Mano-a-mano, final showdown, duel to the death music

marty_0001

Neo and Agent Smith.

Obi wan, Qui gon and Darth Maul.

When it comes to the final battle, there's no better way with some dramatic, operatic, systematic (maybe not) musical score. Damn I love this stuff. Gets me charged up, ready to take on the day's villains.

Lay it on me, what do you think is the most awesome showdown music? Be it movies, games or otherwise.

Dynagrip

Harmonica from Once Upon a Time in the West.

reVerse

The Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Darth Maul battle is my favourite fight scene from all the Star Wars movies. Too bad the rest of the movie is largely rubbish.

As for awesome fighting music, nothing tops One-Winged Angel from FFVII.

Loren Michael

I don't think anything was playing in the actual fight until the last moment, but the fight with The Bride and Oren Ishii was surrounded by nothing but awesome stuff.

Cherrn

Loren Michael wrote: »

I don't think anything was playing in the actual fight until the last moment, but the fight with The Bride and Oren Ishii was surrounded by nothing but awesome stuff.

Yeah, I agree, it sounds kickass in the movie, and fits the scene extremely well. The actual song, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by Santa Esmeralda, while still good, isn't really the same thing, since they just took the instrumental parts out of it for the film. It sounds very different when you listen to it as a whole.

Wonder_Hippie

The rest of the movie was utter crap, but Jason Statham and Jet Li did that movie, The One, and there was one moment that sort of defined the whole thing. Jet Li, good one or bad, I can't remember, was strapped up about to be executed, but he broke out and just started whooping ass to that "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" song.

Terribly banal, but the choreography and cinematography sold every short second of it.

Loren Michael

Cherrn wrote: »

Loren Michael wrote: »

I don't think anything was playing in the actual fight until the last moment, but the fight with The Bride and Oren Ishii was surrounded by nothing but awesome stuff.

Yeah, I agree, it sounds kickass in the movie, and fits the scene extremely well. The actual song, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by Santa Esmeralda, while still good, isn't really the same thing, since they just took the instrumental parts out of it for the film. It sounds very different when you listen to it as a whole.

Actually, it's my favorite song from the first soundtrack. I like both versions, though. But the whole "it's my favorite song on the album" and "it's ten minutes long" make me pretty happy.

Actually, all the fight music, and music leading up to fights and concluding them was pretty incredible in Kill Bill.

evilbob

What could be better than this?

Actually no, but you enjoyed watching it didn't you

Wonder_Hippie

Huah! Huh ahhhh! Yhaaaaaaaaaah! Waaagh hu yahhhhh!

SithDrummer

Muse - Knights of Cydonia - Watch the music video if you don't believe me.

Also, Explosions in the Sky - A Poor Man's Memory really builds up to a great final head-to-head fight.

evilbob

My only hope is that should I ever be victorious in a final showdown scenario, I can come up with a better one liner than that.

Puscifer

One of the greatest showdown/death scenes in recent film history, I guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwSqlIYZWYM

The death of Boromir.

Wonder_Hippie

Puscifer wrote: »

One of the greatest showdown/death scenes in recent film history, I guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwSqlIYZWYM

The death of Boromir.

The end of 300 where the crazy fucker gets filled with arrows and spears out does that.

meeker

One of my favorites is the song played by the Harpists during the fight with Coolie, Donut and Tailor in Kung Fu Hustle.

Youtube it, I'm stuck at work...

SquintyMcSquint

For classic "fight" music, nothing will ever touch -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyhhFzE5O5U

You know its true...

Aridhol

It's the final countdown?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE1GqWDeiso

Loren Michael

SithDrummer wrote: »

Muse - Knights of Cydonia - Watch the music video if you don't believe me.

Truth. I'm not a big fan of Muse for the most part, but that's a sweet song.

Quazar

The most emotionally powerful final battle I can think of, as far as I'm concerned. From The Last Samurai:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zz68_xDww2o

None of the girls in our group cried when we went to see this in the theater, but every guy did. It's just... perfect. The death of men with skill and honor by a new weapon, something that anybody can use to kill with no skill. The end of the samurai, and the beginning of Japan's imperial era. The cinematography, music, direction, everything is fantastic.

And, of course, Anakin vs. Obi-Wan:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vSnfiTE2rMk

Shoggoth

Loren Michael wrote: »

I don't think anything was playing in the actual fight until the last moment, but the fight with The Bride and Oren Ishii was surrounded by nothing but awesome stuff.

Lady Snowblood was better.

Just saying.

Grey Ghost

Quazar wrote: »

The most emotionally powerful final battle I can think of, as far as I'm concerned. From The Last Samurai:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zz68_xDww2o

None of the girls in our group cried when we went to see this in the theater, but every guy did. It's just... perfect. The death of men with skill and honor by a new weapon, something that anybody can use to kill with no skill. The end of the samurai, and the beginning of Japan's imperial era. The cinematography, music, direction, everything is fantastic.

And, of course, Anakin vs. Obi-Wan:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vSnfiTE2rMk

Battle of the Heroes will always hold a special place in my heart. And although it's cheesy and derivative, some of the Pirates of the Caribbean score is very swashbuckling.

Also, so much stuff from Kill Bill I can't even think where to start.

