The dynamic between cinema and music is so complex that sometimes this happens: We celebrate the soundtrack and forget the movie (or want to). Another striking aspect is that this isn't a recent phenomenon, and enthusiasts of the seventh art can probably share examples dating back several decades. Today I'll mention some movies that barely survived the critics, but left us songs worth revisiting.
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Almost half a century after its official release, opinions remain divided over Saturday Night Fever and its merits as a movie, but there are no conflicts when it comes to its music: both Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees and Disco Inferno by The Trammps left a mark on a generation, riding the peak of disco's popularity.
Flash Gordon (1980)
Can a movie I've seen about 30 times be bad? My “40-plus” self suggests Ornella Muti had a lot to do with it, but Max von Sydow also seemed fabulous and unforgettable in his role as Ming. Sometimes critics can be unfair; however, what brings us here is the music of Flash Gordon… and that was handled by Queen. This was their first movie soundtrack, followed by Highlander in 1986.
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Stephen King's first and only venture as director. The King of Horror was so disappointed with the result that he essentially disowned himself, called it “a silly movie,” and promised never to direct again. Despite that, the writer had a great success… which was the selection of its music: King is a fan of AC/DC, and their album Who Made Who became the soundtrack.
Cocktail (1988)
Tom Cruise was, is, and will surely remain a box-office guarantee, regardless of whether the movie is good or bad. Critics tore Cocktail apart on multiple levels, but that didn't stop it from grossing nearly nine times its original budget, and as if that weren't enough, it left behind a fairly solid soundtrack, led by that song that makes us dream of endless vacations…
Batman Forever (1995)
Somehow, this third installment of the caped vigilante broke several records upon its release, surpassing heavyweights like Jurassic Park and grossing $20 million in a single day. If we set aside the ridiculousness, the exuberance, the excess of color, and the nipples on the Bat-suit (?), we find two excellent hits: Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me by U2, and Kiss from a Rose by Seal.
Godzilla (1998)
No no, not that Godzilla, the other Godzilla. You know: Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno running around New York? The US Army using fish as bait? Yes, that Godzilla. Sorry to bring it back, but if there's anything to salvage here, it's its soundtrack: the song selection was so good that it reached number 2 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum.
Armageddon (1998)
And to think I went to see it in theaters… (sigh). It took me a long time to recover from the constant confusion and the overdose of American flags that Michael Bay put on screen. Without a doubt, Armageddon was one of the most forceful examples of “pre-9/11 super-patriotism”… but at least we have the certainty that Aerosmith didn't fail. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing is a great song.
Daredevil (2003)
If you think the current state of the MCU is bad, I assure you the pre-MCU was worse. Many say that the Director’s Cut of Daredevil rescues the movie from the abyss… but I'm not part of that group. In fact, I think the only good thing that came out of that project was the explosion of popularity that surrounded Evanescence. The success of Bring Me to Life led to Fallen, a balm for all of us who suffered the impact of the turn of the century…
Tron: Legacy (2010)
A mention under protest, I must admit. I enjoyed many things about Tron: Legacy, from the return of Bridges and Boxleitner to Olivia Wilde in spandex (!), and it would be a rude mistake to forget Michael Sheen. Unfortunately, critics gave it a 5/10 and buried any chance of a sequel… but at least they recognized the value of the soundtrack: Daft Punk blew everything out of the water. If you don't want to watch the movie, fine. But you must listen to that album.
The tenth is yours!
Did you think you'd be left out? No! It's a tricky topic to explore, and I've surely forgotten some movie you remember perfectly. Comments are open, and if you want to mention more than one, no problem.
