Thanks for reading my post. "Koyaanisqatsi" is also the first time I heard Philip Glass' music too. Also, I agree that "The Big Country" is a great film score. If I had made my list longer, I definitely would have included that score too. Finally, thanks for telling me about Quincy Jones' score for "Austin Powers." I didn't know that - how interesting!
Amazing piece, Jim. I keep scrolling and finding new ones and reading . . . Every single score here is phenomenal.
What's missing?
I want to say The Social Network's. Trent Reznor's turn to film scoring is one of the most exciting this to happen with music composition in the movies in a long time, I think.
Thanks for reading my post. Yes, as you know I'm a big fan of Trent Reznor's work writing film scores - especially his more recent ones. If my list was longer, I would've definitely included something by him. I'm excited to see what he does in the future as he continues his collaboration with Luca Guadagnino.
Honestly, I think a somewhat funny but actually real contender that deserves mention is Randy Edelman’s score for Dragonheart.
Not because Dragonheart is an especially great or important film — I have a soft spot for it because I was a kid when it came out — but because its main theme was such an insane banger and so perfect at capturing a kind of epic emotionality that it became basically the default temp track in every single film trailer for like two decades, and honestly you *still* sometimes hear it pop up randomly. I think I heard it NBC throw it into some Olympics coverage last year…
Thanks for reading my post! I've never seen the movie, "Dragonheart," but I'm a fan of Edelman's solo singer/songwriter albums, which can be hard to find (but I did find one I didn't have a few weeks ago at the used record store and I love it). I think he's very talented, so I'm sure his score is excellent. I'll check it out - thanks for recommendation.
Really enjoyed your list -- I'd personally have gone for Indiana Jones / "The Raiders March" as the representative entry for John Williams, but I mean, you can't really argue with Star Wars on that front. Kinda spoiled for choice with Williams.
Also, as proof I didn't hallucinate this, someone's put together a pretty good compilation of trailers that used Edelman's Dragonheart theme over the years, which -- I feel quite vindicated to find -- includes NBC's Olympic coverage outro. I'm also quite certain it appeared in significantly more trailers than just this, but it gives a good sense of how omnipresent that theme was until well into the 2000s:
Thanks! If I had made my list longer, I definitely would've included "Raiders of the Lost Ark." It was hard to narrow the list down to only 25 scores. Also, thanks for sharing the link to the "Dragonheart" music. Now, I recognize that theme, but I'm not sure where I first heard it since I've never seen "Dragonheart." Thanks for sharing it with me.
What a wonderful piece, thanks Jim. You picked some wonderful scores and in some instances the scores are better than the films themselves, merely my opinion. Keep up the good work my friend. Take care.
I would add The Third Man (unforgettable theme), Days of Heaven (Ennio Morricone), Manhattan (the Gershwin score basically defines the movie), and Backbeat. The studio band recreating the early Beatles' sound is incredible.
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, those are all great scores, especially that theme for "The Third Man." I've always loved Morricone's score for "Days of Heaven," and "Backbeat" is a movie I enjoy revisiting fairly often. And, although it's adapted from Gershwin's music, "Manhattan" wouldn't work without it. Thanks for the great suggestions!
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, I love Jarre's score for Dr. Zhivago. I think that was the first time I heard any of his music. I was 12 and saw Lean's film during its re-release in the 70s. I immediately got the soundtrack lp after that. If I expanded my list, Jarre's score for "Zhivago" would definitely be on it.
You left out Elmer Bernstein’s Magnificent 7 and The Great Escape. He was one of the most revered composers of movie themes ever. And both movies—especially Magnificent 7—have instantly recognizable themes. Unforgivable.
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, Elmer Bernstein wrote great film scores too. As I said in the intro to my post, the list shouldn't be looked at as definitive but simply as a starting point. If the list was expanded, both of these scores would definitely be on it.
I just watched the Good the Bad and the Ugly, and Fistful Of Dollars. I know the score for GBU is iconic, but I think I like the Fistful score a little more. I also just watched Blade Runner. That is a great score.
