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Dolby presents: the top ten film soundtracks

We’ve picked ten of the most memorable movie soundtracks of all time, covering everything from classical to disco to the heaviest rock ’n’ roll. Welcome to our world of sound

By Time Out in association with Dolby
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Where would movies be without music? Try to picture John Travolta hip-swinging down the sidewalk, not to the beat of the Bee Gees but to a chorus of car horns and catcalls. Imagine those ‘Chariots of Fire’ athletes sprinting down the beach with only the crash of the waves and their own sweaty grunts to accompany them. And would the ‘Top Gun’ love scene really have worked if all you could hear was the distant roar of jet engines and the humming of Kelly McGillis’s fridge?

Summer at the cinema spells blockbuster season ­– which means the biggest movies, the hottest stars and the coolest, catchiest soundtracks. And with the new Dolby Atmos sound system, you’ll hear every rousing chord and feel every toe-tapping beat.

Dolby Presents: Silent, a Short Film from Dolby Laboratories.

1. Saturday Night Fever (1977)

‘Well you can tell by the way I use my walk…’ The Bee Gees’ mega-hit ‘Stayin’ Alive’ defined the sound of disco in the late ’70s, while this sharp, slick and surprisingly subversive movie defined the look: spectacular flares, magnificently feathered hair and a rebellious curl of the lip.

2. The Sound of Music (1965)

Julie Andrews and a toothy mob of blue-eyed Austrian youngsters battle the Nazis with the power of song in this outrageously entertaining musical. Almost every song – ‘Do Re Mi’, ‘My Favourite Things’, ‘Climb Every Mountain’ – has become a household favourite.

3. Dirty Dancing (1987)

If you were even thinking about putting Baby in the corner, think again. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey are the star-crossed lovers who meet across a crowded dance studio to a soundtrack of early-’60s smashes – plus of course Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley bellowing ‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life’.

4. Psycho (1960)

As legendary director Alfred Hitchcock himself said: ‘33 percent of the effect of “Psycho” was due to the music.’ Composer Bernard Herrmann’s slicing strings – particularly in that shocking shower scene – have come to define the sound of horror on screen.

5. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Quentin Tarantino rifled through his record collection to create a timeless jukebox soundtrack to this blackly comic thriller. Opening with the surf mayhem of Dick Dale’s ‘Misirlou’, the film covers everything from the slinky soul of Dusty Springfield’s ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ to the boogie-down rock ‘n’ roll of Chuck Berry’s ‘You Never Can Tell’. 

6. Chariots of Fire (1981)

For this buttoned-down British drama, Greek synth god Vangelis swerved the obvious old-fashioned orchestral score in favour of something electronic and original – but still endlessly hummable. In the process, he created perhaps the most memorable theme tune in movie history.

7. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Almost 80 years since it was written, ‘Over the Rainbow’ still has the power to make the most hard-hearted moviegoers weep like babies: it’s simply the most yearning, heartbreaking film theme ever. But almost every tune in this fantasy classic has become a firm favourite, from ‘We’re Off to See the Wizard’ to the recently revived ‘Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead’.

8. Help! (1965)

For their second movie following the era-defining ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, The Beatles embarked on a wacky, James Bond-spoofing adventure, scored by some of their catchiest chart-toppers: ‘Ticket to Ride’, ‘You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away’ and of course the scorching title track.

9. Top Gun (1986)

Everyone remembers this jet-powered action flick for the million-selling ‘Take My Breath Away’ by Berlin, a masterpiece of big-haired power-balladry. But let’s not forget Kenny Loggins’ equally iconic ‘Danger Zone’, the most cheesily awesome toe-tapper since his own ‘Footloose’.

10. This is Spinal Tap (1984)

Capturing ‘the sights, the sounds, the smells’ of the world’s leading fictional rock band, Rob Reiner’s spoof rockumentary wouldn’t be half so hilarious if the songs weren’t so spot-on: from the prog-rock pomp of ‘Stonehenge’ to the lascivious single-entendres of ‘Big Bottom’, these totemic slices of heavy riffage are completely convincing.

To really immerse yourself in this summer’s most memorable movie soundtracks, make sure you choose Dolby Atmos in selected cinemas. Rather than blending sounds together like most traditional sound systems, Dolby Atmos can project up to 64 simultaneous different audio tracks independently. So whether it’s the finger-popping tunes of ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ or every crash, skid and heart-stopping explosion in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, the movies have never sounded so good.

Find a Dolby Atmos Cinema near you

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