# What is your favourite 10 seconds of film music?



## loolaphonic (Jan 28, 2012)

Controversial question on FMM forum - there were some great suggestions / links but the discussion but was quickly shot down by argument & party poopers - so thought I'd ask the same question at VI Control.

Doesn't have to be exactly 10 seconds - say your favourite 'moments' under 30 seconds (taken ruthlessly out of context :D)


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## Christian Marcussen (Jan 28, 2012)

The attack on the death star in A New Hope. The fanfare as the x-wings swoop in. Imagine how i felt when it was pretty much removed from the dvds.

There are many others, but those are great 10 seconds.


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## Christian Marcussen (Jan 28, 2012)

Another great one is the immigrant theme from Godfather part 2 when we see young corleone reaching new york, and all the immigrants rush to the side of the boat to see the statue of liberty. Lovely 10 seconds.


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## RiffWraith (Jan 28, 2012)

Not sure if these qualify under the time constraints you have so oppresively burdened us with  but here are my top 3:

1) The opening to 'Star Wars'

2) The opening to _the original _ 'Superman'

3) The ring theme from 'LOTR'


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## bsound76 (Jan 28, 2012)

The part in "Once Upon a Time in the West" where Harmonica fights Frank and we see the flashback revealing why Harmonica is after Frank.


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## Jaap (Jan 28, 2012)

1: Harry Potter opening (celesta part)
2: Bourne Identity opening (the bassoon part)
3: Opening of American Beauty (just the first few bars, they get me straight in the mood :D)

Not musically the best stuff, but those themes get me straight away in the feeling of the movie and give the movie an identity. I think that is a big accomplishment from the composers. That's why I choose them.


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## Alex Temple (Jan 28, 2012)

I love that scene in The Return of the King where they're lighting the beacons. After seeing flare after flare light up over expansive landscapes the music finally stops climbing and settles into a soaring rendition of the Gondor theme. It gave me goosebumps the first time I saw it - watching it later without any music made me realize just how much the soundtrack made the scene.

Also, the final bits of the clocktower scene from Back to the Future. And the Map Room from Raiders of the Lost Ark.


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## Arbee (Jan 28, 2012)

1) The start of Star Wars.

2) The start of On Golden Pond - I have rarely ever heard such an emotive marriage of music and picture. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLa7kMIUAaI

3) This is cheating (not film) but I still remember the adrenalin rush and thinking "you clever prick" when the trumpet fanfare started in John Williams' LA Olympics Theme. I was almost in tears it was so good.

OK, showing my age :oops: There have been many since in recent years but perhaps the younger you are when you hear them, the bigger impression they leave on you.


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## Andrew Christie (Jan 28, 2012)

RiffWraith @ Sun Jan 29 said:


> 2) The opening to _the original _ 'Superman'





Alex Temple @ Sun Jan 29 said:


> I love that scene in The Return of the King where they're lighting the beacons. After seeing flare after flare light up over expansive landscapes the music finally stops climbing and settles into a soaring rendition of the Gondor theme. It gave me goosebumps the first time I saw it - watching it later without any music made me realize just how much the soundtrack made the scene.



Oooooh yeah baby!! (+1 for both)


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## José Herring (Jan 28, 2012)

Laurence of Arabia when Peter O'Toole is on the Dunes modeling his Arabian clothing.

Opening to Vertigo.

The Shot of New LA in Blade Runner.

First Encounter of King Kong in the original King Kong.

Opening to Sea Hawk.

Dust Cropper attack in North by Northwest.

Fatal Attraction main theme on the face of the little girl. No music for the first 30 minutes, then after he's cheated on his wife and family, there's a soft ethnic flute theme over the little girl's face as soon as he puts her to bed. In 2 secs you learn exactly what the movie is about.

Back Draft, at the end during the funeral procession. Big orchestra going and then on a close up to the wife's face, Hans cuts the entire orchestra and plays a solo flute. Damn that was effective.

The list could go on and on. Hardly anything in the last 10 years. Not that there hasn't been a lot of good stuff, but the older stuff seems to get me in the gut.


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## Kralc (Jan 28, 2012)

The Phantom Menace, I was a little kid at the time, and when that massive choral chant in Duel of the Fates came on over the fight, I was amazed. My parents then bought me the soundtrack album, and I'm not afraid to say that I had many a good time flailing round pretending I was a Jedi... :D


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## BoulderBrow (Jan 28, 2012)

Kralc @ Sat Jan 28 said:


> The Phantom Menace, I was a little kid at the time, and when that massive choral chant in Duel of the Fates came on over the fight, I was amazed. My parents then bought me the soundtrack album, and I'm not afraid to say that I had many a good time flailing round pretending I was a Jedi... :D



+ 1

Except I wasn't so little :D


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## choc0thrax (Jan 28, 2012)

Some good ones:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNYtN6gw ... age#t=174s Johnny Williams

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEMICfWL ... age#t=185s Fiedel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQQe5H9P ... page#t=52s Horner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZFd8VxtG6s The Elfmaster


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## Studio E (Jan 28, 2012)

Great ones!!!


