My all time favorite example of this is a fairly obscure one- in Basquiat, Basquiat and Benecio are sitting on a stoop and look down the street where Claire Forlani is walking towards them, and the song playing is “Waiting on a Friend” by the Stones. I don’t know what exactly makes it such a perfect match, but to me it is- the movie being set in the time when the song was released may help, and also the original video had a similar look and feel to this scene.
The use of Layla over a montage in Goodfellas in another favorite of mine, as well as several by John Singleton- “Sunshower” by Dr. Buzzard in Boyz in the Hood, when one of the kids is talking to his freinds mom about his mom on her porch, “Ooh Child” when father and son are driving down the street and see the sons friends being arrested, and “I Do Love You” by GQ over the end scene of the otherwise unnecessary “Baby Boy”.
From Pulp Fiction: “Comanche” in the scene where Marsellus Wallace is getting anally raped by Zed, as Maynard looks on. As in so many scenes from that film, it was so shocking that you had to laugh as you gaped, and the music was an adroit counterpart to what was going on onscreen.
As an aside, Tarantino originally wanted “My Sharona” for that scene, but thought it would be, in his words, “Too funny. You know, har-har, wink-wink, nudge-nudge.” :eek:
Also! Not really a scene, but The Cardigans’ version of “The Bluest Eyes In Texas” playing over the closing credits of Boys Don’t Cry was simply a beautiful choice.
When Gardner Barnes lifts his brew in tribute to his friends at the end of Fandango and Blind Faith’s Can’t Find My Way Home kicks in, it always elicits a bit of a hiccup in my breathing.
Also, not a movie but I just marvel at it’s perfection each time… when the Geico caveman is on the moving sidewalk at the airport, the light, airy tune is playing and he comes across the insulting “anyone can do it” poster. It’s just so perfect.
It became an instant cliche, but that’s because it works so well… Battle Without Honor or Humanity as O-Ren Ishii and her minions walk down the hall in Kill Bill vol. 1.
Baker Street in Good Will Hunting is appropriate, since it seemed to me to evoke the apparent hopelessness of his situation. Then again I wasn’t paying attention to the movie and only saw it out of the corner of my eye.
I love that one, too! The song is *Remind Me * by Royksopp, which only makes like the Geico commercials more. I don’t know about their insurance, and will never buy from them, but I am a fan of the adverts.
And I have to second *Perfect Day * in Trainspotting, as that was the one I came to mention, but have been beaten to it. (Sing by Blur was well-placed, too, but I think Perfect Day… well, I don’t think any other song would have done.)
I love the scene towards the end of Trainspotting where Ewan McGregor is trying to sneak out of the hotel room without waking up anyone else and the song “Born Slippery” is blaring like he’s the middle of a rave. It was an amazing juxtaposition of the loud house music against him trying to be quiet - it made me so anxious. It was genius!
Trainspotting had several good ones, my favorite being the scene where he enters the toilet and starts swimming to Brian Eno’s Deep Blue Day. Of course, no discussion of this sort is complete without bringing up 2001, which was one of the first major motion picture that didn’t use an original score and instead used existing commercial recordings. Just about every piece chosen fits perfectly. Yet another reason its one of my all time favorite movies. The other one I love is The Big Lebowski’s use of The Man in Me by Dylan. Perfect song for a perfect movie.
You could fill two threads with just Tarantino and Scorcese nominations. I’ll go with Son of a Preacher Man from Pulp Fiction.
In The Big Lebowski, I always liked “Just Checked in to see what condition. . .” That scene almost seems written for the song instead of picking the song for a scene.
For new director nomination. . .John Sayles and “My Love Is” in Lone Star. That’s when Chris Cooper is driving in his car to go have sex.
(Sing by Blur was well-placed, too, but I think Perfect Day… well, I don’t think any other song would have done.)