Movie Soundtracks

I got rhythm...and was born to be wild...everything free in America for a small fee in America...glad to have you be the wind beneath my wings..ahh fame I want to live forever - people remember my name

As we, sadly for me oh so sadly for me, move into the end of summer I was thinking of the many summer movies that I have loved over the years.  I am big fan of the movies and they are one of the things I have missed going to on a regular basis since I had children.  I like small independent movies, domestic and foreign movies, some big blockbusters, and the whole amazing process that goes into making them.  My best friend studied film and I was one of the chosen few (this is where a sarcasm font would be so welcomed) who helped her when she made her films.  For such a marvel they are still quite manual, yes even the over financed ones.  Scenes are shot over and over and over again, sound is added to the visual, editing takes forever, and the smooth and seamless transition you see on the screen is done with blood, sweat, tears, cigarettes and buckets of coffee.  Did I mention the equipment is heavy and for amateur film makers the filming usually happens a lot at night as they cannot afford to rent out daytime spaces as easily?! So lucky for Elli her friends (aka unpaid crew) were all young enough to work their day jobs and these all nighters when she needed us.  Okay, okay the ham and wanna be actor in all of us appreciated our 15 seconds immortalized on celluloid too. (cause we were crew, extras, and even stars).  Ready for my close up Mr. Demille.


The thing I like about the movies besides the actual movie is that at times there is a great soundtrack.  To a lover of music this is a bonus.  Soundtracks over the years have been everything from instrumental tunes that we can all identify (ta dum, ta dum, ta dum ta dum...do it fast you can almost see the shark fin coming at you)....the pounding symphony of Darth Vader walking and the lightness of the orchestra of the opening credits (music as good and bad guy).....the electronic beats of Close Encounters...the smile from a younger man that has me hearing "God bless you dear Mrs Robinson"...  Even if you never saw the movies if you live in the Western world (and probably with satellite anywhere else now) you have at least heard these.  Then there are the soundtracks that have become classics black and white goodies from Fred/Ginger,"Casablanca", "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "Singing in the Rain", "Sound of Music", "West Side Story", "Grease", "Dirty Dancing" am sure those of us who love movies have a huge list that we can easily bring up.  There are soundtracks that are a part of a moment in my life "Breakfast Club", "Pretty in Pink", "Purple Rain",  "Singles"...no one is saying there was great music on these and I am not saying there wasn't all I think is that hearing songs from any of these takes me back not only to the movie but to the place in time that it held in my life.


How many times have you had a moment where you wish you had a soundtrack...the first kiss...the first time you are intimate with someone....a passionate moment...a breakup.....just running for the train.  As an only child with an active imagination I have these in my head with the stories I have had running in there for years.  No I do not need to check self into Creedmore...or do I Nurse Ratchet???  As summer ends the soundtrack that I often think of is Grease...with it's catchy opening tune of summer ending and fall starting....it is cheesy, it is commercial, it is something that makes me smile.  In the end I like the movies for the places they let my imagination take me and the soundtracks for keeping that going long after the closing credits have rolled past.

Loose, footloose, kick off your Sunday shoes....'cause we are livin all our lives in gangsta paradise....lose yourself in the music you want it....still like that old time rock and roll the kind of music that soothes your soul..after all I've had the time of my life...and nobody does it better makes you feel sad for the rest...

Comments

Popular Posts