Remarkably, several of my favorite movie soundtracks are from films noir. Remarkably, but perhaps not unexpectably? Aren't films noir highly dependent on atmosphere to convey many aspects of tone and character? What more direct way than through music? Yet I don't think of film noir immediately when I think of great movie music and I have never read much about this specific aspect of them. To the contrary, I read or heard in a commentary that many of them make rather sparing use of music (with some notable exceptions, like Laura).
In which films noir do think the most effective use of music is made? Do you have any favorite soundtracks or themes?
My Top Five favorite film noir themes:
1. Laura
2. This Gun for Hire
3. Key Largo
4. On Dangerous Ground
5. The Big Sleep
The Music of Noir
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MissGoddess
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The Music of Noir
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
-- Will Rogers
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movieman1957
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Miss G
Not the movie scores, but the theme tune of The Sweeney was as hard hitting as the action that followed. Interestingly every episode ended with a quieter version of the soundtrack
Again a UK tv tune, this time Van Der Valk, starring Barry Foster, a name I think you're familiar with, as Belgium dectective Van Der Valk. The theme called Eye Level was a massive UK hit, staying at No 1 in the UK charts for several weeks. If anything the theme tune is more remebered than the pouplar series
The Man Who Haunted Himself. It's interesting that I was able to remember the theme tune 30-yrs after seeing the film, until I caught it on You Tube. Talking of Roger Moore, the Saint theme, as whistled by George Sanders in the Saint films was written by the writer of the Saint books and clearly influenced the exciting theme that complemented Roger in the 60s series. John Barry also had a huge UK hit with Roger and Tony Curtis' The Persuaders.
Of course there's the Bond Theme and it's various songs for each film
North By Northwest
Not the movie scores, but the theme tune of The Sweeney was as hard hitting as the action that followed. Interestingly every episode ended with a quieter version of the soundtrack
Again a UK tv tune, this time Van Der Valk, starring Barry Foster, a name I think you're familiar with, as Belgium dectective Van Der Valk. The theme called Eye Level was a massive UK hit, staying at No 1 in the UK charts for several weeks. If anything the theme tune is more remebered than the pouplar series
The Man Who Haunted Himself. It's interesting that I was able to remember the theme tune 30-yrs after seeing the film, until I caught it on You Tube. Talking of Roger Moore, the Saint theme, as whistled by George Sanders in the Saint films was written by the writer of the Saint books and clearly influenced the exciting theme that complemented Roger in the 60s series. John Barry also had a huge UK hit with Roger and Tony Curtis' The Persuaders.
Of course there's the Bond Theme and it's various songs for each film
North By Northwest
Besides the ones Ken123 picked (*3 of which are Lancaster Films)
Certain music makes the film. Like Elmer Bernstein's music in 1990's "The Grifters" sometimes I can't get that tune out of my head. Also Anton Karas haunting Zither in "The Third Man" and lastly Victor Young's music in films like "I Walk Alone", The Accused" and "Rope of Sand" to name a few.
Bill (vallo)
Certain music makes the film. Like Elmer Bernstein's music in 1990's "The Grifters" sometimes I can't get that tune out of my head. Also Anton Karas haunting Zither in "The Third Man" and lastly Victor Young's music in films like "I Walk Alone", The Accused" and "Rope of Sand" to name a few.
Bill (vallo)
"We're all forgotten sooner or later. But not films. That's all the memorial we should need or hope for."
-Burt Lancaster
-Burt Lancaster
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MissGoddess
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Ava is very soft on the eyes - But I actually prefer Yvonne in Criss Cross and Elle in Brute force.MissGoddess wrote:Could Ava's performance also be a "vital element" for you in the above movie?ken123 wrote: The Killers(1946)
Thank Miss G - for the great thread. Music is a vital element in my enjoyment of noir.
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MissGoddess
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1. SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957) Elmer Bernstein's pulsating score resonates beautifully alongside Chico Hamilton's evocative live nightclub sequences. This soundtrack is now available on CD as a UK import on EL / Cherry Red Records. If you're a fan of this film, it's an absolute necessity.
