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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Movies with harmonica in em'?
Movies with harmonica in em'?
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DanP
143 posts
Sep 25, 2010
8:26 AM
There has been a lot of movies that feature harmonicas-westerns, war movies, etc. The list would be to long to mention all the movies I've seen that have harmonicas in them. So to narrow it down to movies about music, 3 come to mind. Crossroads (1986) with the guy who played the karate kid, Ralph Macchio. It was filmed in Mississippi and features Frank Frost. The Last Waltz has a couple of great perfomances by Paul Butterfield. Cadillac Records, about Chess Records has Kim Wilson playing the Little Walter harmonica parts except one song which is a recording by the real Little Walter.
RyanMortos
814 posts
Sep 25, 2010
8:29 AM
Do you mean movies in which someone is playing a harmonica in at least one scene? Or are you including score/soundtrack, & other movies featuring prevalent blues?

'Cadillac Records'. See it! Its about a blues record company & features actors playing Little Walter, Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, & so on.

'Australia' has a number of scenes where someone is playing a harmonica. Though itll make you want a boomerang (shaped) harmonica & you be disappointed to find out that's harder then it seems.

There's at least one scene in 'The Good the Bad & the Ugly'. I swear the guy is playing an old school 12 hole marine band or something. Speaking of which you can see or hear harmonica in a lot of westerns. Also the main character's name in 'Once Upon a Time in the West' is Harmonica.

If your into anime or might be the series 'Cowboy Bebop' features a lot of harmonica in the soundtrack & an episode that is all about a harmonica player. Adam even has a youtube lesson on one of the songs called Spokey Dokey MBH.149 & MBH.150.

I just woke up lemme see if I think of anything else.

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RyanMortos

~Ryan

"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright

Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)

Contact:
My youtube account



Greyowlphotoart
66 posts
Sep 25, 2010
8:32 AM
Can't think of any featuring a lot of harp playing yet.

First one to come to mind is Midnight Cowboy, a haunting theme tune to a great movie, trouble is I'm pretty sure it was played on chromatic.

There's also a pretty cool blues riff on The Wire TV series.

I'm sure more will come to mind as soon as I post this, so I might be back!!
RyanMortos
816 posts
Sep 25, 2010
8:55 AM
Okay, but 'Australia' might still fit the bill. There's a couple scenes with a supporting actor playing songs like Somewhere O'er the Rainbow on a boomerang harmonica.

I didn't think of Elwood when you mentioned Blues Brothers cause first harmonica player that comes to my mind in that movie is Big Walter Horton.

I have not seen it nor do I think it received equal acclaim but there's another movie like Cadillac Records called 'Who Do You Love' which also features someone cast as Little Walter.

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RyanMortos

~Ryan

"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright

Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)

Contact:
My youtube account



harpdude61
365 posts
Sep 25, 2010
9:01 AM
Crossroads is a must for harp and blues lovers. The opening harmonica stuff is Sonny Terry. Sonny can also be seen with Brownie at the start and end of The Jerk.
Buzadero
572 posts
Sep 25, 2010
9:04 AM
While not really a "movie", the DVD of "Gunsmoke Blues" gets fairly regular play on my iPod when I'm offshore.


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~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
Stickman
434 posts
Sep 25, 2010
9:04 AM
Once Upon a Time in the West



and if they ever get released and distributed

the Satan and Adam documentary and Pocket Full of Soul




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The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland

Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2010 9:11 AM
joeleebush
89 posts
Sep 25, 2010
9:27 AM
In the old 1953 movie "The Wild One" starring Marlon Brando, there is a scene where a group of his bikers are sitting at a bar and one of them (probably someone else other than the actor) plays some "jazz" type stuff on a chromatic. I guess it's okay, Bill Clarke sent me a video once with it on the tape along with his very amusing comments.
I guess you'll have to hunt it down somewhere or buy the DVD if it interests you that much
The accompanying "jive talk" is totally absurd and anyone using it in the 50's bars around here would've been laughed out of town after being dragged out into the alley by some recent parolees from Reidsville State Prison where he would've learned how to be a "girly man" very quickly.
RyanMortos
819 posts
Sep 25, 2010
9:41 AM
The Good the Bad and the Ugly



The best clip I can find of the harmonica in movie Australia might give too much away if you haven't seen the film but if that doesn't bother you it can be watched Here .

