Film Music

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

I decided to start up this thread after watching (for about the sixth time) one of my favourite films: 'Blade Runner'.

What really strikes me is the quality of the composition from Vangelis. It works on many levels. The main theme for instance is very tense and locomotive, but this is in stark contrast to the majority of the film; where the music is somewhat subdued. Even twenty odd years later, the synthesised sounds don't appear dated, a bit of a feat considering the instrumentation. It's also rather refreshing for a film of that era not to have the obligatory 'New Hollywood' orchestral score.

What's your favourite music from film and why?

[khanedeliac]

I decided to start up this thread after watching (for about the sixth time) one of my favourite films: 'Blade Runner'.


Ha, thats funny man, my final Film Music assignment was to do all the foley and soundtrack work for a 4 min scene from Blade Runner.
Its the scene where he pulls up to the Bradbury Theatre where the mannequin is waiting for him. I put a lot of work into it and made sure not to watch the original until I had completed mine, and when I did I was disappointed with the original (for that scene) score, plus the overdub/foley work was virtually non-existent.
I actually thought my scene was better, but hey, I wasnt contracted to to the score to one of the best sci-fi films of all time so what do I know? ;)

My favorite film music...I cant pick just one but for the moment Ill go for something like natural born killers...the mood is captured almost exclusively by the sounds chosen. That is key to good film music.

[Colonel Bat Guano]

The Peter Gabriel score for The Last Temptation of Christ is one of my faves. I also like the creepy score for Full Metal Jacket and the 60s songs it used like "Surfin' Bird" and "These Boots". And any of those Ennio Morricone spaghetti western scores are just the best ever.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Ha, thats funny man, my final Film Music assignment was to do all the foley and soundtrack work for a 4 min scene from Blade Runner.
Its the scene where he pulls up to the Bradbury Theatre where the mannequin is waiting for him. I put a lot of work into it and made sure not to watch the original until I had completed mine, and when I did I was disappointed with the original (for that scene) score, plus the overdub/foley work was virtually non-existent.
I actually thought my scene was better, but hey, I wasnt contracted to to the score to one of the best sci-fi films of all time so what do I know? ;)

My favorite film music...I cant pick just one but for the moment Ill go for something like natural born killers...the mood is captured almost exclusively by the sounds chosen. That is key to good film music.

It's actually funny you say that.

Part of the reason I like the score for 'Blade Runner' so much is the fact that it expresses an inherent minimalism. There is very little going on and the music is much more geared to the expression of mood rather than to the literal action of the on-screen events.

[khanedeliac]

It's actually funny you say that.

Part of the reason I like the score for 'Blade Runner' so much is the fact that it expresses an inherent minimalism. There is very little going on and the music is much more geared to the expression of mood rather than to the literal action of the on-screen events.

Oh I definitely agree, as a whole it makes sense; but watching that particular scene in isolation, it seems lazy.

I like the overall score for the film, like I say, once put into context, the way it has been arranged makes sense when portraying the edgy futurism.

However, the foley work could have been better for the whole film; although that is technically a different department from the music.

Oh, and Id like to add to favorite film music... Requiem For A Dream (though it seems an obvious choice, now), Waking Life and Ghost Dog.

[hawk9290]

I looking at two of my favorite modern composers last night, Robert Duncan and Bill Brown. They both seem to blend the classic orchestrations with modern recording techniques and instruments (electric guitars, drum sets, electric bass). And many of the more traditional songs have beautiful, often haunting melodies and chorus.

[LiveGoat]

The Score for Full Metal Jacket was composed by Vivian Kubrick, daughter of Stanley. My faves have to be Twin Peaks (Angelo Badalamenti), Naked Lunch (Ornette Coleman), Last Temptation...(Peter Gabriel), Rumble Fish (Stewart Copeland), but my all-time favorite score composer is the great Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Taxi Driver).

[katman]

The Peter Gabriel score for The Last Temptation of Christ is one of my faves.

I agree with you here. I had the CD long before I saw the movie and got to know it as an album. I discover new bits every time I listen to it.

I also like the soundtrack to Dead Man (a Jim Jarmusch film with Johnny Depp) - Neil Young plays guitar on most of it and the raw, grunting sounds perfectly complement what I reckon is some of the best cinematography I've seen.

[khanedeliac]

I also like the soundtrack to Dead Man (a Jim Jarmusch film with Johnny Depp) - Neil Young plays guitar on most of it and the raw, grunting sounds perfectly complement what I reckon is some of the best cinematography I've seen.


What a damn good score...saw this film about a month ago, loved the music.

[TitanSound]

Dirty Harry has got to be one of my fave film scores...loose and funky. Lalo Schifrin came up with some gold there I tell ya!

Other than that...I think Platoon and the use of Samuel Barber's Adadgio For Strings perfectly sums up the sombre mood in certain scenes.

[Jay.B.]

Blade runner is also one of all time favourite films,
but,
possibly my favourite film sound track is pulp fiction

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

Well, just like bands, it's hard for me to pick a favorite. However, one that really sticks out is 'The Hills Have Eyes' soundtrack. I watched it a few months ago. It was perfect for the film. It was very minimal, and very character driven. Quite an usual soundtrack as well- not your usual orchestral work (not that I don't love those too, cuz I do).

