Movie Scores

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PantherProud

Well-known member
I’m curious what people think about how great scores shape how a movie is perceived.


Think about how many iconic movies also have great scores. What role does the score playing in the perception of the movie?

Look at John Willams’ resume alone. The overwhelming majority of the movies he’s worked on are considered some of the best and most beloved movies of the last 50 years.

Jaws
Star Wars
ET
Jurassic Park
Harry Potter
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Superman
Indiana Jones
Home Alone
Hook
Schindler’s List
Saving Private Ryan


Do the scores make the movie great, or is it just a coincidence that someone like John Williams has scored so many beloved films?
 
 
I would imagine the story comes first and WIlliams interprets it, no? Maybe changes movie to movie the cart and the horse. Trying to imagine Star Wars without the opening music and still being as good... not sure I can. Going to Star Wars, I was just going to a movie with friends. There was the 20th century opening. Then dead quiet. "A long time ago...." curious. When that opening sequence started... I can still remember it. It changed everything. Music aside, what really sold it though was Darth Vader's voice.

This isn't going to be easy, recalling which movies for me the score was an actual character that the story would change if not for the score.

Apocolypse Now, not the same without that score. 2001, same
 
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There a number of movies that aren't very good that have memorable scores. Off-hand, Pirates of the Caribbean and Chronicles of Narnia are a couple

Though, there are times when they seem to compliment each other perfectly, where you have a great film and great music

Inception has probably the most iconic score of the 2010s, and it would definitely would have lost a lot of emotion without Hans Zimmer's involvement
 
eastisbest said:
I would imagine the story comes first and WIlliams interprets it, no? Maybe changes movie to movie the cart and the horse. Trying to imagine Star Wars without the opening music and still being as good... not sure I can. Going to Star Wars, I was just going to a movie with friends. There was the 20th century opening. Then dead quiet. "A long time ago...." curious. When that opening sequence started... I can still remember it. It changed everything. Music aside, what really sold it though was Darth Vader's voice.

This isn't going to be easy, recalling which movies for me the score was an actual character that the story would change if not for the score.

Apocolypse Now, not the same without that score. 2001, same
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I thought the same thing. I'll never forget the opening of Apocalypse Now with The End playing to a tree line getting napalmed. Same with 2001. Not so much the theme but the end when Bowman goes through whatever it is that he goes through.

You see many movies also tug on nostalgia with their scores. Scorsese uses a lot of Stones and movies like Forrest Gump used a bunch of period favorites that people loved.

Dazed and Confused was brought up recently and that score was great. Unsure if it changed the movie but it was period correct great nonetheless.

A well thought out score certainly helps.
 
Like all that’s listed. Would add Dances With Wolves and all the Indiana Jones flicks. The score adds to the significance of the movie experience on the big screen.
 
I no order are my favorites:

Breakfast Club
Sweet Home Alabama
Pretty Woman
Porky's
Animal House
Lonesome Dove
Outlaw Josie Wales
One On One
Paint Your Wagon Red
 
A couple good one's I haven't seen mentioned

Boogie Nights
Reservoir Dogs. K-Billy's Super Sounds of the 70's, dj'ed by Stephen Wright is a huge part of the movie.
Pulp Fiction
The Devil's Rejects
 
ogealbhain said:
I've never seen. Worth watching?
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Absolutely. Not only is this a great movie which is entertaining as hell it's also a cool historical look at America before the Revolutionary War.

The production values are first rate, the cinematography outstanding and acting fantastic. As PM has noted the soundtrack is compelling and one of the best out there.
 
Sergio Leone + Ennio Morricone = Best Film Scores

The big hit>

The masterpiece>

By the way, if you have 4 hours to burn or 2 blocks of 2 hours the Director's cut of Once Upon a Time in America is a great film and many cinema types consider it a must watch.
 
Auggie said:
Sergio Leone + Ennio Morricone = Best Film Scores
...
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Nither of which were Academy Award nominees

Morricone Oscar nominations...

1978 ~ Days of Heaven
1986 ~ The Mission
1987 ~ The Untouchables
1991 ~ Bugsy
2000 ~ Malèna
2016 ~ The Hateful Eight Winner

2006 ~ Oscar Honorary ~
..."in recognition of his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music."


AFI Top 25 Film Scores of All Time
~ #23 The Mission

Then again ... The Recording Academy (awardsGrammy's) inducted his score for
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966) into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

:>---

SALT
 
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