h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I would nominate the wonderful "Killing Moon" by Echo and the Bunnymen, used at the start of the fantastic "Donnie Darko". I knew the song well already but now it is permanently seared into my memory as being associated with the start of that film.

As I typed this, I could swear the image of Frank the Rabbit's head briefly materialised in the white of the monitor screen to the right of where I was looking. Spooky

Anyway, nominate your own. You bunch of people, you!

Zag

Though not technically a song as such, the Diva/LeeLoo scene in the Fifth Element during the Diva's performance is one of my favourite film moments of all time. The action/music interplay is just amazing.

Oooh. Good one. More than in most movies, it lets the music be in the foreground. As a kid I was always fascinated with the music from 'Star Wars'. That was the first time I recall noticing that characters had motifs.

I haven't actually seen the whole of this film (and yes, I know I should, because it is technically a classic), but when I took Film Studies in college, a couple of years back, we studied the opening scene to "Withnail and I"...not just the visuals, but also as an example of an amazing screenplay.

Anyway, I seem to remember it having the original (? not sure about that ?) instrumental version of that song the Eurythmics covered...and I'll be b****red if I can remember the title. But it is a beautiful scene : a tracking shot going left-ways over a dusty untidy room, and a dirty kitchen...and the music just sets it off perfectly.

I *will* be back to post more examples...

"Perfect Day" in Trainspotting was an ironical masterpiece.

Saturnine, it's King Curtis's sax version of "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Without the godawful pretentious lyrical content of the original, it sounds so much better.

It has to be 'Bad Moon Rising' (Creedence Clearwater Revival) in 'American Werewolf in London'

'Somewhere over the rainbow' in Face Off...

Or that Cure song, in The Crow, when he get dressed up,
'Paint your faces shadow style...'

I love it when a really gruesome scene in a movie is accompanied by a light-hearted folksy soundtrack.. it always gives it that extra chill factor.

The classic example of this I can think of is Stuck In The Middle by Steeler's Wheel, as accompanying the torture scene in Reservoir Dogs. I've seen/heard better, but I can't think of one right now.

Have you noticed how strange the music is in Termingator 2? It's not music, more of a "groan".

That scene in the 5th element was so over-the-top:

IT'S A SPACE OPERA! GET IT? OPERA! IN SPACE!

Funny, though.

Hed

Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer

(the Monkees)

At the end of the film when Shrek sees the princess as an ogre...

Very fitting..

(I'm just a big kid, I love to see the donkey sing and dance ) What a funny film!

At the end of Sid and Nancy, when Sid dances with some kids to KC and Sunshine Band 'Get down tonight'

The start of "Apocalypse Now"....

The entire musical score in South Park The Movie

Liam.

Speaking of Apocolypse Now, how cool is the 'Ride of the Valkyrie' for the helicopter scene????!!!!

I still get goosy bumps when I listen to it LOUD in surround sound!!

What about Aimee Mann's fantastic contribution to the Magnolia soundtrack? The entire film blew me away but that one scene where all the characters are singing to the same song is something special. Incredible!

Ah, choral numbers. Build Me Up - Buttercup in Something About Mary.

Liam.

'What A Wonderful World' was used quite interestingly in 'Good Morning Vietman'. Not sure whether that's me favourite though.


Geggs

I was also going to suggest Build Me Up in Something About Mary. Wonderful film


Sadly all you people who don't understand Danish have missed out on some of the masterpieces of movies about The Olsen-Gang. A criminal gang with some quite interesting methods. There is one of them where they are doing a break in in a concert hall while the orchestra is playing the 1812 overture. Brilliant. Everything is timed to fit in with the music..