Indie films are known for telling hidden stories about marginal characters that don’t get the attention and big budgets of Hollywood productions. What’s the value of a story that connects us with those eccentric personalities? And what makes that connection between us and those characters possible? Perhaps the key lies in their music: through songs, powerful associations are created, and sounds become inseparable from emotional states. We’ve all fallen in love with a movie, not only because of the plot, but with its soundtrack. We can spend days or weeks listening to it to live once more the emotions that movie provoked. The next soundtracks prove that music has the power to help us establish long-lasting connections with a piece of fiction and live in the marvelous worlds they create.
Submarine (2010)
Sometimes it’s hard to say what’s more powerful: the soundtrack or the story. However in Richard Ayoade’s Submarine, the volatile emotions and the youthful illusions of the characters are so memorable because of the musical frame that encloses them. The soundtrack, written and performed by Alex Turner, is the type of music you can share with your significant other because it’s full of beautiful love songs that nuance this hilarious and emotive film.
Drive (2011)
This soundtrack is the coolest example on this list. It’s very hard to imagine Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive without its incredible soundtrack. Ryan Gosling’s cool demeanor and disturbingly calm way of handling tense and dangerous situations are made more intriguing with “A Real Hero” playing in the background.
Boyhood (2014)
By the end of Boyhood, you’ll feel the powerful illusion of intimacy and familiarity with its characters. Richard Linklater filmed this movie in the course of a decade, making it possible for us to see Ellar Coltrane grow up from a child to a young adult within two hours. Even if you don’t think the movie is perfect, by the end of it you’ll feel the nostalgia of the passing of time thanks to Linklater’s choice of songs for fundamental moments of change and transition.
Frances Ha (2012)
Noah Baumbach’s comedy-drama, is about being young. In this film, Greta Gerwig plays Frances, a 27-year-old dancer that is uncertain about her future. Instead of giving in to despair in the face of emotional and financial instability, Frances decides to live her life without turning cold or detached. Few things are more important during youth than the music we listen to when we need a little motivation to get through hard times, and this soundtrack can help us if we’re going through similar situations in our twenties.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Jim Jarmusch knows the music we listen to is a very important aspect of our lives. In this movie, the director shows that music can do a lot more for us and for his stories. The conversations between the two protagonists, a couple of vampires who love to spend their almost infinite amount of free time indulging in their cultural interests, always involve music genres and history. Besides making you jealous of the characters’ routine, this soundtrack can inspire you to take your curiosity to new levels.
Without their soundtracks, a lot of movies would be enjoyable but perfectly forgettable. The music, more than the scenes and the dialogue, is what sticks in our memories. These films are sure to be remembered for a long time thanks to their emotional and stimulating soundtracks.
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