Greatest, most evocotive, memorable movie music

Eglinton

Ok, this is NOT a 'what is the best overall movie score' thread. I was just wondering say in 50 years time what will be some of the greatest individual movie themes of all time. You know, the type of theme tune thats makes you happy or makes you cry or makes you jump around the room ecstatically when no one is looking. Movie music composers are probably the modern day Tchaikovskys or Handels so it's probably worth a thought.

Personally I think there really is nothing to compare with Superman. The theme has it all. Who hasn't jumped off the couch as a child and tried to leap from chair to chair in a single bound. Star Wars also comes high. A lot of John William's stuff is magnificent. Also Chariots of Fire by Vangelis strikes a chord in my psyche.

The Great Escape is also worth a mention as is The Pink Panther and Deliverance (Duelling banjos).

So what else do you think will make the cut? I'm talking about individual tunes here, even if it's a song. For some reason I also really like the tune from Gladiator. Puts me in a spell.

Goodshape

The music in 2001 isn't original.

My only critisisim of John Williams is that a lot of his stuff tends to be quite samey. Which is a common problem for film score composers (Danny Elfman, take a bow). I'm sure it's difficult enough to come up with so many totally original pieces on schedual.

I agree with the Superman theme though -- that's an instant classic. The Star Wars theme is dreadfully similar too it, but those films also have a lot of other music that I'm sure will last (Darth Vaders tune, the imperial march thing, comes to mind).

I think some of the music from Star Trek 2 is great, but I could be biased because I'm a big nerd

Vikings

Circle of Life by Elton John from The Lion King sprang immediately to mind when I read the thread title so i'll stick with that answer. At least thats what is the most memorable and evocative music from a film I can remember.

Pigman II

Goodshape wrote:

My only critisisim of John Williams is that a lot of his stuff tends to be quite samey. Which is a common problem for film score composers (Danny Elfman, take a bow). I'm sure it's difficult enough to come up with so many totally original pieces on schedual.

I agree with the Superman theme though -- that's an instant classic. The Star Wars theme is dreadfully similar too it, but those films also have a lot of other music that I'm sure will last (Darth Vaders tune, the imperial march thing, comes to mind).

I don't think it's quite samey. I just think it's quite derivative. He seems to clearly lift a lot of themes from other sources and doesn't make much of an effort to mask or even add to them. For example listen to Mars from the Planets by Gustav Holst and don't tell you you don't hear at least 3 memorable themes from StarWars in it. And just this week I heard a few snippets from MemoirsOfAGeisha that sounded amazingly similar to the stuff from CrouchingTiger.

Don't get me wrong I love his stuff, just don't go to him if you're looking for originality.

simu

3 colours: blue had some pretty cool music iirc.

Karl Hungus

Easily one of my favourite composers would be Joe Hisaishi, especially his work with Hayao Miyazaki and Takeshi Kitano. I also like Philip Glass, and Basil Poledouris, especially for his score for Conan. Although it's fairly new, Yeong-wook Jo's score for Oldboy is quite magnificent. For his work with the Coen Brothers and Spike Jonze, Carter Burwell is another excellent composer.

Anyway, I think that would be about it from me. Thoughts?

ilovemybrick

Schindlers list without a shadow of a doubt, as an original without ever having been accused of derivatism. the itzhak pearlman bit is spinetingling. and its hard to see ALL of Williams' stuff as samey after this. Also worth a mention is Gabriels Oboe from the Mission (free form music as only Morricone can). Actually mentioning Morricone i cant ignore the magnificent 7. and finally Michael Nyman and the Piano soundtrack. The main theme is well known but the entire album/soundtrack is fantastic.

fitz

Any of the themes from the Last of the Mohicans score.
Brilliantly effective use of counterpoint.

madrab

ever notice that one of the starwars themes (possibly the imperial march) is used in indiana jones & the temple of doom?

For me For a Few Dollars more, and I suppose that whole trilogy is the most outstanding.
The Mission as mentioned is probably the most emotional score going - even the composition of what the kids sing in the court case is incredible.
Conan also, whether it will be remembered as much is another thing but from every aspect its outstanding
My last fav is the Omen, which is just scary as hell, again though doubt it will be remembered as fondly

ambro25

The mostest: Strauss' s Blue Danube playing during the spacecraft docking sequence in 2001.

...and anything by Ennio Morricone.

garred

The only ones that come to mind at the mo are:

Platoon
Braveheart
LOTR
Last Of The Mohicans
Crash
Excalibur

D-FENS

Whether William's stuff is similar or not, few could argue against them being the most recognizable themes ever, if not Superman or Star Wars than certainly Jaws, E.T. or Indiana Jones.

Bernard Herrmann's score for Psycho also has to be mentioned.
He also did Cape Fear and Taxi Driver, among others that are pretty distinctive

Hugh Hefner

The Jurassic Park theme song was great.

Roddy23

The only two that spring to my mind would be Platoon as mentioned above, and perhaps my favourite film, and also the most evocative opening scene: Raging Bull: Intermezzo from Cavalaria Rusticana. (Thanks Nea).

fitz

Oh, of course...the theme from Requem for a Dream.
Can't remember the name, but christ is it powerful stuff...

