Best film music

[GetCarter]

Hub said:

My favourite composer is probably Thomas Newman:
- American Beauty
- Road to Perdition
- Revolutionary Road
etc

/\ This

[Stonebridge]

Ayahuasca said:

Anything by Ennio Morricone , e.g.

- Chi Mai
- The Mission
- The 'Spaghetti Westerns'


Anything by Giorgio Moroder , e.g.

- Midnight Express
- Scarface

most of the Master & Commander score


Wha Tels?

I'll add my voice to the praises of Ennio Morricone.
Once Upon a Time in the West is probably my favoutite of his soundtracks.

[mp3manager]

Just loved Michael Giacchino's score in The Incredibles and Star Trek was good too.

Bear McCreary did an awesome job in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, capturing and incorporating the Terminator 'duh duh duh da duh' drums perfectly.

[Meeja]

Great subject.

I am a big fan on film scores.

John Williams stuff is usually first class (Star Wars (IV) and Jaws probably being amongst my favourites), but so many others to choose from
Maurice Jarre has composed some cracking stuff
Michael Kamen (Lethal Weapon series and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves)
Hans Zimmer
Thomas Newman

More recently (last summer!), I took my son to see "The Last Airbender" at the cinema - the score was composed by James Newton Howard - and is simply stunning.

[Meeja]

635djimmy said:

James Horners for 'Apollo 13'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z9u_WxKYpY&fea...

[DrTre]

Danny Elfman: Batman

Many others of his: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSNktasBOTI&fea...

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Edited by DrTre on Tuesday 25th January 12:23

[indi pearl]

Near Dawn
Risky Business
Both for Tangerine Dream
Well and for a certain blond in Risky Business who had a "thing" for trains!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KuNH3C36QE

Edited by indi pearl on Tuesday 25th January 12:27

Edited by indi pearl on Tuesday 25th January 12:30

[Agoogy]

Lawrence of Arabia
Dr Zhivago
or
Up

[CRACKIE]

Peter Gabriel's soundtrack for Birdy ( Alan Parker )

[klimakool]

when trying to relax i put on the leon soundtrack

[Sprouts]

Yann Tiersen for Amelie
Tom Tykwer, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek for Run Lola Run
Michael Nyman for Wonderland

[Gravy]

I just watched The Book Of Eli and the soundtrack (Atticus Ross) to that was perfect for the film. So haunting and atmospheric.
Also, off the top of my head I love the choice of music on Snatch, Cadillac Records (probably doesn't count as the film is about the music!), Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and The Education Of Charlie Banks.

ETA - Ennio Morricone, The Crisis. Apparently composed for "The Legend Of 1900" but I love it in Seven Pounds.

Edited by Gravy on Tuesday 25th January 21:05

[lockhart flawse]

Cat People

[NiceCupOfTea]

John Williams (Star Wars, ET, Indiana Jones, Superman, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, etc.)
James Horner (Titanic, Star Treks 2 & 3, Aliens, etc.)
Jerry Goldsmith (Star Trek I / TNG, etc., Alien, etc.)
John Barry (James Bond, Out of Africa).

Also, Eric Coates (Dambusters) & Ron Goodwin ( Battle of Britain, 633 Squadron, Monte Carlo or Bust, Where Eagles Dare)

Any stuff like this is fantastic fun to play too! Probably my favourite film scores at the mo are:

John Barry - Out of Africa

and

Michael Kamen - Band of Brothers

Neither is "typical" bombastic film music, but both are gorgeous.

(Trivia: Clint Mansell was the lead singer with 80s/90s Midlands indy outfit Pop Will Eat Itself!)

[kiteless]

NiceCupOfTea said:

John Barry - Out of Africa

I do love John Barry's work. Every tune seems to be written in the key of epic.

[qube_TA]

Personal favourites.

Tangerine Dream - Risky Business / The Keep / Near Dark
Vangelis - Blade Runner / Antarctica
Thomas Newman - American Beauty / Erin Brockovich
Cliff Martinez - Solaris
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy

[FunkyNige]

I really like the way John Williams' score in Star Wars (all of them, and I mean all!) is used with specific characters having their own theme. So in the episodes 1-3 we get little snippets of the future main characters' themes (Imperial March was briefly in episode 2 when Anakin started turning to the dark side, Padme's theme is similar to Leia's, etc.).
Plus, Darth Maul's theme is the best thing to come out of episode 1!

Classical music in a sci-fi film works really well, but there is something chillingly haunting about the child's music box music in For a Few Dollars More.

[Some Gump]

I agree with the guys above re.John Williams.

However, the best use of music to set the emotional tone of a film ever must be Last of the Moheicans. The final fight scene especially (but the whole score has built up to this point).

[NiceCupOfTea]

FunkyNige said:

I really like the way John Williams' score in Star Wars (all of them, and I mean all!) is used with specific characters having their own theme. So in the episodes 1-3 we get little snippets of the future main characters' themes (Imperial March was briefly in episode 2 when Anakin started turning to the dark side, Padme's theme is similar to Leia's, etc.).
Plus, Darth Maul's theme is the best thing to come out of episode 1!

Wagner used it extensively in his operas - "leitmotifs" or recurring themes for a character or situation.

[NLB]

John Barry... so much great stuff, but the "Ipcress File" music is wonderful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsSDjcfC3oM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kolQVDMW1IE&fea...


A fantastic film too, although hugely simplified compared to the book.