Films that used classical music in their scores.

Several in 2001: A Space Odyessy.

Fire Maidens from Outer Space used excerpts from the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin.

Another film with music from Prince Igor is "Kismet" (1953). The breakout hit song from that film, "Stranger In Paradice," is a melody from the dance episode that is excerpted as The Polovtsian Dances. Most of the other music and songs in "Kismet" are also from "Igor."

Unfaithfully Yours



Conductor Sir Alfred DeCarter, suspecting his wife of being unfaithful, daydreams during a concert of various ways of dealing with the situation - from forgiveness to murder - to the accompaniment of Tchaikovsky, Rossini and Wagner. Afterward to similar accompaniment, we witness his preparations to carry out one of those schemes...to comically disastrous results. 


The Black Cat



This first screen teaming of Karloff and Lugosi employs excerpts of pieces by Liszt, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Schubert, Bach and Brahms between original cues by studio composer Heinz Roemheld. 


The Four Seasons



The eponymous compositions of Vivaldi provide witty commentary on the travails of three vacationing couples. 


 

Richard Wagner "Ride of the Valkyries" in APOCALYPSE NOW

I loved the use of Debussy’s Clair de Lune in this scene from OCEAN’S ELEVEN (2001).

Crud, forgot the opera scene from Philadelphia



I watched this scene and thought "we just watched Tom Hanks win an Oscar". He conveys the possibility that this might be the last time he hears this, and the joy and pain that goes with that.