So, I'm driving down the road the other day listening to the 'ol i-Pizzy shuffle songs on my radio when Beethoven's 9th Symphony comes on from my Immortal Beloved soundtrack (please refrain from making gay comments) and instead of thinking of young Beethoven laying in a pool of water looking up at the stars to become one with the universe I could only think of one specific use of that song in a movie and that got me thinking... What are the best uses of classical music in modern film?
That sounds like a great Top 5.
(Note: Any film about classical music, i.e. Immortal Beloved, Amadeus, etc. is automatically disqualified.)
5. Excaliber (1981) - O Fortuna, From Carmina Burana by Carl Orff (1935) - Used in the scene where after King Arthur drinks from the Holy Grail, given to him by Percival, he is revitalized and rides off to face Mordred and Morgana in battle. As he rides through the hillside O Fortuna blares as plants turn green and apple trees blossom. It is double rainbow glorious.
Although O Fortuna is from a relatively modern era (1935) it's usage in the film denotes a medieval theme and the Latin choir gives it a genuine "Camelot like" feel. It is the defining scene of the movie Roger Ebert called "a wondrous vision," and "a mess."
I dig it cause it makes the hair on your arm stick up watching Arthur ride through the countryside with such a climatic music as his centerpiece. You know Morgana is about to get her brother sleepin ass hacked up (and if you don't get that reference you just gotta watch the film).
O Fortuna has also been used in countless films to give a sense of ominous change and has been used in even more commercials and promotions as a builder to excitement.. to fortunes. It has probably been used by every NBA team as the opening sequence for player introductions at one point or another in the last 30 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db40S82sqic
4. Platoon (1986) - Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber (1938) - Used in the scene after Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) is left in the Jungle by his comrade yet nemesis Sgt. Barnes (Tom Beringer). Barnes tells Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) that Elias didn't make it after a skirmish with some Vietcong. Barnes orders Taylor back to the helicopter to get out of the area. They load up the dead and wounded then while fleeing the jungle they notice Elias running after them with about 60 Viet Cong on his trail. They turn the copters around to try to rescue him but it's too late. And, you know this because of the usage of Adagio for Strings.
One of the saddest classical works ever and used in countless September 11 tributes (most notably the BBC Orchestra) Adagio for Strings conveys a sense of unimaginable horror yet with a touch of, not beauty, per se, but maybe a sense of awe. Adagio for Strings conveys grief like no other piece of music.
I like its use in the film cause there's Elias... helpless, running, trying to find a way to survive. you know there's no way he's gonna make it, there's just to damn many Vietcong on his ass... so you just watch him die, in angst, knowing full well that the ultimate betrayal has just taken place. Grief... and awe.
Side note: Adagio for Strings is also used in the Seinfeld episode "the Fatigues," when George Costanza's dad, Frank, relives an episode where he tried to use rancid meat to feed his platoon in the war and they all get sick making it to where he can't cook anymore... classic. And, if it's in Seinfeld it's awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue8VS-bcj88
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRMz8fKkG2g - BBC Orchestra version (get a hanky)
3. Die Hard (1988) - Symphony #9 (Ode to Joy) by Ludwig Van Beethoven (1824) - Beethoven's 9th is used throughout the original Die Hard Film but the scene that stands out is when uber-villain Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his side kick Theo (Clarence Gilyard, who would later be Walker, Texas Ranger's sidekick) open up the Nakatomi vault to get to the 640 million in bearer bonds. Theo spent all day drilling through the 6 locks that keep the door closed but it is not until the FBI arrives and shuts down power to the building that the 7th and final lock unlocks and the vault opens... at that moment the crescendo of Beethoven's 9th hits right on que.
The "Ode to Joy" bit that is played in the film is a testament to Beethoven's greatness. When he wrote the piece Beethoven was completely deaf and based the music solely on what he heard in his head. The 9th is instantly recognizable... a classic in every sense of the word.
The 9th Symphony can be found throughout modern day cinema but was prominently featured in A Clockwork Orange, the Money Pit, and Help! It also lends itself to be a timeless Christmas tune
Now, given that I could not find a clip of the aforementioned moment online perhaps it is not as climatic as I make it out to be but since it is the primer for this blog a third place finish is it's just due.
