Music Monday: The Greatest Movie Themes

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Remember two weeks ago when we talked about television themes? That went so well it got us thinking: what's more popular than television? Naturally, the answer is "nothing" but Scott still had to put together a post for today, so he pretended the answer was "the movies." And that brings us to today, when Scott's picked his five top movie themes! What sort of controversy will he stir up this time? Let's take a look and see. As always, click on the image to see the video on YouTube.

The Theme From Taxi Driver

 

 

The first ten seconds of Bernard Herrmann's theme hits like the clash of car horns on the worst day of your life. Then, some soft jazz. Then the horns again, then back to the jazz but under cruel cymbals. After two minutes of this song, you really know what it must be like to go insane on the streets of '70s New York. The rest of this famous movie just basically clarifies what you already learned from the opening music. Effective and beautiful.

What? No Pirates of the Caribbean? Well, okay, maybe you'll enjoy the four more choices more. Head on inside to see what they are, just don't forget! You've got to let him know everything he forgot in the comments later! We'll see your wrathful judgement-filled faces insideâ?¦

Raiders Of The Lost Ark - Indy's Theme

 

 

The enthusiasm of the "Greatest Generation" mixed with the schmaltz of the golden age of everything! Even if you'd never before heard of Indiana Jones, just the opening bars of this theme would kick you in the pants and send you running out to punch a Nazi in the groin. Face it, if someone asks what you remember about Raiders of the Lost Ark, you say the scene with the gun, the guy who melted (may be NSFW), and then you start humming the theme. Oh, John Williams, you are indeed the Bach of high adventure.

West Side Story - Prologue

 

 

I chose the famous part at the beginning, but let's face it, you could drop the needle at random and find a classic. Not until Thriller would there be so perfect of a pop record. Even still, it's the eight minute prologue that everyone remembers because in it you get all you need to know about post-war New York. The snapping fingers, the strutty orchestration, the clash of cultures, the brooding notes of impending war, all of them carried by the very Devil's Interval that would later find a home in rock. Probably why even musical h8rs tend to have a soft spot for this American classic. Why can't every Shakespeare play inspire music this good?

The James Bond Theme

 

 

No matter what gets changed about 007, Monty Norman's iconic commercial-length jingle still hangs around. It might get covered, it might get updated, it might sometimes be incorrectly credited to John Barry, but there's a beast at the heart of this tiny piece, a beast that carries a deadly swagger. Maybe it doesn't stir the heartâ?¦ but it certainly shakes it.

Theme From Shaft

 

 

They say this theme set the standard for all motherf-Shut your mouth! But I'm talking 'bout The Theme From Shaft! There aren't very many songwriters who could slow-build for two minutes and forty seconds without saying a word. There aren't many songs that switch from instrumental to chatty conversation without getting ridiculous. Somehow, the great Issac Hayes pulls both off in the same song. What more can we say besides wow? We'll let the wah-wah guitar do the talking for us.

What? Those are his five? Can you believe at all the great movie themes that jerkface forgot about? Boy, you better make sure he doesn't get away with it! Rush to the comments and show him up by posting your choices! And after you've posted your answer, feel free to join us in the Turntable.FM room for our Music Monday hangout.



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