Thanks for reading my post! I haven't listened to my soundtrack to "Fistful" in a while - I'll revisit it this week and see if I like it more now than "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." Also, I agree that "Blade Runner" has a great score by Vangelis. It's amazing how it doesn't sound dated at all; it could've been composed and performed now and nobody would know the difference.
Thanks for reading my post! I agree that Bernard Herrmann's score for "Taxi Driver" is great. If I had expanded my list, I would've definitely included it.
Yes, I agree! I was lucky to get to see the restored print in a movie theater and it was so much more intense and overwhelming than watching it at home on my widescreen t.v. Thanks for reading my post!
Thanks! I do have a couple of Ola Flottum scores for Joachim Trier movies: "Reprise" (one of my favorite films) and "Thelma," but I didn't put them on the list. I wish they had issued a soundtrack for "The Worst Person in the World." That film had great music. Thanks again for reading!
Believe it or not, I've never seen the original "Suspiria" (but I've always wanted to because Jessica Harper is one of my favorite actresses). Yet, I've seen the remake - go figure. I'll work on finding a copy and watching it this coming week. Thanks for reading!
Betty Blue, and pretty much all Gabriel Yared scores….
Hi Robert,
Yes, for sure. There were too many to include them all in my list. I especially like Yared's score for "The English Patient."
Koyaanisquatsi turned me into a lifelong fan of Philip Glass.
For westerns I will add The Big Country by Jerome Moss.
Fun fact: Quincy Jones' score for Austin Powers was originally from the 1965 film 'The Pawnbroker' - definitely not a comedy.
Hi Arthur,
Thanks for reading my post. "Koyaanisqatsi" is also the first time I heard Philip Glass' music too. Also, I agree that "The Big Country" is a great film score. If I had made my list longer, I definitely would have included that score too. Finally, thanks for telling me about Quincy Jones' score for "Austin Powers." I didn't know that - how interesting!
Amazing piece, Jim. I keep scrolling and finding new ones and reading . . . Every single score here is phenomenal.
What's missing?
I want to say The Social Network's. Trent Reznor's turn to film scoring is one of the most exciting this to happen with music composition in the movies in a long time, I think.
Hi Brock,
Thanks for reading my post. Yes, as you know I'm a big fan of Trent Reznor's work writing film scores - especially his more recent ones. If my list was longer, I would've definitely included something by him. I'm excited to see what he does in the future as he continues his collaboration with Luca Guadagnino.
Honestly, I think a somewhat funny but actually real contender that deserves mention is Randy Edelman’s score for Dragonheart.
Not because Dragonheart is an especially great or important film — I have a soft spot for it because I was a kid when it came out — but because its main theme was such an insane banger and so perfect at capturing a kind of epic emotionality that it became basically the default temp track in every single film trailer for like two decades, and honestly you *still* sometimes hear it pop up randomly. I think I heard it NBC throw it into some Olympics coverage last year…
Hi Salty,
Thanks for reading my post! I've never seen the movie, "Dragonheart," but I'm a fan of Edelman's solo singer/songwriter albums, which can be hard to find (but I did find one I didn't have a few weeks ago at the used record store and I love it). I think he's very talented, so I'm sure his score is excellent. I'll check it out - thanks for recommendation.
Really enjoyed your list -- I'd personally have gone for Indiana Jones / "The Raiders March" as the representative entry for John Williams, but I mean, you can't really argue with Star Wars on that front. Kinda spoiled for choice with Williams.
Also, as proof I didn't hallucinate this, someone's put together a pretty good compilation of trailers that used Edelman's Dragonheart theme over the years, which -- I feel quite vindicated to find -- includes NBC's Olympic coverage outro. I'm also quite certain it appeared in significantly more trailers than just this, but it gives a good sense of how omnipresent that theme was until well into the 2000s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mgg_U_dayg
Hi Salty,
Thanks! If I had made my list longer, I definitely would've included "Raiders of the Lost Ark." It was hard to narrow the list down to only 25 scores. Also, thanks for sharing the link to the "Dragonheart" music. Now, I recognize that theme, but I'm not sure where I first heard it since I've never seen "Dragonheart." Thanks for sharing it with me.