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## re-peat (Jan 29, 2012)

___


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## reddognoyz (Jan 29, 2012)

I have to say the opening to Harry Potter. Because I think it's the perfect theme for the material, and it promises so much. Starts so simply with that washed out celeste.


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## George Caplan (Jan 29, 2012)

a little bit of charles ives in here but i remember the film. catchy music.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h78Lsi_6rpE&feature=fvst (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h78Lsi_6rpE&amp;feature=fvst)

this is catchy too.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJcIDa7EdnA&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJcIDa7E ... re=related)


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## TheUnfinished (Jan 29, 2012)

It's more like 30 seconds, but pick out any ten seconds from this cue from Return of the Jedi. Sublime.

http://youtu.be/orfc5rUDi8A?t=1m13s (Luke vs Vader)


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## choc0thrax (Jan 29, 2012)

TheUnfinished @ Sun Jan 29 said:


> It's more like 30 seconds, but pick out any ten seconds from this cue from Return of the Jedi. Sublime.
> 
> http://youtu.be/orfc5rUDi8A?t=1m13s (Luke vs Vader)



*cough* think that's already been covered. 8)


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## Farkle (Jan 21, 2013)

Boom. Here's my fave 8 bars of music in film music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gpXMGit4P8

That harp gliss in bar 6? Goose. Bumps. 

And... just so I'm not a JW "whore"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXkqbo4uoEU#t=21s

Those double-tongued woodwinds over the harmonic sequence of the theme... just so magical. Where the heck did Trevor Jones go? He had mad orchestral thematic chops. 

Mike


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## Saxer (Jan 22, 2013)

sharon stone in basic..... oh wait, it's about music, isn't it?


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## Inductance (Jan 22, 2013)

In ET, during the bike chase, there's a part where the music does these fast runs, pretty low, building momentum, and suddenly POW! The flying theme. That always gives me chills.

Also in Star Wars: ROTJ, when Vader tells Luke that if he won't turn, perhaps his sister will, then Luke screams attacks Vader... More goosebumps.

In Gladiator, during the opening battle scene, as the Romans are marching in under the flaming arrows, and the "Gladiator Waltz" starts... Yup, goosebumps.


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## passenger57 (Jan 22, 2013)

Empire Strikes Back - Asteroid chase music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVycvLAFXmc

At 2:18

Spock's death
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntrmRExwS7M


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## MichaelL (Jan 22, 2013)

Pick any 10 seconds.

Morricone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5qlWLXbfL4

Williams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPCpccUo8Lw

Kaczmarek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOIr2Zp1KoQ

Grusin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJmQAj31zxM


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## Leosc (Jan 22, 2013)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75M1XXEZciU

Any 10 seconds out of this. The greatest use of film music I know.


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## jeffc (Jan 22, 2013)

It's a few more than 10 sec, but in Hans' "Journey To The Line", when the counterpoint kicks in in the cellos/violas, it really just is magical, almost as awesome, almost , as when the big horn stuff comes in later... classic! I don't care how many trailers it's in, it to me says 'this is the sound of a big emotional kick ass movie score' in the 21st century...

http://youtu.be/TG9-j3eevL4?t=3m37s


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## scorefrog (Jan 22, 2013)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ZdnhiIH3Q

in my favourite piece here from Ennio Morricone (Cinema Paradiso) i could hardly decide for the best 10 seconds of it 

I don't speak italian btw.


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## germancomponist (Jan 22, 2013)

The harmonica in *Once Upon a Time in the West*, composed by Ennio Morricone.

There are many others too..... .


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## doctornine (Jan 22, 2013)

Some interesting posts already.

First one off the top of my head is Roy Budd's Get Carter :

http://youtu.be/8kMhcf8eyiA

So few notes, that say so much.

followed very closely by the ftrst ten seconds or so of this as the hats and way guitar come in :

http://youtu.be/pFlsufZj9Fg

and most definitely the sublime Popol Vuh :

http://youtu.be/TBZMaLTBgqM


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## reddognoyz (Jan 22, 2013)

+1 on the Harry Potter opening (celesta part)

I think that's such an evocative theme and perfectly sets up the movie. Best mood creator, film elevator ever. I don't really like the films that much, but I think they are fantastic kids films! I LOVE what JW brought to them and it all starts with that theme. Oh and then those insane skittering violin runs. It's just fantastic. 


