Summary
Although movie trailers are a form of marketing, they have evolved to be an art form in and of themselves, leading to exciting music choices.Scoring and soundtrack decisions can make or break a piece of cinema,and this starts with the trailer. Some of this comes down to budget, as the more high-profile a song is, the more expensive it will be. However, there are instances when musicians appreciate the art and allow their work to be featured in a lower-budget project. This can be a saving grace for a film that doesn’t have the biggest marketing campaign.
As a marketing ploy, music is one of the most effective ways to make a trailer memorable and stick out among the competition.
There are certain famous,commonly used songs in movies and TV shows, and it’s always enjoyable when a film includes a recognizable needle drop. However, within a movie’s narrative, hearing a familiar piece of music can distract the audience from the emotional thrust of the scene. Movie trailers don’t have this problem, asthey’re supposed to be attention-grabbing so that the viewer doesn’t exit the videoand is encouraged to see the feature when it’s released. As a marketing ploy, music is one of the most effective ways to make a trailer memorable and stick out among the competition.
10 Best Needle Drops In Movies
One song can turn a good scene into a great one. A well-placed needle drop can add plenty of emotion to a scene, or work as an ironic contradiction.
By Chris Isaak
The all-star cast ofEyes Wide Shutfeatures a young Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman playing two halves of a twisting and complex marriage. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the movie differs from much of his earlier work in certain aspects. However, it is in conversation with the themes of sexual exploration and the masks people wear for society.Though it was his final film, Kubrick’s legacy is well-maintained by the project,and it was important that audiences were aware of the gravity of the narrative through the trailer.
Like any good trailer song, it has a strong downbeat to edit to and ambiguous lyrics that can be interpreted in conjunction with the dialogue and visuals of the movie.
“Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing” already speaks to the story elements of infidelityand giving into one’s deepest animalistic desires. Like any good trailer song, it has a strong downbeat to edit to and ambiguous lyrics that can be interpreted in conjunction with the dialogue and visuals of the movie. Isaak’s gravelly and recognizable voice strikes the perfect tone, as it’s suggestive but doesn’t give anything away, allowing viewers to be shocked and entranced by the movie.
Eyes Wide Shut
Cast
Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama mystery directed by Stanley Kubrick centering on a Manhattan doctor who goes to unexpected lengths to please his wife after she admits she was unsatisfied and almost had an affair a year earlier. Eyes Wide Shut stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as husband and wife.
9Goodbye Stranger - Beau Is Afraid (2023)
By Supertramp
Regardless of what critics and audiences thought about the actual content ofBeau Is Afraid, there’s no doubt that the trailer was quite effective in cultivating anticipation. The movie was a departure for Ari Aster, who made waves with his earlier films,HereditaryandMidsommar. However, though controversial,Beau If Afraidmust be appreciated for the fact that Aster took a big swing with the massive set pieces and many tonal shifts of the movie. Based on the trailer,most audiences entered the film expecting a journey not unlikeThe Odyssey.
Using “Goodbye Stranger” for the trailer was an indicator of the increase in budget and control that Aster had in his new project,something most filmmakers dream of. The bittersweet and iconic nature of the song also played well with the satirical and surrealist elements of the film. “Goodbye Stranger” also indicated to the audience that Beau, played by Joaquin Phoenix, would be going a long distance to find himself, which couldn’t be more true.
Beau Is Afraid
Beau Is Afraid (formerly known as Disappointment Blvd.) is a new supernatural horror/comedy film from Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar.) Joaquin Phoenix stars as the titular Beau in his older years, as a young man with a strained relationship with his mother. After her death, his return home is marked by strange supernatural occurrences.
8Me And Julio Down By The School Yard - The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
By Paul Simon
The soundtrack is fantastic, and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” falls in line with the tone and theme of the other songs used to punctuate the story.
Wes Anderson is known for using unique and classic pieces of music in his movies,as much of his work has a vintage feel, even if it’s supposed to take place in the present day.The Royal Tenenbaumsis one of Anderson’s earlier projects, so it’s not quite as stylized as some of his more recent works. However, it’s just as beautiful and emotionally resonant. The soundtrack is fantastic, and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” falls in line with the tone and theme of the other songs used to punctuate the story.
Paul Simon is a well-known writer, singer, and composer, and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” is just the kind of plucky, off-beat piece that embodies Anderson’s filmography. Of course,beneath the polished and symmetrical exterior of Anderson’sThe Royal Tenenbaums, there’s a darker and more complex messagehidden that’s impossible to miss. “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” is as in conversation with leaving home and grappling with a difficult parent as the movie is.
