The soundtrack of my life!

You may or may not notice how often music is being played when you watch a movie, whether it's a theme song or a pop song. Music is almost as essential to a movie as the plot. It sets the mood in different scenes and, when done well, it can evoke a very emotional reaction. \nSoundtracks have long been a way for moviegoers to take that mesh of music and film outside of the theater and place it into their lives. They help us reminisce a hero saving the day, a team winning a game and a group of friends simply enjoying each other's company. \nThere are basically two different types of soundtracks. For many dramas, directors hire a symphony and conductor to create a theatrical score soundtrack. The man, the myth and the legend in this category is John Williams. I'm sure you've heard some of his work in all six of the "Star Wars" movies, the "Indiana Jones" and "Harry Potter" series, "E.T.", "Jurassic Park" and "Home Alone," just to name a few. Yeah, he's kind of good. Another notable is Danny Elfman, who can be heard in "Spider-Man", "Beetlejuice" and a few of the "Batman" films. I pray those guys are immortal. They're pretty much the Beethoven and Bach of our time. \nMy personal favorite conductor, however, is James Horner. He stole my heart the first time I saw "Braveheart." Those were some serious bagpipes and flute, and after watching it, I wanted to frolic in the hills of Scotland, wielding a four-foot-long sword and donning a kilt. \nIn just about every other movie, you will hear songs performed by pop artists. These soundtracks are usually more recognizable and appeal to the masses. Some of the more famous soundtracks include "Pulp Fiction," "Easy Rider," "Saturday Night Fever" and recently "Garden State," which reached popularity at an exponential rate and put bands like The Shins and Iron & Wine on the music map.\nA bullet point in the pop soundtrack category is the single-artist soundtrack. I believe Simon and Garfunkel were the first to accomplish this feat with the soundtrack from "The Graduate." Others include Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "She's the One" and Eric Clapton's "Rush." \nIn my book, tackling such projects can really gain brownie points for artists. It shows that they're willing to step out of their comfort zone and write music according to another person's storyline, thereby adding another level of meaning to a film. I had no idea who the hell Mrs. Robinson was when I first heard the song, but after I watched the movie, it was a complete revelation. I felt like she was my neighbor. \nThen there are artists who choose to have their cake and eat it, too. I'm talking about Prince and "Purple Rain." While his motives for starring in and providing the soundtrack for the film may have been well-intentioned, I don't think the final product reflected that goal. It seems to be more of an unabridged music video than an actual film. \nAlong those same lines, though, I am excited to see how the new Outkast film-soundtrack combo works out. Their upcoming album, Idlewild, is set to accommodate the Depression-era film, to be released in January. The hip-hop duo has gone to greater lengths than Prince to assure that the music and film are legitimately complementary. Outkast grasps the concept behind a soundtrack, and many artists should follow their lead. \nNot all soundtracks prove to be successful, however. Some producers just don't get it. Take for example the blunderous "A Knight's Tale." I seem to remember Queen's "We Will Rock You" blaring on the big screen while Heath Ledger's character jousts with a bad guy. Wow! What a hot move! I'm sure the person in charge of that soundtrack had much more in mind than merely seeking to boost the film's profit margin. \nIf you're going to select songs for a soundtrack, you better know what you're doing. In my opinion, it can often make or break a film. I wish it were an actual profession. "What's your job?" "Oh, nothing much. I just pick the songs for the soundtracks of tons of different movies. Yeah, I sit around all day, watch movies before they're released and I get paid to place songs where I think they're appropriate in each scene." Sign me up! And I know I'm not the only person who thinks about this all day long.