To say one of Quentin Tarantino's best skills as a director is his ability to pick the perfect song to go with a scene is not a unique opinion. Since he first hit the scene in the early 90's he wasted no time in building a reputation as a filmmaker who meticulously curates the music that helps orchestrate the wide range of emotions he looks to evoke in his movies. In his first four films alone he used over 100 different tracks were used.
If you're watching one of his movies and you notice the crackle and pop of a vinyl recording, it's because the song you're hearing came directly from his expansive record collection. To call them soundtracks would almost be a misnomer. He assembles his film's tracks more like a playlist, something that would stand alone as a great compilation had it not already been defined by the iconic imagery of his movies. From pop to surf rock to soul to scores from other films, QT's eclectic taste in music matches the diverse array of films he's made.
While we can officially start looking forwardto what choices he'll make for The Hateful Eight, let's narrow down the ten moments that Tarantino best captured cinematic perfection through music.
Image courtesy of: INFphoto.com
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10. Jim Croce - "I Got A Name" (Django Unchained)
Django was a bit of a departure for Tarantino musically, but I suppose he was predictably unpredictable in his choices. He's hasn't been a stranger to using songs that were inappropriate for a certain period, but it's unlikely that anyone was expecting to hear both Rick Ross and a mash-up of Tupac and James Brown when they went to the theater for a slave-era spaghetti western. But the best musical moment came when Django and Dr. Schultz set off on their journey to the tune of Jim Croce's 1973 "I Got A Name." Both humorous and uplifting, it transforms Django into a buddy road trip movie for two scenic minutes.
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9. Nancy Sinatra - "Bang Bang" (Kill Bill Vol. 1)
Every one of QT's movies opens with a song that properly sets the tone, and Kill Bill is no exception. With the help of RZA from Wu Tang, as well as director Robert Rodriguez, Quentin put together his strongest lineup of music ever for Kill Bill volumes 1 & 2. Following a chilling interaction between The Bride and Bill, we are happy to sit and reflect during the opening credits while listening to Nancy Sinatra's obscure Cher cover.
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8. Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich - "Hold Tight" (Death Proof)
Much like a song that will pop up later on this list, Tarantino uses a toe-tapping pop tune to juxtapose against the impending doom of the characters on screen. Quentin knows what sadistic fun his audience is looking for, and he gives them just that with a view from every angle of Stunt Man Mike's legendary head-on collision.
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7. The Delfonics - "Didn't I Blow Your Mind" (Jackie Brown)
It would be just as easy to choose Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street," but Jackie Brown gave us an unusual look at romance and infatuation in a Tarantino-directed movie, and he nails it. After being turned onto a Delfonics song by Jackie Brown (Pam Grier), a smitten bail bond agent Max Cherry (Robert Forster) runs out to grab a copy for himself to cruise around and daydream to, and it's hard not to feel those middle-school butterflies right along with him.
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6. Chuck Berry - "You Never Can Tell" (Pulp Fiction)
With this one, the song makes the scene just as much as the scene makes the song. Tarantino used Pulp Fiction as an opportunity to not only resurrect the career of John Travolta, but to also bring back Chuck Berry's 1964 hit from relative obscurity. Vincent and Mia's twist-off at Jack Rabbit Slims ice just the ice breaker to a train wreck of a night.
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5. The Coasters - "Down In Mexico" (Death Proof)
If you're going to take three minutes out of your movie to dedicate to a skeevy old serial killer being writhed upon then A.) you'll likely find few actress that can dance better than Vanessa Ferlito, and B.) you definitely won't find a better song for her to dance to. Played from QT's actual personal juke box, The Coasters fit perfectly to make this steamy/creepy scene as steamy/creepy as it is.
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4. Dick Dale and the Deltones - "Miserlou" (Pulp Fiction)
Long after it was composed as a Greek folk song, and well before The Black Eyed Peas sampled it, "Miserlou" was used to pull viewers in and set the tone in Pulp Fiction.
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3. George Baker Selection - "Little Green Bag" (Reservoir Dogs)
Yet another opening title song, and easily the most memorable one. Voiced by Steven Wright, you almost wish K-Billy's Super Sounds of the Seventies would intro every song Tarantino decides to play. This is the perfect example of what makes Quentin so brilliant with music. It would be easier for another filmmaker to take the same imagery-the herd of criminals in sharp black suits and sunglasses striding in slow motion-and overdo it with a more intense or intimidating track. Instead, the bopping Dutch pop-rock song makes the scene as effective as it is.
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2. David Bowie - "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Inglourious Basterds)
Talk about a perfectly shot scene. Shoshana leaning against the window, her face mostly darkened by the shadows but her reflection revealing her intent gaze with the Nazi emblem hanging behind her. Bowie slowly builds to a climax as she puts on her "war paint" before the big movie premiere. Her motive has remained unchanged, and she feels no uncertainty as she packs her pistol in her handbag. The song seems an odd fit at first, but as Bowie sings about fueling a fire, it becomes clear that it's the perfect pump up song for the film's final act.
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1. Stealers Wheel - "Stuck In the Middle With You" (Reservoir Dogs)
Could it be anything else? Once again, juxtaposing sadism with feel-good pop music, Michael Madsen's casual jig with his straight razor is both funny and terrifying. What's more, the diegetic music ensures his victim is being fully tormented, as K-Billy's sounds go from stereo to mono. Madsen twistedly improvises his character's talking into the severed bloody ear before walking outside to the sunshine and birds chirping to retrieve some gasoline before returning to his demented torture warehouse. Tarantino knows the importance of silence just as much as soundtrack. If it doesn't enhance the scene, he doesn't need to rely on it to build emotion. Take for example, the Mexican standoff in Reservoir Dogs, or Jules Winnfield's visit to Brett and his roommates in Pulp Fiction, or Hans Landa's interrogation in the opening scene of Inglourious Basterds. There's an art and a usefulness to music in film, and Tarantino knows it better than anybody.