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RyanMortos

~Ryan

"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright

Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)

Contact:
My youtube account



Stickman
435 posts
Sep 25, 2010
9:53 AM
DVD's are soooo stone age. Google is like having your own Genie in a lamp.

http://www.crackle.com/c/Crossroads/Crossroads/2462227

http://www.letmewatchthis.com/movie-154-Cadillac-Records
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The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland

Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2010 9:54 AM
jawbone
342 posts
Sep 25, 2010
10:41 AM
Little Big Man
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
cloud1i
24 posts
Sep 25, 2010
10:46 AM
Angel Heart with Sugar Blue playing.
eharp
811 posts
Sep 25, 2010
10:52 AM
shawshank redemption has a quickie of morgan freeman playing a chord.
windtalker has christian slater playing harp.
KingoBad
409 posts
Sep 25, 2010
10:52 AM
I think you guys should probably check out this guy that might be known to this forum on RATTLE AND HUM.

Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2010 10:54 AM
Joch230
322 posts
Sep 25, 2010
11:01 AM
TNFrank. Since you also love guitar, you will also love the guitar dual from crossroads. Steve Vai plays the devils boy. Some of the slide guitar is Ry Cooder but in the dual, all the killer solos by Vai and the kid are played by Vai.



And here is Willie Brown and the Lightnin Boy:



-John
captin beef harp
28 posts
Sep 25, 2010
11:18 AM
here is an old one with paul butterfield and mike bloomfield
(dont have it to post)
steelyard blues
RyanMortos
820 posts
Sep 25, 2010
12:32 PM
Lol, I can't watch Crossroads with a straight face. The whole thing is so laughable. I swear they got the idea for the ending boss fights in Guitar Hero video games from this movie.

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RyanMortos

~Ryan

"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright

Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)

Contact:
My youtube account



bonedog569
79 posts
Sep 25, 2010
2:57 PM
Danny Welton in the Wild one on chromatic. I ripped it off a download of the movie for a similar thread a little while back. Dig the rebop daddy-o.

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Photobucket

Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2010 3:05 PM
MrVerylongusername
1250 posts
Sep 25, 2010
5:25 PM
Blues Harp by Takashi Miike. Violent gangster movie centred around a young harp player. Good watch if you can get hold of it.
ol'bosey
40 posts
Sep 25, 2010
6:01 PM
I think it's about time they do a remake of crossroads. I think it might influence a new generation of highley immpressionable neighbor kids to get into blues. I actually noticed that after "Cadillac Records" came out there are a ton of people putting "My Babe" up on YouTube. It was so refreshing to see a couple of teeneage black girls singing that because they watched the movie...kinda warms the heart to say the least.




Harpaholic
187 posts
Sep 26, 2010
7:57 AM
Does anyone know that the great Frank Frost did the harp playing in the movie Crossroads?

That's Frank standing to the right of Willie Brown in the video.
The Gloth
471 posts
Sep 26, 2010
9:27 AM
Scène from Rio Bravo :


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http://www.buddybrent.be
lumpy wafflesquirt
244 posts
Sep 26, 2010
12:02 PM
saw the thread title and thought
"I don't know any films with Harp in E minor"
:^)

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"Come on Brackett let's get changed"
Spider
11 posts
Sep 26, 2010
12:45 PM
Black Snake Moan, Charlie Musselwhite
Cool movie
eharp
815 posts
Sep 26, 2010
7:43 PM
what?
you think we are in charge of universal and mgm?
we dont make 'em, friend. we just watch 'em.

cadillac records is as close as you're gonna get.
jawbone
343 posts
Sep 26, 2010
9:02 PM
Maybe you should watch your collection then tell us.
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
Diggsblues
541 posts
Sep 27, 2010
1:34 PM
Little Big Man John Hammond did the sound track.
Breakfast at Tiffany's Moon River George Fields harmomica.