The good the bad and the ugly...... wa wa waaaaaahhhh!!!

Bond, James Bond. Those themes define several generations of swanky spy genre.


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## Markus S (Jan 22, 2013)

The Ring, when the camera flows over the Island before they arrive by boat and that solo cello starts to play those arpeggios, so dark. Enters at 0.25 :


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## Musicologo (Jan 22, 2013)

+1 for John Williams celesta in Harry Potter.
And I'll add this one Over the Moon, from ET

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqmQTuJy8WI

The piano here is simply magical. The best piano I know.

A novelty not mentioned yet,
Yann Tiersen's "Amelie" soundtrack is magnificent, in my opinion. The best bit is "A Quai", with the accordion and harpsichord. Those initial seconds are striking!!...

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

And I also have to mention Danny Elfman in Edward Scissorhands, those choirs + celesta are amazing. Also the "Simpsons" theme is out of this world.


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## Walid F. (Jan 22, 2013)

+1 HP, Celesta. Goosebumps from nostalgia


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## Walid F. (Jan 22, 2013)

But really, there is no such thing as "favorite 10 seconds". Or even favorite score. Zz


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## krisol11 (Jan 22, 2013)

Farkle @ 22nd January 2013 said:


> Boom. Here's my fave 8 bars of music in film music.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gpXMGit4P8



+1


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## mark812 (Jan 22, 2013)

Too hard for me to choose.

But I watched _Children of Men_ recently and loved how they included first 10 sec. of fantastic and most disturbing piece ever:


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## dcoscina (Jan 22, 2013)

Those last three chords from Herrmann's F451. Haunting and emotive. 

Also the soaring recap of John Williams' Accidental Tourist (1988) theme at the film's finale. Favorite ending ever. 

Goldsmith did a riff on this with The Edge (1997) recapping his main theme with a close shot and fade on Anthony Hopkins' face. Also amazing.


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## YoungComposer (Jan 22, 2013)

Hmm, I would have to say... (In no order)

1) Binary Sunset - "John Williams"
2) "Dead Already" -Thomas Newman
3) "Good Will Hunting Theme"- Danny Elfman
4) Anything Grusin
And tons more.

One of my favorites and most innovative orchestrations I ever heard...."A Kaleidoscope of Mathematics" by James Horner in A Beautiful Mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDEx6tolC6w

Absolutely stunning.


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## Jimbo 88 (Jan 22, 2013)

This is going to be laughed at ...but:

Michael Kamen's intro to "Robin Hood". 1st time I heard today's overused string ostinato.


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## CouchCow (Jan 23, 2013)

This scene from The Village:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... f4k#t=190s


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## nikolas (Jan 23, 2013)

Oh boy... will I get flamed for this...

Zimmers Inception score. That part where he slows down the 'rien de rien' is SO fantastic for me... The moment when the van hits the water... That part!


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## Kralc (Jan 23, 2013)

Not really 10 secs, but the part in There Will Be Blood, when the oil rig plans are coming together. The cue "Future Markets" with those aggressive low strings, damn nice. 

And I'll second you there, Nikolas. Watched that the other day, music still has the same effect as the first time I saw it.


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## Markus S (Jan 23, 2013)

mark812 @ Tue Jan 22 said:


> Too hard for me to choose.
> 
> But I watched _Children of Men_ recently and loved how they included first 10 sec. of fantastic and most disturbing piece ever:




It's not film music per se, it's concert music used by a filmmaker, not sure if that qualifies.


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## nikolas (Jan 23, 2013)

Yes, Children of men is a stunning film, one of the best films in the decade I personally think, but they mostly (if not at all) use existing music... The threnody is wonderfully used, and that part in the film is one of the best single takes (tricks involved... It's not really a single take, but it IS a long take anyhow)...


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## Stiltzkin (Jan 23, 2013)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFgrWAzM ... page#t=39s

Star Wars - Immolation scene. This whole piece really is just perfect for that moment.


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## mark812 (Jan 23, 2013)

Markus S @ Wed Jan 23 said:


> mark812 @ Tue Jan 22 said:
> 
> 
> > Too hard for me to choose.
> ...




I know, but the use was wonderful.


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## marclawsonmusic (Jan 23, 2013)

choc0thrax @ Sat Jan 28 said:


> Some good ones:
> 
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNYtN6gw ... age#t=174s Johnny Williams
> ...



