The Greatest Musical Moments in Film, Part 2

In the history of film, there have been many great and wonderful moments created by the use of song. No, I'm not talking about taking a popular song and putting it in the film to sell the soundtrack. I'm talking about the use of music to further the story and create a sequence that is not only memorable but powerful to the viewer. These are the kind of sequences that you can't forget after watching the film. These are the sequences that can literally give you goosebumps while you watch them. Some of them are so popular that they have been ingrained into the social consciousness of Americans. Some of them are slightly more obscure but equally as moving as they unfold. In short, these scenes create a little something that I like to call "movie magic." It's rare, but it happens. Through this list of 25 musical moments, I plan on showing the sequence and telling you, the viewer, why I believe that this moment is not only powerful but important to the history of film. I hope you guys enjoy this compilation.

For your sanity and my own, I've decided to cut this article into five parts instead of the two that were originally planned. I'll try to get a part up per day. This should make the list more enjoyable for everyone

Click here to see Part 1 of this List.

Part 2 of 5.

20. "House of the Rising Sun"- The Animals- Casino

*Warning: contains some major spoilers for the film. It is also NSFW due to language and graphic violence. Watch at your own risk.*

This is the first of many musical moments that appear in a Martin Scorsese film. As you will soon learn, no one uses music in movies like director Martin Scorsese. His use of The Animal's "House of the Rising Sun" in Casino is no exception. Scorsese uses the haunting song to show the paranoia and downfall of the Las Vegas mafia like no other director could do. Since this song takes place at the end of the film, I would advise you to not watch it if you have not seen the film. However, if you have seen the film, feel free to relive some directing, editing, and scoring greatness.

19. Head over Heels- Tears for Fears- Donnie Darko

I think this was the moment that I fell in love with the movie Donnie Darko. The "Heads over Heels" sequence is a great example of using a song to introduce not only a lot of characters successfully but the high school environment in the 1980's. Richard Kelly's direction is exceptional and inspired in this sequence. I really love how he starts with that tilted angle on the school bus that turns right side up as the students jump out and the song starts up. Really great stuff there. I also like how the sequence speeds up and slows down when necessary. Lastly, I think my favorite part (aside from the principal walking right by Seth Rogen and his friend getting high) is the introduction to Sparkle Motion as the song climaxes. All in all, it's a really fun and well-crafted sequence. And it's the first of two Donnie Darko musical moments on this list.

18. "Goodbye Horses"- Q. Lazzarus- The Silence of the Lambs

*Warning: NSFW due to language and weird, creepy nudity*

I've been playing some Grand Theft Auto IV lately on X-Box 360 and one of the songs they play on the Liberty City Rock radio station is Q. Lazzarus' "Goodbye Horses." I gotta admit, every time I hear this song while playing that game, I think of this scene. I almost didn't put this moment in the list because it was so damned weird and creepy. Then, after thinking about, I felt like I had to put it in the list. After all, it's just so effective. This one moment with Buffalo Bill putting lipstick on, dressing like a woman, and talking to himself in the mirror is probably the scariest thing in the entire movie of The Silence of the Lambs. With "Goodbye Horses" in the background, the scene is made even more haunting and surreal. Add in the good 'ole penis tuck and you got a pretty weird but classic sequence. Everybody remembers this scene. It's pretty much a part of pop culture. Director Kevin Smith even had Jason Mewes parody it in Clerks II, which you can see here if you want. It's pretty much just as disturbing as when Ted Levine does it.

17. "Llorando" ("Crying")- Rebekah Del Rio- Mulholland Dr.

This surreal but beautiful sequence at the Club Silencio marks the point in David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. when things stop making sense. While I enjoyed watching this sequence the first time around, I didn't really understand it's significance to overall plot of the film until my second or third viewing. With this sequence, Lynch is showing how beautiful and moving artificial and false things can be. This not only applies to the film's Hollywood setting but to what is going to happen after this sequence. When this scene ends, the film's story becomes completely different, making the viewer see that everything leading up until that point was a fabrication of the truth in some way or another. This surreal sequence shows this beautifully along with just being a moving moment in film. It is also the first of two moments in this list that feature a character singing along to a Roy Orbison song in a David Lynch film. Enjoy it.

16. "Bra"- Cymande- 25th Hour

*Note: Start the clip at 0:35 for the beginning of the sequence and song*

I mentioned this moment last week in "Wesley Recommends #2," which focused on 25th Hour. While it may seem like a somewhat obscure choice, I've always thought that this was one of the best sequences put to music that I've seen in a while. I love the shot of Anna Paquin gliding through the club to Philip Seymour Hoffman as the song starts up, the camera right in front of her. The song works well to underscore her flirtuous behavior towards him along with his own attempt to resist it. My favorite moment of the sequence, however, has to be after Hoffman leaves the bathroom after their "confrontation." He seemingly floats across the ground, not moving a muscle, and looks up at the camera with embarrassment, guilt, and fear. The look on his face is absolutely priceless as the song plays. It's all good filmmaking and is fun to watch unfold.

Parts 3-5 Coming Soon.

What do you guys think so far? What would you like to see appear on the list? What do you think is coming up next? Please let me know.