Masterpieces of film music: from Hollywood classics to Japanese cinema

Adagio for StringsSamuel Barber

Platoon — Adagio for Strings

This is the music used in the masterpiece war film Platoon, directed by Oliver Stone and based on his own real-life experiences.

The somber, weighty melody played by the strings matches the film’s content perfectly.

It’s classical music that feels like an endless battle in the jungle, as if you’re sinking into a bottomless swamp.

Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us NowStarship

Love Won’t Stop — Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now

This is the theme song from the 1987 American romantic comedy film “Mannequin,” about a man who falls in love with a mannequin.

Performed by the American rock band Starship, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks and is often cited as an emblematic work of the ’80s.

It’s an absolute rush—highly recommended! And by the way, if you haven’t seen the movie yet, it’s a must-watch!

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Yoshizaki Keiko

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KokomoThe Beach Boys

Cocktail-Kokomo

This is the theme song from the 1988 film Cocktail, starring a young Tom Cruise.

The Beach Boys’ ocean-evoking sound blends smoothly with the movie, creating a track full of resort vibes.

Tom’s cool flair bartending is definitely worth watching!

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Yoshizaki Keiko

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I Will Always Love YouWhitney Houston

The Bodyguard • I Will Always Love You [Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston Movie HD]

Whitney Houston, who was a soul singer, also appeared as an actress in the film The Bodyguard.

The song used as its theme was one she sang herself.

Although Whitney Houston was already a famous singer when the movie was released, this song became synonymous with her.

Theme of A Proof of the HumanJō Yamanaka

Proof of the Man Theme Song – Joe Yamanaka

This is the theme song of the Japanese film masterpiece Proof of the Man, starring the great actor Yusaku Matsuda.

The lyrics are an English translation of a poem by Saijō Yaso that appears in the film, and Joe Yamanaka—who was also a professional boxer—delivers a soulful performance.

It is a classic movie ballad beloved across generations.

Let it goMatsu Takako, May J.

“Frozen MovieNEX” Let It Go / Elsa (Takako Matsu) <Japanese Lyrics Version>

It’s a song from the 2013 Disney film Frozen.

It became a huge hit not only in Japan but around the world.

The English version was sung by Idina Menzel, while in Japan it was released under the title “Ari no Mama de,” performed by Takako Matsu and May J., and became a major hit.

The song opens in a minor key with a somewhat wistful feel, but in the latter half it shifts to a more major tone and the music builds dramatically.

Bayside ShakedownMatsumoto Akihiko

Bayside Shakedown BGM (1997)

We would like to introduce something from the hugely popular drama and film series “Bayside Shakedown” (Odoru Daisousasen).

This comes highly recommended.

Rather than being a soundtrack tailored strictly to match the film’s scenes, each track stands on its own as a piece of music, with distinctive character, making it very satisfying to listen to.

The album released went on to sell one million copies—an exceptional achievement for a Japanese soundtrack.