Superb movie music composers

xo · Post by xo » 14/02/2007 - 22:54

Who's your favorite movie music composer and soundtracks?

I've been heavily into John Powell for quite some time now. I love his varied flowing and dynamic compositions.

Some of his work.

Paycheck. [dynamics, drama]
Gigli. [rhythm, harmony]
Two Weeks Notice. [rhythm, harmony]
Mr. and Ms. Smith. [...]
Italian Job. [...]
Bourne Supremacy, The. [...]
Bourne Identity, The. [...]
Antz. [rhythm, humor]

I've also found the harmonious compositions of Jon Brion (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) to my liking. Then there's Jerry Goldsmith (Rambo, Star Trek, etc) and John Williams (Star Wars, etc) of course...

What are you into?

Analog-X64 · Post by **Analog-X64** » 14/02/2007 - 23:23

Dont have a specific composer in mind, but I like the following Sound Tracks.

Blade Runner (Vangelis)
Chariots of Fire (Vangelis)
Batman (Danny Elfman)
Indiana Jones (John Williams)
Lord of the Rings (Howard Shore)
Gallipoli (Jean Michel Jarre)

You can use this site to find your film/composer: http://www.filmtracks.com/

skitz · Post by **skitz** » 15/02/2007 - 1:29

This is an easy one for me as I was brought up on his musical genius and have pretty much all of his work thanks to my dad be an avid collector.

The composer in question is Ennio Morricone:

Way too many films to mention but here are a few:

Once Upon A Time In The West
Once Upon A Time In America
The Untouchables
Disclosure
Wolf

There are loads more, the list is endless!

xo · Post by xo » 15/02/2007 - 5:52

I always use moviemusic.com. A commercial site but no nonsense, reliable and comprehensive.

There's also soundtrackinfo but that site is operated by moviemusic.com although just as no nonsense.

xo · Post by xo » 15/02/2007 - 6:36

I must also mention Vince DiCola for Transformers and the outstanding tracks on Rocky IV.

Tonka · Post by **Tonka** » 15/02/2007 - 10:20

I really like Thomas Newman. Did music for Road to Perdition, Shawshank and American Beauty, to name a few. Beautiful soundtracks and not too 'Hollywood'

http://www.moviemusicuk.us/tnewman.htm

Anthony N.Putson · Post by **Anthony N.Putson** » 15/02/2007 - 11:13

James Newton Howard, Howard Shore, Alan Silvestri, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Maurice Jarre, Bill Conti, Harry Gregson-Williams, John Powell, Elmer Bernstein, Basil Poledouris, Patrick Doyle, Tommy Newman, Randy Newman, The Boy Elfman, John Debney.............etc etc....!!! I can`t really get into Silver or Golden age composers like Alex North or Bernard Herrmann. I could talk all day on this subject!!!

Post by **LMan** » 15/02/2007 - 11:24

Henry Mancini

Rondo · Post by **Rondo** » 15/02/2007 - 11:48

Analog-X wrote:Gallipoli (Jean Michel Jarre)

I wouldn't count this one as Jarre didn't write any music specifically for the movie. Jarre's OxygÃƒÂ¨ne and Albinoni's Adagio in G minor are prominently featured on the soundtrack, but as far as I know there's no original music in the film at all. Nobody is credited for original music in the IMDB entry at any rate.

Speaking of JMJ, I quite like the score his father Maurice wrote for Dead Poets Society (which, incidentally, is one of my favourite movies if not THE favourite movie). However, I think my favourite film score ever is that of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, composed by Leonard Rosenman.

Tonka · Post by **Tonka** » 15/02/2007 - 12:33

Oh what a twat - I forgot about Philip Glass & the soundtrack to 'Koyyanisquatsi' (yes - I used a spell checker, OK)?

Infamous · Post by **Infamous** » 15/02/2007 - 13:14

Charlie clouser - the saw series .. really bloody good music

Danny elfman - too many things to mention but his gothic/orchestra stuff is absolutely amazing.

Howard shore - Gangs of new york has a great soundtrack and of course lotr springs to most minds

Thomas newman - and specifically the soundtrack to meet joe black which was absolutely beautiful

Phillip glass - candyman .. how inspired was that?!

Hanz zimmer - again too many things to mention but the stuff he does always manages to turn what could be an average film into something exciting, which is a really clever thing to do. (like pearl harbour) only thing worth its salt in that movie.

James horner - again too many things to mention just a great composer

and of course goldsmith and williams, classic composers of our time.

FFRenzy · Post by **FFRenzy** » 15/02/2007 - 13:56

Don't know a lot of filmmusic composers, but there is one movie i love for it's music, and that's Pink Floyd's The Wall !

( and no, not the standard "another brick in the wall, pt2", but tunes likes "Comfortably Numb", and "run like hell" )

Maindrian · Post by **Maindrian** » 15/02/2007 - 20:52

Alan Silvestri. He's not done anything near as good since, but his soundtracks for BTTF and the two Predator movies really get my pulse racing. I'd say the music for Back to the Future in particular gets more of an emotional response out of me than the theme to Star Wars ever could.

John Powells scores for both Bourne movies are ace too. The chase scene in Supremacy is another excellent pulse quickener. I think it also has to be my favourite car chase ever too, since it's just so agressive and visually jarring.

Ennio Morricone's score for the Dollars Trilogy, in particular For A Few Dollars More... I'm not a fan of westerns at all, but I have those three on DVD. If they didn't have his scores, I probably wouldn't have liked them as much. It was Ecstacy of Gold that drew me into them I think. Fantastic scene, gorgeous music.

xo · Post by xo » 16/02/2007 - 3:39

I'm not really into Alan Silvestri but he really has made a lot of music, perhaps I should look closer and see if there are some pearls among his discography. You should check out more of Powell's work, Maindrian.

Hans Zimmer is a pretty good composer as well. I've been somewhat fascinated by his music earlier, but it a lot of it has a sort of over-drama to it that never let's me fully enjoy it. It probably works perfect in the theatre though. Some of my favorites have been Gladiator, Broken Arrow, Crimsom Tide, The Rock, Mission Impossible 2 and of course, Rainman.

One can't ignore John Barry and James Horner either.

Romeo Knight · Post by **Romeo Knight** » 16/02/2007 - 11:42

I absolutely love the soundtrack of Solaris (the remake).
Composer is Cliff Martinez, absolutely unknown to me.