The greatest movie theme of all time, according to Dan Aykroyd
As one of the stars of arguably one of the greatest music-centric films of all time, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Dan Aykroyd himself is an aficionado of a wide variety of music.
Having paired with John Belushi in The Blues Brothers in 1980, and reprising his role as Elwood Blues in 1998 for Blues Brothers 2000, Aykroyd has developed something of a strong association with the soul music that played a central role in the films. While this association doesn’t necessarily guarantee that the actor and comedian has a fondness for this style outside of the role, his wealth of knowledge on the world of blues, soul and R&B is palpable from the way he speaks about the music that inspired the film.
Having appeared alongside the likes of James Brown, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin in the original John Landis-directed flick, his love of soul stretches deep into the early history of the genre, with other early icons of blues having made appearances such as Cab Calloway and John Lee Hooker. Sharing the set with these legendary figures would undoubtedly have been a dream for Aykroyd, but it’s clear that their presence is also what makes the film such a universally enjoyable watch on every occasion.
However, as much as music is a key element to this particular film series, it is used with a much more different effect in other areas of cinema, either as a way to provide exposition by creating a theme or motif synonymous with a particular character or entity, or simply to add a mood to a scene that brings an otherwise ordinary situation into full cinematic life.
While a number of the songs in the original film are seen to be iconic and memorable, the trio of songs used in the title medley are ultimately what captures the essence of the entire film, setting the tone for what comes later and gives you an indication of what to expect. Its use of the ‘Peter Gunn Theme’ by Henry Mancini and ‘Time is Tight’ by Booker T and the MGs blended with Otis Redding’s ‘I Can’t Turn You Loose’ is a terrific example of making titles stand out, but remarkably, this isn’t where Aykroyd’s preference lies when it comes to the greatest film theme of all time.
Evidently just as much of a fan of cinema as he is music, he chose to speak to Shortlist in 2014 to reel off his favourite songs of all time, and made a special point of reserving a space for his favourite film overture, making a nod in the direction of one of cinema’s greatest composers.
Speaking about John Barry’s ‘James Bond Theme’, he explained that there’s something about the iconic intro that immediately draws you into the espionage theme of the film, and especially heaped praise on its debut appearance in the franchise.
“That guitar riff – Monty Norman composed it and then John Barry arranged it,” he stated. “It’s just spectacular. Just the guitar riff and the feeling of ‘yeah’ – just the expanse of it. The original version of it, from Dr. No, is still the best one for me.”
There are certainly elements of the ‘James Bond Theme’ that wouldn’t seem out of place in The Blues Brothers, with its similarity to Mancini’s ‘Peter Gunn Theme’ and its mysterious edge being the standout elements, but given how the James Bond franchise has still managed to continue with this original theme being recognised immediately, it’s hard to argue with Aykroyd’s assertion that it’s not just the best, but also one of the coolest movie themes ever made.
