Before I start on my next film choices,Mia will let you know my Oscar post from yesterday. Who won, who was nominated and got nuttin’ baby! So the 2007 Oscar winner was “I Need To Wake Up” written and sung by Melissa Etheridge from the film, “An Inconvenient Truth”. “Love You, I Do” sung by Jennifer Hudson, from “Dreamgirls” was nominated and “Happy Feet” from the film of the same name, written and sung by Prince, came up empty handed and was considered quite the snub.
Ok, Happy Thanksgiving to every one south of the border and I hope you have a lovely time with your family. I have 2 films that bring Thanksgiving to mind that use music so well that the films just wouldn’t be the same without the music. The 2nd have music from different musicians that just propel the story brilliantly while the other is all from the same composer who is beyond brilliant. So here are my picks…
1. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY-1966
This soundtrack is from the great Ennio Morricone who made the Spaghetti Western even more iconic with his music. This film stars Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef all out to find this gold in a cemetery. You are brought right through the American Civil War, both sides, before they all meet up in this cemetery. Eli Wallach steals the picture as the “Ugly” even though Clint is great as the guy with no name. In this scene, Eli is looking for the gold buried with some coffin in this desolate cemetery.
2. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES-1987
I love this buddy picture with Steve Martin as an uptight Ad exec who is trying to get home to his family for Thanksgiving and John Candy (gosh, I miss this actor) as the slovenly guy who helps him, in a very indirect way, get home. The music is priceless and just adds to the entire story. Each music just makes me laugh when I think of a scene.
3. LOVE, ACTUALLY-2003
This is a film that connects Thanksgiving and Christmas together as we watch a number of different people deal with love in all its forms. We see how all the characters handle love through new marriage, unrequited love, sadness of love and the joy of new love. I love Bill Nighy as an over the hill rock star and my heart breaks with Emma Thompson when she realizes the necklace she thought she’d get from her husband went to his secretary. I chose this scene because, to me, it’s just great with “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell. I also just love the romance between Colin Firth who plays a writer whose wife was having an affair with his brother, and the Portuguese housekeeper. It’s a great holiday movie.
What non musical film can you think of where the music just adds to the film?
Hi Birgit - I love all of these ... excellent choices ... I'd include 'Out of Africa' - takes me back to African days ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI still have to see the movie but I own the soundtrack
DeleteI loved the music in Dunkirk by Hans Zimmer, but if I recall right, you did not?
ReplyDeleteThe music is good but I did not like the movie at all. I could easily see the brand new glass buildings that could have easily been cgi'd out and I just felt it plodding. I prefer the original film made in the 50s.
DeleteI have my family to thank for ruining "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" for me. They knew the film back and forth and spent the entire time telling me what was going to happen... Too bad, too, it looked like a hilarious movie...
ReplyDeleteWhen did this happen? If it's been a few years, maybe watch again...without the whole family
DeleteFabulous choices! Love Actually is probably my favourite modern holiday movie of all time. We watch it every Christmas. ♥ Does School of Rock qualify in this category? What about The Wedding Singer? One of the few Adam Sandler movies I really like.
ReplyDeleteI like that you say favourite modern movie. Both of the films you chose work although I have a tough time watching School of Rock because of Jack Black. I really like that Adam Sandler film and he and Drew Barrymore have real chemistry.
DeleteYes, we love the classics as well and do a movie marathon every Christmas, with a mixture of old and newer films. ☺ I like Jack Black, but he can be a bit hammy. In my opinion, Adam Sandler's serious movies are much better than his goofball comedies.
DeleteJust last night -- on Thanksgiving -- I re-watched (for the umpteenth time) 'PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES'. Easily one of the funniest movies ever made!
ReplyDelete'The Good, Bad & Ugly' was a good choice. And, actually, I've never seen 'Love, Actually'. Based on all the misbehavior described, it doesn't sound like my kind of "Holiday" movie.
When I think of "music crucial to a non-musical film", [Link> KOYAANISQATSI comes immediately to mind. It was my very favorite movie for 39 years, until finally being eclipsed by 1973's 'Tom Sawyer', which has taken on great meaning for me now that I've moved to Geriatricville.
~ D-FensDogG
I have to look up your film as I never heard of it. I agree with you about Planes, Trains but I am not sure you have given the proper chance to Love, Actually. You should try it, at lest once.
DeleteI'll perhaps check out 'Love, Actually', provided I can find it for *FREE* on one of my cable channels.
DeleteAnother movie that just occurred to me is 'BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S'. It's not really a "musical", but the music throughout the movie is simply fantastic! The movie itself, in my opinion, is simply so-so, but the soundtrack (which I have owned for a godzillion years) is truly one of my Top 10 most-played albums of all time!
Henry Mancini was absolutely a musical genius and it astounds me how much memorable music that guy could pack into a three-minute recording!
[Link> (The *Truly* Complete Official) BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S Soundtrack
~ D-FensDogG
Hi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteA nice focus on a piece of filmmaking that isn't always given the credit its due to making an impact on the viewing experience.
I only watched Planes, Trains... once and I don't remember the score at all but I did enjoy the film. However I completely agree that the music added greatly to the other two particularly The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. To this day when you hear the theme music it instantly takes you to the movie. Emma Thompson's scene to "Both Sides Now" is an incredible gut punch in the middle of so much of the levity of "Love Actually" but doesn't break the mood of the film. She plays it just exactly the right way.
I couldn't not choose Psycho as my first! Even Hitchcock when he viewed the rough cut before the score was added wasn't sure of what the picture was to be and considered cutting it down into an episode of his television program. But once Bernard Herrmann worked his magic he put the film's story into sharp focus.
I think the same can be said for Max Steiner's work in Now, Voyager. The film is swooningly romantic to be sure but the way he accentuates key scenes takes it to another level.
My third is The Way We Were. There really isn't a lot of incidental music in the film but the theme song, so full of wistful melancholy, is interspersed throughout as well as opening and closing the movie in its way amplifying and clarifying both the nostalgia and bittersweet regret attached to the story.
I love your picks!! Yes, the score to a film is so important and they get little live. Psycho is perfect for this theme. In fact, Bernard Herrmann could be a theme just him! The Way We Were is iconic for that one song sung by Streisand. Now, Voyager is one I almost went with along with Laura and Dr. Zhivago. Great choices!
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