Thought it'd be fun to start a thread on scenes from movies where the music just makes everything come together. The music soars, your heart swells and its a cinematic moment of wonder that lasts forever in your memories... To get us started.. Jurassic Park (1991) - When the Helicopter is approaching the island about 18 minutes in and the JP fanfare starts, its exciting and intriguing and you know dino-fun is right ahead The Rocketeer (1991) - from the opening sequence with Horners lovely piano based score you know this is going to be an old fashioned pulpy soaring adventure, real boys own stuff. Anyone else got something that floats their boat?
I'd like to contribute ... Raiders of the Lost Ark: The map room scene where Indy discovers the true location of the Ark. John William's music just flows and builds to the big payoff. Actually, the music throughout the entire movie was perfect. Q2
TMP wouldn't be the same without the haunting, yet awe-inspiring music. Same with 1984's Dune, specifically this track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLiwTUCoeEI It really makes me feel like I'm in the distant future travelling to a far away world.
In Reservoir Dogs when Michael Madsen cuts the guys ear off to Steeler's Wheel's - Stuck In The Middle With You. I still can't listen to that song without thinking about that scene.
JAWS -- Not just the classic main theme, but the Big Adventure music that accompanies the Orca's chase of the shark. THE GREAT SHARK CHASE And while not scene specific, John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN score makes that movie. Also TINY DANCER in ALMOST FAMOUS.
The bit with the lighting of the beacons on all the hilltops in Return Of The King, and accompanying music.
In the remake of "The Time Machine", the music during the time-travel sequences is rather impressive. Actually, the score overall is quite good, and possibly better than the movie itself. I'd heartily recommend it. "Back to the Future" is probably a gimme. Is there anyone who -doesn't- know that music? "Casablanca" and "The Wizard of Oz" wouldn't be the same without their primary songs. "The Fifth Element" - The opera sequence. "The Godfather" theme - another one that everybody knows "Star Wars" and "Superman" - more gimmes. I thought the music to the Leo DeCaprio "Man in the Iron Mask" significantly improved the film. "The Terminator" theme - another one everybody knows? Whatever you might think of the film, I think the music for "Titanic" is wonderful. The score and the period music all comes together well for me.
The original Planet of the Apes. Those weird horns as they cross the desert just make the setting, IMO.
Bernard Herrmann's shrieking violins for the iconic shower scene in Psycho. In fact, all of Herrmann’s Hitchcock scores, and most of his other music as well. And a little on the obscure side, but I love Van Cleave's score for Robinson Crusoe on Mars, from the jaunty title march to the dramatic music for this scene -- especially the bit that starts around 3:40.
The Empire Strikes Back: -The first long play of Imperial March as we first see the Imperial fleet in the shadow of the Super Star Destroyer. -A couple scenes later, when the bit of twisted fanfare leads up to Admiral Ozzel getting sent on his dirt nap by Vader.
Yeah, the chase up the mountain at the end of Last of Mohicans is made a hundred times better by the score.
I would go so far to say that we wouldn't have the following 5 movies, tv shows, comics, books, toys, etc if not for John Williams score in Star Wars.
Funny thing about ESB is that I think it's probably the most silent, musically, of the Star Wars movies. Such as several of the Hoth scenes, and the first part of Luke and Vader's duel in Cloud City. There was originally going to be a part, when Luke was battling Vader, that when Luke retrieves his saber and strikes back at Vader, knocking him down to a lower level there was going to be a triumphant mix of the force theme, Yoda's theme, and Luke's theme. But I think it works better without the music. Here's what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff9_Y4X1tBE&feature=related
Howard Shore did as much for "The Lord of the Rings" as anyone else in that production. What's more, as far as how integral the role of the music is in a film, his score for LOTR is the only one to rival Williams' work for the SW films,. In some respects, his LOTR score surpasses the SW score, which is not to say overall it's the better one - different tastes for different listeners and all. In LOTR, the music adapts to where it "brings it all together" as the OP originally asked about, but it also defines and distinguishes, giving each culture their own sound. I was so thrilled when he won the Oscar for his work.
Hm. I just watched those films actually, and for popcorn action flicks (with a little bit of thinking involved) they seemed alright, though there's a serious shift in pacing between the first and the sequels. I can't say I found the music particularly impressive though.
LOTR: ROTK - the bit on Mount Doom when Sam picks Frodo up, and you hear the music switch to a few bars of that Annie Lennox track (the one that plays over the start of the end credits). Emotionally, the switch keys in perfectly. Beverly Hills Cop - the music links everything together well: esp. Neutron Dance, The Heat is On, Axel F. and Stir it Up. It would be a very different movie without these tracks keeping things moving. American Psycho - esp. the whole bit from "in '87, Huey Lewis released this..." onwards. Back to the Future - more Huey Lewis... very different effect... What Women Want - the Sinatra tracks are very well-chosen to good effect in every single scene they're used. Just as Gibson can hear womens' thoughts, so the song choices tell us something about the emotional state of each character when they play. Really nicely done. Conan - as mentioned upthread, I wouldn't enjoy the movie without the music. Ferris Bueller - really well chosen pieces, and though the most obvious examples are the parade and the art gallery, I actually think the best little bit of music is the short incidental track when Cameron tells Ferris he's going to take the heat. Works perfectly, and an archetypal example of what this thread is about. The Secret of My Success - again, it's just a short bit of incidental music, but the upbeat inspring bit of 80s music where Michael J. Fox is walking into the office block, dressed smartly for his fake job for the first time is brilliant and really says something about the character, and where he's going. ETA: loads of other scenes in this movie have perfect music too: the limo scene with the mello yello track, the new partners meeting scene with the gazebo track, and the Katrina & teh Waves track in one of the earlier scenes. Finally, this wouldn't be complete without mentioning Top Gun's Danger Zone, and other bits of music accompanying the dogfighting scenes. Awesome fun.