# Favorite Movie Soundtrack?



## Scalms

Just curious what my fellow VI controllers would choose as their favorite cinema soundtrack of all time. You may have a long list but just give me your top choice. I'll get things started. My favorite is...

Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones/Randy Edelman)


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## germancomponist

__





The Long, Long Trailer / Forever, Darling Soundtrack (2007)


The Long, Long Trailer / Forever, Darling soundtrack from 2007, composed by Adolph Deutsch, Bronislau Kaper. Released by Film Score Monthly in 2007 (FSM Vol. 10, No. 3) containing music from Forever, Darling (1956), The Long, Long Trailer (1954).




www.soundtrack.net


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## nolotrippen

The Last Valley, John Barry. AND The Wind and the Lion, Jerry Goldsmith (a tie).


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## Stringtree

Zimmer's The Dark Knight scared me to death. So did Nyman's The Cook the Thief His Wife and Her Lover. His The Piano soundtrack also killed me. 

My favorite? 

Thomas Newman's Road to Perdition. I don't have any words. Shawshank Redemption.

You all cry to music? I do. Collisions and assonances. This is the stuff of our time. 

Greg


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## Stringtree

Northumbrian pipes, y'all. Like on Sting's Soul Cages. Anybody have Dirk Campbell's World Winds for Akai? I do. I'm sure it wasn't this, but that's the closest thing I have. 

Greg


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## ChristopherDoucet

...


...


E.T.........


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## erica-grace

Star Wars, by far my fav soundtrack.

Unless HZ is reading this, then it's Gladiator.


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## Soundhound

Arrival, The Mission, Clockwork Orange, 2001, The Imitation Game, Impossibly Loud & Incredibly Close, Taxi Driver


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## cuttime

Sunshine (2007)


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## robgb

Psycho.


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## Jeremy Gillam

Fellowship of the Ring by Howard Shore


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## Geistersound

Alien3 by Elliot Goldenthal


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## C.R. Rivera

Blade Runner and Barry Lyndon


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## cloudbuster

Depends on the moment but usually it's something by John Barry, Thomas Newman or Alexandre Desplat.


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## Reid Rosefelt

Once Upon a Time in the West


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## Ha'Vi

The Lord of the Rings - Howard Shore (don't make me choose!)


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## Richard Wilkinson

Jurassic Park


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## Ifness

Round Midnight


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## JohnG

The Mission


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## NekujaK

Carter Burwell - Waterland (1992)

Not to be confused with Waterworld, the Kevin Costner disaster.


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## storyteller

Man of Steel and Pearl Harbor. Depends on my mood.

Its funny though... I wouldn’t put any of the individual tracks from those scores on my top songs list. James Horner tracks usually receive that honor... but his full scores do not seem to reach my top scores list. Maybe Titanic...


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## PerryD

Conan the Barbarian (1st movie) Basil Poledouris I wish someone would do a fresh recording.


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## Markus Kohlprath

Life of Pi. Michael Dyanna- not necessarily because of unusual musical sophistication but I like the vibe.
And more or less everything by Ennio Morricone. Like the already mentioned The Mission.


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## Satorious

John Barry - On Her Majesty's Secret Service (and indeed many of his other soundtracks). Also love Jerry Goldsmith - Basic Instinct, John Williams - Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws.


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## batonruse

The French Lieutenant's Woman
The Impossible
and of course... The Mission


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## Jeremy Spencer

JohnG said:


> The Mission



Good one!!! Definitely my favourite Morricone soundtrack.


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## C.R. Rivera

JohnG said:


> The Mission


What a fantastic movie itself. And with young Liam "I have a special set of skills" Neeson. Did you catch the homage to the Mission's opening scene, the priest being tied to the cross and pushed over the waterfall, in the background of the animated movie Madagascar?


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## JohnG

C.R. Rivera said:


> Did you catch the homage to the Mission's opening scene, the priest being tied to the cross and pushed over the waterfall, in the background of the animated movie Madagascar?



Maybe it's funny in context? But from what you wrote, it reads like another joke in poor taste by DreamWorks. My sense of humour just doesn't sync with theirs.


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## C.R. Rivera

JohnG said:


> Maybe it's funny in context? But from what you wrote, it reads like another joke in poor taste by DreamWorks. My sense of humour just doesn't sync with theirs.


They "recognized" about 15 movies in that first Madagascar, and I believe they continued the practice in at least one of the sequels. "Funny/not funny" is dependent on the times. I mean, does anyone cringe at Titanic jests today? Cheers


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## Farkle

Monsignor - John Williams.


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## cuttime

Forgot this one: "The Man who would be King", Maurice Jarre. "The Minstrel Boy" in full regalia:


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## Jaap

Perfume: Story of a murderer by Tywker, Klimek and Heil


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## bryla

Night At The Museum is to me the sound of cinema and a soundtrack I can always draw reference to.


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## Ned Bouhalassa

Vertigo.