Also, the final scene in Braveheart where Hamish throws the sword. Goosebumps.

The ending of Gladiator always gets me too, when Maximus goes to be with his wife and kid.

Cool thread


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## ryans (Jan 24, 2013)

Two cues (from my LONG list of favorites)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yzbqUQcBs0 - Willow (Horner)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ1vC8YzVaI - Raiders (Williams)


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## park bench (Jan 24, 2013)

I must interject a bit of Elfman, however nerdy I may sound, for one of my favorites:
Tie between these three:
Alice's Theme - Danny Elfman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuL1cVS_Yy4
The prologue from FotR - Howard Shore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNx8tz4qVeI
The gravel road - James newton Howard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ro4FHd51t4


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## rezz24db (Jan 28, 2013)

von ryans express, the piece of music playing when all the escaped prisoners are sleep at the ruins(when they first escape) just before the nazis find them.
the strings swell and a melody plays across it thats sooo beautiful. it only plays once then changes.


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## synthetic (Jan 28, 2013)

Empire Strikes Back, when the Falcon is zipping around the asteroid field. The part with the big fanfare and the piccolo is... you know, you wouldn't be on this site if you didn't know what I was talking about.


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## Blake Ewing (Jan 28, 2013)

"Falls" from _The Mission_ by Morricone (especially the ending, if we're getting specific).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIMwEFAEld0


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## loolaphonic (Feb 3, 2013)

Some Elfman:

Opening of Hulk from 0:20 - Lesser known, v Herrmannesque love it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rF5UBlq5vY#t=0m20s

Opening of Planet of the Apes - production - bombastic 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rQjksu45wU#t=0m30s

Spiderman - the build, 3/4 to 4/4, chord sequence etc etc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG3dduy0EbU#t=0m17s

Batman Reprise - Bombards you with everything in such a short cue. Descending strings at 1:02 - lovely
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDgYO62Ymog

Standard Operating Procedure - Not spectacular I just like it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dkaLcGXx08#t=0m48s


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## loolaphonic (Feb 3, 2013)

The lighter side of Zimmer:

From The Holiday - Short but v sweet 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddxPlnZg3mw

Insanely Risky from Frost / Nixon - Upbeat twist on reoccurring theme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0cIU0ve ... =9#t=1m33s


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## Vik (Mar 29, 2018)

Don't know, but some of the first pieces that pop up are the opening of Also Sprach Zarathustra (in 2001 - A Space Odyssey) and the Mahler piece in Death in Venice. I saw both movies when I was around 14-16 years, had never heard music like that before and was almost shocked by how brilliant the music was.


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## chillbot (Mar 29, 2018)

I don't know how it could be anything other than this:



You want 10 seconds, ok from :34 to :44 winner winner chicken dinner.


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## Karma (Mar 29, 2018)

10 seconds is barely enough... But here's one example I love. Horner was a master at scoring. So simple but so effective in the scene.


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## PeterN (Mar 29, 2018)

12 Monkeys and Astor Piazzolla playing his bandoneon. When the animals are loose, and the harmonica is wild.

Then after that maybe Casablanca and Sam on the piano.

Play it again, Sam. None of them done with sample libraries.


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## Kyle Preston (Mar 29, 2018)

I'm kind of not kidding with this: Quincy Jones and George Clinton, this is imho the best comedy score ever :00 - :10


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## givemenoughrope (Mar 29, 2018)

My favorite moment in film music is the horn ostinato lead up and guitar entrance (probably the loudest guitar I can think of... and I've Sunno))) and Sleep three times) when the final duel between Frank and Harmonica happens in Leone's OUATITW. I think all film music of this type ("epic" or whatever) exists in the shadow of this in a way. And in context of the film it's the greatest thing I've evr seen. 

Honorable mention for that entrance of "walkdown melody"/B section or whatever of the main theme over the tracking shot of the train when Morton is found face down in a puddle.
 Some moments just make the hair on your arm stand up...especially in the theater.

I also like the opening of Elias Mehrige's Shadow of the Vampire when the music from the wax cylinder (and it was an actual wc, I asked the director) fades out and into the opening title music of Dan Jones. Never heard a more magical transition that really brings you into another "reality". Saw it recently at the Egyptian and it blew me away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd55RC_9OjQ&feature=youtu.be&t=101

In the same vein I really like the opening (I like openings) of Mr. Turner with the sopranino and soprano saxes pulling you into a painting. Kind of cut off here: https://vimeo.com/104121630

I like the music in both TDKR (opening scene @ 3:50, the downward chromatic tones that also go up, very cool in how disorienting they are)  and Inception (hotel scene @1:30, the double walkup of the aeolian scale w/ leading tone thing over i, bIII, bIV, III...is that right?)
 when gravity "has it's way" with everyone. Brief moments that are really special and effective.

