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

So am I. That's how I got the interview and got him to read my article.

Ravi had him long before me, I got added off Ravi's recommendation. I kid you not.

Apparently not about Once Upon A Time In America.

That should clarify it

I don't really feel like hooking up with someone unless I've interacted personally with them. I became facebook friends with Angelo Badalamenti after having met and chatted to him a couple of times in Ghent. But that's about it. So I need to meet/talk to Zimmer first.

1985 - Rambo - First Blood Part II - Jerry Goldsmith

A clear winner this year in my book and it's Goldsmith powerhouse of a score following up on the heels of First Blood. I just loved this score when it first came out. I first heard it in a record store in Glasgow when it was being played on the shop's system and I had to go up and ask what it was. And bought the LP there and then.

It's the final rollercoaster ride of the last 6 or 7 tracks that are the joy for me in this score. Great Jerry Goldsmith action scoring. What more can be said in it's defence? Goodness, even the synth additions are great! I'm listening to "Escape From Torture" as I write this and the interchange between the strings and brass highlight what I enjoy most about this score.

I know for a fact that there are several titles from this year that will be mentioned by others that won't feature here and for these I just don't like as much as others. But other scores that I'd highlight for mention include Elmer Bernstein's score for The Journey of Natty Gann (I much prefer this to Horner's version) - I much prefer Bernstein's old-school, in-your-face western-isms. Another Bernstein title that I enjoy (but which is completely different from Natty Gann is his lovely Marie Ward - score I hear very little mention of. The recent Intrada release of Basil Poledouris' Flesh+Blood has got me re-assessing and appreciating much more this recently, and a little known score from Alan Howarth, The Lost Empire, is a great synth score that is reminiscent of all those great pulsing tracks you hear from John Carpenter's better known scores. Another synth score that I've only recently come across but has some great tracks is Goblin/Claudio Simonetti's Phenomena: the title track and "Jennifer" are great pieces and luckily they are repeated several times on the CD to fill out the playing time with some great variations on themes.

Some great themes worth mentioning (and live longer on my player than most of the rest of the scores) include Henry Mancini's title theme (and finale) from Lifeforce and I always have a wry smile when I listen to Richard Band's homage theme to Re-Animator.

As far as TV goes this year there's only one score worth mentioning: Bill Conti's North and South. Such an uplifting and glorious theme that brightens any day - and can move me to tears on others. And finally, one for the UK-based people of a certain age this one) a mention for the tracked theme "stolen" from a track by the band Mountain that started (and finished) the topical factual programme Weekend World.

RAMBO II ain't bad, but it's not as good as the first score, and it really is far from what I would put on such a list these days (with my aversion towards bustling action music and everything). So we're not totally in synch there, Alan.

Honorable mentions include BACK TO THE FUTURE (Silvestri), AGNES OF GOD (Delerue), FLESH+BLOOD (Poledouris), LADYHAWKE (Powell), LEGEND (Goldsmith) and PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (Elfman).

I would also echo your NORTH & SOUTH pick, as I have a very strong nostalgic relationship to the series. Theme, too, which must be the most unabashedly romantic this side of "Tara's theme".

However, there's really no competition for my 1985 selection:

ROCKY IV (Vince di Cola).

Oh man, LES MONDES ENGLOUTIS....I forgot all about that. That's one of my cherished TV memories too, as it was shown on kiddie shows in the morning here in Norway. I have the soundtrack CD, btw.

Thor once raved about Les mondes engloutis on FSM so I decided to try it and I fell in love with it. I've never seen the cartoon before, just love the music.

But it's not for everyone, Alan. Very cheesy and dated, but so catchy too. Here's the main title song. There are also instrumental versions on the album that are stunning.

Peter

Marie Ward is a lovely score from Bernstein - though his use of the ondes martenot in the score does border on the grating. It's a sound I like to hear only sparingly.

Damn! I didn't look at 1985 properly , this is my revised list in order of favourites...

AGNES OF GOD - Georges Delerue

A VIEW TO A KILL - John Barry

LIFEFORCE - Henry Mancini

LEGEND - Jerry Goldsmith

RAMBO : FIRST BLOOD part II - Jerry Goldsmith

OUT OF AFRICA - John Barry

What a damned good year this was!? Scores not mentioned on my above list such as Poledouris's FLESH & BLOOD, Broughton's YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES, Silvestri's BACK TO THE FUTURE and even an early Elfman effort that I enjoy immensely PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE, what a BRILLIANT year, will the 00's ever see the likes of this?

Harry Hill would suggest that 'there's only one way to find out.....FIIIIIIIGGGGHHHHT!'

opinions, opinions and more opinions. Shows what a great year 85 was, despite BTTF being a great score it doesn't break my top 5.

I think that's it. Although in my case, I didn't really pay attention untill the early 90's. I was 8 years old in 1985.