Tommy Morgan Films
Apple Dumpling Gang
Back to the Future III
Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Blazing Saddles
Buck and the Preacher
Cannery Row
Cars
Casper
Cat Ballou
Chapter Two
Chisum
Cincinnati Kid, The
City Slickers
Color Purple
Cool Hand Luke
Cowboys, The
Dances with Wolves
Dennis the Menace
Empire of the Sun
Flim Flam Man
Forty Eight Hours
Free Willy
Glory
Godfather III
Hang Em High
High Plains Drifter
Hotel for Dogs
How the West Was Won
John Carpenter’s Escape from L.A.
Kelly’s Heroes
La Bamba
Lilies of the Field

Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Mirror Has Two Faces, The
My Fair Lady
North to Alaska
Odd Couple II: Traveling Light
Oklahoma Crude
Overboard
Paint Your Wagon
Patch of Blue, A
Preacher’s Wife, The
Ratatouille
Right Stuff, The
Rio Lobo
Rocky III
Rookie of the Year
Rosewood
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Shawshank Redemption, The
Silverado
Smokey and the Bandit
Soldiers Story, A
Stagecoach
Steel Magnolias
Summer of ‘42
Support Your Local Sheriff
Tin Cup
Tom Sawyer
Truth About Cats and Dogs
Urban Cowboy
War Wagon, The
Wild Bunch, The



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Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind
How you doin'
joeleebush
93 posts
Sep 27, 2010
2:26 PM
Well there's no blues in the music..but Alan Ladd plays a harp with William Demarest singing along in an OLDDDDD western called "Whispering Smith". (this was before "Shane")
I'm guessing around 1949. I recall seeing it for 10cents at the Saturday twin bill matinee at the West End theatre in Atlanta.
(this was when you could bring along your Red Ryder Carbine BB Gun and the Daisy Mfg.Company would give you a free bag of popcorn. Can you imagine anything like that now? The anti-gun screwballs would go berserk)

Last Edited by on Sep 27, 2010 2:29 PM
groyster1
525 posts
Sep 27, 2010
5:42 PM
cadillac records has a scene where the producer complains to leonard chess about little walter blowin harp all over muddy waters vocals but chess said let him blow it was sad when little walter left muddy and went on his own the movie was not totally realistic as to how little walter died
Whitelight
1 post
Oct 04, 2015
7:05 PM
Ahh, Moon River by the late great George Fields, on his chromatic harmonica...This song was absolutely made for a forlorn harmonica...I was able to e-mail Mr.George before he passed.

Thank you kindly for the site Adam, and I am a new member, and I have only been playing for eight months.

Whitelight Gary
Komuso
640 posts
Oct 04, 2015
8:20 PM
This site has some great composition analysis of classic movie themes, including this harmonica one from The Big E.

Ennio Morricone’s Score for Once Upon a Time in the West (Part 3 of 3): The Frank/Harmonica Theme
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Learn Harmonica Faster
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
al
113 posts
Oct 05, 2015
1:32 AM

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http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/alprice
al
114 posts
Oct 05, 2015
1:34 AM
Has to be one of the wildest fox chases ever. I think the film is called Tobacco Road.

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http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/alprice

Last Edited by al on Oct 05, 2015 1:34 AM
root
58 posts
Oct 05, 2015
7:55 AM
Check out "Matewan" by John Sayles. Great harp by Phil Wiggins and John Hammond.As I recall, Phil is in a few scenes.
benhewlett
14 posts
May 17, 2024
8:54 AM
Just came across this compilation of harmonica tunes in movies - quite an interesting watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyhAu9hzTBQ
bandini
20 posts
May 29, 2024
8:00 AM
I feel like someone should point out that the bulk of the harp playing in Crossroads - including the whole "willie brown" song - is actually done by Juke Logan, who is one of my favorite harp players of all time (he's also playing the harp on the theme song to the original Rosanne show, which was a *great* theme).


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