Music is what makes a film stuck in the watcher's head. Of course there are epic soundtracks selling millions of copies with lead-singles containing lyrics we all heard way too often. But sometimes well-known artists contribute songs which usually don't hit the charts at all, however, in many cases it is a downright shame that they don't come out of the darkness of a cinema. Here is a little list of musical treasures hidden behind a film poster.
BONUS: Basically every song from "Once" (R: John Carney, 2007) including the Academy Award-winning "Falling Slowly". There is just nothing more to add.
10 Alexi
Murdoch – Breathe…Away We Go (R: Sam Mendes, 2009)
Alexi Murdochs songs aren't uncommon guests on soundtracks but in this movie they really show to advantage. Along with Bob Dylan and George Harrison, these smooth guitar tunes underline a great story with amazing actors perfectly.
9 Vampire
Weekend – Ottoman…Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (R: Peter Sollett, 2008)
As the title of this movie already reveals there is lots of music, not to say infinitely much. Well, a highlight amongst many is definitely the following song.
8 The Weepies
– Can’t Go Back Now…Adam (R: Max Mayer, 2009)
An independent film about two strange strangers getting together is said to be a very good basis for an amazing soundtrack. And so it is as proved beautifully by The Weepies.
7 Maroon 5 –
Come Away to the Water…The Hunger Games; Songs from District 12 and Beyond (R:
Gary Ross, 2012)
Originally written by Glen Hansard, we get a great example of a famous band with a wrongly neglected song.
6 Sigur Rós –
Hoppípolla…Penelope (R: Mark Palansky, 2006)
The film "Penelope", starring a pig-nosed Christina Ricci and James McAvoy as a broke gambler, is itself a shamefully unknown piece of art. But the magical atmosphere is not complete until these Icelandic guys start to play their haunting piano melody.
5 Iron &
Wine – Rattling Bone…The Lone Ranger; Wanted – Music Inspired by the Film (R:
Gore Verbinski, 2013)
Though "The Lone Ranger" hasn't got the very best reviews so far, it has a fairly good compilation album. Here is the evidence of what catchy tunes can be produced by unpopular blockbusters.
4 Karen O –
Strange Love…Frankenweenie; Frankenweenie: Unleashed! (R: Tim Burton, 2012)
Admittedly, Tim Burton is always looking for some hidden thoughts or strange odds and ends to form them to beautiful movies on the edge of madness. Here Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs takes with "Dirty Dancing"'s "Love is Strange" an epic soundtrack piece and makes it, adding a lot of indie and lunacy, to her very own masterpiece.
3 Franz
Ferdinand – The Lobster Quadrille…Alice in
Wonderland; Almost Alice
(R: Tim Burton, 2010)
Burton once again! But this time it is a composed poem by Lewis Carroll with the haunting vocals of Alex Kapranos. The lyrics alone are weird but this song is just oddity in music.
2 The Smiths
– Asleep…The Perks of Being a Wallflower (R: Stephen Chbosky, 2012)
Who's seen this movie or read the book it is based on knows how important and meaningful music is for all the presented characters. It was quite hard to choose only one song from this beautiful and true album but The Smiths are just a classic and "Asleep" probably one of their best-written songs.
1 The Shins –
New Slang…Garden State (R: Zach Braff, 2004)
Dr. John Dorian's directional début is a pure cinematic diamond with an amazing soundtrack. The songs are hand picked by Zach Braff himself and won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture. "New Slang" is simply a little but brilliant example of the quality of this record.
Written by Sarah Beicht