Side Note: Could Hans Gruber be a top 5 film villain? I mean the guy didn't kill millions of people or try to blow up the world but considering the sinister nature of Gruber, as played perfectly by Rickman, he is an epic bad guy. Tune in to see a top 5 film villain blog in the near future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wod-MudLNPAA
2. 2001 (1968) - Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss (1896) - One can not hear Strauss' epic tone poem without picturing a space scene. Used in the opening sequence of Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey (also known as the Sunrise scene) when an ape, the precursor to man, first picked up a bone and used it as a tool... in this case, as weapon to kill prey. It's a resounding sequence. So vivid you can not think of anything but space when you hear it... nothing else comes to mind. Listen to it and try to think of anything else. All you will imagine is SPACE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML1OZCHixR0
Note: Also Sprach Zarathustra probably should have been #1, seriously you can't think of anything but 2001 when you hear it... however it wasn't quite as bad ass as the #1 best use of classical music in modern film.
1. Apocalypse Now (1979) - Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner (1854) - Who can forget the scene where Captain Willard's (Martin Sheen) PRB crew is to rendezvous with the 1/9 Air Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore (Robert Duvall) for transport to the Nung River. At first he refuses until he learns that Lance Johnson (Sam Bottoms), a professional surfer, is a member of the boat's crew. Kilgore, a big surf fan, decides to help them after figuring out that the beach at the mouth of the river they are supposed to ferry Capt. Willard to is perfect for surfing. Although his men tell him that it's "Charlie's point" he decides to go anyway because "Charlie don't surf!" Kilgore orders his men to attack the town by the beach so that he and Johnson can surf.
Riding high above the coast in a fleet of Hueys and OH-6As, Kilgore launches his attack on the beach. Kilgore explains to his guest that he uses Wagner cause "it scares the hell out of the slopes." QUE THE MUSIC... dun dunt dada da daaa... dun dada da daaa... dun dunt dada daaa da dunt dada daaa. They attack the beach head while Ride of the Valkyries blares over their loud speakers. To say the least, it's pretty kick ass... there's explosions, Viet Cong running wild, more explosions, gun fire, explosions... it's probably about as kick ass of a scene you'll see in any war film.
That sounds like a great Top 5.
(Note: Any film about classical music, i.e. Immortal Beloved, Amadeus, etc. is automatically disqualified.)
5. Excaliber (1981) - O Fortuna, From Carmina Burana by Carl Orff (1935) - Used in the scene where after King Arthur drinks from the Holy Grail, given to him by Percival, he is revitalized and rides off to face Mordred and Morgana in battle. As he rides through the hillside O Fortuna blares as plants turn green and apple trees blossom. It is double rainbow glorious.
Although O Fortuna is from a relatively modern era (1935) it's usage in the film denotes a medieval theme and the Latin choir gives it a genuine "Camelot like" feel. It is the defining scene of the movie Roger Ebert called "a wondrous vision," and "a mess."
I dig it cause it makes the hair on your arm stick up watching Arthur ride through the countryside with such a climatic music as his centerpiece. You know Morgana is about to get her brother sleepin ass hacked up (and if you don't get that reference you just gotta watch the film).
O Fortuna has also been used in countless films to give a sense of ominous change and has been used in even more commercials and promotions as a builder to excitement.. to fortunes. It has probably been used by every NBA team as the opening sequence for player introductions at one point or another in the last 30 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db40S82sqic
4. Platoon (1986) - Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber (1938) - Used in the scene after Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) is left in the Jungle by his comrade yet nemesis Sgt. Barnes (Tom Beringer). Barnes tells Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) that Elias didn't make it after a skirmish with some Vietcong. Barnes orders Taylor back to the helicopter to get out of the area. They load up the dead and wounded then while fleeing the jungle they notice Elias running after them with about 60 Viet Cong on his trail. They turn the copters around to try to rescue him but it's too late. And, you know this because of the usage of Adagio for Strings.
One of the saddest classical works ever and used in countless September 11 tributes (most notably the BBC Orchestra) Adagio for Strings conveys a sense of unimaginable horror yet with a touch of, not beauty, per se, but maybe a sense of awe. Adagio for Strings conveys grief like no other piece of music.
I like its use in the film cause there's Elias... helpless, running, trying to find a way to survive. you know there's no way he's gonna make it, there's just to damn many Vietcong on his ass... so you just watch him die, in angst, knowing full well that the ultimate betrayal has just taken place. Grief... and awe.
