# Less mentioned scores you guys like (the no Williams thread)



## bsound76 (Feb 26, 2011)

A more mainstream one:

*Van Helsing - Alan Silvestri*

The film is maybe not so great, but the score is pretty excellent, especially at the beginning, where there's a lot of energy and intensity.


----------



## Darryl Jackson (Feb 26, 2011)

It's not a film, but I really am a fan of *Joel Goldsmith*'s work in both (the later seasons of) *Stargate SG-1* and and all of* Stargate Atlantis*. I know he's not a low-profile guy, but I've heard several speak a bit badly of the music. He has his moments of hammering a moment/emotion a touch too hard, but he did a great job at creating a recognizable voice for both series. 

Also, off topic? A composer/composition that I've heard little mention of is *Claus Ogerman's Symphonic Dances*. He's probably best known for his work with Jobim, but I've found that he writes some of my favorite lines for strings, both melody and accompaniment.


----------



## schatzus (Feb 26, 2011)

Love the score from *Children of Dune* by *Brian Tyler*


----------



## givemenoughrope (Feb 26, 2011)

bsound76 @ Sat Feb 26 said:


> Let's see if anyone has seen these:
> 
> *The Beyond - Fabio Frizzi
> 
> ...



That's what I'm talking about!!!

Some of these might be well known, I don't know:

I never really got into John Williams but I always liked the score for the The Killers by Johnny Williams (har). Check out Lee Marvin trying to get to his car with the briefcase and the disorienting woodwinds and brass holding him back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5KgrC95gqU

Shadow of the Vampire by Dan Jones 
Amazing power and depth in this score, especially the opening credits. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GS5SgjFIOU

Naked Lunch by Howard Shore
Seriously, Cronenberg, Shore, Ornette, Burroughs. Even when it falls short, it doesn't matter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpnuPi51 ... 96ECE0A149

Videodrome by HS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDJxW9BW ... re=related
In this scene in particular (the 'love' scene), the music steers it so you find yourself asking yourself, "Ok, what am I really seeing here?"

Jerry Fielding
The Mechanic
Wild Bunch
-can't wait to get into more of his scores! I know this was cut together, but still such great writing, can't get enough:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_oEuO7M9JU

Elliot Goldenthal
Heat
I know this one is popular but did anyone see this alternate music ending? It makes it a completely different film to me. If you love that flick like I do, you'll love this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqKVQXgWa68

David Julyan
The Presitige
Insomnia
For me, HZ was the wrong choice for CN.

Ennio Morricone
too many to mention and such wide variety. 
Malena
Fistful of Dynamite/Duck, You Sucker!
-great, thematic writing in both.
The Thing (w/ Carpenter)
-insane atmosphere and tension in this one.
dozens more...

Jerry Goldsmith
Capricorn One
-the sound of (not) racing to space. 
Rambo
-the scenes in the woods (most of the film, I guess) are incredible. 
L.A. Confidential
-I don't know if he was referencing his own 'Chinatown' score; maybe. Listening to this, I can just hear the sound of Bud White busting through a wall. This is what scores should do.


----------



## José Herring (Feb 26, 2011)

There are so many great scores to even great movies that never get mentioned around here that I sometimes wonder what people are really listening to or if they really like film music.

Heat--by Elliot Goldenthal
One of my favs of all time. Urban, electronic music with orchestra. A lot of the groves done with real instruments or odd percussion instruments rather than loops or libraries. Groves played by real people. Syncopated rhythms.

Hans Zimmer, the Ring Two.... Just love the strings on this one. Lots of string harmonics a haunting lovely opening cello melody and the action stuff he manages to get really intense without going.

Alan Silvestri, What Lies Beneath. Just wickedly cool.

More to come.


----------



## givemenoughrope (Feb 26, 2011)

Don't forget the Glenn Branca-inspired guitars in Heat.


----------



## charlieclouser (Feb 27, 2011)

I can only think of one film that has a score that actually doesn't have a single thing wrong with it... 

The International - Reinhold+Johnny w/Tom Tykwer (the film's director). Best score ever. This score is perfect in every way and could not be improved upon. 

Honorable Mentions:

Michael Clayton - JNH - It's not perfect, but still interesting, appropriate and never does the wrong thing. It fails to do the right thing here and there, but it never does the wrong thing, if that makes sense.

Ronin - Elia Cmiral - It's a little strained in a few places, and kind of jumps off the screen here and there a little more than I'd like, and the "samurai shakuhachi" is a little too cheesy for my taste, but I still think it's pretty good.