Alecthar

God knows what aspersions shall be cast upon me for this, but:

Go watch Escaflowne. When you hit the final (second to last?) episode, enjoy the operatic style song during the duel between Alan and Van. In the real version (not the crappy Americanized version) that song is played only twice in the entire long series, during that duel, and during the awakening of Escaflowne. The rarity gives it a certain cache.

And I've always been a fan of Sephiroth's theme music. It's well done in the final battle in Advent Children. Which I still haven't yet decided I enjoyed or not.

And have we actually gone this long into such a thread without someone at least *mentioning* the Mortal Combat soundtrack? Really? I figured first, maybe second post.

And lastly, am I the only one who mix and matches music and hums it in his head while *reading* badass showdowns?

Erios

As pointed out in the OP, Neodaemmerung and (it's evolved cousin) Navras are absolute win in terms of music. I just can't get beyond them for fight scenes. Though I must admit for Shoot 'Em Up

Clive Owen falling out of a plan popping Secret Service agents to early AC/DC

was amazing.

Alecthar

I've always thought Thunderstruck would sound pretty badass set to a good fight scene. Or at least that opening riff.

marty_0001

Hell yes the Last Samurai! Everyone gives me jive because it's Tom Cruise, and thus "not cool". But I'll be damned if samurai aren't awesome and so is Ken Watanabe.

lol that Star Trek fight music. Classic. Absolute classic.

I love the whole score of Lord of The Rings, I have the 'best of' trilogy soundtrack (although it doesn't include the LOTR opening theme which I found very strange). That Boromir scene has jerked the odd tear like Last Samurai.

A funny habit I have with this sort of music is that I will have some going through my head, then two minutes later I realise that I've gone onto a different one. Like the Star Wars and Superman themes. They're so damn similar, curse you John Williams!

Alecthar

Boromir's death draws tears? I'm a "Charge of the Rohirrim" man myself. Honestly, the sweeping horn music, and "A red day! A blood day! 'ere the Sun rises!" are just so freaking awesome. And yes, it does draw a tear.

Fallingman

Music-wise. I really liked Massive Attack with Mos Def I against I. (check the lyrics)

Fights? Jet Li vs The Japanese General in Fist of Legend.

PS - In the world of LOTR movies. Aragorn vs That Uruk Hai (Lurtz?) - short and brutal.

marty_0001

Alecthar wrote: »

Boromir's death draws tears?

He would have followed him to the end, brother! THE END!

Something like that.

Shinyo

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JyCS-nlpy2U

Real Folk Blues. Final episode of Cowboy Bebop.

GoodOmens

For a slower, more dramatic fight, "Blow Up the Outside World" by Soundgarden would work. Especially the first verse:

Nothing seems to kill me no matter how hard I try
Nothing is closing my eyes
Nothing can beat me down for your pain or delight
And nothing seems to break me
No matter how hard I fall nothing can break me at all
Not one for giving up though not invincible I know

Octoparrot

The baroque music when Alucard releases himself to fight in Hellsing.

Tam

Fallingman wrote: »

Music-wise. I really liked Massive Attack with Mos Def I against I. (check the lyrics)

Wasn't this in the second Blade movie?

Medopine

Elle vs. the Bride

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rAkJnblNYTQ

Mattie

I can't believe this hasn't been posted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdNh9f2Wwm0

The Ecstasy of Gold from The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

PiRaTe!!!

The obvious one from Battlestar Galactica: Potential Spoiler

Final battle of the Pegasus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Vh6YVjA9M&mode=related&search=

Obi-Wan vs. Anakin - Battle of the Heroes is just awesome

Battle for Earth Babylon 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGXLAIDpsWQ

and lastly Serenity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh-w6SWKovM

Quazar

Gandalf's charge at Helm's Deep. One of my favorite scenes from Lord of the Rings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpwsKRpKS_M

Makes me tear up every time.

Aridhol

Quazar wrote: »

Gandalf's charge at Helm's Deep. One of my favorite scenes from Lord of the Rings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpwsKRpKS_M

Makes me tear up every time.

Plutonium

Hellmarch.

In fact, Hellmarch is good for pretty much anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHycoOExCPE

Nova_C

Mattie wrote: »

I can't believe this hasn't been posted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdNh9f2Wwm0

The Ecstasy of Gold from The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

Goddammit Mattie. I was gonna post that. ><

EDIT: I just want to say I hated westerns until I saw The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I think it's one of the greatest achievements in filmmaking.

SithDrummer

Aridhol wrote: »

Quazar wrote: »

Gandalf's charge at Helm's Deep. One of my favorite scenes from Lord of the Rings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpwsKRpKS_M

Makes me tear up every time.

I love that track, but it's not geared so much for a 1-1 duel as it is a clash of armies. It's spectacular, though.

Medopine

Quazar wrote: »

Gandalf's charge at Helm's Deep. One of my favorite scenes from Lord of the Rings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpwsKRpKS_M

Makes me tear up every time.

I prefer Theoden's speech and charge in ROTK, personally.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cU_SiGd7wzk

Inquisitor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMXpokrfblM&mode=related&search=

Awesome fan-made light saber duel, with the black hawk down music. Really better than anything in the new movies by a long shot. It does take a little bit to get going though.

I'm trying to find a version with better quality than the youtube one, but I'm not having much luck.

Edit: Here we go, much better quality here http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/fxprojects/artofthesaber/index.asp