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7 Times The Soundtrack Was Better Than The Movie
It takes a lot to make a successful movie, and even more to make a movie that holds up well. It's all about the perfect combination of writing, acting, filming, and of course, a fitting and memorable soundtrack.
Sometimes this combination ends up a little off balance, and you end up with a movie that's not great, but manages to impress with an absolutely killer soundtrack. These movies here are just a few examples of this!
1) Batman Forever (1995)
While it was a box office smash hit at the time, and it definitely holds up a lot better than Batman and Robin, Batman Forever is mostly remembered as the kinda boring Batman movie saved by a top of his game Jim Carrey's performance as The Riddler.
The soundtrack, on the other hand, is a different story. Single-handedly responsible for shooting Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" to the top of the charts, as well as U2's "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me," it also featured an eclectic but awesome combination of tracks from artists like The Offspring, Method Man, PJ Harvey, and Massive Attack.
2) Space Jam (1996)
The result of a marketing campaign so popular that they just had to make a movie about it, Space Jam sees basketball superstar Michael Jordan teaming up with none other than Bugs Bunny to take on a race of intergalactic aliens in a basketball game.
We loved the movie as kids, but it doesn't hold up so great these days. The soundtrack though is absolutely brilliant. Whether it's Quad City DJs' iconic opening theme, Seal's "Fly Like An Eagle," R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly," or "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" which features a who's-who of 90s rappers, this one still sounds great today.
3) Top Gun (1986)
Don't get me wrong, we love Top Gun here at Throwbacks. We love it so much we're really crossing our fingers that the upcoming sequel ends up being good. Really, who doesn't love this over the top, macho drama about the need for speed?
But, if we're being honest, this movie wouldn't be half as great without its cheesy 80s soundtrack. Between Kenny Loggins' one-two punch of "Danger Zone" and "Playing With The Boys," and Berlin's soaring "Take My Breath Away," this is the kind of iconic soundtrack that most movies wish they could have.
Click to the next page for even more amazing movie soundtracks!
4) Purple Rain (1984)
Purple Rain is a movie that, while financially successful, has aged pretty poorly in the nearly 35 years since its release, mostly kept afloat thanks to Prince's consistent charisma.
It's ultimately pretty amazing that this average movie ended up spawning the singer's most iconic album of his career. From start to finish, Purple Rain (the album) is an absolute tour de force of everything that made the singer such a massive figure in pop music, ultimately going Platinum over 13 times.
5) The Bodyguard (1992)
Much like Purple Rain, this Hollywood blockbuster starring a then A-lister and an absolute music icon (Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston respectively) succeeded on its star power, but ultimately turned out to be an average movie at best.
Also like Purple Rain, the soundtrack is one of the best showcases of its star's singing ability ever released. Featuring a staggering number of Whitney Houston's best hits, including her most iconic performance, "I Will Always Love You," it remains an absolute classic and is the highest-selling soundtrack of all time.
6) Saturday Night Fever (1977)
As the saying goes, disco sucks. You wouldn't know it though from this mainstay of 70s cinema that cemented John Travolta's career as a Hollywood leading man.
However, the movie would probably have gone nowhere without its completely infectious and catchy soundtrack, spearheaded by The Bee Gees and producing some of their biggest hits.
7) 8 Mile (2002)
This semi-autobiographic movie about a young up-and-coming rapper played by rap superstar Eminem is by no means a bad movie, but when people talk about it nowadays, it's not Em's acting chops they're bringing up.
Instead, it's the film's signature song "Lose Yourself," one of the definitive songs of Eminem's career that went on to earn him his first and only Oscar. The rest of the soundtrack is no slouch either, featuring appearances by rap mainstays like Nas, Jay-Z, Rakim and 50 Cent.
What's your favorite movie soundtrack?