Casey Chong with ten essential 90s movies with great soundtracks…
Soundtracks aren’t just musical accompaniment for the movies; they help establish the tone and style regardless of the genre, as well as determine a character’s personality and emotional weight. So here, we focus solely on the 1990s era – a decade that saw the likes of hip-hop, alternative rock, and pop incorporated into movies as if they were natural extensions of the storytelling. From the dominance of the rock genre heard in Empire Records and The Crow, to the rediscovery of older songs in Quentin Tarantino’s filmography, we narrow down ten essential 1990s movies with amazing soundtracks worth checking out…
Pulp Fiction (1994)
An essential ’90s movie list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino’s magnum opus that perfected the art of non-linear storytelling. He made his dialogue-heavy screenplay sing, turning chatter into lyrical rhythms of pop-culture references from McDonald’s Royale with Cheese, a.k.a. the Quarter Pounder, to the “charming pigs” from TV’s 1960s-70s sitcom Green Acres, and Butch’s (Bruce Willis) “Zed’s dead” line taken from 1974’s Zardoz.
Music equally plays a key role in this movie, beginning with Dick Dale’s energetic “Misirlou”, which kicks off the opening credits after the diner hold-up scene. Other eclectic tracks, such as Kool & The Gang’s “Jungle Boogie”, bring a hard-hitting funky vibe to the earlier scene before the introduction of low-rent hitmen Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson).
Not to forget, Urge Overkill’s hypnotic cover of Neil Diamond’s “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” and Dusty Springfield’s soulful “Son of a Preacher Man” each complement the scenes, highlighting Tarantino’s approach to music reminiscent of an extended, genre-defining jukebox matching the movie’s anything-goes narrative.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Quentin Tarantino’s directorial debut defines his career right from the get-go, establishing his flair for fast-paced pop-culture dialogue, from debating the lyrics behind Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” to the tipping culture. What makes Reservoir Dogs equally interesting is Tarantino’s insistence on showcasing the aftermath of a heist as we see the surviving criminals lie low in the warehouse while piecing together what went wrong. He also emphasizes the jukebox-style soundtrack that’s pivotal to his movie.
Take the iconic opening credits sequence as the criminals in black-and-white suits walk in slow motion while George Baker Selection’s 1960s melodic guitar-cool “Little Green Bag” plays in the background. Or how Tarantino subverts the use of Stealers Wheel’s breezy, feel-good tempo of “Stuck in the Middle with You” to make the movie’s most terrifying scene – the part where Michael Madsen’s Mr. Blonde casually shuffles, even lip-syncs to the song played on the radio before he begins to sever the gagged police officer’s ear – deeply unsettling.
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Baz Luhrmann boldly transports Shakespeare’s age-old Romeo and Juliet tragedy into a violent tale of teen angst and forbidden romance between Leonardo DiCaprio’s Romeo Montague and Claire Danes’ Juliet Capulet set in the modern era. The movie even goes as far as trading swords for guns, while the otherwise aristocratic Montague and Capulet families are reimagined as mafia rivals. The soundtrack echoes the volatile yet passionate tone of the movie, bringing us Garbage’s mesmerizingly atmospheric trip-hop beat of “#1 Crush” and Everclear’s guitar-heavy “Local God”.
Given the movie’s emotional anchor, which drives the star-crossed romance, Des’ree’s “Kissing You” fits the bill just right, with her deeply resonant vocals warmly incorporated into the minimalist piano- and string-laden music. Then, there’s Radiohead getting trippy with frontman Thom Yorke’s deliberately sparse voice, and the slow-burn tune of “Talk Show Host” grounds the movie’s chaotic energy with a much-needed melancholy. And to justify the contemporary switch in Luhrmann’s radical take, The Cardigans’ “Lovefool” perfectly encapsulates the pop-driven melody that adds a youthful vibe to DiCaprio and Danes’ on-screen romance dynamics.
