Movies and Music Are a Match Made in Heaven

I love music, and there are very few things in life that rival that love. But, I also love movies. I am constantly looking for new movies to watch on the weekends and my ideal hangout with my friends is having a movie day. This got me thinking, because all of these movies I love so much have soundtracks that are critical to the mood, tone and even the story of the movie itself. 

I began to really think about movie soundtracks when Sinners was released last year and not only did the movie gain widespread popularity but so did the music. Ludwig Göransson was the creator of the soundtrack which features voices from on and off the screen like Miles Caton, Don Toliver, James Blake, Jack O’Connell, Rod Wave and more. 

In the middle of the movie there is a large musical montage which weaves together years of cultural, racial and musical history which took viewers by storm — I mean, I had chills in the theatre. (Watch it here). In a Classic FM article Göransson said he got “goosebumps” when he read the script for that scene and he was DJing on the spot which took about two months of planning. 

The soundtrack to this movie is integral to setting the scene and ties deeply into historical symbols and figures. From things like Sammy’s guitar once belonging to Charlie Patton, who was considered the “Father of Delta Blues,” to Stack’s name likely being a reference to “Stagger Lee,” an American folk song, the musical component of the time plays a critical role in telling the Sinners story. 

Now, of course, there are also other movie soundtracks which play a more outward role in musical movies. John Travolta had a great run in this movie genre with hits like “Saturday Night Fever,” which features a number of artists, but mainly the Bee Gees, and “Grease,” which features musical voices from the cast. “Hairspray,” “LaLa Land,” “The Greatest Showman,” and “Mama Mia” are just a few more examples of the movie soundtracks playing an integral role in the storytelling through the musical style movies. These are the movies that we often listen to the soundtracks over and over again, oftentimes being able to picture the scene. As I’m writing this I’m listening to the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack and can see Travolta discoing the night away. 

Other movies aren’t as outward with their musical soundtrack, but nonetheless they are classics. Franchises like Marvel (phases 1-3), Mission Impossible, Vic Flick’s guitar riff in James Bond and Star Wars all have that sound that we know that makes us immediately think of the movie. I can personally see Ethan Hunt running to save the world to the classic MI theme. 

Movie makers also make clear choices with the music chosen for certain scenes. For example, in “Reservoir Dogs” when Mr. Blonde is literally cutting off someone’s ear “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel, a very upbeat 70s song, is playing in the background. In the opening scene of "Guardians of the Galaxy” it’s set up very seriously when Star-Lord walks in, but alas Chris Pratt fights his way to find the stone while dancing to Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, which he’s listening to on his Walkman. This is a common theme we can see in a number of action movies. Movie makers often take very “serious” scenes and place upbeat, lively sounds over it to keep a comedic air to the moment. 

Musical soundtracks within movies are another layer to making a movie successful. They anchor the movie in tone, emotion and scene-setting. Overtime we have gotten the privilege to see some of the most famous movie soundtracks hit the big screen. 

So, next time you go to the movies, maybe pay a bit more attention to the songs being played and how that interacts with the moment in the film. I also recommend going and listening to some of the soundtracks I’ve mentioned because you just might find your new favorite song. 

Who knows, maybe you’ll even find your new favorite sound on the IM Fields, May 1st during Movin’ On! See you all then!