DonaldM Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 The thread that David had on Avatar made me think of this. What would you pick as your top 3 film scores of all time and why? In your opinion, what makes a film score great? I'll have to admit, its tough for me, but here goes. 1. The Mission - Ennio Morricone Besides the powerful story in this film, the music blended perfectly with the story line, combining simple instrumental elements, choral elements and full orchestration. Brilliant and one of the very best ever in my opinion. 2. Kingdom of Heaven - Harry Gregson-Williams Perfect blend of ethnic rhythms and styles that emotionally support and enhance the story. Great film, too! 3. Pan's Labyrinth (El labertino del fauno) - Javier Navarrete I don't know of any film theme more haunting than the simple one that forms the main theme for this film. I know I could name others, but I said 3. What makes a score great in my opinion is first that it captures the emotional impact of the story perfectly and second that its memorable in its own right. Tough to pull off. There are 10 kinds of people in the world...those who can read binary, and those who can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wd8dky Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Braveheart - James Horner http://www.weisersound.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 James Horner? Really? Ascenseur pour L'Echafaud (Miles Davis) Blade Runner (Vangelis) Halloween III: Season of the Witch (John Carpenter and Alan Howarth) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABECK Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Favorite Score: Escape from NY (Simple, yet so appropriate) Close Encounters Shawshank Redemption Honorable Mention: Anything by Danny Elfman Favorite Soundtrack: Goodfellas Best use of songs in a documentary: Riding Giants Ask me tomorrow and my list could change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linwood Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 It's TV work, but check out the planet earth score. I just got it a couple days ago due to a friend's suggestion. I'm likin' it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Rocky II Rocky IV Goodfellas -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 The Legend of 1900 (Morricone) Lawrence of Arabia (Jarre) Cinema Paradiso (Morricone) .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthdogg Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Braveheart - James Horner I really love that score. I was never a huge fan of his score for Titanic, so I always tell myself that Horner's oscar win for bext score on Titanic was just a makeup for his missing out on Braveheart. I'll throw in John Williams score for "Star Wars", not because it's the greatest but because of the life changing impact it had on me as a kid and how I continue to view music. Bernstein's "Ten Commandments" and Herrmann's "Psycho" are also quickly coming to mind....I would probably give the nod to Psycho, personal preference. There's tons more....after thinking about it I would probably change my top 3 many times in the next few hours. I don't know that I could really ever narrow it down like that...so much great music has come out of the movies. Then again....Starship's "Nothing's gonna stop us now" came out of Mannequin, so it ain't all great....right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Jx Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Braveheart - James Horner That's my vote too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus64 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Halloween Cinema Paradiso Out of Africa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABECK Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Rocky IV I was just watching this with my son last week. While not a big fan of some of the mid 80s pop tunes used, I did like the pieces from Vince DiCola. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I think the best scores enhance the visuals, create mood and can often stand on their own as compositions. I'm a Herrmann fan. Other favorites: Ennio Morricone, Alex North, and Nino Rota. Bernard Herrmann was prolific, laying the groundwork for composers like John Williams. No way to list 3... some of this from a web search: Hitchcock classics: The Man who Knew too Much The Wrong Man Vertigo North by Northwest The Trouble With Harry Psycho The Birds - Herrmann was credited as "sound consultant", with the bird noises created by Oskar Sala using an early electronic instrument called the Mixtur-Trautonium. Marnie Torn Curtain (unused but recorded score, possibly his best) Music for the TV series "Have Gun Will Travel". The rest: Citizen Kane - Orson Welles - Herrmann's first film score The Magnificent Ambersons - Orson Welles The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) - his one Oscar for this score, a track called "the devil's concerto" - a wicked version of "pop goes the weasel" for strings. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir The Day the Earth Stood Still - the usual intensity of Herrmann with the inspired use of Theremins to produce the eerie electronic sounds which have influenced sci-fi music ever since, leading to the parody "Mars Attacks". Anna and the King of Siam The Egyptian Beneath the 12-Mile Reef The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit Hangover Square Five Fingers On Dangerous Ground The Snows of Kilimanjaro The Kentuckian The Bride Wore Black - Francois Truffaut The 7th Voyage of Sinbad Journey to the Centre of the Earth The Three Worlds of Gulliver Mysterious Island Cape Fear - the original and the remake as used by Elmer Bernstein. Jason and the Argonauts Obsession - Brian DePalma Fahrenheit 451 - Truffaut Taxi Driver - Martin Scorcese - Herrmann's final score CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrell Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I can't pick a top three, but here are 3 good ones, the why's being simply good music in IMHO: Jerry Fielding, "Straw Dogs" Jerry Goldsmith, "Chinatown" Bernard Herrmann, "Psycho" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Previous film (and TV) score thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningbusch Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 One of my favorites. [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrDX1hgDkzE Busch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Benhamou Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 All great stuff mentioned. Another vote for all the