Space Jam (1996)
The story about NBA legend Michael Jordan unexpectedly teaming up with the Looney Tunes cartoon characters for a high-stakes basketball game may feel like everything’s condensed to fit the movie’s shorter runtime. And yet, it’s hard to deny that Space Jam captures the pop-culture phenomenon, blending the peak era of Michael Jordan’s basketball career with the Looney Tunes nostalgia appeal to both adults and kids.
The live-action/animation hybrid is the right move, while the soundtrack hits the right spot, with Seal’s soulful yet effortlessly cool “Fly Like an Eagle” highlighting Michael Jordan’s signature flying dunks and Quad City DJ’s titular theme song bringing a catchy hip-hop rhythm to the movie’s overall energetic vibe. R. Kelly’s sweeping “I Believe I Can Fly” defines Michael Jordan’s amazing athletic prowess and his never-give-up mentality seen in the movie, and the Spin Doctors-Biz Markie combo playfully updates KC and the Sunshine Band’s 1975 classic “That’s the Way (I Like It)” into a mix of horn-heavy funk and groovy rap verses.
Empire Records (1995)
The sadly underrated Empire Records, which details the employees’ (among them are Rory Cochrane, Liv Tyler, and Renée Zellweger) chaotic single-day experience in the titular independent record store, captures the peak era of Gen X’s youth culture, including teen rebellion and the value of authenticity against corporate sellouts. The movie also famously features then-up-and-coming actors who would go on to establish their post-breakout success, namely Liv Tyler in Armageddon and The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Robin Tunney in TV’s The Mentalist.
Given the movie’s major setting, it comes as no surprise that the soundtrack reflects the story’s free-spirited and angst-ridden tone through songs like Gin Blossoms’ radio-friendly power-pop “Til I Hear It From You”, The Buggles’ quirky “Video Killed the Radio Star”, and The Cranberries’ rhythmic “Liar”. There are plenty more worth mentioning here, such as Edwyn Collins’s retro-rock swagger of “A Girl Like You” and Toad the Wet Sprocket’s melancholic rock anthem “Crazy Life”, which ruled this 1995 cult classic.
Reality Bites (1994)
Here’s another Generation X movie that epitomizes the culture, identity, and dilemma of the ‘90s youth culture surrounding the post-college lives of four friends: Lelaina Pierce (Winona Ryder), Troy Dyer (Ethan Hawke), Vickie Miner (Janeane Garofalo), and Sammy Gray (Steve Zahn). Ben Stiller, marking his directorial debut, doesn’t skimp on the matter-of-fact problems that fit the movie title Reality Bites, from enduring minimum-wage jobs to Sammy Gray’s coming-out angle.
Stiller filled his movie with an unforgettable soundtrack from The Knack’s infectiously groovy “My Sharona”, a 1979 chart-topping hit that famously played during the friends’ spontaneous dance moment in the convenience store at a gas station. The rest, such as The Juliana Hatfield Three’s “Spin the Bottle” and Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories’ “Stay (I Missed You)”, are just as prominent, particularly the latter’s raw emotional vulnerability within the lyrics, which echoes the whirlwind conflicts and relationship dynamics in the movie.
The Bodyguard (1992)
Once a proposed project to feature Steve McQueen and Diana Ross back in the ‘70s before Lawrence Kasdan’s screenplay was retooled to fit the 1990s movie landscape, part of The Bodyguard’s massive $411-million success lies in the stark on-screen dynamics between Kevin Costner’s Frank Farmer and Whitney Houston’s Rachel Marron. The former, whose ex-Secret Service agent-turned-titular bodyguard character’s stoic, no-nonsense personality contrasts well with the latter’s global pop diva glamour.
Houston was at her peak at the time, and her musical contribution to the movie resulted in a reigning number-one soundtrack that remains unsurpassed even today. Her undeniable vocal energy dominates The Bodyguard with memorable hits from “I Have Nothing” to the soaring “Run to You”. Her upbeat rendition of Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” and the pop-rock banger “Queen of the Night” balance the ballad-infused soundtrack with fast-tempo songs. Both “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You” received Oscar nominations for Best Original Song.