District 9 - Clinton Shorter - This score kind of plays the background and is pretty simplistic and un-melodic, but it never does the wrong thing. It might not be very adventurous but the movie is so good that it doesn't really need much from the score.

LA Confidential - Goldsmith - Truly one of the greats. Sublime.


----------



## noiseboyuk (Feb 27, 2011)

John Powell - United 93. I left the cinema not knowing if there was even a score, that's how immersed into the film I was. When I saw it again, I realised what an incredible job it had been doing. One of my most played soundtracks.

Hans Zimmer - Thelma and Louise - the combo of blues guitar and those huge synths, incredibly evocative.


----------



## Danny_Owen (Feb 27, 2011)

*Hellboy 1 - Marco Beltrami* This guy seems to be seriously underrated, he has _ridiculous_ chops. The 'director's cut' of this DVD also has just the score over the movie with his commentary, which is so rare to find, and it really is just brilliantly written music.


----------



## twinsinmind (Feb 27, 2011)

*The Village: James Newton Howard*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJEk824VIas
(the gravel road : amazing song)

*The Island : Steve jablonsky*

*28 weeks later: John murphy*

*the 13th warrior : Jerry Goldsmith*

*Max Payne : Marco Beltrami*


----------



## wst3 (Feb 27, 2011)

I'm curious - perhaps my tastes are not yet sufficiently refined, but there are a number of composers that I have not seem mentioned often, it at all: Ernest Gold (Exodus, Fun with Dick and Jane), Vince Guaraldi (Peanuts cartoons), Aaron Copland and Samuel Barbar

Come to think of it, are any of the folks that wrote music for the 'classic' cartoons considered iconic?


----------



## noiseboyuk (Feb 27, 2011)

wst3 @ Sun Feb 27 said:


> Come to think of it, are any of the folks that wrote music for the 'classic' cartoons considered iconic?



Certainly they are by me! Carl Stalling and Scott Bradley... what geniuses.

Vince Guaraldi is a great call. I adore the Peanuts strips but really don't like the TV shows at all... except for the music, and the voice of Miss Othmar (of course).


----------



## bsound76 (Feb 27, 2011)

*Scanners - Howard Shore*

Very severe.


----------



## Lex (Feb 27, 2011)

Dead Ringers - Howard Shore

The Fly -Howard shore

The Thing - Morricone/Carpenter

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Shiro Sagisu

Little Buddha - Ryuichi Sakamoto

House Of Flying Daggers - Shigeru Umebayashi

The Hulk - Danny Elfman


----------



## choc0thrax (Feb 27, 2011)

Here's some. Got nothing to do today.


*John Debney - Dragonfly* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNIQAVdFohg (8:15 until the end is real awesome)

*Howard Shore - The Fly* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnyEAw31 ... re=related

*Ennio Morricone - The Thing* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meU2gAU7Xss

*David Arnold - The Last of the Dogmen* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRTLv6McR40

*Howard Shore - The Cell* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clouVblU ... re=related

*Trevor Jones - From Hell* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9geleJT ... re=related

*Hans Zimmer - True Romance* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O73Wj7FnqpU

*Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - Assassination of Jesse James* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6KFvYCrB4E

*Graeme Revell - The Crow* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgOalkljeg0

*Trevor Jones - Dark City* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5RWMpjk ... re=related

*John Debney - White Fang 2* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRicfjyYD4U

*James Horner - The Missing* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIGKtmQc ... re=related

*Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek - One Hour Photo* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jViGFO9J_5c

*Danny Elfman - Sommersby* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsPzhvAe ... E9582530DD

*Danny Elfman - Black Beauty* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epciq2xh ... 8B7BCB9580

*Basil Poledouris - Farewell to the King* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Drh6STbG7I

*Marco Beltrami - Max Payne* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_WzGjZupE4

*James Newton Howard - Snow Falling on Cedars* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs6gRrOT ... re=related

*Bruce Broughton - Tombstone* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX1pvjlNqPQ


----------



## mikebarry (Feb 27, 2011)

Gettysburg:

this cue is one of my all time favorites

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0BDDtAeAVI

most epic battle scene ever


----------



## SvK (Feb 27, 2011)

The Illusionist
- Glass


----------



## Guy Bacos (Feb 27, 2011)

Saw "Predator" last night, for the first time, great score by Alan Silvestri.

Get a load of the price of the soundtrack, $250.00!

http://www.amazon.com/Predator-Alan-Silvestri/dp/B002AD9TMK (http://www.amazon.com/Predator-Alan-Sil ... B002AD9TMK)


----------

