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

Both The Jungle Book and In The Heat of The Night have some quality tracks on them. The latter title though is one that I have only recently heard on CD.

The Jungle Book is music that I've an association with for many years: I used to have an LP that featured the story narrated and the inclusion of the songs.

Could be. The songs the thing, though.

But the thing is this thread is called "Movie/TV/Game Scores Through The Ages."

-Erik-

1968 - Planet of The Apes - Jerry Goldsmith

Not a particularly original choice for those hoping for a little-known title, but I believe that the score itself is a particularly original one. It's almost a cartoon/mickey-mouse score the way that Goldsmith uses complex techniques (at least to my untutored ears) to ape(!) the on screen action. There's such variety that you can close your eyes and see the action through the music.

As such, the score seems to peak in the middle with tracks such as "The Hunt" and "No Escape" and then seems to go against convention and end on a low: and Goldsmith doesn't even score the final revelation (an initial disappointment when I first go this CD and didn't really know how the finale was scored.)

A great score, particularly when you see what it's up against: a couple of excellent Alex North scores, a handful of top-notch Morricone titles, Ice Station Zebra and Where Eagles Dare.

And TV is continuing to produce some excellent themes (Hawaii Five-0) that's carried through into the scores themselves: Joe 90 & Mission: Impossible.

I had a feeling that I'd be pulled up for not mentioning The Barry. I know that it is regarded very highly by most people, but it's a score that I just don't really get.

Sure, but there's also such a thing as a SONG SCORE which is no less valuable or legitimate than an instrumental (symphonic) score.



THE GRADUATE, along with EASY RIDER, are often quoted as the two major titles, the ARCH-EXAMPLES, that made pop and rock music...well, popular as film music in the 60's. They became symptomatic of a particular trend. EASY RIDER as the "compilation song score" and THE GRADUATE with songs by a single artist (duo), written originally for the film.

As for 1968, that is indeed a strong year, but I would agree with Alan's choice. PLANET OF THE APES it is, followed closely by ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST.

I think I listened to it once a few years back and have been too scared to listen to it again.

A score is a score - some are instrumental, some are songs. I never thought this was only about the former. Or?

Thor.

Original composition (orchestral or any other instrumental kind) written for a specific film = score.
Anything else that can be contained in the audio soundtrack of the movie, be it pre-existent material or songs or anything = soundtrack, song soundtrack etc.

It's very simple. Don't waste energy.

The songs in The Graduate were written for the film and the album also contains score so IT DOES COUNT. It's certainly worthy of discussion.

They are called original songs, usually. Not score.

The word 'score' has many meanings in music theory which makes it a bit confusing, of course, but in a filmatic sense, it is usually meant to denote the music that is SPECIFICALLY COMPOSED for the film. Whether it is based on songs or instrumentals is really irrelevant. Pop songs that are NOT composed for the film, do not really qualify as 'score', though. In that case, we tend to use other descriptions instead (like 'songtrack'). Although there are those who would argue that THEY qualify as score as well, depending on how judiciously they are used in the film. But I don't necessarily agree with that.

Which is the reason there are two separate music categories at the Oscars.

-Erik-

Where in the hell did I suggest that I didn't know of the expression "song score." Of course I have. The Academy use to hand out Oscars for song scores. How else do you think Prince got an Academy Award? Acting?

-Erik-