Beat Movies and Movies with a Beat

Many things go into making a great or memorable movie, great story, great acting, great action. Now a days I have issues with directors and producers, that rely too heavily on CGI or special effects to help cover up a boring plot.

But before special effects grew from it's infancy, the thing that made crappy films decent, and good films great, was their soundtracks. But music can only do so much. Case in point, Star Trek the Motion Picture.

I don't think there is a soul alive, not connected to this monumental piece of cinematic crap, that would disagree what a horrible film this was. And it fell to the unfortunate hands of Jerry Goldsmith to try and cover the stench, which is why the film opens with roughly twenty minutes of exterior shots of a plastic model, while Jerry and an orchestra thunder away.....yawn!!!

Now there are several different types of movies with what I call "Killer Soundtracks". There are muscial movies, obviously, and there are movies about music. There are even epic movies with fantastic musical scores. But the movies I love the most, even if they are commercial flops are films with "Killer Soundtracks". Some pictures are epic and have great tunes, case in point 'Forrest Gump" or "The Big Chill" and some are cult classics like " Pulp Fiction" or "Saturday Night Fever".

But universally, good music seems to cover a multitude of sins, and make some films or in some cases some scenes unforgettable. I can't listen to Tom Petty's " An American Girl" without thinking about " Silence of The Lambs". This is the kind of idealistic song selection that I feel deserves some recognition. It sets the mood and the moment, and if done correctly strikes a chord in our minds, and becomes immortal in film history.

So without further ado, here are three lists, not all encompassing, but lists of some films that help illustrate my point. And they are as follows...

Movies with Killer Soundtracks

Movies with Killer Scores

Movies about Music