Roddy23

dj Shadow, cant for the life of me remember the name of it, changeling?

Hugh Hefner

Oh, and the La Mamma Morta from Andrea Chenier part in Philidelphia.

monkeyfudge

fitz wrote:

Oh, of course...the theme from Requem for a Dream.
Can't remember the name, but christ is it powerful stuff...

That's Clint Mansell. Yep.. it's a great score... and nicely reworked for the trailer for The Two Towers.

fitz

monkeyfudge wrote:

That's Clint Mansell. Yep.. it's a great score... and nicely reworked for the trailer for The Two Towers.

That's the one.
I actually prefer the original to the orchestral reworking.

jor el

For me, it has to be the closing scene of Michael Collins. Funeral/Coda by Elliot Goldenthal is a magnificant piece of music. She moved through the Fair by Sinead O'Connor on that soundtrack is also very good.

TOPDAWG

Eye Of The Tiger from the Rocky flicks! Who here can honestly hold their hands up and say they dont get an automatic boost or lift when they hear that come on.

Also love the Braveheart battle music.
Ive been know to play both of the above when driving to a match to get the blood pumping!! ha ha

Eglinton

TOPDAWG wrote:

Eye Of The Tiger from the Rocky flicks! Who here can honestly hold their hands up and say they dont get an automatic boost or lift when they hear that come on.

Also love the Braveheart battle music.
Ive been know to play both of the above when driving to a match to get the blood pumping!! ha ha

Very true. I listened to that before I did a parachute jump :eek:

Peteee

ET from John Williams. Also possibly the theme from Jurassic Park.

The main LOTR theme (Whenever the camera decides to take off!)

fade2black

Once Upon A Time In America - Ennio Morricone.

I like some of James Horner's stuff but he borrows from himself a little too much.

The Earth theme from Gladiator.

K-PAX

spiderlegs

I think it would have to be the song from Moulin Rouge "come what may" oh god...
That and Placebos cover version of "Where Is My Mind" at the end of Fightclub...for some reason it just really hit me. I think it was the mellowness of it after the harshness of the actual film, I don't know why but it sticks out in my mind anyway.

Fools Gold

Eye of the tiger does funny things to men! Its my "one more lap" song when I go running. Fantastic! Apart from that and those already mentioned.....

Godfather theme
James Bond theme
Untouchables theme
also love when sunshine of your love is played durin goodfellas

Hugh Hefner

spiderlegs wrote:

That and Placebos cover version of "Where Is My Mind" at the end of Fightclub...

The Pixies is what I think you mean.

BopNiblets

The Charge of The Rohirrim bit in Return of The King, blew my mind in the cinema.
As well as the bit where Minas Morgul's doors open and the Witch King comes out.
Well done Howard Shore (plus the sound effects guys)

And The Matrix had a really cool bit where Neo realises he's The Wan! and brings on the pain.

jor el

Hugh Hefner wrote:

The Pixies is what I think you mean.

Pixies did the original, Placebo covered it. Didn't realise this was in Fight Club, been quite a while since I've seen that.

spiderlegs

jor el wrote:

Pixies did the original, Placebo covered it. Didn't realise this was in Fight Club, been quite a while since I've seen that.

Yeah thats what I meant Placebo's cover version..of the pixies..that is the right way to say it isn't it?

pbsuxok1znja4r

Yeah the Oldboy score is probably one of the best of recent years.

However, nothing is more rousing and uplifting than Ennio Morricone's "The Ecstasy of Gold". (From the cemetary scene in The Good, The Bad And The Ugly.)

Obviously the Star Wars 4-6 scores are and always will be classics.

Redmon

It must be Gary Jules's 'Mad World from the film, Donnie Darko.

This piece of music is one of the most poignant songs ever written. Yet, when played at the end of such a movie as Donnie Darko it is indescribable.

I realise that this is originally a Tears for Fears song but you could not help but be convinced that the song was written specifically for the movie.

lostexpectation

i think the music and themes from Terminator and Predator are very good aswell, anyone see how the Predator music was used in Top Gear.

its the jungle theme thats so suspenful.

ah cool and imdb'd it and eventual found that the guy won an oscar for it
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093773/awards

fade2black

Ah yes...Alan Silvestri...his Forrest Gump score is class

Hugh Hefner

jor el wrote:

Pixies did the original, Placebo covered it. Didn't realise this was in Fight Club, been quite a while since I've seen that.

spiderlegs wrote:

Yeah thats what I meant Placebo's cover version..of the pixies..that is the right way to say it isn't it?

Okay, but it was The Pixies's version that was in Fight Club is what I'm saying.

senordingdong

I think the best piece, definatly most original piece, of recent, was the opera in the Fifth Element.

Kingp35

Hugh Hefner wrote:

Okay, but it was The Pixies's version that was in Fight Club is what I'm saying.

Im sure it was The Pixies version used in Fight Club as well