Some music sounds like circles – spirals of sound that send your consciousness down an engrossing path. Here are 10 examples of absolutely hypnotizing movie music that draw me in every time I hear them, and I have to listen to them to the end.

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West – Dreams to Dream

We’ll start with a nice soft lullaby that sounds like waves on the ocean, softly building until they crescendo with a big splash on the beach and then return to the sweet place they started at.

Anastasia – Once Upon a December

If melancholy and longing could be summed up in a sound, they would be “Once Upon a December.” The haunting melody combined with the lyrics of sorrow and mystery make this an unforgettable waltz.

The Black Hole – Main Title

A sense of foreboding is built into the very heart of this incredible piece of music by John Barry. It sets the tone perfectly for everything that will transpire in The Black Hole by making us feel trapped in a powerful current of sound we can never escape, even as it peters out at the end and leaves us in the void of space with echoes of dread still ringing in our ears.

Dune (1984) – Prologue and Main Title

Perfectly capturing the weight of prophecy and divine destiny, the opening pieces of music of Dune (1984) showcase the feeling of hope and sadness inherent in its story. It all feels so forceful and inevitable, yet somber.

The Godfather – Love Theme

Can a love theme feel haunted? The Godfather’s certainly does. Any joy contained in this beautiful tune is tinged with regret, and each upbeat line is repeated with a down note, implying that triumph will be tainted by tragedy.

Hellraiser – Resurrection

Imagine yourself on a dark carousel at a shady carnival run by a demon draped in shadows with glowing red eyes, and you’ve got the spirit of “Resurrection” from Hellraiser. It’s absolutely terrifying, especially as it grows in intensity toward the end. It’s a ride that keeps going faster and faster, and you know you won’t be able to get off.

Karate Kid Part III – Kata Training

“Training Hard” in the first Karate Kid film is good, but “Kata Training” in Karate Kid Part III perfects it. Adding a whole orchestra makes it feel so much more epic and complete. This isn’t exactly Rocky-level workout music, but it certainly stirs the soul in its use of repetition to build a sense of yearning and uncertainty.

Maleficent – Once Upon a Dream

“Once Upon a Dream” is a lovely signature piece of the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty. But its style of playful romance would be out of place in the 2014 remake Maleficent. Thus, it was reimagined as a dark lullaby full of pain and desolation. It’s less of a dance and more of a funeral procession, though still beautiful.

Raiders of the Lost Ark – The Map Room: Dawn

The Ark theme is used to incredible effect in this musical piece in Raiders of the Lost Ark. It begins in a mysterious and powerful way, slowly building until the tension is almost unbearable. And then it pays off in the most satisfying expression of haunting-yet-heavenly sound I’ve ever heard.

Vertigo – Prelude and Rooftop

We’ll finish with a piece of music that is designed to make one feel off balance and in a state of mind perilously close to hypnotism. The sound keeps ebbing and flowing as though lulling you into a false sense of security before throwing a heavy object at you to knock you off kilter time and time again.

Hypnotic Masterpieces

Feel free to share your thoughts on these and other hypnotic masterpieces in films. “One Last Wish” and “Somewhere in Time,” anyone?

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.

All videos are the copyright of their respective owners.

Want to Support the Deja Reviewer?

If you’d like to support the Deja Reviewer, please consider donating a few dollars to keep this site going strong. I’ll even send you an original joke if you do! Try it, and prepare to enjoy a good chuckle.

$5.00