Username Password Remember me Forgot password?

Wanna join? Tour Spout | Sign up

Find movies you'll love

Movie Soundtracks

Created on 5/3/2006, last active yesterday.

"Movie sound tracks."

Join this group

Interested in: No particular genre

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

Note: you must join this group to add to this discussion.

Watcher_in_the_ Woods
Posts 22

5/8/2006 2:55 PM
posted awhile ago

Favorite Film Scores?

Choosing songs for a films soundtrack is surely an art in itself. But composing a score for a film is the work of a genius. What are your top five favorite film scores?

Here's mine:

1. The Goonies: Dave Grusin

2. Amelie: Yann Tiersen
3. City of Lost Children: Angelo Badalamenti

4. Edward Scissorhands: Danny Elfman

5. Night on Earth: Tom Waits

pippin06
Posts 463

5/8/2006 4:00 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

I already listed mine in the last convo, but for purposes of this convo, i'll retype it briefly.

1. Star Wars original trilogy

2. Lord of the Rings trilogy

3. Schindler's List

4. E.T.

5. Raiders of the Lost Ark

p.s. Three cheers for including film scores. I looked at what soundtracks I own, and most of them are orchestral. So there you are.

Watcher_in_the_ Woods
Posts 22

5/8/2006 4:12 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

Peter J. Brant actually suggested it, and I agree it was a wise suggestion.

I LOVE the ET score

paul
Posts 247

5/9/2006 11:23 AM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

Which sort of brings up the John Williams phenomena. John Williams who does anything Steven Spielberg or George Lucas (and also a personal favorite score, Superman) is pretty much what most people in this country recognize as popular classical music. I've heard orchestral musicians tend to hate him. But it's fascinating how he took orchestral music and created hits within a pop music culture. Would we even care about his music if it didn't conjure up feelings from when we saw Luke blow up the Death Star, Superman jump into a phone booth, or Indy chase down the ark?

Incidentally, have you ever tried to hum the following John William's scores one after the other?

Star Wars
Superman
Raiders of the Lost Ark

I find it very difficult. I get stuck on one and it blocks out the other two (maybe because they're so similar).

Anyway, Nino Rota with The Godfather is my favorite soundtrack (especially the 5/4 piece when Woltz wakes with the dead horse).

Ennio Morricone's work for The Mission really stands on its own.

The original Get Carter theme is really great.

And Un Coeur En Hiver is the reason I love Ravel (not that he scored that movie, but the music works like a great score).

Another great experiment: Listen to the soundtrack for Un Coeur En Hiver while watching The Mystery of Picasso. It's spooky how those two things go together.

Under discussion:

The Godfather (1972)

The Mission (1986)

The Mystery of Picasso (1956)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Star Wars (1977)

Un Coeur en Hiver (1992)

Superman: The Movie (1978)

Get Carter (1971)

paul
Posts 247

5/9/2006 11:42 AM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

Flip. I forgot to include John Newman's score for In the Bedroom.

And I'm surprised nobody has said The Shawshank Redemption.

Under discussion:

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

In the Bedroom (2001)

pippin06
Posts 463

5/9/2006 12:21 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

I think John Williams is a genius. I play violin. Can I just say that E.T. is one of the most complex pieces of music to play? Seriously! I was in the Michigan Pops Orchestra at U of M, and we played that last string of 15 minutes, with the whole bicycle chase and running to meet the spaceship. It's not for the shrinking violet in terms of level of difficulty. A complete workout for the fingers of string musicians at the very least.

I don't see why orchestral musicians hate John Williams. I liken him to, say, Harry Potter (the books). As in, Harry Potter introduced a number of children to reading, just as JW introduced a number of non-symphonic aficionados to the world of the symphony orchestra. I, myself, signed up to play the violin with the hopes that I would be able to play Star Wars or E.T. later in life. With that decision, I obviously grew to appreciate the "real" classical music. Fortunately, the Pops played a John Williams themed concert, and my childhood dream was realized :-).

Remember, though, that JW has written many things outside of the ones we all remember and love. Incidentally, he wrote the Olympics fanfare that you hear during EVERY Olympic games. He also wrote movie music for non-Speilberg or Lucas flicks. To mind: the Harry Potter movies (1-3), JFK, Born on the Fourth of July, Memoirs of a Geisha, Stepmom, Sabrina, Home Alone, the Witches of Eastwick, and the original Poseidon Adventure. His resume is long and spans 40 years. He's also composed strictly non-movie related classical works.

Incidentally, I can hum the Star Wars, Superman, and Raiders themes back to back! But, as you can tell, I'm sort of a geek when it comes to JW.

I have some honorable mentions in the score department:

A Beautiful Mind (James Horner)

The Chronicles of Narnia (Harry Gregson-Williams)

To Kill a Mockingbird (Elmer Bernstein)

Gone with the Wind (Max Steiner)

Titanic (James Horner)

The Lion King (Hans Zimmer)

Forrest Gump, the score (Alan Silvestri)

Contact (Alan Silvestri)

I could go on, but I can't think right now...! Cheers.

PammyK
Posts 216

5/10/2006 10:12 AM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

I really like the theme song from Jurassic Park also by John Williams. I played it in 7th grade band and it gave me chills.

Under discussion:

Jurassic Park (1993)

Rick
Posts 6

5/10/2006 12:02 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

I really love the work that Mark Mothersbaugh has done for Wes Anderson's films. Quirky and perfectly formed, each little musical morsel from these films is a unique delight. Incidentally, for those who didn't know this, Mark Mothersbaugh was (is?) actually one of the members of Devo. Whip it good. I highly, highly recommend the soundtracks and scores for Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Life Aquatic.

Watcher_in_the_ Woods
Posts 22

5/11/2006 12:41 AM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

He was in DEVO???

bbissell
Posts 1

5/11/2006 7:57 AM
posted awhile ago

Re: Favorite Film Scores?

I have to say that one of my favorite film scores is Last of the Mohicans. I think James Horner did it (he has done a lot of great stuff I'm sure as you all know). That is good enough music that you could watch it outside the movie and still enjoy it.