Bernard Hermann stuff, particularly Psycho and Rear Window. Ennio Morricone's spaghetti western stuff of course. John Williams is legendary of course, but I'm tired of the number of his themes opening with an ascending fifth. (Star Wars, ET, Schindler's List, just to name a few). Danny Elfman's work for Pee Wee's Big Adventure For something completely different, Jonny Greenwood's (Radiohead) score to There Will Be Blood is unbelievably spooky. Ian Benhamou Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals [url:https://www.facebook.com/OfficialTheMusicalBox/]The Musical Box[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 The Passion of Joan of Arc -- classic French silent movie (1927) The composer, Richard Einhorn, is on the MOTU (Mark of the Unicorn) user forum. I didn't notice at first, because Einhorn is German for Unicorn, so I thought it was a typical forum pen name. Elevator to the Gallows -- French film noir 1950's, Miles Davis This movie has informed my entire approach to movie soundtracks, with interrelated themes that are inversions, etc. Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Predator - Alan Silvestri Bladerunner - Vangelis TGTBATU - Morricone Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Elevator to the Gallows -- French film noir 1950's, Miles Davis This movie has informed my entire approach to movie soundtracks, with interrelated themes that are inversions, etc. AKA Ascenseur pour L'Echafaud. See my post above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Oh how could i forget.... The Oceans 11 series.. david holmes and Superbad.... by Lyle workman and various funk songs -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 My favorite movie with classic Nino Rota [video:youtube]v=1aV9X2d-f5g&feature=related There could be a whole discussion on "movie music that's better than the movie itself". #1 on my list: "The Natural". Here's another very nice piece of music for a very mediocre film: [video:youtube]v=rOxQhaUpjkY John Williams is legendary of course, but I'm tired of the number of his themes opening with an ascending fifth. (Star Wars, ET, Schindler's List, just to name a few). Try "Catch Me If You Can". Somewhat un-Williams-like for a Williams score. The '60s cool, pre-Mad Men title sequence is great. [video:youtube]gaLDyrun_Cc&feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I scored all 4 X-Men movies on iTunes for $30. Sweet deal A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 [video:youtube]gaLDyrun_Cc&feature=related +47 Its amazing how these scores can capture specific moods or ambiance. Any mood my music creates is pure coincidence. -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Benhamou Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 There could be a whole discussion on "movie music that's better than the movie itself". Purple Rain, although not really a score, more a soundtrack. Try "Catch Me If You Can". Somewhat un-Williams-like for a Williams score. The '60s cool, pre-Mad Men title sequence is great. Forgot about that one. I remember going to see that movie when it first came out, and loving that title sequence. Great film too. Another great John Williams score, although for TV is his theme to Time Tunnel. [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmTbnU_aLDU&feature=related I just recently joined an 8 piece band which does TV and film music arranged for Drums, percussion, bass, guitar, piano/organ, and 3-piece brass section. We do a lot of 60's and 70's TV themes, as well as a few film themes. We're called the Remote Control Ensemble. It's a lot of fun, all great players, and probably the only chance we'll ever get at performing this genre. Here's a list of stuff we do: Barney Miller Benny Hill (Yakety Sax) Bullit Batman (60's TV show opening theme) UFO Time Tunnel Lucertola (Ennio Morricone obscure movie theme) Fireball Theme from Hockey Night In Canada (done in latin jazz style, very funny) Star Trek (done in 60's stripclub style, funny) The Penguin Powerhouse Overture/Breakfast Machine (Danny Elfman, from Pee Wee's Big Adventure) Sesame Street (done in dirty funk style ala Steven Bernstein's Sexmob) Man From U.N.C.L.E Streets of San Francisco All in all a very fun and challenging project. We're recording a demo on Wednesday. When I get a copy I'll post some excerpts. Ian Benhamou Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals [url:https://www.facebook.com/OfficialTheMusicalBox/]The Musical Box[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I've read over and over again that Conan the Barbarian has the greatest movie soundtrack of all time, and that all aspiring film composers should pick it up and study it. I never saw the film, but pay taxes to the star actor. :-) Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I scored all 4 X-Men movies on iTunes for $30. Sweet deal LOL. Except there are only three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Benhamou Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I scored all 4 X-Men movies on iTunes for $30. Sweet deal LOL. Except there are only three. 3 X-Men + Wolverine possibly? Ian Benhamou Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals [url:https://www.facebook.com/OfficialTheMusicalBox/]The Musical Box[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Nathan Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 No Such Thing Hal Hartley Don't rush me. I'm playing as slowly as I can! http://www.stevenathanmusic.com/stevenathanmusic.com/HOME.html https://apple.co/2EGpYXK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff_D_in_MD Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 The Conversation (1974, Coppola, with Gene Hackman and an early Harrison Ford in a modest role). Sophisticated film, and great score featuring solo piano sparingly played by David Shire. Yamaha P2 acoustic, Yamaha P120 digital, Nord Electro 3HP, QSC K10. FOR SALE: Nord Electro 2-61. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridog6996 Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Some of my favorite original scores were done by Jon Brion and Danny Elfman. Two very different approaches: Brion is very minimalist and Elfman has a penchant for more over-the-top theatrical stuff, but both of them have an uncanny ability to capture the essence of a film musically. In terms of compiled music (not original scores), I love the soundtrack for "Vanilla Sky." Tarantino's films always have great music too. My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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