Top 10 Movie Songs from Cult Classics

Quentin Tarantino’s feature film debut is an early showcase for his love of semi-obscure tunes. “Stuck in the Middle with You” was a modest hit in America when it debuted in 1973, but it’s safe to say “Reservoir Dogs” forever warped its reputation. Mr. Blonde, played by Michael Madsen, is a man who enjoys at least two things: inflicting pain and 70s music. As Blonde does unspeakable things to a cop, this jaunty tune by the Scottish band Stealers Wheel plays, and it’s exactly the deranged counterpoint you might expect from the director. In 1992, Tarantino was still at the beginning of his career, and it was the combination that would announce a new and exciting voice in American movies.

Adapted from his stage show, John Cameron Mitchell’s movie musical is about an East German musician, Hedwig, in pursuit of the rock singer who stole her heart and her songs. Retelling the ancient myth of Plato’s “Symposium,” Hedwig’s song “The Origin of Love” describes the belief that every human has a soul mate. It perfectly captures the source of the character’s pain and philosophy about love. Mitchell performs the song over animated illustrations by Emily Hubley. The result is an unforgettable track, epic in its imagery, steeped in myth, and the perfect metaphor for Hedwig’s ever-complicated and evolving identities.

David Lynch often finds unexpected and creepy ways to feature music. He notably used a dreamy Roy Orbison composition in a pivotal scene in 2001’s “Mulholland Drive”. Here, a criminal named Ben performs a lip sync of Orbison’s ethereal “In Dreams” as a special request from a vicious man. Played by legendary actor Dennis Hopper, Frank is a ghoulish menace who can be reduced to tears by old songs. It’s part of what makes him, and other Lynchian antagonists, so frightening. They’re capable of profoundly earnest emotions. They’re also capable of profound violence.

A take on the French novel “Les Liaisons dangereuses”, this teen drama wasn’t universally beloved by critics upon release. But one thing even its detractors can’t deny is the appeal of its charting, alt rock soundtrack. The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” which plays at a pivotal moment of the film’s climax, became an instant classic. Although the song was first released in 1997, it’s now also hugely associated with “Cruel Intentions,” and for good reason. Its moody but modern sound is both a haunting musical underscore for the revelation at the movie’s end and enough of an earworm to find a wider audience.

Everyone knows “Tequila” from somewhere. But “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” probably played a huge part in cementing the Champs’ 1958 tune in American pop culture. In his fancy shoes and his trademark gray suit, Pee-wee Herman is about to be beaten by a crew of bikers. But thanks to his goofy dance to “Tequila,” he’s able to charm them into not only letting him live, but even giving him his own club jacket and bike. With its upbeat surf rock energy and its wild horns, “Tequila” will probably be forever linked with Pee-wee’s stiff-armed choreography and dazzling dancing on tiptoe.

Wes Anderson has a gift for pairing the perfect music with the perfect character. The relationship between adoptive siblings Richie and Margot Tenenbaum is complicated for a lot of reasons. The dreamy and sad Nico track “These Days” is the perfect fit for their slow-motion reunion. When Margot steps off the bus platform and they first lay eyes on each other after years apart, it’s actually heartstopping. Both are so lost in their current situation that being together is probably the closest they’ve felt to joy in a very long time. Though Gwyneth Paltrow and Luke Wilson are doing a lot by doing so little, the music is the perfect soundtrack for their shared nostalgic warmth for each other.

Singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte probably couldn’t have predicted where many of his songs would end up. This early Tim Burton movie follows Barbara and Adam, who pass away and hire a perverted bio-exorcist named “Beetlejuice” to scare a living family out of their house. During a dinner party, the family and their guests become possessed. They begin lip singing and dancing to Belafonte’s “Banana Boat Song.” If you hadn’t ever heard “Day-O” before this, chances are you’ll never be able to hear it without thinking of Catherine O’Hara absolutely killing it in that black dress and the single glove.

Patrick Bateman is not the typical movie serial killer. The investment banker and sociopath is as obsessed with the prestige of the financial world as he is resentful of the people who attain it. One of his most memorable attacks occurs early in the movie. Bateman dances around his apartment in a raincoat to Huey Lewis and the News’s “Hip to Be Square” and educates a colleague about the band’s career up to now. By the chorus, Bateman has taken him out. “American Psycho” is all about juxtapositions. The most violent and destructive men could be the ones who wear nice suits and work in high-rise offices. And a bouncy ‘80s ode to bucking trends may just be the perfect soundtrack for it all.

The ethereal and morbid world of struggling teen Donnie Darko is filled with 1980s tracks like “Head over Heels.” But the movie’s most effective needle drop is a Gary Jules cover of the Tears for Fears 1982 single, “Mad World.” It has been almost inextricably linked with the movie, and the title character, ever since. Played over the emotional ending sequence, “Mad World” is like the perfect marriage between the new wave music of the film’s 1980s setting and Donnie’s chronic discontent. Stripped-down from its original recording, the piano-forward tune reshaped how millions of people remembered the song.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Can't Take My Eyes Off You,” “10 Things I Hate About You” (1999)
The Perfect Tune for a Grand Romantic Gesture

“Somebody to Love,” “The Cable Guy” (1996)
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“Canned Heat,” “Napoleon Dynamite” (2004)
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“Camelot Song,” “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975)
These Aren’t Your Average Performing Knights

“Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Shaun of the Dead” (2004)
When You Really Need a Zombie-Destroying Power Anthem, Look No Further

It’s the signature track from what just may be the most famous cult film ever made. Written by Richard O’Brien for the original stage musical, the “Time Warp” is a bizarre party song performed by the folks at the mysterious Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s castle. Filled with glam rock energy and a quirky, unconventional personality, it continues the movie’s celebration of B-movies and novelty songs. Once you hear it, it’s actually impossible to get out of your head – or stop doing the dance. “Rocky Horror”’s midnight screenings are legendary among fans, and the audience participation section built into this track is usually a highlight of the night.

Did we do these cult hits justice or are you doubting our commitment to “Sparkle Motion”? Sound off in the comments.