"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye". The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, pilot and author, lost on mission, July 1944, Med Theatre.
March 10, 2018, 02:14 PM
Maestro
Oh my...where to start...
Saving Private Ryan Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Lord of the Rings The Rock Crimson Tide The Incredibles (which is more of a tribute to the early Bond scores) Angels and Demons The Magnificent Seven City Slickers
I could go on and on....
I have studied film scoring a bit as a conductor, and the composers who really know what they are doing use the 100% rule. Basically, the idea of a film score should be to reinforce what is happening on the screen so the emotional content is at 100%- no more, no less. Sometimes this involves silence (reference the scene in The Force Awakens when Kylo Ren kills Harrison Ford...that moment didn't need any music because the scene itself was powerful enough). Sometimes the music supplements the scene by creating the missing piece. Reference the scene below, and only concentrate on the music. It's cued to start at the 2:00 mark.
There is no music during his death scene, but as the surrounding sound starts to diminish when he has his last words, the music quietly sneaks in and begins to add to the emotion of the characters surrounding him. This is but one example of truly masterful writing on John Williams' part. He didn't overwrite the music here, but he was able to keep the emotional state of this scene by simply maintaining the characters' emotions.
As a side note, my paternal grandfather was a WWII veteran in the African theater, and I had to conduct a suite of music from "Saving Private Ryan" about one hour after I was informed of his passing. That was one of the most emotional experiences of my conducting career.
March 10, 2018, 06:05 PM
CQB60
Master & Commander : The far side of the world. Patton Raiders of the lost ark The sound of music
______________________________________________ Life is short. It’s shorter with the wrong gun…
There's another movie that I haven't seen in years, "The Player". While I don't remember much of the soundtrack I remember the end theme being haunting and powerful.
Chariots of Fire Lawrence of Arabia Magnificent Seven Several Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns 2001, a Space Odyssey (especially the main theme, Also Sprach Zarathustra, by Richard Strauss)
___________________________________________ The annual soothsayers and fortunetellers conference has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.
March 15, 2018, 02:49 PM
tartan427
For Westerns, after the Magnificent Seven, Silverado is a favorite.
March 15, 2018, 03:10 PM
Voshterkoff
I'm a fan of John Carpenter, I think Escape From New York was his best matching of score to visual esthetic.
March 15, 2018, 07:03 PM
armored
Original James Bond theme from GOLDFINGER. Forest Gump.
______________________________ Men who carry guns for a living do not seek reward outside of the guild. The most cherished gift is a nod from his peers.
March 16, 2018, 12:55 PM
Ronin1069
I saw Legends of the Fall on here, a fantastic score for a highly underrated movie.
I’m shocked that no one has listed The Godfather.
So powerful, I sometimes listen to it while I smoke cigars and can envision specific scenes as I hear the music play.
___________________________ All it takes...is all you got. ____________________________ For those who have fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
March 16, 2018, 04:19 PM
jayhalsey
Many of my favorites have already been listed. Some have not.
Braveheart Last of the Mohicans Star Wars (The Original Trilogy) Gettysburg Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
March 16, 2018, 05:24 PM
Storm
Last of the Mohicans has been mentioned.
So I'll add this, John Adams (it's a miniseries, not a movie, but like the theme/soundtrack).
Looking back on movies that stirred my musical soul, I can immediately recall three that put that lump in my throat. Others have already mentioned "Adagio for Strings" (Platoon)...a clear winner. The first runner-up is John Barry's score to "Dances with Wolves"...just awesome orchestration. The second runner-up is the scene in "Somewhere in Time" that features the 18th Variation of Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini", Andante cantabile. As a pianist, I wish I had learned that long ago when I was capable of playing at that level.
All just wonderful music that makes me jealous of the musicians that get to participate in these recordings.
"If you’re a leader, you lead the way. Not just on the easy ones; you take the tough ones too…” – MAJ Richard D. Winters (1918-2011), E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil... Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 5:20,24
March 17, 2018, 06:57 PM
heydrich
Thief - Tangerine Dream
“I'm fat because everytime I do your girlfriend, she gives me a cookie”.
March 17, 2018, 08:01 PM
rappa
Conan The Barbarian (1982) Glory Star Wars EP4,5,6 Gladiator Excalibur
March 18, 2018, 08:33 PM
amals
So many good ones; most already mentioned. Upon first seeing the thread title, two came quickly to mind:
Lawrence of Arabia, and, on a very different note, True Romance.