Elton John is one of the most popular musicians in the world. He’s sold more than 300 million records and landed over 50 top 40 hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. He’s enjoyed seven number ones in the UK and nine in the U.S. and has received several shelf-loads of awards, including five Grammys, five Brit Awards, two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor.
John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and named one of the most influential rock musicians of all time by Rolling Stone. So, it’s hardly surprising that his songs have often been used by filmmakers who wanted to spruce up their scenes with a little musical magic.
“Crocodile Rock” In High Fidelity
John Cusack plays a thirtysomething slacker who realizes he’s the reason all his relationships have failed in High Fidelity. Since he owns a record store, the movie presented ample opportunities for great soundtrack moments.
In addition to featuring hits by such legendary artists as Joan Jett, Stevie Wonder, the Kinks, the Velvet Underground, Queen, and Bob Dylan, the movie has Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock” on its soundtrack.
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” In American Hustle
David O. Russell was very transparent about the fact that American Hustle was heavily influenced by Goodfellas. Part of emulating Scorsese’s style involved filling the soundtrack with beloved pop hits.
For the scene in which the sheik is introduced to the mayor, Russell played Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” The soundtrack also contains such gems as “The Jean Genie” by David Bowie, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” by the Temptations, and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” by Chicago.
“Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” In Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Elton John plays himself hilariously in Kingsman: The Golden Circle. The villain is holding him captive on her compound and forcing him to perform live shows for her on command. John isn’t an actor, but his fictionalized hostage self is convincingly miserable.
When Harry and Eggsy show up to take down the bad guy, John helps them in the final battle. The headbanging energy of “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” sets the stage for the action perfectly.
“Tiny Dancer” In Almost Famous
The soundtrack of Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous is a goldmine for music fans. Since it tells the story of a kid who gets the opportunity of a lifetime to follow a rock band on tour and write for Rolling Stone magazine, Crowe filled the movie with classic tunes.
When Russell gets back on the bus in one pivotal scene, everybody on board – one by one – starts singing Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”
“Blue Eyes” In My Own Private Idaho
Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho takes a gonzo approach to its modern retelling of three Shakespeare plays about kings named Henry, while River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves anchor the movie with impeccable individual performances and unparalleled on-screen chemistry.
Elton John’s “Blue Eyes” appears on a soundtrack that also includes such hits as Madonna’s “Cherish” and O.G. teen idol Rudy Vallée’s “Deep Night.”
“Amoreena” In Dog Day Afternoon
In order to maintain the almost documentary-like realism of his retelling of a real-life bank heist, Sidney Lumet only played three songs on the soundtrack of his true crime masterpiece Dog Day Afternoon.
One of those songs is “Amoreena” by Elton John, which plays over the opening credits. Al Pacino stars as a man who finds himself in over his head when he attempts to rob a bank to pay for his lover’s gender confirmation surgery.
“Pinball Wizard” In Tommy
When Ken Russell adapted The Who album Tommy into a movie, he tapped Elton John to cover the classic “Pinball Wizard” for the movie.
John actually plays “The Pinball Wizard” in the movie. He’s endlessly cocky about the fact that he’s the world’s greatest pinball player and he’s most famous for wearing seven-foot-high boots, which became a staple of the music video.
“Skyline Pigeon” In The Favourite
Yorgos Lanthimos’ historical masterpiece The Favourite revolves around the love triangle between Queen Anne and her top two candidates for the role of “Court favourite.” Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz all give incredible performances in the lead roles. Colman partly attributed her Oscar win to Stone and Weisz’s selflessness as scene partners.
The original version of Elton John’s “Skyline Pigeon,” which is famous for its use of harpsichord, plays over the end credits of the movie.
“Can You Feel The Love Tonight” In The Lion King
When Elton John was tapped to write some original songs for the Disney animated musical The Lion King, he didn’t work with his usual songwriter Bernie Taupin, but rather with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s frequent collaborator Tim Rice.
Arguably John’s finest contribution to The Lion King soundtrack is “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” But of course, there are plenty of other great ones – “Circle of Life” is a fan favorite, too.
Everything In Rocketman
After being hired to finish Bohemian Rhapsody when Bryan Singer jumped ship and stitching together as coherent a movie as he could, Dexter Fletcher proved what he can really do with full creative control of a musical biopic with Rocketman.
With involvement from John himself, Rocketman told the music icon’s life story in a powerful way, with dazzling visuals to match the mesmerizing soundtrack and a terrific performance by Taron Egerton.