The Royal Tenenbaums
The Royal Tenenbaums is a film directed by Wes Anderson, featuring an ensemble cast including Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, and Ben Stiller. The movie explores the estranged Tenenbaum family’s complex dynamics as they reunite in their New York City home. With each member facing personal struggles, they navigate the repercussions of their collective past while striving for reconciliation and redemption.
By Kanye West
Martin Scorcese’sThe Wolf of Wall Streetsometimes comes under fire for its portrayal of Jordan Belfort and the illegal schemes he used to get rich. It could be argued that Scorcese glamorized the massive wealth Belfort essentially stole and painted him as an aspirational figure. However, this is a one-dimensional analysis of the film and discountsthe reality that the heights of Belfort’s empire can be viewed as the pinnacle of luxury while simultaneously being worth condemning.Leonardo DiCaprio is at his best playing the complex and reprehensible Belfort.
“Black Skinhead” was a somewhat surprising pick to punctuate Belfort’s rise and fall. Though Kanye West’s music came out after Belfort’s heyday, it does connect to the story. It’s considered one of the most impactful uses of West’s music in media and is extremely memorable to anyone who watches the trailer. Additionally,it connected with a younger generation of moviegoers, as Scorcese’s films don’t always have crossover successwith up-and-coming audiences. Using West’s music immediately connects with a new type of moviegoer who wouldn’t traditionally seek out Scorcese.
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street, released in 2013, is a biographical crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese. The film follows New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, as he becomes embroiled in a high-stakes securities fraud case involving Wall Street corruption and organized crime connections.
6I Think We’re Alone Now - 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
By Tommy James & The Shondells
The prequel to10 Cloverfield Lane,Cloverfield, is one of thebest found footage horror movies, but the follow-up film is told from a traditional narrative perspective. Though both movies take place in the same universe, how much they have in common is unclear until the final moments of the film.“I Think We’re Along Now” was a clever choice for a trailer song,as the thrust of10 Cloverfield Laneis Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) trying to determine if the world has really ended or if she’s trapped in a bunker with a terrifying stranger.
While “I Think We’re Alone Now” was written to have romantic overtones and a sweet 1960s bop, it soon becomes something much more sinister when placed underneath the unsettling visuals.
The viewer is just as unsure as Michelle if she’s really alone in the universewith this man who claims to have saved her or if he’s her captor instead. While “I Think We’re Alone Now” was written to have romantic overtones and a sweet 1960s bop, it soon becomes something much more sinister when placed underneath the unsettling visuals. Using older songs that are classically upbeat and changing their meaning is something that modern films and trailers have been doing for years.
10 Cloverfield Lane
From Dan Trachtenberg, 10 Cloverfield Lane follows Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a young woman who awakens after a car crash in a bunker alongside two strangers. Howard (John Goodman) tells her that it’s not safe to leave, and that he saved her life, but Michelle becomes increasingly suspicious of Howard’s motives and his past and begins to plan a daring escape to see what exactly has happened to the outside world.
5Mr. Blue Sky - Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
By Electric Light Orchestra
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis essentially an anti-rom-com, but it’s surprisingly uplifting by the conclusion of the tragic romance that includes elements of sci-fi. The reasoning behind the decision to use “Mr. Blue Sky” as the track to play under the trailer becomes clear after watching the film.Joel (Jim Carrey), the protagonist, is desperate for his memories of his ex-girlfriend,Clementine (Kate Winslet), to be wiped from his mind because he’s so tortured by the shadows of their time together. The unbearably upbeat “Mr. Blue Sky” contradicts the film’s tone nicely.
It’s fair to say that most ofEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis sad, bordering on depressing, but there is a silver lining to be found at the heart of the film.Like in “Mr. Blue Sky,” there is a deeper meaning within the film,as the audience comes to realize that the pain of an ended relationship is part of the reason the good times are remembered so fondly. Though it sounds only cheerful on the surface, “Mr. Blue Sky” is a celebration of the return of the sun after a long period of rain.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind as Joel Barish and Clementine Kruczynski, a couple who rediscover their love after erasing each other from their memories. The 2004 drama is written by Charlie Kaufman, directed by Michel Gondry, and includes Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, and Tom Wilkinson in its cast.
4No Woman, No Cry/Alright - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
By Bob Marley & The Wailers and performed by Tems and by Kendrick Lamar
There needed to be an acknowledgment of this loss in the themes and tone of the movie, but the film also had to set the story on a path for the future and deliver on the classic elements of a superhero movie.
