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Movie/TV/Game Scores Through The Ages - Alan's Personal Favourites

General Discussions » Movie/TV/Game Scores Through The Ages - Alan's Personal Favourites (Posts 1 to 30 of 1880)

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      CommentAuthorFalkirkBairn
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010 edited
    Some people may remember I went through a year-by-year list of my personal favourite scores beginning at 1931. It's been a few years since I stopped - at something like 2005 or 2006 - and I thought that it was time to revisit the topic. (Whilst I develop another extended topic for the future.)

    On a personal level I'm interested to see if my old favourites are still my favourites or whether they have been replaced by different titles now that I'm a few years older and I've heard a few additional scores.

    I'll add a title to the growing list every day or so and put a couple of sentences in defence of my choice. I do remember there being a bit of confusion as to what the list actually represented: they are only my personal favourites; scores I enjoy (reasons are likely to be myriad) and not necessarily critically acclaimed titles.

    I'll start again back in 1931...in a minute or two. But as a starting point, I'll make a couple of comments about my experience up to 1931. There's a couple of things that stand out when I look at my listening pre-1931: Carl Davis and more recently-composed scores for these old films (and into which Carl Davis fits). Davis' scores for a series of silent movies (including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Ben-Hur (1925) & Napoleon (1927) forms the bulk of my pre-1931 experience. But on the whole, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not a huge fan of his work. The recent forum-discussed score by James Bernard for Nosferatu (1922) is one that I'm only becoming familiar with but it's unlikely to surpass the monumental score that would top a pre-1931 category if I'd decided to have one: Gottfried Huppertz's Metropolis (1927).

    Amounting to, by my reckoning, about 2 hours of music, Huppertz's score would not seem out of place if it were composed for a movie today. Full of memorable themes for Freder, Maria, the villain Rotwang, etc that appear throughout the movie as well as more "expressionistic" material for the various gigantic machinery of the metropolis, it has everything.

    And as a footnote to this period, the beginning of the 1930s signalled the arrival of incidental music to the Laurel and Hardy short films (titles such as "Berth Marks", "Perfect Day", "Pardon Us", composers included Marvin Hatley and LeRoy Shield).

    To start with:

    1931 - Dracula - Philip Glass

    This one might not have been picked if I had more choice for 1931 - and if I allowed myself to lump all of Laurel and Hardy's material into this one year - but as it's Philip Glass and it starts off so powerfully with that great first track, I've no qualms choosing this as my first entry. I seem to recall that there's a bit of reluctance to embrace this type of endeavour for silent films but it is a very popular thing to do (see titles above as well as the recent (and excellent) Laura Rossi composition for the silent film The Battle of the Somme (1916).

    So, probably not a popular choice to start with. I've not seen the film recently so can't really form an image of how the film looks and feels au naturale and I've certainly not seen the film to assess how well the new music works in the film. But Glass' Dracula is a good example of what's to come: titles I like and sometimes regardless of how well they work in the film.

    So, anyone willing to accompany me again on my journey through the years? Next, 1932...


