After it won the best picture at the Oscars, I finally watched the movie Argo — which surprisingly isn’t about an aggressive monster that gets tamed by Ben Affleck. As great as the movie was, it was the soundtrack that really stood out for me. I maintain the fact that every great movie should have an equally solid soundtrack. Matching a pivotal scene with a song is a tall order to fill, but when it works it sticks with you. These are some of the biggest songs in the arguably biggest movies.
The Pixies – “Where is my mind” (Fight Club): There’s this profound scene in Fight Club where buildings are exploding all over the place and this song starts playing. Now when I hear it, I immediately think of Fight Club and my man-crush on Brad Pitt. You can GRATE CHEESE on that guys abs! Just like me, except my abs are the cheese.
Stealers Wheel – “Stuck In The Middle With You” (Reservoir Dogs): I can’t listen to this one without cringing and hoping that my ear doesn’t get cut off. Yes, that’s a spoiler alert if you haven’t watched this movie. If you haven’t watched it though... It’s really your fault. Great movie, but creepy scene with this song.
Simon & Garfunkel – “Mrs. Robinson” (The Graduate): I’ve often misconstrued the meaning of this movie. If you have an affair with a mother, you’ll eventually end up with her daughter?Thanks Hollywood for confusing me about romance even more. This song was originally titled “Mrs. Roosevelt,” but the director of the movie urged Paul Simon to change the name for the movie’s purposes.
Iggy Pop – “Lust for Life” (Trainspotting): This is an example of a song that perfectly matches a movie. It’s chaotic, doesn’t make any coherent sense, but it’s still awesome. Much like Trainspotting. There’s a scene where a baby crawls on a ceiling which still gives me nightmares. This probably can explain my fear of babies.
Bob Dylan – “The Man In Me” (The Big Lebowski): Upon first listen to this song, the last place you’d expect to hear it is in the opening credits set in a bowling alley. That’s the beauty of it, in that it sets the pace for the rest of the movie. The Big Lebowski has a phenomenal soundtrack, that pairs well with an excellent movie. I warn you, try to avoid “The Dudes” alcoholic drink of choice: a White Russian — vodka, coffee liqueur and milk... (shudder.)
Metric – “Black Sheep” (Scott Pilgrim Vs The World): I can safely say without a shred of doubt that “Scott Pilgrim...” is the most underrated movie of our generation. People just didn’t “get it” when it was released, which makes it an instant cult classic. The soundtrack to the movie is a story in itself. Beck and Broken Social Scene wrote most of the songs for the movie, and cast members rehearsed as a band with Beck. Which is, uh... well, a wet dream to most musicians. Metric was also the inspiration behind one of the movie’s fictional bands, so they contributed this song.
Faces – “Ooh la la” (Rushmore): Director Wes Anderson often thinks of the soundtrack of his movies before they’re even made, which is a refreshing take on the creative process. The soundtrack to his seminal movie Rushmore, is one of the most random. If you haven’t watched it, I suggest you do and try NOT singing this song once you finish.
The Righteous Brothers – “Unchained Melody” (Ghost): This song plays in arguably the most famous scene in film history, all because of the songs impact... And probably because it was a hell of a romantic scene. A couple things you need to know, learning pottery won’t get you a girl like Demi or a guy like Swayze, and people in pottery HATE this movie. I don’t want to be in a world where someone hates the movie ghost.
Now you’re all set with songs to listen to while you fantasize about Brad Pitts abs or contemplate an affair with a cougar.