Page 1 of Most impressive overall Original Score?

This thread`s beginning to sound like some awards ceremony...

You see, everyone talks about Saving Private Ryan as if the first 20 mins are the only part of the film..all very impressive to look at and all, but does anything else stay with you after watching the film? I`ve haven`t seen it (yet), but it`s one of the only films scored by John Williams that I haven`t heard people discuss (I hang about these sorts of people you see :-) )...unlike the usual suspects such as Star Wars / Jaws / Close Encounters / Schindler`s List (this out on DVD yet?) - all films in which the music played an integral part, whether you realised it or not. I`d probably choose several of his scores if I was to make a list. Anyone got any other favourites? (and I`m on about music written especially FOR a film, not songs tacked on the end as an afterthought for marketing porpoises).

If you have Alien....try watching it with Soundtrack only....in the dark..turned up loud...I don`t know why more DVDs aren`t produced like this.

This item was edited on Tuesday, 10th July 2001, 13:12

The SPR soundtrack is very good and rates as one of my favourite Williams Soundtracks easily....

but back to the subject....... best Original Score hmm.....

I like Last Of The Mohicans.... or Dances With Wolves....
or another Williams Score... Empire Of The Sun! classic film, classic score

I agree. SPR does have an impressive score (and I`m a fan of the entire movie - the ending is almost as big a congflagration as the beginning).

I can`t fault McBain`s choices either. I would add Hans Zimmer - The Thin Red Line and Gladiator. Though his recent Pearl Harbor score was a poor rip off from both of these.

Shall certainly try and get to see SPR at some point, if only for the music. I agree about Hans Zimmer having some impressive credits to his name (although I was amused to hear Charles Ives `The Unanswered Question` half way through The Thin Red Line with nothing said in the credits - mind you, Kubrick pinched loads of Ligeti`s music for the 2001 soundtrack without asking the composer)...but anyway, back to Hans Zimmer..I can never really take his stuff too seriously now I know he wrote the theme music to `Going for Gold` (hope I`m not the only one who remembers that dreadful quiz on TV).

Empire of the Sun is another one I`ve never seen, but have known the music for years. That Welsh folk song always gets to me.

This item was edited on Thursday, 12th July 2001, 11:08

What !!! Hans zimmer wrote `going for gold` score, that abysmal game show which used to play after the lunchtime episode of neighbours ?!!! no way...
Thin red line is, and always will be my favorite score (especially ch.19), although not all of it is on the soundtrack, e.g. chapter 15, and most of the opening village scene.
Crimson Tide also rocks.
In general his quieter stuff such as in Gladiator when commodus is moaning about life being a dream.

yes way!...that`s the abysmal game show I was talking about :-). Mind you. I`m sure the likes of John Williams and Danny Elfman have had to do that sort of thing from time to time.....adverts for kitten food with a full orchestral backing and wordless choir...or something. Anyway, I digress...Danny Elfman`s another of my favourites....take Flubber for instance (please!..hoho)....awful film....great music, very Elfman-ish in the style of Beetlejuice, but then he can also scare the crap out of you in films like Sleepy Hollow and Batman (two more scores that stand up on their own without a plot to narrow your imagination)

I would say Braveheart, is my favourite with Gladiator coming a close second and I know, I know before I`m flamed Titanic was also rather good !!

Blue Lou - exactly, chs 18&19 are awesome and eerie. Profoundly haunting. I gather a lot of what Mallick shot never made it to the cinema - there are pictures onthe soundtrack CD that aren`t in the movie. The book has large tracts that aren`t in the movie too (don`t they always?) but may well have been shot.

Most of Ennio Morricone`s score`s are amazing take Once Upon A Time In America,The Mission or The Untouchables, also Vengelis for either Bladerunner or 1492 (s***e film,amazing score)

Steven

alien is a good call but probably the only film score that i listen to on a regular basis is blade runner by vangelis. simply beautiful