So this goes against my usual Top 10, but how do you pick only 10 scores from the unbelievable choices out there.
I have said many times and will no doubt repeat again, that I believe the score is one of the most important elements in film making, without music be it a soundtrack or an instrumental a film is a completely different thing. A score can add so much to a scene, create different feelings within the audience and discover an emotion that was not there previously.
I listen to movie scores a lot and I have a whole playlist of favourites. To get onto this list the scores had to be moving in some way, whether it be inspirational, sad etc. and as this is a personal list, it had to have a great melody, I can tell immediately if I like a piece of music and with every choice on this list that is the case. So here is the list of my Top 20 Film Scores.
20 - Raiders of the Lost Ark
Released: 1981
Composer: John Williams
Length: 43 mins
Look out for: Main Title: South America 1936, Marion's Theme, Flight From Peru
There is not a person I know of on the planet who does not know the Indiana Jones Theme. Like any score from the genius that is John Williams, this is a score full of excitement, thrills and the full scale of emotions. It perfectly compliments the film.
19 - About Time
Released: 2013
Composer: Nick Laird Clowes
Length: 47 mins
Look out for: About Time Theme, Golborne Road
OK so the theme is practically the only instrumental track on the album apart from one. But it is a piece that is integrated throughout the film, if this was a list of single pieces this would be in the top 5, it is such an emotional piece from a composer I was not previously familiar with. The album itself is quite indie but there are some great songs on there, check it out.
18 - The Young Victoria
Released: 2009
Composer: Ilan Eshkeri
Length: 53 mins
Look out for: Marriage Proposal, Honeymoon, Victoria and Albert
This is a lovely soundtrack from the 2009 film starring Emily Blunt as the young Queen Victoria, coming to the crown and meeting her future husband Albert. The score is full of beauty, portraying the beauty of the settings and most importantly the blossoming relationship with Albert. The love theme is played throughout the film and it is very moving.
17 - Love Actually
Released: 2003
Composer: Craig Armstrong
Look out for: Portuguese Love Theme, Glasgow Love Theme
An audience favourite since it's release this is the second Richard Curtis film on this list (the 1st is About Time). He pays great attention to the music in his films. It is an important part of his process, and that explains why he has chosen such great composers and pieces for his films. The Love themes in Love Actually are so heart-warming.
16 - Patch Adams
Released: 1998
Composer: Marc Shaiman
Look out for: Butterfly, Main Theme
This is a really beautiful score from, Shaiman it brings tears to my eyes during some parts of the score especially the end of Butterfly. This score perfectly pairs with the film bringing emotion, sadness and humour to the audience.
15 - Jaws
Released: 1975
Composer: John Williams
Length: 35 mins
Look out for: Main Theme, Sea Attack Number One, Hand to Hand Combat
Steven Spielberg's most successful pairing with John Williams created the most well know film score of all time. What is amazing about it, is that it is made up of only a few notes, and with those notes Williams has managed to put in more menace, fear and tension than many composers can create with a whole score.
14 - Jurassic Park
Released: 1993
Composer: John Williams
Length: 1 Hour 13 mins
Look out for: Theme from Jurassic Park, The Raptor Attack, T-Rex Rescue and Finale
Typical John Williams score, moving, exciting and thrilling. Perfectly captures the enormity of the visuals Spielberg has created. It was a very well received score.
13 - The Addams Family
Released: 1991
Composer: Marc Shaiman
Length: 37 mins
Look out for: Main Title, The Mooche, The Rescue
Shaiman has created a brilliantly kooky score which fits with the re-imagining of the famous gothic family. The score has some gentle moments but also energetic, one of my childhood favourites.
12 - Hook
Released: 1991
Composer: John Williams
Length: 1 Hour 15 mins
Look out for: Main Theme, The Lost Boy Chase, The Banquet, The Ultimate War
One of my favourite childhood films, I always remember being excited by the score. A good piece of music can impact so much on the emotions of the audience, this had a big impact on me.
11 - Free Willy
Released: 1993
Composer: Basil Poledouris
Length: 32 mins
Look out for: Main Theme, Friends Montage, The Gifts
My favourite animal is a Killer Whale, I'm almost certain this is because of Free Willy. Since a very young age I always loved listening to the score. It is very personal to me, I love the emotion in the music and it has a beautiful melody.
10 - The Lion King
Released: 1994
Composer: Hans Zimmer & Elton John
Length: 46 mins (Re-release longer - more Score)
Look out for: This Land, Under the Stars, King of Pride
No doubt about it, the best scored Disney film of all time. With Elton John and Hans Zimmer at the helm, how could you fail. The songs are monumental but the score is equally as powerful.
9 - Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
Released: 1991
Composer: Michael Kamen
Length: 1 Hour
Look out for: Training, Maid Marian at the Waterfall, The Abduction and Final Battle at the Gallows
Maybe not the greatest film in the world, but Michael Kamen really went all out with the soundtrack, it adds a powerful punch to the action sequences and that extra spark of feeling to the love scenes. Definitely one to listen to.
