Loyal Readers, I would like to announance that I am one step closer to earning my PhD.  I’ve finished my comprehensive exams…though I still have to see if I pass or not.  But for now, I’m just happy that’s over with.  And in honor of that, I shall grace you with a Film Score Friday list…though it is already Saturday.

While I was studying, I had the chance to view Hot Tub Time Machine – hey, I needed some “stupid” in my life considering I was trying to learn and remember over 2,000 years of music history – and there is a scene towards the end in which one of the lead characters performs the Black Eyed Peas song, “Let’s Get it Started.”  But you see, these guys are back in 1986 and obviously the song doesn’t come out for another 20 years or so.  Well that reminded me of another classic movie music performance, Michael J. Fox’s “Johnny B. Goode” from Back to the Future.  So that got me thinking, what other good music performances from films can I find?  Well, in a rather short, but I feel awesome edition of FSFT5, that is my task.  But it is late and I’m tired, so I’m making it short.

In at #5 is the aforementioned sequence from Hot Tub Time Machine.  The movie pulls so many tropes from Back to the Future (and even stars Crispin Glover) that a music sequence like this was inevitable, and, like the movie itself, they managed to actually pull it off.  “This song’s from the future, but since you’ve been good…you get it early.”

#4: There are some movies I pull out just to watch certain scenes, and 2005’s Hustle and Flow is one that I watch just for the song scenes.  There are three great sequences in which the lead character’s songs are made, but I still like the first the best, “Whoop That Trick.”  That it shows the act of song creation adds some power to the whole thing, and I love how it slowly comes together is great.  Unfortunatly I couldn’t find a clip of it on the youTube so you’ll just have to find the movie yourself.  It’s a good film, so watching it will not be a waste.

#3: And speaking of songs coming together, the scene in Ray (2004) in which the titular character records his first hit song, “Mess Around,” is also great, if only to hear the producer try to sing.  Warning: the audio sucks on this.

#2: The Back to the Future scene slides in at the two spot.  My favorite line is still, “You know that new sound you’ve been looking for?  Listen to this!”  Unfortunatly I could not find the exact clip from the film, so this will have to do:

#1: And coming in on top is one of the best scenes from Casablanca in which the Nazis get the smack down music style!  Two things before the clip: 1) if you haven’t seen this movie…go now and see it, and 2) if you don’t understand the relevance and significance of the two song, well…you really need to learn your history.

Well that’s all for now.  I hope to see you all in the near future.