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## GtrString

I like blends of electric guitars and orchestral/ hybrid scores, so a lot of Zimmer in my faves. One I keep returning to is Hans Zimmer’s “Spirit - Stallion of the Cimarron” featuring Bryan Adams. Its an animated movie, pretty good one too, but there is just something that pulls me back to this score.



Not exactly sure why, should try to find out one of these days. But that and The Lion King score are faves of mine. I also like a lot of the (easy listening) animated scores from Giacchino, and the two Newman’s (Thomas and Randy).


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## Will Blackburn

Orca.
Watership Down.
Life of Pi.
The Fountain.
Solaris (2002).
Braveheart.
Leon.
Rainman.
Spirited Away.
Lupin, Castle Of Cagliostro
The Animatrix.
Judgement Night.


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## Scalms

Great selections everyone, keep em coming! Looking for all 22,610 members to weigh in! Then we can make a tally and find the "winning" composer


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## Gerbil

Alexander Nevsky - Prokofiev. Actually Epic.

Runners up: The Ipcress File (John Barry), Psycho and Les Quatre Cents Coups (Jean Constantin)


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## zvenx

I don't know if I have a favourite per se, I know they are several movies that I heard the music and said wow, this is really really good.
1. Bourne Identity motif - John Powell
2. Memoirs of a Geisha - John Williams
3. Too many from our 'own' Hans Zimmer - Gladiator, Davinci Code, Inception, Hunt for Red October etc etc etc
4. Girl on a Train - Danny Elfman
5. John Barry - Several of his James Bond movies especially the Spy who loved me.

and I am sure tons of others I don't' remember at this moment.
rsp


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## renegade

The soundtrack to Princess Mononoke, by Joe Hisaishi
John Williams, Indiana Jones. Fits the movie perfectly.
The Lord of the Rings
Batman begins, also great match for the movie.


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## devonmyles

My wife told me that over the last thirty years or so, she's heard me listening to Dave Grusin',
'On Golden Pond', quite frequently...So I suppose that must be my favourite.


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## charlieclouser

Old = 2001, The Shining (I know they're mostly needle-drops)

New = Michael Clayton, Syriania, The International, District 9


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## dcoscina

Superman (Williams), Papillon/Planet of the Apes (Goldsmith), F451/Vertigo (Herrmann), Sea Hawk (Korngold), Dragonslayer (North), Rocketeer (Horner), Pelham 1,2,3 (Shire).


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## cuttime

Since we're posting more than one, my new favorite, Bobby Krlic's "Midsommar".


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## Technostica

Taxi Driver 
Paris Texas
Powaqqatsi
Passion (Music for the last temptation of Christ)


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## Jon W

The Mission - Morricone
Gladiator - Zimmer
Emma (1986) - Portman


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## AndyP

Mishima by Philip Glass.
For me the best work Philip glass has ever made. For the film I once made the premiere music for the presentation of a cinema chain in Hannover. Oh, it's been a long time.


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## ThomasL

PerryD said:


> Conan the Barbarian (1st movie) Basil Poledouris I wish someone would do a fresh recording.



*They did in 2010!*








Basil Poledouris / The City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra And Chorus / Nic Raine - Conan The Barbarian (World Premiere Recording Of The Complete Score)


View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2010 CD release of "Conan The Barbarian (World Premiere Recording Of The Complete Score)" on Discogs.




www.discogs.com





Get it, it's really well performed, and recorded!


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## robert baldwin

The Ipcress File - Mr Barry


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## davidson

OP: You may have a long list but just give me your top choice.
VI-C: Here's my top 50, and another 30 worthy mentions...


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## Fab

I really like the Batman Begins soundtrack.


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## jeremiahpena

It's impossible to actually pick a favorite, but the one that comes to mind right now is Sphere by Elliot Goldenthal.


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## Sub3OneDay

1st - Out Of Africa - Barry
1st= Schindler’s List - Williams


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## wilifordmusic

Since no one else can follow directions, I'll break the law too.

The Reivers - John Williams
War of the Worlds - John Williams
Enter the Dragon - Lalo Schifrin
Cool Hand Luke - Lalo Schifrin
French Connection - Don Ellis
Pacific Heights - Hans Zimmer 

happy listening, Steve


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## Virtuoso

Team America World Police


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## Consona

Le Gendarme et les Extra-terrestres


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## Terry93D

Right now, I'd have to say Jerry Goldsmith's _Under Fire_.


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## KEM

The Dark Knight and Mission Impossible Fallout, I love my action music.

Just from the trailer and prologue alone I can already tell that Tenet will quickly jump into that list.


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## Scalms

KEM said:


> The Dark Knight and Mission Impossible Fallout, I love my action music.
> 
> Just from the trailer and prologue alone I can already tell that Tenet will quickly jump into that list.


great choices. TDK is one my top picks too.


