If you think about the best films you’ve ever seen, it’s almost impossible to imagine them without the soundtrack, be that an original score or made up of existing tracks, that is, at times, the heartbeat of the movies we love.
Putting together a film’s soundtrack is a lot harder than it looks, and while we may, on occasion, stumble upon a song on our commute to work and feel it would be ideal for a chase sequence in a thriller, the truth is that it’s a great deal more complex than it at first appears.
Inspiring filmmakers with less of a budget can look to create a great soundtrack using royalty-free music, and big productions make do with the best film score composers and music supervisors to help create a kicking musical accompaniment to match your vision.
Here is a selection of our favorites from 2000 onwards.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Apparently, when Ewan McGregor was first thought of as the likely lead for Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! they were unaware of the quality of his voice. Suffice it to say the Scottish actor hits all the right notes, and this being a musical, makes that salient fact very important indeed.
Alongside Nicole Kidman, McGregor works wonderfully as a pair of star-crossed lovers whose courtship is destined for doom. Luhrmann makes good use of music from a variety of eras and styles to put together a soundtrack that is both inventive and incredibly effective.
Drive (2011)
A good movie soundtrack will look to help bring out the atmosphere of the piece as a whole, almost as if adding another layer to a painting being lovingly created by a film’s director, and in the case of Drive, this is done with true panache.
The film follows the travails of a stunt car driver who doubles as a getaway driver, played by a brooding Ryan Gosling, and the film’s soundtrack helps to give the film added menace when necessary and also goes for upbeat retro feel as other points where the action is at its most visceral.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Let’s face it, Wes Anderson is not just a great director; he also knows precisely what songs fit best with his artistic vision. Sure, he obviously has help selecting the tracks that make up the music that aligns with the visuals he lovingly prepares, but we are pretty sure it’s Wes who does all the heavy lifting here.
The Royal Tenenbaums is an expert example of this. Great tracks like ‘These Days’ by Nico and ‘Police & Thieves’ by The Clash adorn this great soundtrack.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
English director Edgar Wright can usually be counted on to pick the best music for his movies and TV shows, and Shaun of the Dead is a case in point. There are some great set pieces here that are perfectly paired with great songs.
An early scene when you first get a taste of the zombies that are on the loose in London is matched with The Specials ‘Ghost Town’, and you know then that this is going to be an ace soundtrack to go with a hilarious, and also very emotive, film.
O Brother, Where Are Thou? (2000)
This comic caper, from the Coen Brothers, was a big success but nowhere near as much of a success as the soundtrack album that is spawned. Starring George Clooney, among others, the film tells the tale of three escaped convicts looking for treasure and has an outstanding soundtrack which was produced by T-Bone Burnett.
The soundtrack sold over 8 million copies in the United States alone and has even gone on to be named among the great country albums of all time.
Almost Famous (2000)
In a previous life director, Cameron Crowe was a journalist for Rolling Stone magazine, and this movie is a semi-autobiographical account of that time. Here we follow teenage reporter William Miller (Patrick Fugit) following the fictional band Stillwater as they go on tour.
The film is a rollercoaster ride, and some of the original music is outstanding but perhaps the most iconic scene occurs when Elton John’s Tiny Dancer plays while the tour bus winds its way across the US. Genius movie with a near-unparalleled soundtrack.
High Fidelity (2000)
Based on Nick Hornby’s best-seller, this film is literally all about music, and it’s an aspect that Stephen Frears’ movie couldn’t get wrong. The film follows the lead, played superbly by John Cusack, as he charts the ups and downs of his love life while he runs a failing record store.
Here we get to hear some seriously awesome tunes, from The Beta Band’s ‘Dry the Rain’ to Jack Black’s rendition of Marvin Gaye’s classic Let’s Get It On; it’s all pitch perfect.
Inside Llewyn Davis (2014)
Another Coen Brothers movie but with an entirely different vibe and feel to O Brother Where Art Thou, the soundtrack to Inside Lleywn Davis IS the movie. As far as a film helping to take you to another place and time, Inside Llewyn Davis is a masterpiece and the music that was created for the movie is just outstanding.
The cast belts out the songs from the film in expert fashion, and of course, it helps that one of the main characters is played by a certain Justin Timberlake, but either way, every time any actor steps up to the mic, from Oscar Isaac to Carey Mulligan, the magic is palpable.
