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If you didn't recognize this main-title music, you'd know right away it's some kind of spunky chick flick about starting over after a divorce. I'm kidding. The point is that there's no mistaking what you're in for once you hear it. The Mina-title music for Tim Burton's Beetlejuice worked just as well this way; ditto Ed Wood. This track gets you excited and in the mood besides. There are dozens of others that have done this; perhaps some recently. Examples?
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 23, 2008 at 01:51 PM
comment #1
tophertilson ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/nav-commenters.gif)
says ...
The opening instrumental of "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" was unsurprisingly the perfect mood setter. Danny Elfman for grown-ups.
Posted by tophertilson at March 23, 2008 02:26 PM
comment #2
Balthazar says ...
Jonny Greenwood. There Will Be Blood. Opening scene in the desert.
Perfect.
Posted by Balthazar at March 23, 2008 02:28 PM
comment #3
mutinyco says ...
Jeff, when's the last time you were in Poughkeepsie?...
Posted by mutinyco at March 23, 2008 02:34 PM
comment #4
George Prager says ...
I love it when bleak 70s movie like STRAIGHT TIME begin with a blowsy jazzy score that tries to lull the leisure suit wearers in the audience into thinking that they're about to see some kind of a wacky romp.
Posted by George Prager at March 23, 2008 02:37 PM
comment #5
Rich S. says ...
Much as many might hate to admit it, Danny Elfman is probably the king of this sort of thing. His opening theme for Mars Attacks! is terrific. So is This is Halloween from Nightmare Before Christmas. So is the Batman theme, etc.
Posted by Rich S. at March 23, 2008 02:39 PM
comment #6
Rich S. says ...
Also, Ennio Morricone's theme from The Untouchables sets the perfect mood.
Posted by Rich S. at March 23, 2008 02:41 PM
comment #7
siowafc says ...
I thought the opening score to Alexandre Despalt's snubbed "The Painted Veil" worked perfectly to draw one into the story.
Posted by siowafc at March 23, 2008 02:46 PM
comment #8
Balthazar says ...
Speaking of Ennio Morricone, there's "Once Upon a Time in America" .... and there's also John Carpenter's original "Halloween" theme. ... John Williams of course has much superb work, but two soundtracks that set the tone in the opening notes are "Superman" and "Catch Me If You Can" ...
Posted by Balthazar at March 23, 2008 03:00 PM
comment #9
Geoff says ...
The opening music of BEETLEJUICE is brilliant.
Posted by Geoff at March 23, 2008 03:05 PM
comment #10
scooterzz says ...
nice calls on all of the above.....and i've always thought the music and titles of 'man with the golden arm' were a perfect set-up........
Posted by scooterzz at March 23, 2008 04:02 PM
comment #11
fitzthecat says ...
The opening title of Inside Man, Chaiyya Chaiyya, absolutely blew me away.
Posted by fitzthecat at March 23, 2008 04:33 PM
comment #12
moviemaniac2002 says ...
This is going' back a little, but check out
Quincy Jones main title for a 1969 Sidney
Poitier filmed-in-Philly crime thriller "The
Lost Man" Jones takes a children's chorus
chanting a jump-rope rhyme and layers it
with increasingly ominous orchestral shadings.
Brilliant and chilling. Very similar to Leonard
Rosenman's blood-freezing main title music
to the Richard Burton/Liz Taylor-Hell-in-Haiti
"The Comedians"...an sparkling lethal cockitail that
mixes murderous calpyso bongos with schoodgirls chanting "Duvalier..Protector Of Haiti
...President For Life!"
Posted by moviemaniac2002 at March 23, 2008 05:42 PM
comment #13
joemart says ...
Not to mention "Q's" wonderful closing moments to THE HOT ROCK. I beleive there was a strike on at the time and Q went into the recording studio himself and layed the track down...at least that's how it was told to me by one of the producers...
Posted by joemart at March 23, 2008 07:28 PM
Posted by lipranzer at March 23, 2008 08:35 PM
comment #15
btwnproductions says ...
Desplat's score for VEIL is most effective, but credit is also due Erik Satie. It's sort of a "greatest hits" sampler, much as his fibe score for CASANOVA is a Baroque-period Top of the Pops.
I'm not sure how Stephen Sondheim would feel about being tagged as "Danny Elfman for grownups"...Elfman's score for Errol Morris' SOP is good but overly insistent.
Some good examples here but not much that's really recent. ATONEMENT has stayed with me. It's the only one of the Oscar nominees that clicked.
One I loved from the opening bars: John Barry's ENIGMA (2002), I think his last credit to date. Then agan he's my favorite film composer.
