My favourite music performances in film.

I love a good soundtrack to a film. I believe a good soundtrack is absolutely essential in making a film work, music does make the world a better place after all. When music and film are put together, it's an explosion of memorable moments. Here are my favourite music moments in film.

Almost Famous- Tiny Dancer.  

After Russell Hammond’s acid induced breakdown, Stillwater’s tour manager drags him onto the bus filled with his angry band mates and the band aids. As they drive off the tension is high, with Elton John’s Tiny Dancer playing in the back. The tension suddenly fades, everybody nodding their head along to the beat. That’s when Larry (played by Mark Kozelek) starts singing loud, starting off one of the most memorable singalongs in film history. As the scene ends all the tension has faded away. This scene is a perfect example of how music can change any mood.

 Hedwig and The Angry Inch - Origin of Love. 

Of course a musical about a rock and roll band from Berlin is gonna have great music but Origin of Love is truly worth the mention . The song is based on Plato’s Symposium and the speech by Aristophanes, which he talks about how long ago humans were actually joined together and The Gods were angry and cut us apart. Now we spend our time looking for our other half, hoping to be joined together again. Before the song is performed, we hear about Hedwig’s theory about finding her “other half” and how she thinks that hers was Tommy Gnosis but he’s made it as a rock star, taking her song catalogue with him. While most of the scene is filled up with awesome animation, the one moment that makes the moment worthy is the verse where the camera stays on Hedwig, singing “the last time I saw you, we just split in two” holding back her tears. I could go on about this scene forever, John Cameron Mitchell is amazing.

Christiane F - Station to Station.

Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo or Christiane F as it is known in the UK is the ultimate “don’t take drugs, this is what happens” story.  You might think the teenagers in this film look absolutely cool in their cool 80s gear but nobody is cooler than David Bowie. The teenager druggies all go to a Bowie concert in the film and when the camera does a tracking shot around Bowie before he comes on stage, you get chills. The scene shows Christiane having her life changing concert experience and we experience it too. 

Romeo and Juliet- Kissing You. 

 Even we can admit the story of Romeo and Juliet is the most abused story arc of all time, but Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 remake of the story is the only one worth watching. Set in modern Verona, it swaps the horses for fast cars and swords for guns. Lucky for us, the soundtrack was also modernised. It would be unfair to dismiss the rest of the soundtrack because it is absolutely fantastic, however there is always one moment to guarentee the chills: Romeo and Juliet’s first meet. The song heightens the emotional impact of this scene and can turn even the biggest pessemist in love at first sight (aka me) into a believer. It’s the most simple of songs, a lullably if you will, but it’s one of the greatest love songs of all time. If the amazing performance by Des'ree doesn't win you over, I'm sure Paul Rudd's awesome dancing to this song will.