I just realised that Armageddon is not on the list, which uses 'Dies Irae' quite prominently to represent the threat of the asteroid. For example, at around 2:04 in the Shuttle Crash sequence:
Another one not on the list: Mario Nascimbene - COMMANDOS (1968)
Just listening to the great Quartet release "The Film Music of Mario Nascimbene" (https://quartetrecords.com/product/the-film-music-of-mario-nascimbene/) and not only can the Dies Irae be heard prominently, it's also in the description on Quartet's site: "Nascimbene’s powerful music relies heavily on the traditional Dies Irae chant to underscore this suicide mission."
Armageddon, though only 4 notes, is almost surely quoting the Dies Irae. (Only 4 notes can be tricky.) It is a repeated motif played in an ominous manner and the circumstances are appropriate. I've never seen the movie nor heard the soundtrack. I'll have to rectify this!
I'm not hearing the Dies Irae in the No Time to Die Track. Maybe it's too subtle for me, but since Hans Zimmer has used it plenty in the past, I wouldn't be surprised.
Finally, given the obvious Nascimbene quote of two entire phrases and the popularity of Quartet Records, I'm surprised we didn't come across this one sooner. Awesome!
I'm not hearing the Dies Irae in the No Time to Die Track. Maybe it's too subtle for me, but since Hans Zimmer has used it plenty in the past, I wouldn't be surprised.
It's the very first thing you hear in that track, the sort-of subtle background chiming behind the strings (sorry, I'm not very musically literate). Just in the first ~20 seconds. Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree, though.
Also, since I mentioned Dead By Daylight above, they have recently seen a crossover with Attack on Titan which came with its own AoT-inspired version of the theme:
While not a directly quoting the Dies irae, Piero Piccioni's powerful theme to the gothic horror drama "Il Monaco" aka Le Moine (1972) clearly contains variations on the hymn:
Just came acrosss another one: Andrew Morgan Smith's (excellent) score for Bunker. Prominently in the track "The Radio Bleeds". (Dies Irae starts at 24 seconds)
If the current title 270 is correct, it should then now be 271. Quite a list.
A great addition. I'm listening to the score right now on Spotify. I'm glad you recommended this!
I've added a few more in the past month or so. Based on the soundtrack release, I initially didn't have John Williams' War of the Worlds on the list. I recently watched it with my kids, and the tune pops up in the following scene. Starting at 1:36, Williams starts with a Dies-Irae "like" string passage, but the fifth phrase (which follows a short fourth phrase) pretty much nails the tune. The context of floating dead bodies helps with the certainty of the identification!
This won't be news to anyone familiar with an earlier thread on the subject, but I can't resist posing the same question that stumped folks for many months at that time: What is the longest sustained use of the Dies Irae (both tune and text) in a movie? (Yes, it is listed in the present thread.)
Have we answered this question?
I have no idea. I do remember an extended passage in THE SEVENTH SEAL by Ingmar Bergman where the Dies Irae was sung on screen for a while. So that's for starters.
Is fmfan 1 still around to list add to the list? Because I found another, very clear starting at the 58-minute mark in Larry Cohen's interesting DEMON/GOD TOLD ME TO (the film that God told Miklós Rózsa NOT to do). Music by Frank Cordell. I'm not sure if this bit's on the LP of excerpts from the score which appeared paired with RING OF BRIGHT WATER.
Is fmfan 1 still around to list add to the list? Because I found another, very clear starting at the 58-minute mark in Larry Cohen's interesting DEMON/GOD TOLD ME TO (the film that God told Miklós Rózsa NOT to do). Music by Frank Cordell. I'm not sure if this bit's on the LP of excerpts from the score which appeared paired with RING OF BRIGHT WATER.
I'm still around! Between my busy job and the speed at which this thread can disappear, I sometimes don't notice that other examples have been brought up. Looks like I have some catching up to do!
About DEMON/GOD TOLD ME TO: I watched the scene in question a few times and the Dies Irae tune is definitely sung. In the past, I haven't been counting the reference on the list if it is the actual chant and "diegetic" (heard by the characters). Because of the way it is filmed, I'm uncertain on this one. Can you tell if the character on screen is chanting, or is the chanting something that Cordell integrated into his score? Thanks, and happy new year!
Is fmfan 1 still around to list add to the list? Because I found another, very clear starting at the 58-minute mark in Larry Cohen's interesting DEMON/GOD TOLD ME TO (the film that God told Miklós Rózsa NOT to do). Music by Frank Cordell. I'm not sure if this bit's on the LP of excerpts from the score which appeared paired with RING OF BRIGHT WATER.
I'm still around! Between my busy job and the speed at which this thread can disappear, I sometimes don't notice that other examples have been brought up. Looks like I have some catching up to do!
About DEMON/GOD TOLD ME TO: I watched the scene in question a few times and the Dies Irae tune is definitely sung. In the past, I haven't been counting the reference on the list if it is the actual chant and "diegetic" (heard by the characters). Because of the way it is filmed, I'm uncertain on this one. Can you tell if the character on screen is chanting, or is the chanting something that Cordell integrated into his score? Thanks, and happy new year! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would say that it's definitely integrated into the score by Cordell. It's non-diegetic (they aren't in a church or anything), used for its overt religious connotations. It also fits the mood of the rest of Cordell's score, which is about maybe 40% choral. Some have likened it to Goldsmith's OMEN trilogy. But you're da boss, fmfan 1, you decide if it makes da list!
