YOUR ALL TIME FAVOURITE FILM SCORE ALBUMS!!!

Please note that # 28 will be up late next week as I don't get back until late next Tuesday.

I think I had the FLASH GORDON score album awhile back, but didn't care for it much. The Queen material is more up my alley, although it's been ages since I've listened to the song material or seen the film, for that matter. ROBIN HOOD I've actually never seen, but I dig the score. I have the Kojian recording and am pleased with that.

This is wonderful, despite the Arvo Part references.

This implies that July 1st will elapse before #28 is posted.

Curious that Timmer should select the Queen version of FLASH GORDON as his #27 ... because my #27 title is by the REAL Brian May (not that guitarist bloke Brian May).

#27: THIRST (1979) by Brian May, on the Australian One-M-One CD (1989).

Brian May (along with Jerry Goldsmith) was one of my earliest favorite composers during my formative years as a beginning soundtrack collector.
After noticing May's music in the MAD MAX movies, I sought out any LP I could locate with May's music.
A number of May's genre scores between 1978 and 1982 received a corresponding U.S. release on either Citadel or Varese Sarabande records. Some of May's film scores did not get distributed in America, however.
I ordered from mail order services to get my French LP of May's HARLEQUIN (my 2nd favorite May soundtrack). THIRST, though, did not appear on disc until 10 years later. It felt like an eternity to me waiting for THIRST to arrive on disc and when it came onto CD (there was never an LP to my knowledge) it became an instant favorite album which continues to remain within my Top 50.

THIRST possesses all the Brian May trademarks - short cues, lots of musical stings, unique phrasings for brass and strings - but there's also a chorus (rather uncommon in May's film scores).

Despite this chorus, THIRST is not any sort of clone of THE OMEN. THIRST sounds rather like what Gerald Fried might have done with THE OMEN if Goldsmith had not scored that.

Additional comparisons could be some of the British Hammer film scores from 10 to 15 years prior to this 1979 Australian effort.

THIRST is the only entry in my Top 50 by Brian May (and it is also the only Australian opus in my Top 50 as well).

I'll put it up tomorrow.

By the way, Timmer, do you have Silva Screen's 2-CD issue of Howard Blake's cues for the 1968/'69 season of THE AVENGERS?.

Of all the film productions of Robin Hood this one is by far and away my favourite, a brilliant escapist romp bolstered by the charisma of Errol Flynn and a brilliant score, a pure joy of a film.

You should watch it Thor.

^ That one (The Robe) is right up my alley! Great, great score!

There are films with next to no music in them. Sometimes that make what little music there is all the more effective. The final hymn in this film accompanies one of the most powerful scenes I have ever seen and listened to. The score is very probably the shortest one to feature in my list.

He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary.

No 28:
Dead Poets Society (1989) by Maurice Jarre

About a year ago I stood in front of one of my literature classes and my enthusiasm about Friedrich Schiller would get me carried away. Thus I raved about the meaning and the importance of of Schiller's work and how it affects us still two centuries later and ... and ...
And one of my students would grinn at me cheekily and she would proceed to proclaim melodramatically: "O Captain, my Captain!"
This film really has become part of our culture. Peter Weir has created a classical drama. The film is indeed structured like a classic drama. Many scenes feel like stage scenes and Jarre's music gives the impression of stage music.

I love all of the score, not only "Keating's Triumph". The four cues amount to about ten minutes, but there is magic in every single one.

The final cue is a hymnus of humanity. Rightfully it should be the anthem of the United Nations. As all of the film it speaks for all mankind. I love the fact, that Beethoven's "9th" is referenced in the film. Jarre joins Beethoven in appealing to our better angels. I salute Peter Weir, Tom Schulman and Maurice Jarre.

Volker

Ah, what themes those films (ROBE, ANTONY and CLEO) have.

No speeling mysrtakes ur ramboling noonsence? Donut believe yu

THE ROBE -- been on my list for a long time, since I suspect the appearance of the religious sound. At least if THE SONG OF BERNADETTE or THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD are anything to go by.

DEAD POET'S SOCIETY -- seen the film a few times and liked the music within, but never owned the album

ANTONY & CLEO -- I think I have a suite of this on a John Scott comp that Thomas sent me. I like it.

There's plenty of the "religious" sound in THE ROBE Thor.

I just looked and I see it is on Spotify.

I agree about the HORRIBLE edits so I don't understand how an album with such shoddy editing can be on a best albums list.

However, there is NOTHING wrong with the sound. It's an in your face, aggressive, close miked, incredibly detailed and power recording by the great Stephen McLaughlin. Those warm horns, blasting trombones and piercing trumpets sound BRILLIANT! Great stereo separation as well! Fantastic recording!

-Erik-