My best movie soundtracks of all times - part one: 1954 - 1975

Dear readers of my blog,

A couple of days ago, I told you that I was preparing a list of my favourite movie soundtracks. I have chosen twenty quite different movies so far. I have written comments and chosen examples for the first ten films. The second part including movies made between 1976 and today will be published soon. I'm also working on a list of video game soundtracks which will take a little bit longer. I hope you enjoy this first part and maybe you will discover a few new interesting soundtracks or movies or rediscover some forgotten classics.  

Godzilla / ゴジラ (1954)

When I was a kid and a young teenager, there were exactly two kinds of movies I watched all the time: early martial arts movies with actors such as Jackie Chan, Leslie Chung, Jet Li, Lo Lieh, Yueh Hua and others as well as monsters movies such as all Japanese Godzilla films. The epic, dramatic and classically inspired soundtracks by Ifukube Akira always stood out. Here is an example of his charismatic soundtrack for the first original Godzilla movie.

 Murder, She Said (1961)

This British murder mystery movie based on the novel "4.50 from Paddington" still has a cult following in Europe and especially in Germany where the movie is still shown on television each year. Since this film is one of my mother's favourite movies, I must have watched it at least half a dozen times. The stellar acting performances by Academy Award winner Margaret Rutherford, her real life husband Stringer Davis and kid actor Ronnie Raymond, the mysterious atmosphere in this black and white film and the great soundtrack that got covered by German Eurodance band Scooter among others, are unique features of this film. Three sequels entitled "Murder at the Gallop", "Murder Most Foul" and "Murder Ahoy!" were filmed in the three years after this initial success. The charismatic soundtrack by Ron Goodwin was mostly played on harpsichord.

A Hard Day's Night (1964)

This is not only the name of one of the best and most famous songs by The Beatles but also the title of a movie about them that made them more popular than they already were at that point. The light-hearted British comedy film features many songs that are now considered classics.

 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

This is not only one of the most revolutionary movies of all times and probably one of the greatest films ever made but also the title of an exceptional soundtrack written by Ennio Morricone that always perfectly blends in and complements the story. Ennio Morricone is my favourite contemporary composer and has made numerous soundtracks that I could have mentioned in my list: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), The Thing (1982), The Untouchables (1987) and The Hateful Eight (2015) among others.

 The Graduate (1967)

This American comedy-drama about an unusual love relationship between a young bachelor and a more mature woman and her daughter has become a classic over the past fifty years. One remarkable element about this movie is its vivid soundtrack which perfectly captures the lifestyle of the late sixties. Simon & Garfunkel's classic "Mrs. Robertson" became a huge success but the instrumental pieces by Dave Grusin are also a blast.

The Jungle Book (1967)

The first animated film inspired by Rudyard Kipling's book of the same name is one of the most incredible successes in the history of cinema. The Walt Disney Production about the young orphan boy Mowgli who grows up in the Indian jungle with a black panther, an orangutan and a sloth bear had a budget around four million dollars and made more than two hundred million dollars at box offices all around the world until today. The score by George Bruns, Terry Gilkyson and the Sherman Brothers has become a classic with the most notable tune being the catchy "The Bare Necessities".

 Easy Rider (1969)

This American road movie has become a classic for anyone who likes highways, motorcycles, rock music and the culture of the late sixties involving a communal lifestlyle and the hippie movement. The soundtrack of the movie featured many famous rock artists and bands such as Blue Cheer, The Byrds, The Jimi Hendrix Experience , The Moody Blues and of course Steppenwolf. 

Shaft (1971)

This American action film with numerous film noir elements about a black private detective is a film that perfectly captures the dark sides of an American society in the early seventies. The film also created a new genre called blacksploitation which played an important role in civil rights movements and the emancipation of visible minorities in the United States of America. Two sequels and a television series followed this movie and a reboot is set to be released next year. The charismatic soundtrack by Isaac Hayes won numerous awards such as the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

The Godfather (1972)

Based upon the 1969 crime novel of the same name by Mario Puzo, The Godfather and its two sequels became the most popular gangster movies of all times which inspired numerous other films. The first film which is sometimes considered as one of the very best movies of all times is not only famous for its great acting and epic story but also for its simple yet atmospheric soundtrack. The dark, elegant and looming score was composed by Nino Rota. He received the Academy Award for Best Original Score for "The Godfather II".

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Based upon the musical stage production "The Rocky Horror Show" from 1973, this eccentric movie mixes comedy elements with horror passages and science-fiction settings. The movie itself is a parody of several science-fiction and horror movies from the thirties to the sixties and broke a lot of taboos, especially due to its sexual content involving homosexuality, transsexuality and the mocking of traditional relationships. This colourful, daring and revolutionary movie still has a cult following all around the word forty years later. The movie and the charismatic musical are still played in front of cheerful, disguised and participative crowds in cinemas and theaters around Halloween. The original soundtrack produced by Richard Hartley which was often covered included famous rock artists like Meat Loaf.