Leo's Favourite Soundtracks
For full disclosure I’m semi-famous at Sister Ray for not actually liking films very much so it’s somewhat ironic that I have felt inspired by the release of Late Night Tales’ “At The Movies" compilation (available here) to make a rundown of my 5 favourite film soundtracks (in no particular order).
Vangelis - "Blade Runner"
Probably the film that made me sit up and take notice of soundtrack composition. Can you imagine the sweeping cyberpunk landscapes of Ridley Scott’s future Los Angeles without the looming, doomy synths of Vangelis underpinning it all? Rugged industrial beats, a swooning love theme and waves of electronic sound that simultaneously inspire beauty and dread. Perfection.
Curtis Mayfield - "Superfly"
One of those soundtracks-as-albums that is easy to separate from the film it scored. Nonetheless as far as the canon of blaxploitation films and music goes “Superfly” rules the roost. From the iconic, upbeat groove of the title track to the laid back, effortless cool of “Pusherman” and the urgent, pulsing “Give Me Your Love’ this set is a high watermark for both ‘70s funk and film scores. I love when the main character simply slides into a cafe to watch Curtis and band perform the entirety of “Pusherman” mid-film.
Bernard Herrman - "Taxi Driver"
When I was a teenager I had the impression that “Taxi Driver” was some kind of video nasty that was going to be shockingly brutal and gory. What I found was a brooding and slow-paced meditation on the effects of war, crime, loneliness, capitalism, gender politics, exploitation etc. etc. that I was far too young to understand. The music instantly hit me though - that slowly speeding snare building to a crescendo of jazz-chord horns in the intro credits as a bleak and rainy New York blurs by. I would frequently revisit the soundtrack before I even decided to get to grips with the film.
Various - "The Big Lebowski"
A mixtape-as-soundtrack can be a classless affair but the Coen brothers really nailed it on this one. Obviously the bowling dream to Kenny Rogers is a clear high point but the entire selection reflects the oddness of the film perfectly and I’m pretty sure provided me with a formative introduction to the music of Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones (via Townes Van Zandt) and Moondog in one 90 or so minute period.
Herbie Hancock - "The Spook Who Sat By The Door"
This unbelievable and relatively obscure 1973 film sees the CIA forced to reluctantly recruit a black agent to show diversity in the agency. The successful candidate, Dan Freeman, eventually resigns from the agency and the film switches from its somewhat comedic set-up to what turns out to be an incendiary story about the black power movement of the 1960s-70s. Freeman takes his CIA training and uses it to train the predominantly black citizens of his former neighbourhood in Chicago in guerrilla warfare against the police and national guard. The backing features Hancock’s synth-laden and funk driven jazz fusion at its absolute finest.
