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Road Movies

Matthew Sweet with music for the road movie genre, marking the cinematic release of the multi-award-winning film Nomadland.

Matthew Sweet with music for the road movie genre, marking the cinematic release of the much-garlanded film 'Nomadland'.

Characters in a road movie undergo a journey - usually by car or motorbike - which invariably presents a life-changing experience. They can be journeys about self-discovery, rebellion, reconciliation and sometimes death. Matthew foregrounds some of the best road movie scores including 'Easy Rider', 'On the Road', (inspired by Jack Kerouac's genre-defining novel of the same name), 'The Motorcycle Diaries', 'Little Miss Sunshine', 'To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar'' and 'Locke'. Matthew takes a look at how Erik Nordgren's score works to picture in Ingmar Bergman's 1957 masterpiece 'Wild Strawberries' and reflects on the importance of the road movie in the work of director Wim Wenders. The Classic Score of the Week is Ry Cooder's atmospheric music for 'Paris, Texas'.

Available now

24 minutes

Last on

Sat 22 May 2021 15:00

Music Played

  • Nino Rota

    La Strada; Il viaggio continua

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Franco Ferrara.
    • Legend.
  • Jimmy Van Heusen

    We're Off On The Road To Morocco

    Lyricist: Johnny Burke. Singer: Bing Crosby. Singer: Bob Hope.
    • UCJ.
  • The Electric Prunes

    Easy Rider; Mass in F minor - Kyrie

    • MCA.
  • Gustavo Santaolalla

    On the Road; Roman Candles

    • Impulse.
  • Gustavo Santaolalla

    On the Road; I Think of Dean

    • Impulse.
  • Gustavo Santaolalla

    The Motorcycle Diaries; La Muerte de la Poderosa

  • Gustavo Santaolalla

    The Motorcycle Diaries; Apertura

  • Mychael Danna

    Little Miss Sunshine; We're Gonna Make It

    • Lakeshore Records.
  • Mychael Danna

    Little Miss Sunshine; The Winner is

    • Lakeshore Records.
  • Rachel Portman

    To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything; Suite

    • MCA.
  • Dickon Hinchliffe

    Locke; Baby

    • Fiction Records.
  • Erik Nordgren

    Wild Strawberries; Dreams

    Orchestra: Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Adriano.
    • Marco Polo.
  • Erik Nordgren

    Wild Strawberries; Emotions

    Orchestra: Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Adriano.
    • Marco Polo.
  • J眉rgen Knieper

    The Wrong Move; Die Zugfahrt

    • Milan.
  • Ry Cooder

    Paris, Texas

    Performer: Ry Cooder.
    • Warner Bros.
  • Jos茅 L贸pez Alavez

    Paris, Texas; Cancion Mixteca

    Performer: Ry Cooder. Music Arranger: Ry Cooder. Singer: Harry Dean Stanton.
    • Warner Bros..
  • Ry Cooder

    Paris, Texas; Brothers

    Performer: Ry Cooder.
    • Warner Bros.
  • Ludovico Einaudi

    Oltamare

    • Decca.
  • Ludovico Einaudi

    Petricor

    • Decca.
  • Hans Zimmer

    Thelma and Louise; Thunderbird

    Performer: Pete Haycock.
    • Kritzerland.
  • Charlie Clouser

    Spiral; Zep Nine

    • Lakeshore Records.

Broadcast

  • Sat 22 May 2021 15:00

Moon River: The story of the 1962 Oscars Best Song winner

Moon River: The story of the 1962 Oscars Best Song winner

"Wherever you're going, I'm going your way..."

Podcast