What a wonderful piece, thanks Jim. You picked some wonderful scores and in some instances the scores are better than the films themselves, merely my opinion. Keep up the good work my friend. Take care.
Hi Kelley,
Thanks! What are your favorite film scores? I'd like to know. Take care and keep writing.
I would add The Third Man (unforgettable theme), Days of Heaven (Ennio Morricone), Manhattan (the Gershwin score basically defines the movie), and Backbeat. The studio band recreating the early Beatles' sound is incredible.
Hi Lia,
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, those are all great scores, especially that theme for "The Third Man." I've always loved Morricone's score for "Days of Heaven," and "Backbeat" is a movie I enjoy revisiting fairly often. And, although it's adapted from Gershwin's music, "Manhattan" wouldn't work without it. Thanks for the great suggestions!
I would add Maurice Jarre's score of Dr. Zhivago.
I'd also add Nino Rota's score to Romeo and Juliet during that same time frame. Thanks for your list and including Blade Runner.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, I love Jarre's score for Dr. Zhivago. I think that was the first time I heard any of his music. I was 12 and saw Lean's film during its re-release in the 70s. I immediately got the soundtrack lp after that. If I expanded my list, Jarre's score for "Zhivago" would definitely be on it.
You left out Elmer Bernstein’s Magnificent 7 and The Great Escape. He was one of the most revered composers of movie themes ever. And both movies—especially Magnificent 7—have instantly recognizable themes. Unforgivable.
Hi None,
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, Elmer Bernstein wrote great film scores too. As I said in the intro to my post, the list shouldn't be looked at as definitive but simply as a starting point. If the list was expanded, both of these scores would definitely be on it.
I just watched the Good the Bad and the Ugly, and Fistful Of Dollars. I know the score for GBU is iconic, but I think I like the Fistful score a little more. I also just watched Blade Runner. That is a great score.
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for reading my post! I haven't listened to my soundtrack to "Fistful" in a while - I'll revisit it this week and see if I like it more now than "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." Also, I agree that "Blade Runner" has a great score by Vangelis. It's amazing how it doesn't sound dated at all; it could've been composed and performed now and nobody would know the difference.
A good selection overall, John Williams’s lush, gooey scores excepted. You should have included Taxi Driver, for heaven’s sake.
Hi Lamoreaux,
Thanks for reading my post! I agree that Bernard Herrmann's score for "Taxi Driver" is great. If I had expanded my list, I would've definitely included it.
Morricone score at times carries the narrative in Once Upon a Time in the West.
Hi Michael,
Yes, I agree! I was lucky to get to see the restored print in a movie theater and it was so much more intense and overwhelming than watching it at home on my widescreen t.v. Thanks for reading my post!
I saw it at a local indie cinema there were three of us in the audience but it was 9.30 am on a weekday.
Wonderful article!
Thinking about it, just off the top of my head, I would say Last Tango in Paris, Aguirre, Taxi Driver, anything by Michel Legrand
Those are all great film scores. I love Legrand's music, especially his score for "La Piscine."
Hi Marco,
Thanks for reading it! :) What are your favorite film scores?
Just thought of The Third Man.
Love this, Jim! Lots for me to listen to.
Hi Erik,
Thanks! I do have a couple of Ola Flottum scores for Joachim Trier movies: "Reprise" (one of my favorite films) and "Thelma," but I didn't put them on the list. I wish they had issued a soundtrack for "The Worst Person in the World." That film had great music. Thanks again for reading!
Sorcerer! 🙌 (Might I add: Suspiria? The original)
Hi Rock-Paper-Shadows,
Believe it or not, I've never seen the original "Suspiria" (but I've always wanted to because Jessica Harper is one of my favorite actresses). Yet, I've seen the remake - go figure. I'll work on finding a copy and watching it this coming week. Thanks for reading!