Tems performs a cover of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” with parts of Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright"overlayed to create a unique and stirring track to underline the sequel toBlack Panther.Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverhad the difficult job of grappling with the passing of the late star of the original film, Chadwick Boseman. There needed to be an acknowledgment of this loss in the themes and tone of the movie, but the film also had to set the story on a path for the future and deliver on the classic elements of a superhero movie.
All of this was communicated through the track chosen for the teaser trailer forBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever. It was in conversation with the more serious and moving parts of the story that couldn’t go unspoken, but it had uplifting elements that propelled the film into a new era. Though a fine line to walk,it was the ideal blend of old and new and tradition with modern,something that theBlack Panthermovies have always been able to capture.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever explores the efforts of Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje as they strive to safeguard Wakanda from external threats following King T’Challa’s passing. Collaborating with allies like War Dog Nakia and Everett Ross, they seek to shape the nation’s future.
3Hooked On A Feeling - Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
By Björn Skifs and Blue Swede
Guardians of the Galaxywas represented as a different kind of Marvel movie when it came out in 2014, and it did usher in a new era for the production company. Marvel’s overuse of iconic songs to make up for an arguable dip in quality over the past several years doesn’t apply toGuardians of the Galaxy.It was the first Marvel movie to make a serious impact with its soundtrackand use of music, as the iconic songs from the 1970s served an emotional purpose that furthered the story.
The film could’ve used any one of the many great songs from its soundtrack to introduce viewers to the tone of the movie in the trailer, but “Hooked On A Feeling” was the right choice.It’s the right amount of playful and tongue-in-cheek while not detracting from the overall messageand story of the trailer. “Hooked On A Feeling” was familiar enough that audience members would recognize the track but not so ubiquitous that it would draw undue attention to itself.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring Chris Pratt as Peter Quill. Abducted from Earth as a child, Quill navigates intergalactic adventures, becoming entwined in a conflict centered on a powerful orb coveted by Ronan the Accuser.
2Creep - The Social Network (2010)
It’s difficult to imagine that anything could top the amazing original score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross,who have gone on to compose some of the best scores of the 21st century. However,The Social Network, like its protagonist, excels in knowing what people want and how to fulfill that niche. Though social media has completely overtaken everyday life today, in 2010, whenThe Social Networkcame out, it was immensely popular but was still something yet to be fully explored and understood. All of this unfolds from the perspective of Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg.
Jesse Eisenberg leads up the film with a portrayal of Zuckerberg that is so realistic that it was commonly joked that audiences couldn’t tell the difference between the two.
However, the use of the choral cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” was brilliant foreshadowing on the part of the filmmakers. It shows how much social media isolates people and is used for “internet stalking.” Jesse Eisenberg leads up the film with a portrayal of Zuckerberg that is so realistic that it was commonly joked that audiences couldn’t tell the difference between the two.“Creep” is the perfect song for the trailer as it hints at Zuckerberg’s rise to the top of his fieldand the immense losses he faces for the sake of his notoriety.
The Social Network
The Social Network is a film released in 2010, chronicling Harvard undergrad Mark Zuckerberg’s development of Facebook. Set against the backdrop of personal and legal challenges, the story follows Zuckerberg’s journey from creating a social network to becoming one of the youngest billionaires, amidst contentious lawsuits.
The 15 Best Movie Trailers Of All Time, Ranked
Movie trailers are a pivotal part of marketing for movies, with some of the best trailers of all time becoming iconic in and of themselves.
1Hurt - Logan (2017)
By Johnny Cash
Thematically, tonally, and aesthetically, it’s hard to argue that there could be a better metaphorical swan song for theLogantrailer than “Hurt” by Johnny Cash.Like Cash, Wolverine is a hallmark of American culture and is held up as a pinnacle of certain idealsof heroism, Americana, and masculinity. However,Loganis an interrogation of this legacy and has much deeper themes than earlierX-Menmovies, coinciding with the storied and complex history of Cash as a man and a musician. The iconography that both Wolverine and Cash face makes it easy for the audience to draw parallels.
WhenLoganwas released, it was assumed that it would be Hugh Jackman’s farewell to the comic book character. Although he’s made his return togood reviews inDeadpool & Wolverine, nothing will topLoganas a genre-pushing addition to the comic book niche.Hearing the opening bars of “Hurt” in the trailer immediately signaled to the audience thatLoganwouldn’t be another high-octane action moviewhere Wolverine beats back the bad guys yet again. Like all of Cash’s songs,Loganwas much more than what meets the eye.
Logan
Logan is set in a near future where an aging Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, takes care of a frail Professor Xavier, portrayed by Patrick Stewart, at a secluded location near the Mexican border. Their secluded existence is disrupted by the arrival of a young mutant, pursued by malevolent forces.
