In the Hall of the Mountain King, one of the all-time famous pieces of classical music was written in 1875 by Edvard Grieg. The sound is iconic, its melody is profoundly recognizable, and it has attained mass notoriety thanks to its many uses. Since the premiere of Edvard Grieg’s orchestral sound, other artists and composers have incorporated parts of it (and sometimes, the entire piece) into various songs, movies, television programs, and even video games.
As a fairly playful tune that invokes feelings of whimsy and dark unseen things (which may or may not be desired), In the Hall of the Mountain King is impossible to dislike or forget. Grieg, a Norwegian pianist, and composer, had fondly expressed his love of Norwegian culture and the beauty of the Norwegian countryside in many of his compositions. Here, we take a look at some of the movies in popular culture that have given recognition to Grieg’s classical piece.
5. Needful Things – 1993
In 1991, Needful Things, a horror film by Fracer C. Heston about a shop owner who would ask his customers to perform pranks and deeds in exchange for the items they most desire, uses the iconic sound in one particular comedic sequence. The movie, an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name, carries a much calmer tone than its source material. Despite this contrast, Grieg’s piece still settles perfectly in it and makes for a thrilling and entertaining theatrical moment.
4. Inspector Gadget – 1999
Although not reproduced verbatim, the 1999 superhero comedy film Inspector Gadget featured a theme song that samples Edvard Grieg’s masterpiece. The film tells the origin story of Inspector Gadget, the title character, as he attempts to foil an evil plot concocted by the series’ villain, Dr. Claw. There is a palpable and sublimely dark interpretation to be felt as one listens to the piece In The Of The Mountain King, and given the plot of this movie, we have to admit that its use is perfect.
3. Rat Race – 2001
In recent years, this movie has somewhat developed a cult following. Released theatrically by Paramount Pictures in 2001, Rat Race follows a group of people who have been divided into six teams and are tasked with racing 563 miles from a Las Vegas casino to a train station in New Mexico. The goal is to get to a storage locker and claim the $2 million prize waiting for the winning team. Edvard Grieg’s masterpiece is incorporated into this movie so perfectly that it’s a wonder the number is not played more often to highlight the hilarity and inherent clumsiness of the characters.
2. The Social Network – 2010
Based on the 2009 book, The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, The Social Network portrays the founding of the social networking website Facebook (now Meta). Becoming a critical and commercial success in 2010, the movie features an arrangement of Grieg’s historical piece in a scene where the Winklevoss twins lose an important rowing match because they’re preoccupied with thoughts of their nemesis Mark Zuckerberg. The composition, which Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross reworked, highlighted that scene perfectly and set the tone for the rest of the movie.
1. Trollhunter – 2010
Originally, Edvard Grieg’s musical score was composed as part of the stage music for Henrik Ibsen’s famous play Peer Gynt. This famous Norwegian play featured trolls (a folklore motif), a troll mountain king, and everything else. The incorporation of Grieg’s In The Hall Of The Mountain King into the contemporary Trollshunter movie is beautifully done. It hardly matters if you’re into classical music; there is no denying that Edvard Grieg’s In The Hall Of The Mountain King musical composition has made an indelible mark in pop culture.
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