Posted by btwnproductions at March 23, 2008 08:54 PM
comment #16
MAGGA says ...
Close Encounters, E.T.
Posted by MAGGA at March 23, 2008 09:21 PM
comment #17
Major Calloway says ...
BTWN, I'm with with you on ATONEMENT....when I heard track 10 in the theater I knew I was buying the CD. And I'm also with you on John Barry. I can identify his compositions more easily than any other film composer. Here's my personal favorite of his:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nVVyhGqvJmM&feature=related
And Lipranzer, count me in on any love for MILLER'S CROSSING.
Some of my own faves:
The. Most. Perfect. Fit....Ever.
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Tone, genre, and year made:
BULLITT
Tone, genre, and source material (wish I had found more than 30 seconds....could it cut out at a more frustrating moment?):
FAR FROM HEAVEN
Please excuse me while I go watch this clip again:
JEREMIAH JOHNSON
And this may not be the best example, but for some reason I'm particularly fond of this one:
THE THIRD MAN
Posted by Major Calloway at March 23, 2008 09:42 PM
comment #18
Major Calloway says ...
Well, clearly someone needs to work on his linking skills. My URLS seem to have been stripped out. Here they are, for anyone who might care:
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3PETEgnaXcg
BULLITT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP42mm-qkl4
FAR FROM HEAVEN
http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B00006WKXT001001/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_001
JEREMIAH JOHNSON
http://youtube.com/watch?v=le0PV1I-T9U
THE THIRD MAN
http://youtube.com/watch?v=n4JpDUMXBqo&feature=related
Dammit.
Posted by Major Calloway at March 23, 2008 09:55 PM
comment #19
moviemaniac2002 says ...
I love this topic...more greats - try Jaques
Louissier's weird, thumping theme for the
Congo mercenary shoot-em up "Dark Of The
Sun"...Jerry Goldsmith's dirge-of-doorm for
John Frankenheimer's "Seconds"...and
Goldsmith's punchy little theme for "Rio Conchos"
- which is I think the last Western score that
seriously used whip cracks before Mel Brooks
rendered them forever silly in "Blazing Saddles"
For pure overblown nonsense (but catchy as
hell, just try to get them out of your head) listen
to Dusan Radic's blaring themes to two of the
mid-60's cheesiest epics - "The Long Ships" and
"Genghis Khan".
Posted by moviemaniac2002 at March 23, 2008 10:54 PM
comment #20
christian says ...
Moviemaniac, I have the actual soundtrack lp for THE LOST MAN for two reasons: Quincy Jones, and the badass image of Poiter in shades on the cover.
I'm a big fan of John Barry's stirring music for THE LAST VALLEY, a little-seen cool epic with Michael Caine:
Posted by christian at March 23, 2008 11:14 PM
comment #21
bryce_david says ...
Ennio Morricone's opening theme music for Bird with the Crystal Plumage always gives me chills! Melodious and menacing!
Posted by bryce_david at March 23, 2008 11:30 PM
comment #22
mrchriswell says ...
I was recently lamenting with someone how nobody does strong title themes anymore, citing Pelham 123 as a prime example of the form. Alfred Newman's Airport had a big effect on me as a kid and remains the only aspect of that movie that doesn't suck ass. Jerry Goldsmith was extraordinary at this. Capricorn One, Boys from Brazil, even the damn Swarm promise a great deal during the opening credits thanks to Jerry. Also enjoyed Dave Grusin's left field choice of opening The Firm with that jaunty piano rag.
Two more and I'm done, Q's They Call Me Mr. Tibbs and Williams' Towering Inferno.
Posted by mrchriswell at March 24, 2008 06:56 AM
comment #23
feralkid says ...
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Elmer Bernstein's "To Kill A Mockingbird " score. One of the best openings with the child humming and drawing with the simple score in the background.
Posted by feralkid at March 24, 2008 10:48 AM
comment #24
Major Calloway says ...
And no one has mentioned the absolute, hands-down, no-contest best example....perhaps because nobody wanted to state the obvious.
Posted by Major Calloway at March 24, 2008 12:28 PM
Posted by Major Calloway at March 24, 2008 02:05 PM
comment #26
Hallick says ...
Carter Burwell's opening music for Barton Fink and Fargo, although I think he set the bar well out of reach with Fink's theme.
Posted by Hallick at March 24, 2008 02:52 PM
comment #27
Rod32303 says ...
Elmer Berstein's perfect score for Scorsese's "The Age Of Innocence" gave what we then saw...as did Dave Grusin's scotch-on-the-rocks score for "The Fabulous Baker Boys."
Posted by Rod32303 at March 24, 2008 04:41 PM
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