Week 5
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In this week’s blog, I want to share with you my top 3 favorite movie soundtracks. These are not necessarily my most favorite movies in the world but I believe the soundtrack enhanced the film, and with that, I feel it is most relevant to my topics about SOUND. Because SOUND enhances all experiences.
#3 Florida Project
“The Florida Project” is a critically acclaimed independent drama film directed by Sean Baker, who made one of my favorite movies of all time, Tangerine, known for its impressive cinematography and authentic portrayal of childhood innocence and poverty featuring Willem Dafoe. Hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Highly recommend it!
However, the film’s greatest strength lies in its musical score. The movie’s soundtrack is a beautiful collection of upbeat and nostalgic tunes that perfectly capture the carefree spirit of childhood. The songs are mostly from the 60s and 70s, featuring iconic artists such as The Kinks and The Jackson 5, creating a timeless feel to the film. The film’s use of music is masterful, and it adds a layer of depth and meaning to the story, making it one of the most memorable aspects of the movie.
My favorite track is in the final scene, “Celebration – Academy Studio Orchestra” the audio alone will put you to tears. The scene perfectly syncs with the orchestra piece, here it is below:
#2 Hereditary
Hereditary, directed by Ari Aster, is a horror film practically known for its haunting and unsettling sound design. The movie’s soundtrack, composed by Colin Stetson captures the sense of dread and tension throughout the film. Stetson’s use of dissonant strings, percussion, and eerie electronic sounds creates an unsettling atmosphere that immerses the viewer in the film’s world.
When I first saw this movie and heard the tracks, I thought back to a song that forever scared me from the movie Sinister, a music composer Ulver delivered a similar style. In both cases, the soundtracks were not just background music, but an integral part of the movie’s storytelling. The use of sound, including the score, sound effects, and silence, plays a crucial role in building tension and creating scares. The sound design of Hereditary is a masterclass in how music and sound can enhance a film’s narrative and emotional impact, making it one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time in my opinion.
Check out how the songs below share similarities:
If you like to sleep peacefully at night, don't watch this movie.
Vivian's personal opinion on Hereditary
#1 The Last of Us
Now for my number one, I have to give it to Last of Us. Now I recognize this is not a movie but a video game and show adaptation. I just couldn’t leave it out because of its exceptional soundtrack.
Composed by Argentina’s Gustavo Santaolalla, the score captures the post-apocalyptic world of the story with haunting melodies and sparse instrumentation that creates a sense of loneliness and desperation in a world of Clickers, or most known in our world as, zombies. Santaolalla’s use of acoustic guitar, piano, and strings is both subtle and evocative, lending a sense of gravitas to the story’s themes of survival, loss, and hope.
The music is also used strategically to enhance key moments in the show’s narrative, from tense action sequences to poignant character moments, it’s interesting the main theme is played over and over again throughout the video game and the show but each version is unique.
Overall, the soundtrack of The Last of Us is a masterclass in the power of music to enhance storytelling, making it one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time and number one on this list.
Vivian is 23 years old, currently studying Digital Content Creation. She specializes in Digital Design & enjoys all forms of art.
She dedicates her time to creating her own forms of art and collaborating with other artists and individuals to execute art projects.