    Complete List

    1916 - Christus - Marco Frisina
    1922 - Nosferatu: Eine Symphonie Des Grauens - James Bernard
    1925 - Ben-Hur - Carl Davis
    1927 - Metropolis - Gottfried Huppertz
    1928 - The Passion of Joan of Arc - Richard Einhorn
    1931 - Dracula - Philip Glass
    1932 - Golden Mountains - Dmitri Shostakovich
    1933 - King Kong - Max Steiner
    1934 - Lieutenant Kijé - Sergei Prokofiev
    1935 - She - Max Steiner
    1936 - Things To Come - Sir Arthur Bliss
    1937 - Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs - Frank Churchill / Leigh Harline / Paul J. Smith / Larry Morey
    1938 - Alexander Nevsky - Sergei Prokofiev
    1939 - The Wizard of Oz - Herbert Stothart / Harold Arlen / Edgar Y Harburg
    1940 - The Sea Hawk - Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    1941 - Citizen Kane - Bernard Herrmann
    1942 - Kings Row - Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    1943 - For Whom The Bell Tolls - Victor Young
    1944 - Double Indemnity - Miklos Rozsa
    1945 - Spellbound - Miklos Rozsa
    1946 - Anna and The King of Siam - Bernard Herrmann
    1947 - The Ghost and Mrs. Muir - Bernard Herrmann
    1948 - Scott of The Antarctic - Ralph Vaughan Williams
    1949 - Samson and Delilah - Victor Young
    1950 - Sunset Blvd. - Franz Waxman
    1951 - The Day The Earth Stood Still - Bernard Herrmann
    1952 - Ivanhoe - Miklos Rozsa
    1953 - The Robe - Alfred Newman
    1954 - The Egyptian - Alfred Newman / Bernard Herrmann
    1955 - This Island Earth - Herman Stein / Henry Mancini / Hans J. Salter
    1956 - Around The World In 80 Days - Victor Young
    1957 - Omar Khayyam - Victor Young
    1958 - Vertigo - Bernard Herrmann
    1959 - Ben-Hur - Miklos Rozsa
    1960 - The Magnificent Seven - Elmer Bernstein
    1961 - El Cid - Miklos Rozsa
    1962 - How The West Was Won - Alfred Newman
    1963 - Cleopatra - Alex North
    1964 - Goldfinger - John Barry
    1965 - For A Few Dollars More - Ennio Morricone
    1966 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Ennio Morricone
    1967 - You Only Live Twice - John Barry
    1968 - Planet of The Apes - Jerry Goldsmith
    1969 - La Battaglia del Deserto - Bruno Nicolai
    1970 - Tora! Tora! Tora! - Jerry Goldsmith
    1971 - The Omega Man - Ron Grainer
    1972 - Superfly - Curtis Mayfield
    1973 - Défense de Savoir - Bruno Nicolai
    1974 - The Towering Inferno - John Williams
    1975 - Jaws - John Williams
    1976 - The Omen - Jerry Goldsmith
    1977 - Star Wars - John Williams
    1978 - Superman - John Williams
    1979 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Jerry Goldsmith
    1980 - The Empire Strikes Back - John Williams
    1981 - The Final Conflict - Jerry Goldsmith
    1982 - Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan - James Horner
    1983 - The Dead Zone - Michael Kamen
    1984 - Star Trek III: The Search For Spock - James Horner
    1985 - Rambo - First Blood Part II - Jerry Goldsmith
    1986 - Aliens - James Horner
    1987 - RoboCop - Basil Poledouris
    1988 - Last Rites - Bruce Broughton
    1989 - Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade - John Williams
    1990 - Total Recall - Jerry Goldsmith
    1991 - Backdraft - Hans Zimmer
    1992 - Jennifer 8 - Christopher Young
    1993 - Jurassic Park - John Williams
    1994 - Interview With The Vampire - Elliot Goldenthal
    1995 - Se7en - Howard Shore
    1996 - Looking For Richard - Howard Shore
    1997 - Starship Troopers - Basil Poledouris
    1998 - Godzilla - David Arnold
    1999 - Titus - Elliot Goldenthal
    2000 - The Yards - Howard Shore
    2001 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Howard Shore
    2002 - Hart's War - Rachel Portman
    2003 - Coronado - Ralf Wienrich
    2004 - Steamboy - Steve Jablonsky
    2005 - Doctor Who: Series 1 - Murray Gold
    2006 - The Virgin Queen - Martin Phipps
    2007 - Transformers - Steve Jablonsky
    2008 - The Dark Knight - Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
    2009 - Jeneraru Rûju no Gaisen - Naoki Sato
    2010 - TRON: Legacy - Daft Punk
    2011 - Il Primo Incarico - Donatello Pisanello
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    Brilliant Alan, a thread I'll genuinely look forward to reading and contributing to.

    A thread that has a very welcome return. beer
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
    •  
      CommentAuthorFalkirkBairn
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010 edited
    Cheers, Tim. beer

    And I've just noticed that, last time, I started with 1933 rather than 1931.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    I have a vague recollection of what you chose before, in particular, I look forward to seeing if/what you change as choices for particular years and why?

    It was your original thread at SR that prompted and inspired me to do the James Bond thread I did, I don't think going over that same old ground is quite the same though.
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    Cheers, Tim. beer

    And I've just noticed that, last time, I started with 1933 rather than 1931.


    I'll stick my neck out and guess your 1933 choice hasn't changed!?

    Edgar Wallace - Willis O'Brian - a certain Mr Steiner
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
  6. Timmer wrote
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    Cheers, Tim. beer

    And I've just noticed that, last time, I started with 1933 rather than 1931.


    I'll stick my neck out and guess your 1933 choice hasn't changed!?

    Edgar Wallace - Willis O'Brian - a certain Mr Steiner

    I may have to re-evaluate that particular entry. rolleyes wink
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010 edited
    shocked

    I am intrigued and look forward to seeing if this is true!? wink
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    1931 is difficult because there wasn't a lot to choose from. Glass is material from 1999 so does this really count? I like M also from 31 but it is Edvard Grieg. The original Dracula has chunks of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.
    Thomas smile
    listen to more classical music!
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010 edited
    John Miles sang 'music of the future, music of the past' ....so surely Glass should count.

    not on John Miles say so, of course wink
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
  10. sdtom wrote
    Glass is material from 1999 so does this really count?

    It does in this topic!

    I'm linking everything to the movies and when they were out. I assume that Glass was at least inspired by the 1931 movie and that makes it okay for me.

    And I suppose that Swan Lake wouldn't count for Dracula as it was composed much earlier. Doing it the way I've chosen makes the music used in the likes of The Shining a contender.

    As far as scores composed at the time for films, I have very little experience up to an including 1931. Laurel and Hardy is all that I've really heard (I think) - and that's very "of the time". As is Metropolis (in parts).
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  11. Timmer wrote
    John Miles sang 'music of the future, music of the past' ....so surely Glass should count.