2. PICK UP ON SOUTH STREET (1953) From the moment this film starts, the brilliant score, composed by Leigh Harline (under the musical direction of Lionel Newman) nearly dominates the proceedings. Nearly. Because this is a Samuel Fuller movie after all.
3. TOUCH OF EVIL (1958) That pompous revisionist Walter Murch did no one any favors when he eviscerated much of Henry Mancini's fantastic music from Welles' classic film. Try getting ahold of the Laser Disc version that came out sometime in the 1980s; it's far superior (imho) to the version that's currently available. The soundtrack is also available on CD.
4. ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1952) Bernard Hermann is one of my favorite film composers and his brilliant score for Nicholas Ray's film is probably my favorite of all his great compositions.
5. DECOY (1946) This poverty row Monogram noir has quite a few unforgettable things going for it, most notably actress Jean Gillie's mindblowing performance and the relatively unknown Bernard J. Kay's haunting score. Other than Ulmer's DETOUR (with a similarly mesmerizing score by Leo Erdody) it's hard to conjure up an ultra-low budget film with such a memorable score.
6. KISS ME DEADLY (1955) Frank DeVol created quite a moody score for Aldrich's anti-private eye epic. It's impossible for me not to be swept under the current of this film's music, especially the opening theme as sung by Nat King Cole, beautifully reprised later in the film by blues singer Kitty White.
2. PICK UP ON SOUTH STREET (1953) From the moment this film starts, the brilliant score, composed by Leigh Harline (under the musical direction of Lionel Newman) nearly dominates the proceedings. Nearly. Because this is a Samuel Fuller movie after all.
3. TOUCH OF EVIL (1958) That pompous revisionist Walter Murch did no one any favors when he eviscerated much of Henry Mancini's fantastic music from Welles' classic film. Try getting ahold of the Laser Disc version that came out sometime in the 1980s; it's far superior (imho) to the version that's currently available. The soundtrack is also available on CD.
4. ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1952) Bernard Hermann is one of my favorite film composers and his brilliant score for Nicholas Ray's film is probably my favorite of all his great compositions.
5. DECOY (1946) This poverty row Monogram noir has quite a few unforgettable things going for it, most notably actress Jean Gillie's mindblowing performance and the relatively unknown Bernard J. Kay's haunting score. Other than Ulmer's DETOUR (with a similarly mesmerizing score by Leo Erdody) it's hard to conjure up an ultra-low budget film with such a memorable score.
6. KISS ME DEADLY (1955) Frank DeVol created quite a moody score for Aldrich's anti-private eye epic. It's impossible for me not to be swept under the current of this film's music, especially the opening theme as sung by Nat King Cole, beautifully reprised later in the film by blues singer Kitty White.
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Ann Harding
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He is one of my favourite film musician anyway! 
Mike said: "Bernard Herrmann's music for "On Dangerous Ground"
might be his most underrated score...I can't imagine the movie without it."
Absolutely! Here's a clip in which someone ingeniously re-cut Bernard
Hermann's thrilling opening theme from ON DANGEROUS GROUND
to the theatrical trailer for EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS!!
[youtube][/youtube]
might be his most underrated score...I can't imagine the movie without it."
Absolutely! Here's a clip in which someone ingeniously re-cut Bernard
Hermann's thrilling opening theme from ON DANGEROUS GROUND
to the theatrical trailer for EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS!!
[youtube][/youtube]
Last edited by Dewey1960 on March 8th, 2009, 10:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
music
Good topic, Miss G.
There have been movies where the background music did as much for the film as the story, 'Till We Meet Again", ' The Third Man', ''Four Daughters'.
As Ken mentioned the music for 'the Killers' was very effecttive. as for noir, I thought 'Stella by Starlight' fit the mood very well in ''the Uninvited'.
.... mel'
There have been movies where the background music did as much for the film as the story, 'Till We Meet Again", ' The Third Man', ''Four Daughters'.
As Ken mentioned the music for 'the Killers' was very effecttive. as for noir, I thought 'Stella by Starlight' fit the mood very well in ''the Uninvited'.
.... mel'