There are many things that make a movie what it is. It all starts with a story (according to what every How-To book on screenwriting tells us), there is the director and his crew, there are the actors, who bust their asses to bring a vision to life. Then comes the wonderful world of post-production. What is one result of that? The music. Soundtracks enhance the movie going experience. They can make us cry, they can pump us up, they can make us remember the 80’s. Whether it be a musical band or a composer, soundtracks help our favorite movies stay etched in our mind forever.
This month the spotlight is on Alan Silvestri. Born March 26th, 1950. Alan jumped into the world of film composing at the age of 21, where he composed for such TV shows such as TJ Hooker, Starsky & Hutch, CHIPs, and Manimal. From there he conducted himself an amazing career, that is highlighted by his frequent collaborations with director Robert Zemeckis. Time for the love fest.
1. BACK TO THE FUTURE
I wish I could have been a part of the generation that was blessed with seeing Back to the Future on the silver screen. There are no words for how it would have felt to be sitting in one of those seats for the closing minutes of the film, with Silvestri’s score blasting through the speakers. What would the BTTF trilogy have been without this man’s enhancement of wonder and adventure? Debatable. Either way, this track is a perfect testament to the importance of a composers work in making a franchise like this as magical as it was. Tell me I’m wrong. Purchase the soundtrack here
2. FORREST GUMP
Often, and shamelessly I might add; a score will leave me blubbering like a four year old with a skinned knee. A moving piece of music that accompanies…well…half the scenes in this film, make for the ultimate emotional manipulation. Was I complaining? Hell no. Let me give you an example, the scene in which Forrest spots Jenny arriving while he’s having a good old time mowing the lawn, I lost it. Something about being two people being reunited after all the time that had passed strikes all the right chords. That was just one of many. Purchase the soundtrack here
3. CAST AWAY
The closing minutes of Cast Away alone presents a theme that I think everyone can relate to. Sometimes things happen that change your life so drastically, you are forced to make a decision that is just as drastic. An understatement in the case of this film, life can often be filled with crossroads, but that doesn’t mean you can’t confront these life changing situations with a sense of hope. How can you get this idea across in a musical form? Alan Silvestri answers. Purchase the soundtrack here
4. WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT
This film just has so much style. The mystery, the toons, Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd hamming it up, everything just worked. I am a big fan of Jazz, that theme is at work in a beautiful way in the track below. If the rumored sequel is to come to fruition, it pretty much goes without saying, but Silvestri you better be back doing what you do best. There is more magic to be had, I’m not done with this world yet. Make it happen. Purchase the soundtrack here
5. PREDATOR
Not what I am used to hearing from Silvestri, but it’s iconic nonetheless. In this break from Zemeckis, we get an awesome thriller score. It starts slow; it pulls you in, and then knocks you on your ass. Just like the movie. It’s been proven; there can misfires with a soundtrack that can pull you out of the experience. With this score, and the whole of Alan Silvestri’s work, a film that he has worked on has never suffered for the worse with his involvement. Purchase the soundtrack here