For me, it was in the same vein as the Alien soundtracks. I love the strange stuff. I also love just about anything Danny Elfman does.

[Joe P]

"The Incredibles" original soundtrack is amazing. Definitely my favorite... especially the ending credits.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Yeah, Elfman is something else. Recently a few of the people at the theatre I was sound teching on thought it would be a good idea to learn a number of Elfman songs. The musicians weren't best pleased given the number of complexities and the actors were largely non-singers; which really didn't help given his knack of providing harmonies with little to go on from the melody. It usually requires a good guessing, luckily my pitching is good but the actors' really wasn't. At one point they actually brought me in to try and teach the actors the songs which was a nice role reversal. Great music, but don't ever try and teach them to non-singers...

I have to see more films. I really do.

[DrumGod]

For me, it was in the same vein as the Alien soundtracks. I love the strange stuff. I also love just about anything Danny Elfman does.

I think he is amazing as well. I think the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack is just amazing....it sound real innocent yet dark just like the character and Movie. The Score just captures the full film perfectly.......Although the Tom Jones song kind of ruins it lol

[aydee]

Natural Born Killers by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails

[That Guy]

I really enjoy the Halo (game) soundtracks. There is some real creative genius in those pieces. Marty O'Donnell has always inspired me to continue growing in my musical knowledge.

[Citizen Insane]

I dig the score for Into the Wild, Eddie Veder made some amazing songs for that movie.

[Citizen Insane]

I've recently been listening to the score for the movie Akira (A film heavily influenced by Blade Runner.) a lot. It's one of the most original film scores ever made IMO, really amazing music. A mix between modern music and traditional japanese percussive music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQsPx6b360&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b9BuP8rkTE

[trkdrmr]

Here are soundtracks near and dear to me:
Everything by John Williams, Hans Zimmer, James Horner and Basil Pouldaris.

Honorable mention: Jean-Michele and Maurice Jarre and Vangelis.

[Ian Williams]

The Devils Rejects -> Rob Zombie.

Tommy -> The Who.

[Jason Dorn]

The soundtrack to the movie Wolf by Ennio Morricone is intense. If you listen to this laying back with your eyes closed the emotion, passion and tension in these tracks will certainly take you on a heck of a journey. If you happen to fall asleep listening to it prepare for some very strange intense dreams.

[hauk]

How about A Clockwork Orange? I was just watching that and the music really hit me. Granted, a lot of it isn't score per se, it's existing classical music, but that and the score (much more electronic, a nice contrast) both fit well.

[DamoSyzygy]

For me,

John Williams
Danny Elfman
Alan Silvestri
James Horner

and a swag of others.

[king fail]

I really liked W. (dub-ya)'s soundtrack, i thought the song choices were great.

Also, the scores for all the Studio Ghibli films are some of the best pieces of music that i have ever heard.

they're all written by Joe Hisaishi
check him out, he is absolutely incredible.

[Citizen Insane]

The soundtrack to the movie Wolf by Ennio Morricone is intense. If you listen to this laying back with your eyes closed the emotion, passion and tension in these tracks will certainly take you on a heck of a journey. If you happen to fall asleep listening to it prepare for some very strange intense dreams.

I LOVE his score for The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

[SharkyBait911]

My favourite film music is The Ocean's thirteen, the composer David Holmes is amazing and the drumming is brilliant aswell, the best one has got to be Snake eyes it's when they are getting the money from the casino and the music builds a brilliant atmosphere !!!!!!

Highly recomend listen to the music !!!!

[intooder]

I'm surprised we haven't had a thread on a great topic as this, yet. Like mentioned above, Ennio Morricone's work on the spaghetti westerns was just genius. Vangelis did a great job with Bladerunner and Chariots of Fire.
My other favorites are:

- Francis Lai on Love Story
- Elia Cmiral on Ronin (a treat for us drummers)
- Marco Beltrami and Marilyn Manson on Resident Evil (esp. the theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqrOGjQC5LI))
- Thomas Newman on The Shawshank Redemption
- Nino Rota and Carmine Coppola on The Godfather trilogy

I'm sure I'm missing some - I might just come back to this.

[enforcerdrummer]

WHY SO SERIOUS!

My favorite soundtrack. Batman 1989 with Mr Elfman. Vangelis-Chariots of Fire.
And how about some Herbie on the "Death Wish" soundtrack...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7EdOzE8b2E

[Ian Williams]

Tenacious D: In the Pick of Destiny, with Jack Black and Kyle Gass.

[Deathmetalconga]

The music for Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver and other '70s musicals is awesome. Tubular Bells (The Exorcist) still gives me the creeps. Peter Gabriel did a great job with the Last Temptation of Christ.

The downfall of music for movies is a sad thing. It used to be, every movie had to have original music. I think starting in the '60s with Easy Rider, it become more acceptable to use off-the-shelf pop music and provides a "soundtrack" compilation of greatest hits. It saves money, avoids risk and can set the mood really well, but it has cut down the flow of great movie music.

Now it seems like every movie just plays Born to be Wild and All Star and some R and B hits over and over and over again.

[foursticks]

The theme to Taxidriver is just brilliant. So hauntingly lonely..