    I always preferred the instrumental portions of this track. One of my "iconic" songs of MY past - and musical past.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    Same here Alan, excellent and fairly long instrumental break too for a pop song.
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    Glass...uhm ...can we, like, argue in this thread?
    I have some remarks I'm just dying to make...
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorFalkirkBairn
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010 edited
    Martijn wrote
    Glass...uhm ...can we, like, argue in this thread?
    I have some remarks I'm just dying to make...

    If you call it discuss rather than argue then "yes".
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    biggrin
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    Seriously though: I do wonder what you see in that score?
    I have seen the film together with a couple of people of all walks of life and very early in the film we unanimously decided to turn off the soundtrack as it was a terrible mismatch. Nothing fit! It was just -as I have said before- Glass doing his Glass thing while in the background some or other movie may have been running (but you wouldn't be able to tell from the music). So that -for me- is a major (and fatal) strike against it.

    But even taken out of context, what is it that appeals to you from this score?
    I'm genuinely interested.

    (And for no other reason than to be contrary, my pick would have been Chaplin's work on City Lights. But I am well aware this is not my thread. smile )
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
  17. Maybe I'd also be put off by the mismatching of the visuals and the music?

    But, as a listening experience, obviously an enjoyment of Glass' music in general is a big plus with this score. wink

    And I have a soft spot for string-only/string quartet-based scores and the interaction between the various players have with one another when it comes to how the music sounds.

    That's basically it...some would say "a bit shallow, those reasons", but of what limited music I've heard from that year, Dracula is my score of choice. BTW, I've only heard a couple of tracks from City Lights (Silva's "The Silents" CDs?) and so I would include this in my mullings.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    Alan this is your thread and you can choose however you want to. You set the rules. I for one am not going to go back and see what you did before. I already look forward to 1932 and I certainly know what my choice is going to be.
    Thomas
    listen to more classical music!
  19. sdtom wrote
    Alan this is your thread and you can choose however you want to. You set the rules.

    But I don't want to stop any kind of discussion of the choices I make - or for people to suggest alternates. As long as it gets us talking about film music then that's great. Particularly in relation to these older scores.

    At the moment these early years are a help and a hindrence both at the same time. It's limiting my choice (con) but the low numbers of titles I have heard is making the choice easier (pro).

    For 1932, I have it down to just two titles...
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    IMHO this sure beats the Hot Babes thread. cheesy To me this thread is what film music is all about. I'm certainly not one to say what can or cannot be talked about but it sure beats arguing about posting statistics. You better choose the right 1932 film. I think you know what I'd choose.
    Thomas smile
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    sdtom wrote
    IMHO this sure beats the Hot Babes thread. cheesy


    It surely is different to that thread.
    •  
      CommentAuthorBregt
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    Never heard about the Metropolis score actually. Is it available or did you listen to it in the movie?

    Also, why was King Kong then considered the "first real film score" when there was something like Metropolis some years before. Alan's description sounds like it was quite leitmotif like too?
    full of memorable themes for Freder, Maria, the villain Rotwang, etc that appear throughout the movie as well as more "expressionistic" material for the various gigantic machinery of the metropolis, it has everything.
    Kazoo
  23. Bregt wrote
    Never heard about the Metropolis score actually. Is it available or did you listen to it in the movie?

    Also, why was King Kong then considered the "first real film score" when there was something like Metropolis some years before. Alan's description sounds like it was quite leitmotif like too?
    full of memorable themes for Freder, Maria, the villain Rotwang, etc that appear throughout the movie as well as more "expressionistic" material for the various gigantic machinery of the metropolis, it has everything.

    I have the DVD that features a re-recorded version of the score - and I painstakingly "ripped" the audio and converted it all to mp3s - all 2 hours of it.

    I'm wondering if it isn't seen as the first because it wasn't a Hollywood movie?
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    FalkirkBairn wrote



    I'm wondering if it isn't seen as the first because it wasn't a Hollywood movie?


    You win the prize. I'm not sure what it is but you're the winner anyway.
    Thomas
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorBregt
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2010
    Ha! Okay, I see. A pity. I had expected a more surprising twist. wink
    Kazoo
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeMar 26th 2010
    I'm awaiting 1932 not so patiently smile
    listen to more classical music!
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMar 26th 2010
    Said 'Golden age-patience is my middle name-Tom' wink
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
  28. I'll post it later today when I get home. Tom, I'm not so sure I could identify your choice for this year.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorplindboe
    • CommentTimeMar 26th 2010
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    As far as scores composed at the time for films, I have very little experience up to an including 1931. Laurel and Hardy is all that I've really heard (I think) - and that's very "of the time". As is Metropolis (in parts).


    I hardly have anything from 1931 either. Except for a suite from "City lights" by Charlie Chaplin. It's pretty good music actually. I bet the whole score is a good listen.

    Peter smile
  30. I've not heard much of Chaplin's work: I've heard the City Lights suite and clips from Modern Times. Haven't been that interested though.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn

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