Trainspotting (1996)
Danny Boyle’s eclectic filmography, covering everything from his darkly comedic thriller debut in Shallow Grave to the multiple Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire and the gritty zombie-horror 28 Days Later, showcases his directorial versatility in transitioning across different genres. But his sophomore feature Trainspotting remains Boyle’s most defining work so far – a black comedy that captures the mid-1990s youth disillusionment and Ewan McGregor’s Mark Renton’s “Choose Life” mantra, turning the famous slogan of an ‘80s anti-drug campaign into a cynical subversion of consumerism and societal norms.
Boyle’s honest take on drug addiction mirrors the harsh reality and warped surrealism, where the latter gives us an uncompromisingly filthy “worst toilet in Scotland” scene that sees the poor Renton dive headfirst into a clogged toilet bowl to retrieve the lost opium suppository before finding himself in a dreamlike, oceanic fantasy. The soundtrack plays an integral part in accompanying the style and tone of the movie, featuring Iggy Pop’s drum-heavy and punk-rock beat “Lust for Life,” and Primal Scream’s ambient yet intoxicating title track, while Sleeper’s cover of Blondie’s “Atomic” combines the bouncy dance-pop groove with an electric guitar riff. The movie is also notable for incorporating the Britpop era, evidently in Blur’s beautifully moody “Sing” and Pulp’s playful “Mile End”.
The Crow (1994)
Whatever follow-ups and a reboot have offered us, there’s no denying that the 1994 original of The Crow still reigns supreme. Although the movie was largely overshadowed by the untimely death of 28-year-old Brandon Lee over a prop gun mishap, Alex Proyas’s direction brings a distinctly gothic aesthetic to the dystopian Detroit setting. Brandon Lee’s back-from-the-dead Eric Draven, whose quest for vengeance causes his and his fiancée’s deaths, is a quintessential anti-hero vigilante, easily the best role of his short-lived career.
The alternative rock-heavy soundtrack mirrors the movie’s tonal darkness and atmosphere, namely The Cure’s sonically brooding “Burn” and Stone Temple Pilots’ “Big Empty” featuring Scott Weiland alternating between melancholy and dynamic vocals within the song’s acoustic/grunge hybrid. Other notable line-ups, such as Rage Against the Machine’s “Darkness”, blend jazz funk with hardcore rap-metal cadence, and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult’s “After the Flesh” pounds through the screen with their hyper-aggressive industrial and electronic rock. Let’s not forget about Nine Inch Nails, whose cover-song contribution turned Joy Division’s 1980 post-punk classic “Dead Souls” into a sullen machine-rock mood piece.
Clueless (1995)
Amy Heckerling knew a thing or two about coming-of-age comedy that defines an era, beginning with Fast Times at Ridgemont High in 1982. She did it again thirteen years later in Clueless, turning Jane Austen’s English Regency-era Emma novel into a colorful contemporary mid-1990s culture highlighting the rich teens in Beverly Hills. Clueless gives us popular catchphrases such as “As if!” and “Whatever!”, and not to mention Alicia Silverstone’s most celebrated role as Cher Horowitz. Far from a shallow-minded, dumb blonde, her character is rather smart and likable, while radiating enough charisma. Her wardrobe choice – the vibrant yellow plaid kilts, for instance – makes Silverstone look effortless in high-fashion styling.
The soundtrack, in the meantime, is quintessential ‘90s selections: The Muffs’ “Kids in America” roars across the rebellious, guitar-driven pop-rock rhythm dominated by Kim Shattuck’s raspy vocal prowess, and Coolio’s “Rollin’ with My Homies” mixes cool G-funk with hip-hop smoothness, while The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ ska-heavy punk “Where’d You Go” complements the movie’s youthful energy with their brass-horn bravado and Dicky Barrett’s gruff vocals.
What are your favourite 90s movies with great soundtracks? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
