Z")
Okay, technically not a theme… but I’ve always felt that this incredibly rousing background music from the OST of _Kung Fu Hustle_ should have been that movie’s theme: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8SSMx0bijfc/maxresdefault.jpg "Fisherman's Song Of The East China Sea (Version Two)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SSMx0bijfc) ---
**Author:** ![Hakushon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hakushon/32/5503_2.png) [@Hakushon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakushon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2023, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/111 "2023-03-29T07:03:32Z")
As long as we’re mentioning the Flint movies…here’s “Your Zowie Face” from the closing credits of _In Like Flint_ (this version by Nelson Riddle): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/d3kLcWj_P6M/maxresdefault.jpg "Your Zowie Face (Remastered)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3kLcWj_P6M) ---
**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:** [March 29, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/112 "2023-03-29T23:08:01Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > > [@Charlie\_Tan](#): > > > > Giorgio Moroder and [Midnight Express](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Express_(film)) > > The love theme isn’t half bad – evocative and sung well; the girl singer has a good voice. Sorry, it was actually [the [vocal] “(Theme from) ME.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gaa-BiGuZts&list=OLAK5uy_naRoqG2SsF76FEYiwIO5SyGdap1bQtHhc&ab_channel=ChrisBennett-Topic) ---
**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:** [April 2, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376/113 "2023-04-02T01:38:09Z")
WTF?!? We can’t embed “media items” in a post any more?!? 😲 🤨😠 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-favorite-non-musical-movie-themes/981376.md?page=5)