STACK #191 Sep 2020

MUSIC FEATURE

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There’s something very special about reliving films through their soundtracks; whether they’re original hits written just for the movie, evocative instrumentals, or compilations of the best jams of the era, soundtracks are worthy additions to any music-freak’s collection. Here are some of our faves. SAVOURING SOUNDTRACKS

The Greatest Showman (2017) You don’t get to be the best-selling album of 2018 in both the States and the UK without have a bit of magic under your belt, and that’s the case for the mega-popular soundtrack to The Greatest Showman – the Hugh Jackman- helmed film about America’s beloved showbiz connoisseur, P. T. Barnum. Its original songs are the work of young film, television and musical theatre songwriting duo (Benj) Pasek and (Justin) Paul, who met in their first year as university students in Michigan. The soundtrack’s biggest hit This Is Me – sung in the film by bearded lady Lettie Lutz, played by Tony-nominated Broadway performer Keala Settle – netted the pair a Golden Globe, and was also nominated for both an Oscar and a Grammy. (Inertia) Pretty Woman (1990) We all remember the Roy Orbison classic which inspired the title of this enduring romantic comedy, but perhaps you need reminding of the other solid gold bangers featured on this soundtrack: Roxette’s superlative hit It Must Have Been Love , Go West’s King Of Wishful Thinking , Natalie Cole’s Wild Women Do , and Christopher Otcasek’s cover of Johnny O’Keefe’s perennial classic Real Wild Child (Wild One). Fun fact: Richard Gere actually composed the song his character plays on the hotel lobby piano, but it’s not on the soundtrack – you’re going to have to go back and watch the film for the 948 th time (let’s face it: not a chore) to hear it again. (Universal)

Words Zoë Radas

Footloose (1984) When the whole point of your film’s

narrative is that dancing is life, you’re going to want to ensure its soundtrack includes some of the greatest belters available to you at the time – in Footloose ’s instance, that’d be the pop-permeated mid-‘80s. Kick it off with the titular banger: thank you, Kenny Loggins. Throw in a joyful ode to love: right on, Deniece

(Miike Snow). The result is a collection of gob-smacking originals which perfectly marry Cooper’s husky indie chops with Gaga’s pop prowess. (Universal) Chernobyl (2019) You may know Hildur Guðnadóttir as the winner of an Oscar for her soundtrack to Joaquin Phoenix-led smash Joker , but did you know she also won a Grammy for her astonishing soundtrack to HBO’s historical miniseries Chernobyl ? The Icelandic musician’s approach was unorthodox;

Williams with Let’s Hear It For The Boy . Don’t forget a Prince-like, synthy groove: come on in, Dancing In The Sheets by Shalamar. Fill it up with several other bona fide hits and watch as it soars up the charts and becomes the go-to soundtrack for good times worldwide. (Sony) A Star Is Born (2018) Any way you slice it, there really isn’t an album in the land of contemporary soundtracks which can rival the success of A Star Is Born – the seven-time nominated and four-time winner darling of the 2019/20 Grammys. (It also won an Oscar in ’19 for single Shallow ). The film’s stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper (who also directed) collaborated on its creation, along with help from a number of musicians including country icon Jason Isbell and sought- after writer and producer Andrew Wyatt

far from conducting an ensemble in a pristine studio, she visited the disused Lithuanian power plant at which Chernobyl was filmed and made field recordings, later twisting the atmospheric sounds she captured into

eerie, evocative arrangements. (Universal)

76 SEPTEMBER 2020

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