The Soundtracks of Our Lives
Illustration courtesy of Kaitlin Curtis // @kaitlincurtis
Unless a film centers around music its soundtrack often goes unnoticed by viewers who may place more emphasis on the character development, unexpected ending, or screenplay. However, the soundtrack is often the thread that seamlessly ties all of these elements together. Movies generally seek to make viewers feel something, and music is one of the most effective ways to do so.
Here are 9 soundtracks that have personally impacted Emerson students -
The Sound of Music — Brina Valeri, 2023, Communication Disorders:
“Since I was a kid, I have loved musicals. Normally as children, we watch and listen to Disney or other movies targeted toward children. While I was—and am still—obsessed with Disney, I would always choose to listen to ‘The Sound of Music.’ This was one of the movies that was forced upon us by cable TV to watch during Christmas time, but this soundtrack holds a special place in my heart.
When my brother was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with autism. He was nonverbal and had behavioral issues and really did not want to have much to do with me when we were children, as I am only 2 years older than him. I didn’t understand why he didn’t want to spend time with me, and I would try so hard to find something we could do together. I was obsessed with ‘The Little Mermaid’ at the time, and he would sit and watch part of the movie with me, but not all of it. I would try to get him to sing the songs with me, but he wouldn’t. Then we watched ‘The Sound of Music.’ Somehow, this 3-hour movie was the first movie my brother and I were able to watch together. AND he would sing the songs with me! To this day, we still sing songs from the movie together, mainly ‘Lonely Goatherd,’ and I am forever grateful for the connection this movie forged between me and my brother.”
Sing Street — Kyle Bracco, 2023, VMA:
“The soundtrack that really speaks to me and is really important to me is the original soundtrack from the movie ‘Sing Street,’ written and directed by John Carney. Original music has always been a part of all John Carney’s movies, most notably ‘Once,’ which won an Oscar for best song ‘Falling Slowly.’
‘Sing Street’ is a personal, intimate story about some young school boys who start a band in order to impress the pretty girl who lives across the street from their school. Each new song they write for their band, Sing Street, reflects what is going on in the protagonist Conor’s life living in poor 1980s Dublin. The way the movie captured the ‘happy sad’ of music really spoke to me and always comforted me whenever I was down. The original songs, ‘To Find You,’ a slow ballad, and ‘Drive it Like You Stole It,’ an upbeat rock anthem, hit the peaks of this ‘happy sad’ mentioned in the story, and immediately put a smile on my face, while still bringing a tear to my eyes. The soundtrack of the movie has always comforted me when I was sad and taught me it was okay to be sad sometimes, because things will get better. This simple story of a kid and his friends starting a band for a pretty girl, and to distract themselves from the more important problems around them, is told perfectly through the original music written by Carney and performed by the actors themselves.”
500 Days of Summer — Nicole Codianni, 2022, WLP:
“One of my favorite soundtracks is from the movie ‘500 Days of Summer.’ When I first watched the film, I was not only amazed by the plot, but the music that went with it. I instantly downloaded the soundtrack on Spotify and memorized every song.Filled with music from The Smiths, Hall & Oates, Regina Spektor, Simon & Garfunkel, and more, I spent most of my days afterward playing the album and associating thoughts and things with the songs there. One of my favorite quotes from the film is, ‘Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin and they end with no lasting memory made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life.’
Now, the memories from the music carry with me. I hear The Smiths every time my best friend knocks on my apartment door, or when my father calls me from miles away back home. I hear Hall & Oates when I walk through the Garden during a quiet, sunny day, or whenever I feel accomplished. I hear the beginning intro whenever I’m sad, and suddenly my day is a bit more remarkable.”
Juno — Sarah Fournell, 2023, VMA:
“The first time I watched ‘Juno,’ I absolutely fell in love—with movies, with music, and with Michael Cera. It was around the same time that I got my very first guitar, so I had the soundtrack on repeat trying to learn all the acoustic tracks. As an impressionable middle schooler, I wanted to be just like Juno—without the teen mom part. I started listening to indie rock, playing guitar, and making mixed CDs. I thought I was so cool. Her coming-of-age helped shape mine. The soundtrack full of The Moldy Peaches and Belle and Sebastian guided me through middle school as I became my own person and pushed away from my country music upbringing. To this day, whenever I turn on the movie, I turn back into the middle school version of me that fell in love with movies, music, and Michael Cera.”