8 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Released: 1982
Composer: John Williams
Length: 1 Hour 42 mins
Look out for: Abandoned and Pursued, Flying Theme, Escape/Chase/Saying Goodbye
One of Spielberg's most successful films and by far one of Williams superior scores, this is the fourth Spielberg and Williams pairing on this list. You only have to listen to a partial section of any of the scores to realise why. There is obviously a close bond between the two and Williams seems to understand exactly what Spielberg is trying to portray and he can emulate this through his score. This is one of the most amazing scores I have listened to especially as it nears the end.
7 - Back to the Future
Released: 1985 (re-release 2009)
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Length: (re-release) 1 Hour 29 mins
Look out for: Main Title, 85 Lone Pine Mall, Skateboard Chase, It's Been Educational/Clocktower
I don't actually think I know anyone who doesn't know the score to Back to the Future, even if they haven't seen the film. It perfectly suggests the adventurous journey that Marty Mcfly goes on. It perfectly reflects the feeling of the audience at the best moments of the film (the clocktower sequence in particular).
6 - Ghost
Released: 1990
Composer: Maurice Jarre
Length: 55 mins
Look out for: Ditto, Carl, Sam, Unchained Melody Orchestral
This score is a puzzling one, it is so high on this list due mostly to sentimentality, I am sure I watched this film when I was far too young to see it. As this score still to this day terrifies me, I struggle to listen to many of the tracks. But Jarre has created a score that mixes terror and love to the biggest success, and Unchained Melody was revitalised for the most famous pottery scene.
5 - Kindergarten Cop
Released: 1993
Composer: Randy Edelman
Length: 38 mins
Look out for: Children's Montage, Rain Ride, Kindergarten Cop, Closing
I watched this film so many times as a young kid at my auntie and uncles house that they eventually gave me their copy of the film. This has always been my favourite Arnie film and the score is brilliant, fun and exciting at all the right moments.
4 - Forrest Gump
Released: 1994
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Length: 1 Hour 36 mins
Look out for: I'm Forrest.... Forrest Gump, Run Forrest Run, Jenny Returns
For me this is Tom Hanks at his finest and definitely the best work Alan Silvestri has ever produced. It packs such a wallop, it is inspirational and lip bitingly sad at times. But it leaves you feeling satisfied, you will know that you have just listened to a great musical masterpiece and will be able to visualise all the greatest scenes through listening to each track.
3 - Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
Released: 2007
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Length: 55 mins
Look out for: Up is Down, What Shall We Die For, One Day, Drink Up Me Hearties Yo Ho
Apart from re-introducing and considerably improving the pirate film, this franchise has one of the best scores from one of the most successful composers working in film today. Hans Zimmer has created an energetic, vigorous score which fulfils every estimation the film-makers could have had to create a new and exciting adventure movie. The soundtrack for the first movie was great, the second one maybe not as good, but the third in my opinion surpassed both. Adding more motifs to the original this score had more layers, more depth and plenty of feeling.
2 - The Holiday
Released: 2007
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Length: 48 mins
Look out for: Maestro, Light Fire, Gumption, Cry
This is a score I could listen to day or night and on repeat over and over and over. It cannot fail to make you feel good, it just has a shining, uplifting quality and brightens your day. Again a Hans Zimmer score, this is different to many of his other more action genre films and shows his versatility. Listen to this one if your having a down day, or in fact when your having any kind of day.
Released: 1997
Composer: James Horner
Length:
Look out for: Rose, The Portrait, Unable to Stay Unwilling to Leave, An Ocean of Memories (Basically All of Them)
OK so anyone who has previously read this blog will be aware that I am just slightly obsessed with Titanic. The film is number one on my list, has been for the past 15 years and will be for the next 15. So it will be no surprise to those people that Titanic is my favourite score. What is surprising is that although this is number one on my list of film scores James Horner does not appear at any other position on this list; other composers beat him out. Every piece of music on this score is hauntingly good, and every piece has its own individuality unlike some scores which follow the same riffs and motifs throughout many tracks. You cannot watch Titanic without marvelling at James Horner's work, it is nothing short of phenomenal and the film would not be the same without it. Many of the pieces hit you somewhere so deep that you can feel the emotion flooding through you, something all good scores should be able to achieve. This score never fails to reduce me to tears, it is by far some of the most moving music I have ever heard, and it continues to astound me with every fresh listen.
So there you have it, that is my list of favourite film scores, as previously stated it is very personal to me, with a lot of sentimentality involved in the choosing. So I can only imagine your list would be wildly different. John Williams beats all with 5 scores on the list followed by Hans Zimmer with 3, what stands Williams apart from so many composers is that the majority of his film scores are considered classics and will rightly remain so due to their utter genius. Let me know what your favourites are by commenting below.
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