At Lightning100, we have more than one skill. Not only can we listen to things, but we can also see things. Sometimes, we do both! Today, those skills will be put to the test; by sharing our favorite movie soundtracks.
Syd’s Pick – Daft Punk TRON: Legacy
As a member of the first generation born on the internet, I feel it is only natural to have a spiritual connection to cyber-sci-fi. When I was a kid, my babysitter played a loop of Daft Punk, Deadmau5, and Skrillex on our way to get ice cream. I knew every word of the Discovery album before I knew all 50 states and capitals. On the other hand, my father is a huge sci-fi fan. Star Wars, Star Trek, and (obviously) Tron were in my DNA from birth. So when this soundtrack and movie were released, I was convinced it was made for me.
This album is just… good. Daft Punk are master of electric/French house music, responsible for ushering in a whole new generation of synth music to mainstream media. For the film, they decided to combine orchestral instruments with digital instruments, a different direction from their normal style. The duo does an exceptional job of turning music into stories, with climaxes and exposition in each song. My personal favorites include the “End Titles” and “Sunrise Prelude”
The project won “Best Original Score” from the Austin Film Critics Association and Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film by the International Film Music Critics Association. It was also nominated for Best Score Soundtrack Album for Visual Media at the 54th Grammys. The album debuted at no.10 in the U.S., marking Daft Punk’s first top 10 release in America.
The album might not be groundbreaking, but it certainly felt life-changing as a kid. The scores are breathtaking, and each track puts you inside a computer chip. Plus, it just sounds really cool.
Dylan’s Pick – School of Rock Soundtrack
I thought this would be a difficult pick… until I remembered this movie. When I first watched School of Rock, I was probably 4 years old and had no idea of the impact it was already creating. I grew up in a house that listened to music, but this movie had a sporadic way of exposing me to so much music I love to this day. The Who, The Doors, Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Ramones were all central pieces to this movie and have become some of my favorite artists as I’ve grown up.
I love how a movie about teaching rock n’ roll to kids transcended the movie and was exactly what was happening to me through the movie screen. “Substitute” started my love for The Who, “Immigrant Song” was the first Zeppelin song I ever heard, and “My Brain is Hanging Upside Down” has always been a favorite song of mine. Not to mention, all of the imagery around the music made all of it seem so much cooler to a young kid. There was a lot of music I liked later in life, then realizing it was this movie that first showed me it.
In 2004, the soundtrack was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture. It was also nominated for Best Soundtrack Album at the 2004 Teens Choice Awards. It ended up peaking at number 6 on the US Billboard Top Soundtracks. Despite the lack of critical acclaim, the soundtrack was something special that many across the world connected with.
Possibly the coolest part about this soundtrack is that a few of the songs are real recordings of the child actors playing the songs. Not only were they great actors, but they casted truly incredible musicians for their age and it just adds to the rock energy of the movie.
Natalie’s Pick: Dazed and Confused
Alright, alright, alright! I’ve been waiting my whole life for someone to ask me what my favorite movie soundtrack is. This cult classic has been my favorite movie for a while now, in large part because of its soundtrack. Chock full of 70s classics from Aerosmith to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dazed and Confused has it all. It’s the perfect accompaniment to this coming-of-age stoner flick about the last day of school and the first night of summer in 1976.
As a teenager, this soundtrack introduced me to a whole new world of music. I played “Slow Ride” by Foghat and “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith on repeat after seeing this movie and made it my whole personality. I wasn’t too familiar with 70s music before and this had me obsessed. I still listen to this soundtrack quite frequently, especially in the summer.
There really is a great variety of 70s tunes on this soundtrack: Seals and Crofts, ZZ Top, Bob Dylan, Alice Cooper, War, Ted Nugent, The Runaways, Steve Miller Band, and more! It perfectly encapsulates what a Texas summer day in 1976 as a teenager would feel like. When I listen to this soundtrack I feel like an angsty stoned teenager, telling my football coach: “I gotta get goin’. Me and my “loser” friends, you know, we gotta get Aerosmith tickets. Top priority of the summer.”
If you haven’t seen this movie or listened to the soundtrack, do yourself a favor and get on that. It’ll transport you right back to 1976 and bring you all the summer feels. And remember, “You just gotta keep livin’ man, L-I-V-I-N.”
Zack’s Pick: High Fidelity
I think the word sleazeball comes to mind for this pick. Or maybe slacker. Oh! Or just plain loser. Well, if John Cusack had been into Radiohead, he would have told me that I’m a weirdo, what the hell am I doing here? The movie is 2000’s High Fidelity and I think working at a radio station is a lot like working at a record store. Am I the Rob Gordon of the Volume.com studio? Please tell me I’m not.
Looking past the many flaws and missing moral compass of the main character, he does have great taste in music. His apartment is (literally) littered with niche and stunning records and band posters, even a pavement poster (but no pavement in the soundtrack, what were they thinking?). What we do get in the official soundtrack though does not disappoint. Classics ranging from the Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, Love, Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder, and the Kinks to newcomers Stereolab, Smog, Sheila Nichols (with a track written for the film that is a great standalone effort), and Jack Black (don’t knock him till you try him).
I love these tracks not just because I want to be pretentious and fit in with the indie kids, but also for their placement. Each needle drop was exciting to experience and felt like a perfect broken-in leather jacket, kinda like the one Cusack wears. Side note: the costume design in this film is incredible. So grungy, so Chicago, but no grunge music! I guess they missed that boat by about three or four years.
Is John Cusack a bad guy in this movie? Probably, definitely, most likely. But you can’t help but root for the guy, everybody loves an underdog right? He’s just like you and me, except he thinks has better music taste than all of us and he will be very loud about it.
