Films and books have informed Patton more than any other medium. The eclecticism of both Ennio Morricone's scores for Dario Argento, and Jerry Goldsmith, were major sparks for his interest in soundtracks. Patton shows a deep appreciation for movies that deal with inner, psychological uncertainty and distress, rather than outward shock value or glitz. Important film pieces to him include "Rosemary's Baby" by Krzysztof Komeda, "In Like Flint" by Jerry Goldsmith, "The Godfather" by Nino Rota, "Kwaidan" by Tōru Takemitsu, "Under the Skin" by Mica Levi, "The Birds" by Oskar Sala, and "The Exorcist". Patton has constantly expressed his admiration for director David Lynch and many publications describe the surrealism in some of his music, especially in "Disco Volante" and "California" by Mr. Bungle, as "the musical equivalent of a David Lynch movie." He is also a devotee of Morricone's catalog, lamenting that his bombastic Westerns eclipsed his more experimental or strictly classical oeuvre, and in 2005 he commissioned a compilation of the lesser-known soundtracks by "E Maestro" that was released on Patton's label. Morricone's death in July 2020 "weighed heavily on" the singer.