Absolutely agree with The Last Picture Show for an introduction to Hank Williams. A Clockwork Orange for Beethoven and Excalibur for Wagner.
Movies employing music in a great way.
I find certain directors are more aware of great music, and of how to integrate it into their films, than are others. Jim Jarmusch, Martin Scorsese, The Coen Brothers, and David Lynch come to mind. But maybe my favorite use of music is in the movie The Last Picture Show; lots of Hank Williams on the radio in the old pickup truck driven in the movie, perfectly reflecting the grim, dying small-town and sepia-hued Texas landscape.
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Lots of good comments above. Among the recommendations I am familiar with I would particularly second "The Last Picture Show" (a great film even apart from the music), "American Graffiti," and "The Blues Brothers." Regarding the latter, although I recognize that aside from the music it could legitimately be considered to be "a silly comedy," as stated above, on each of the several occasions my PhD wife and I have watched it we have enjoyed it immensely as comedy as well as for the music. A thread such as this would not be complete, however, without prominent mention of "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," a classic 1964 romantic French film directed by Jacques Demy and starring Catherine Deneuve, in which every word is sung rather than spoken. The music having been composed by Michel Legrand. Best regards, -- Al |
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