There is no denying that a good film score can make any film a much better movie. This is true of all films. While musicals are the obvious beneficiaries of great soundtracks, any movie with a memorable soundtrack to set the mood makes a good film amazing.

While Singin’ in the Rain would not have made such a powerful impact on the mass consciousness without its iconic film score, neither could King Kong, Psycho or the Star Wars series. This extends beyond American cinema: Seven Samurai’s score is iconic even in the west, and the British Hammer Horror series loses a lot of teeth without its shocking soundtracks.

However, things were not always so. In the early days of cinema, as most people know simply from the concept of “silent films,” there used to be no sound in movies at all. Despite this, while the earliest films do not have soundtracks, many early movie houses hired organists or even orchestras to play music during the showing of the early silent films.

This was not due to any matters of artistic ideals, but rather because early projectors made incredibly irritating noises and since sound absorbent walls did not yet exist between the audience and the projector, something was sought to cover up the grinding of the projector. Most movie houses chose to use music.

It wasn’t long before movie goers began to appreciate the music as a supplement to the moving pictures on the screen, In 1914, the Oz Film Manufacturing Company sent full length scores by Louis F. Gottschalk to go along with their films, and thus the age of the film soundtrack had begun.

While this was only a common practice for big budget movies of the era (and even then was not a standard practice, as many movie houses preferred to have their in-house musicians play traditional pieces by famous composers), it did mark the first intertwining of the aspects of moving images on the screen and moving music in the theater.

In the 1920’s, German cinema, once a major powerhouse in the medium of film the world over, provided a number of scores to go along with movies, such as Fritz Lang’s Die Nibelungen and Metropolis, as well as F. W. Murnau’s iconic expressionist horror films Faust and Nosferatu.

When film technology finally began to include sound, it was some years before soundtracks came into this medium. While Tod Browning’s 1931 Dracula is an early “talkie”, it includes no soundtrack despite the fact that its sound recordings defined how vampires talk in the modern imagination.

Synchronizing movies with music was a landmark event in film history, first taking place in another legendary creature feature, David O. Selznick’s King Kong in 1933. The soundtrack of King Kong was composed by Max Steiner and features many scenes of music synchronized with the film’s action, such as when the chieftain of the people of Skull Island approaches the visitors to the island, with each footfall being back by a background chord.

During the 1940s, there was less development in the medium of film scores, but in the 1950s, there was the beginning of the modern film score, shifting away from purely orchestral sounds and adapting to other types of sounds, ranging from jazz influences to the style of music beloved by Broadway that finally hit the silver screen in that era. The horror film soundtrack, with its emphasis on uncomfortable tension and sudden, shocking surges of music, began in this era as well, with Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo and Psycho beginning the age of the horror film soundtrack. Since then, movie scores have gone on to become an essential part of nearly every film on the market today.

“The Bodyguard,” released in 1992, was one of the most popular films of its time, and in 1992, it made more money than 99 percent of the movies that year. In the 21st century, the film can be found on DVD, VHS and online.

The movie involves a former Secret Service agent who becomes a bodyguard and is hired to protect a singer from a suspected stalker. It takes time for the singer to realize the seriousness of the situation, but events in the movie lead her to realize she needs a bodyguard.

Due to the quality and the way the move resonated with viewers, “The Bodyguard” is also considered to be a classic. What are the reasons “The Bodyguard,” featuring Kevin Costner, as the body guard, and the late Whitney Houston, as the singer, is a classic?

The Film Was Whitney Houston’s Acting Debut

Whitney Houston, one of the most famous singers and actresses of the 20th century, and who died in 2012 at the age of 48, was known by millions and millions of people across the globe in 1992. Her performance in “The Bodyguard” marks her first acting project and is a landmark for Whitney Houston fans who like to follow the timeline of her career.

The Movie Showcases an Interracial Relationship

Although the security guard Houston falls in love with, Frank Farmer, played by Kevin Costner, begins the relationship purely professional. In fact, he’s not too thrilled about taking the job because he considers the singer Rachel Marron, played by Whitney Houston, to be a spoiled diva at first. Eventually, the two grow fond enough of his other to share a romantic kiss at the end of the movie. The passionate kiss between a black woman and a white man is unusual for the movies and is one of the scenes that makes “The Bodyguard” a classic. Even in the 21st century, a kiss between a black woman and a white man is an unusual thing to see in the movies.

Whitney Houston is in a Leading Role

It is unusual to see African-American women in leading roles over their white counterparts, especially in 1992. However, in “The Bodyguard” Whitney Houston takes center stage. She is the focus of the film whereas Keven Costner’s character takes a lesser role.

Two of the Songs from The Bodyguard are Classic Songs

Whitney Houston sang the songs for the film. Because of her strong voice that was beloved by millions and millions of people across the globe, the songs were sure to become popular. For examples, the songs “Run to You” and “I Have Nothing” were two of the songs from the movie that were critically acclaimed. The songs were heard over and over on the radio, and they were nominated for Oscars and Grammys. Furthermore, the soundtrack for “The Bodyguard,” which included other tops songs such as “I Will Always Love You,” became the best-selling soundtrack ever.

“The Bodyguard” Joins the List of Love Story Movies

In modern culture, there are a number of movies that are added to the list of love stories that are beloved by millions. “The Bodyguard” is constantly referred to as a movie that people see over and over. It holds a strong spot on the romantic movie list.

Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner never appeared in a film together again. Their union was a unique combination that made “The Bodyguard” one of the most beloved movies of 1992 and of all time. It is a classic movie that holds a permanent spot on the list of romantic movies.

Although not an independent film, indie film-makers can take the above cues from this classic and incorporate the elements into their own productions to assure bigger box offices.