Daily Debate: What Piece of Film Music Would You Borrow For The Zelda Series?
Posted on April 13 2022 by Sean Gadus
The Zelda series has been inspired by and influenced by a variety of films. Whether it is the Western-inspired Kakariko Village and Hidden Village in Twilight Princess or the Peter Pan inspired outfit that Link wears for most of the series, film has played a role in shaping the series throughout its thirty-six year history. Perhaps most significantly, the series has always strove to capture the grand musical scores that are found in many films. In fact, many recent Zelda soundtracks could be slipped into big budget films without missing a beat.
With this in mind, if you could borrow one piece of film music for the Zelda series, what would you choose? By borrow, I mean take a piece of music from a film and insert it into a current or future Zelda game. You might use this piece of music as an overworld theme, town theme, or for a specific cutscene. Overall, there is a deep well of great film music that would fit the series, and I had a hard time narrowing down my choices for this topic.
One of my first choices would be Ennio Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold” (L’estasi dell’oro) from the classic western The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. I can easily picture this song playing in the lead up to a boss battle or another important story moment like Link drawing the Master Sword. The mesmerizing piano, dramatic bells, and grand chorus give “The Ecstasy of Gold” a gravitas few songs can match. Another great song would be Joe Hisaishi’s “Journey to the West” from Princess Mononoke. Sharing some striking similarities with Breath of the Wild, Princess Mononoke (directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki) has some of the most beautiful landscapes in animated film history. The evocative “Journey To The West” punctuates protagonist Ashitaka’s journey across the wilderness. The song’s soulful opening, beautiful melody, and explosive crescendos create a piece that feels perfect for setting off on a grand quest like the ones seen in the Zelda series.
What do you think? If you could borrow one piece of film music for the Zelda series, what would you choose? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom is one of his favorite final battles in the entire series. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