For some reason the moment in the opening of Ravenous when Lt. Boyd tosses up his steak and that completely obtuse banjo loop of 6 and 7 enters always comes to mind when I drive by some big silly steakhouse type place. It's so jarring but also hilarious when the wistful tune comes in (which ties together so well at the end). Possibly a nod to the opening scene of Duck You Sucker/Fistful of Dynamite. 

Can't forget Jerry Fielding and "If they move, Kill 'em"...from wild bunch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St16P31BURU&feature=youtu.be&t=124


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## jonnybutter (Mar 29, 2018)

No love for Nino Rota? Not easy to write good melodies, and he wrote quite a few


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## cjbrett22 (Mar 30, 2018)

Tough decision, there's a few that come to mind.
But in the end I have to say this


King of Pride Rock from the Lion King. Utter perfection.
May be cheating a little though as the full statement is a bit longer than 10 seconds but eh haha


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## jiffybox (Mar 31, 2018)

_Raiders_ Map Room. And not sure if this counts or not as the score wasn't written to/for picture, but the opening B&W montage of _Manhattan_ to Gershwin's _Rhapsody in Blue_ is one of the very best marrying of sound and vision that I've ever seen.


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## KEM (Apr 1, 2018)

1:54

Hits me every time, it's so dark and brutal, maybe a little bit longer than 10 seconds though (although it appears first at 1:12 and actually does last 10 seconds, but it's not as intense).



1:21 and again at 1:32

I love this progression so much, I don't know what it is about it but it just moves me so hard, the rest of it has a somber vibe, and then that comes in and it's just ughhh, so beautiful...


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## ratherbirds (Apr 1, 2018)

"Memories of green" in Vangelis Blade Runner sound track


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## aaronventure (Apr 1, 2018)

Gets me every time.


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## AlexRuger (Apr 1, 2018)

aaronventure said:


> Gets me every time.




Yup, this is my favorite cue in all of Star Wars.

However.

The _brief _moment in The Last Jedi's "The Battle of Crait" (at 3:43, to be exact) where he brings in that trumpet line from the Hoth bit (when they're flying to find Han and Luke after the snow storm) just before going into the Millenium Falcon music...shit, man, it's maybe the coolest fucking thing I've heard ol' J Will do in some time. It's such a perfect moment -- the extreme tension from the rising build is released in one glorious moment of nostalgia. I'm pretty sure I laugh-cheered in the theater.


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## storyteller (Apr 1, 2018)

Lot's to pick and choose from, but this is the first one that jumped in my head (so I assume it must be the most memorable 10 seconds of music to me) is...

*James Horner
Avatar - Jake's First Flight - from 2:13 - 2:23*

(and it happens to be exactly 10 seconds)

A close second: the first 10 seconds of Lion King.


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## ranaprathap (Apr 1, 2018)

First flight - How to train your dragon - John Powell


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## tmhuud (Apr 1, 2018)

When John Cassavetes explodes in “The Fury.”


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## SebastianWinter (Sep 30, 2019)

Bill Conti and Pele's scissor kick in Return to Victory:


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## GtrString (Sep 30, 2019)

First 10sec of Ry Cooders theme for Paris Texas (Wim Wenders). Starts at about 55sec in.. such an iconic sound! From a time where movies wasn’t plastered with sound from a-z.


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## CT (Sep 30, 2019)

10 seconds is really hard to pin down! Even just something under 30 seconds is. 

Here's a few time-tested ones, out of many.



Spoiler





0:51 to 1:17



2:20 to 2:42



The first 30 seconds



1:43 to 1:58, 3:23 to 3:53, 4:12 to around 4:42



3:10 to the end


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## CT (Sep 30, 2019)

And a few more.



Spoiler





4:04 to 4:40, 6:54 to 7:24



2:35 to 3:00



5:03 to 5:37, 8:48 to 9:20


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## FredericBernard (Oct 11, 2019)

Easy one; John Williams ET soundtrack - second last cue:



Those strings from on 0:26 still give me chills after hearing it a trillion time.


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## DerGeist (Oct 11, 2019)

The theme that kicks in in Lawrence of Arabia when Lawrence blows out the match and we first see the desert. 

A close second is a multi-way tie between parts of Glass's score for Mishima.

A third, and more contemporary one is the start of the overture to Tron Legacy.


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## I like music (Oct 11, 2019)

The strings, when Kirk sees The Enterprise in TMP.


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