1. "A Clockwork Orange" (1971): Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this controversial film satirizes societal violence and rebellion. An ultraviolent protagonist, Alex, listens to Beethoven's music, including "Ode to Joy." The film explores the disconnection between pleasure, violence, and art.
2. "The King of Comedy" (1982): Directed by Martin Scorsese, this film follows the story of Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro), a delusional and aspiring comedian who becomes obsessed with a TV talk show host, Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis). The film's opening and end credits feature "Ode to Joy."
3. "The Joy Luck Club" (1993): Directed by Wayne Wang, this drama explores the lives of four Chinese-American mothers and their daughters in San Francisco. The film features the melody of "Ode to Joy" in several scenes, including a pivotal moment when the group sings the song together.
4. "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994): Directed by Frank Darabont and based on a Stephen King novella, this heartwarming and inspiring drama tells the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and sent to prison. The film's climactic scene features Andy conducting a prison orchestra playing "Ode to Joy."
5. "The Pianist" (2002): Directed by Roman Polanski, this biographical drama follows the life of Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), a Polish-Jewish pianist who survived the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. The film's emotional climax involves Szpilman playing "Ode to Joy" for a Nazi officer.
6. "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008): Directed by Danny Boyle, this Oscar-winning drama tells the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an impoverished teenager from Mumbai who becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The film features several references to "Ode to Joy," including a climactic scene where it's played during the final question.
7. "The Theory of Everything" (2014): Directed by James Marsh, this biographical drama portrays the life of renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his struggle with motor neuron disease. The film's emotional moments are often underscored by the melody of "Ode to Joy."