Nostalgic Summer Blockbuster Vibes
My Mixtape’s A Masterpiece is a weekly feature in which a guest compiles a playlist around some theme. This week, Eduardo Hernandez assembles 12 tracks from blockbuster movies of past summers. Read Eduardo’s thoughts on each song and listen along to the Spotify playlist on top and/or the YouTube playlist at the bottom of the post.
What year is it? Legacy sequels like JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION and TOP GUN: MAVERICK are dominating the box office and pop culture again. We can discuss all day if these films live up to the original (Spoiler alert: MAVERICK does, DOMINION does not), but each time the original themes are played on the big screen in these new additions one cannot escape all the feels. Each musical cue takes you back to the first time you saw the movie. A feeling you will never experience again, but the music may still give you goosebumps. Whether you saw these films under the stars at the drive-in, in a packed air-conditioned palace theater (the old school ones with balconies), or maybe at home on your Zenith TV because you were able to rent a VHS on a weekday. These themes transport you to a time before we were arguing on Twitter about filmmakers destroying our childhood.
1. “Man Against Beast” by John Williams (from JAWS)
The JAWS theme is iconic and synonymous with the birth of the summer blockbuster, but the music when the shark first appears is the official beginning of this new era of filmmaking, and the best theme in the film. When Roy Scheider first sees “Bruce” and says that iconic line “You’re going to need a bigger boat,” the music is like a warning that you are in for a hell of a finale out at sea, and your moviegoing experience will never be the same again.
2. “Main Title” by John Williams (from STAR WARS, EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE)
The GOAT theme. Who doesn’t smile and feel transported to another world when this song comes on? If there is one song that takes you back to when you were a kid, it’s the theme in the opening credits of the original STAR WARS. Perfection.
3. “Overlay Of Evil/Main Theme” by Harry Manfredini (from FRIDAY THE 13TH)
When you’re sitting around the campfire telling ghost stories there’s always that one story that sticks with you. The “legend” of iconic slasher Jason Voorhees is that campfire story (albeit with an assist from his mom in this particular film). Who doesn’t utter that iconic theme “ki ki ki ma ma ma” to scare somebody when you are out at night alone?
4. “Raiders March” by John Williams (from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK)
Grab your fedora and whip because it’s time to travel the globe looking for ancient artifacts and fighting nazis! The ultimate hero theme to a character that is still the coolest ever conceived. Sorry, James Bond—Indy’s got you beat.
5. “Flying” by John Williams (from E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL)
John Williams is the quintessential blockbuster music composer. Unless you were seriously scared of heights, what kid doesn’t want to fly on their bike? It’s like every one of his iconic themes rolled into one song. A theme that is hard to explain in simple words that you must close your eyes and listen to it. Still gives me goosebumps.
6. “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker, Jr. (from GHOSTBUSTERS)
You can’t escape it. This is the best pop song attached to a summer blockbuster and will stand the test of time. Who you gonna call?
7. “Back To The Future” by Alan Silvestri (from BACK TO THE FUTURE)
The best movie of the 1980s? Maybe. Who would have thought a movie about a teenager going back in time and to ensure his parents hook up would have such an epic theme?
8. “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins (from TOP GUN)
Okay, this may have not been on my mixtape if I hadn’t seen TOP GUN: MAVERICK recently, but I had forgotten how pumped up you get when you hear this song. The guitar riffs, Giorgio Moroder’s use of synthesizers, and of course…the saxophone. It doesn’t get any more ‘80s nostalgia than that.
9. “Descent Into Mystery” by Danny Elfman (from BATMAN)
Badass. That’s the best word to describe both Batman himself and Danny Elfman’s iconic score. The main theme is great, but the score when Batman is taking Vicky Vale to the Batcave is transcendent. Everything in that whole scene is the best interpretation of Batman and began a new era of blockbusters.
10. “Main Title” by Brad Fiedel (from TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY)
The original opening theme is good, but just like the sequel itself, it’s perfected in the second go-round. The original TERMINATOR theme is heart-pumping, but the sequel’s main title theme is a little melancholier and more complex—just like the film itself.
11. “Journey To The Island” by John Williams (from JURASSIC PARK)
“Welcome…to Jurassic Park.”
Like many of Williams’ scores, the JURASSIC PARK theme is now part of our pop culture. We all can recognize it within seconds. However, the score that leads up to our heroes first seeing a dinosaur in the film is also the first time we hear the theme.
The score in this first scene on the island encapsulates both the magical wonder, adventure, and danger ahead for our characters and the audience.
12. “End Titles” by David Arnold (from INDEPENDENCE DAY)
An underrated score for a movie that is probably one of the last good old-fashioned summer blockbusters. Sorry ARMAGEDDON, but ID4 is still the best disaster-save-the-world movie of its time. You may not be the most patriotic person, but when the musical cues of this theme hit during Bill Pullman’s inspirational speech, who doesn’t feel like whooping E.T's ass?