Side note: Adagio for Strings is also used in the Seinfeld episode "the Fatigues," when George Costanza's dad, Frank, relives an episode where he tried to use rancid meat to feed his platoon in the war and they all get sick making it to where he can't cook anymore... classic. And, if it's in Seinfeld it's awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue8VS-bcj88
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRMz8fKkG2g - BBC Orchestra version (get a hanky)
3. Die Hard (1988) - Symphony #9 (Ode to Joy) by Ludwig Van Beethoven (1824) - Beethoven's 9th is used throughout the original Die Hard Film but the scene that stands out is when uber-villain Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his side kick Theo (Clarence Gilyard, who would later be Walker, Texas Ranger's sidekick) open up the Nakatomi vault to get to the 640 million in bearer bonds. Theo spent all day drilling through the 6 locks that keep the door closed but it is not until the FBI arrives and shuts down power to the building that the 7th and final lock unlocks and the vault opens... at that moment the crescendo of Beethoven's 9th hits right on que.
The "Ode to Joy" bit that is played in the film is a testament to Beethoven's greatness. When he wrote the piece Beethoven was completely deaf and based the music solely on what he heard in his head. The 9th is instantly recognizable... a classic in every sense of the word.
The 9th Symphony can be found throughout modern day cinema but was prominently featured in A Clockwork Orange, the Money Pit, and Help! It also lends itself to be a timeless Christmas tune
Now, given that I could not find a clip of the aforementioned moment online perhaps it is not as climatic as I make it out to be but since it is the primer for this blog a third place finish is it's just due.
Side Note: Could Hans Gruber be a top 5 film villain? I mean the guy didn't kill millions of people or try to blow up the world but considering the sinister nature of Gruber, as played perfectly by Rickman, he is an epic bad guy. Tune in to see a top 5 film villain blog in the near future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wod-MudLNPAA
2. 2001 (1968) - Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss (1896) - One can not hear Strauss' epic tone poem without picturing a space scene. Used in the opening sequence of Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey (also known as the Sunrise scene) when an ape, the precursor to man, first picked up a bone and used it as a tool... in this case, as weapon to kill prey. It's a resounding sequence. So vivid you can not think of anything but space when you hear it... nothing else comes to mind. Listen to it and try to think of anything else. All you will imagine is SPACE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML1OZCHixR0
Note: Also Sprach Zarathustra probably should have been #1, seriously you can't think of anything but 2001 when you hear it... however it wasn't quite as bad ass as the #1 best use of classical music in modern film.
1. Apocalypse Now (1979) - Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner (1854) - Who can forget the scene where Captain Willard's (Martin Sheen) PRB crew is to rendezvous with the 1/9 Air Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore (Robert Duvall) for transport to the Nung River. At first he refuses until he learns that Lance Johnson (Sam Bottoms), a professional surfer, is a member of the boat's crew. Kilgore, a big surf fan, decides to help them after figuring out that the beach at the mouth of the river they are supposed to ferry Capt. Willard to is perfect for surfing. Although his men tell him that it's "Charlie's point" he decides to go anyway because "Charlie don't surf!" Kilgore orders his men to attack the town by the beach so that he and Johnson can surf.
Riding high above the coast in a fleet of Hueys and OH-6As, Kilgore launches his attack on the beach. Kilgore explains to his guest that he uses Wagner cause "it scares the hell out of the slopes." QUE THE MUSIC... dun dunt dada da daaa... dun dada da daaa... dun dunt dada daaa da dunt dada daaa. They attack the beach head while Ride of the Valkyries blares over their loud speakers. To say the least, it's pretty kick ass... there's explosions, Viet Cong running wild, more explosions, gun fire, explosions... it's probably about as kick ass of a scene you'll see in any war film.
Ride of the Valkyries has also been used most awesomely in The Blues Brothers and, of course, Bugs Bunny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx7XNb3Q9Ek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx7XNb3Q9Ek
Honorable Mentions:
- Johann Pachelbel's, Canon in D Major - used in every wedding movie ever made.
- Gioachino Rossini's, William Tell Overture - The Lone Ranger theme.
- J.S. Bach's, Toccata and Fugue - used in Vampire movies.
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