All About Lily Chou-Chou — Kenny Cox, 2022, Media Studies:
“The characters of Shunji Iwai’s 2001 film ‘All About Lily Chou-Chou’ are all searching for ‘the ether’—an indescribable, ethereal escape from the turbulence of existing. The music of Iwai’s film is Exhibit A of this phenomenon. A collaboration between producer Takeshi Kobayashi and singer Salyu, All About Lily Chou-Chou’s soundtrack is not just perfect for the melancholy, dreamy mood of the film, but an incredible record in its own right. Like my favorite artists that seem to reside within ‘the ether’—Björk, Portishead, Cocteau Twins—Lily Chou-Chou’s soundtrack feels like it is from another realm, gorgeously made and unlike anything else.”
Interstellar — Brendan Walker, 2023, BCE:
“For many film fans, Hans Zimmer’s name holds an incredible amount of weight. From his Academy Award-winning work on ‘The Lion King,’ to his consistent collaborations with Christopher Nolan, Zimmer’s presence is felt in every nook and cranny of cinema. His finest work, and the one that holds the biggest personal significance to me, is the score for 2014’s ‘Interstellar.’ The inventive nature of the soundtrack, with its reverberating organs and incredibly detailed production value just put it on another level for me. ‘Cornfield Chase’ or ‘Stay’ make me feel like I'm entering another world and take me back to the first time I saw the mind-bending space epic on screen.”
The Last Black Man in San Francisco — Sam Thorsen, 2023, VMA:
“My favorite soundtrack is definitely ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco.’ The movie as a whole is really special to me. I watched it for the first time at the beginning of quarantine right after we got sent home last year, when I was super sad about leaving school and my friends, and it was really comforting to me at the time. My favorite thing about the movie is how well written the characters and their emotions are, and at the time when I watched it, I remember feeling like I could really relate to the emotions throughout.
I think the soundtrack perfectly encapsulates the emotions and feelings that are conveyed in the movie, which is the main reason why I like it so much. The movie was extremely impactful to me—I remember, after finishing it, thinking that it was the exact movie that I needed to watch at that time. Even though I was sad about leaving school, the fact that I was able to relate to the characters’ emotions was really comforting. I love the soundtrack not only because of how beautiful the composition and sound are, but because of its ability to bring me back in time and experience both the emotions that I was feeling at the time, and the comfort and happiness that I got from the movie.”
Finding Nemo — Marc Fitch, 2023, VMA:
“The ‘Finding Nemo’ soundtrack is without a doubt one of the best soundtracks ever made. I just want to start off by saying I don’t know the first thing about music, so I don’t know if the music is actually good, but it does the job for me.
I was lucky enough to grow up next to the ocean, in a place where beaches and swimming pools were ubiquitous, so most of my good memories of home are marked with wet hair or sandy cars. When I get homesick, it’s the days spent in the water with friends I miss the most, and that’s not something you can really satisfy in a place like Boston. The Nemo soundtrack was written specifically to reflect this feeling and the ambience of the ocean. When I listen to it (especially the main title or Wow), it’s the closest translation I’ve heard to that feeling being underwater. And I get that listening to a soundtrack about a wacky family of fish isn’t the same as being back home or in the ocean, but it’s about as close as you can get over here.”
La La Land — Morgan Looby, 2023, Political Communication:
“When I first watched La La Land, I was mesmerized by the music. Songs like ‘A Lovely Night’ and ‘Another Day of Sun’ immediately became some of my favorites. Whenever I turn on the ‘La La Land’ soundtrack, I feel such a rush of both wonder and whimsy, transported back to the theatre watching Mia and Sebastian dancing with the lights of Hollywood behind them. ‘La La Land’ reminds me how magical life can be and listening to the soundtrack is so incredibly comforting. Someday I hope that I can have my own ‘City of Stars’ moment, living out my dreams with the person I love.”
Music can be a source of pleasure in our daily lives, but it also has a profound impact on how movies are put together, as well as how we experience them personally.
Next time you’re watching a movie, I suggest you pay more attention to the soundtrack, if you don’t already. Close your eyes, and see if you can visualize what’s going on in the movie. Think about what the movie would be like if there weren’t any music. How would you feel? How would the transitions between scenes feel? Does it feel like something’s missing? Well, that’s because there is.