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## Jack Mills

I don't have a favorite soundtrack because I like many of them but I mostly listen to
-Rob Lane's The Lost World (2001)
-James Newton Howard's DINOSAUR and King Kong
-Michael Ginnochino's Planet of the Apes and Jurassic World
-John William's Jurassic Park and The Lost World Jurassic Park
-Normand Corbeil, Lorne Balfe's Beyond Two Souls
-Trevor Jones's Dinotopia (mini-series)


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## Jon W

Jack Mills said:


> I don't have a favorite soundtrack because I like many of them but I mostly listen to
> -Rob Lane's The Lost World (2001)
> -James Newton Howard's DINOSAUR and King Kong
> ...


This reminded me that I very much like the drone sequence music by James Newton Howard in The Bourne Legacy.


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## Aphanasis

Psycho


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## Satorious

I don't think there has ever been a bad score to King Kong (regardless of which version you watch). JNH's score is simply wonderful (the Central Park music + scene of Kong watching the sunrise on the Empire State Building before the ending scene get me every time), John Barry's score is also sublime, and then of course you have the Grand-daddy of them all - the wonderful original by Max Steiner. I can't comment on the sequels/spin-offs as I've not seen them...


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## Jack Mills

Satorious said:


> I don't think there has ever been a bad score to King Kong (regardless of which version you watch). JNH's score is simply wonderful (the Central Park music + scene of Kong watching the sunrise on the Empire State Building before the ending scene get me every time), John Barry's score is also sublime, and then of course you have the Grand-daddy of them all - the wonderful original by Max Steiner. I can't comment on the sequels/spin-offs as I've not seen them...


Have you listened to Kong Skull Island OST?


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## Satorious

@Jack Mills No - is it any good and who is it by? Has some pretty big boots to fill...


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## Jack Mills

Satorious said:


> @Jack Mills No - is it any good and who is it by? Has some pretty big boots to fill...


It's composed by Henry Jackman


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## Satorious

Ah, I rather like some of his action-based stuff - he seems to have a bit of an Alan Silvestri vibe going from the scores I've heard from him (eg. Jumanji - Welcome To The Jungle). Not so sure he has quite the same emotional chops of John Barry or James Newton Howard when it comes to scoring more tender scenes - but I might be wrong. That said Skull Island really doesn't look like that type of film - it looks more like a monster rumble. Is the score (or the film) any good?


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## aegisninja

Honestly, my favorite might be Crimson Peak.


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## Glorfindavid

When I was 13 or 14 years old, Star Wars took over my life. Every day in PE class, during our long run, I would hum different cues to myself to pass the time, one day as the trumpets, another day as the clarinet, and that's how I learned the orchestra. My friend and I would chase each other down the hallway, roaring like TIE fighters. Many other soundtracks are wonderful, but they don't have those memories.


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## Monkberry

Stringtree said:


> Zimmer's The Dark Knight scared me to death. So did Nyman's The Cook the Thief His Wife and Her Lover. His The Piano soundtrack also killed me.
> 
> My favorite?
> 
> Thomas Newman's Road to Perdition. I don't have any words. Shawshank Redemption.
> 
> You all cry to music? I do. Collisions and assonances. This is the stuff of our time.
> 
> Greg


Just watched Road To Perdition. It's been a long time since I first saw this movie but the Thomas Newman score is brilliant. The strings sound incredible.


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## darcvision

back when i was in highschool, i was a movie geek. i find a movie recommendation on imdb top 50, didnt really care about soundtrack, until i watch studio ghibli movies ( spirited away, princess mononoke, kiki delivery service) and after watching those movie, the melody stuck in my head. then i found that joe hisaishi compose most of all their soundtrack, and also i found his concert video in youtube (joe hisaishi budokan). i love his concert, the performance is really good and better than actual recording imo.

so my favorite movie soundtrack are
1. kiki delivery service - umi no mieru machi
2. spirited away - reprise and dragon boy
3. princess mononoke - legend of ashitaka


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## SymphonicSamples

Older - Star Wars, Newer - Interstellar, Collectively - 2001
and topping my list ..... Immortal Beloved, now there's a truly special soundtrack with a composer who's going places


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## Monkberry

Stringtree said:


> Northumbrian pipes, y'all. Like on Sting's Soul Cages. Anybody have Dirk Campbell's World Winds for Akai? I do. I'm sure it wasn't this, but that's the closest thing I have.
> 
> Greg


I actually still have the World Winds Akai format CDR. I still have my Akai S3000XL and Glyph SCSI CDR drive collecting dust somewhere in my house. Sample libraries have come a long way since those days.


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## Stringtree

I do too! I don't remember what program I used, but I turned them all into Giga format. I did the same with Liquid Grooves, IIRC. 

Wish I could remember what that darn utility was. I have more to rip, but I don't want to pay sample library money for CDXTRACT. 

Good times.


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## Monkberry

Another great score is the opening music "Closing In" by John Williams for Catch Me if You Can where they show the opening credits. Great piece, very clever.


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## Monkberry

Stringtree said:


> I do too! I don't remember what program I used, but I turned them all into Giga format. I did the same with Liquid Grooves, IIRC.
> 
> Wish I could remember what that darn utility was. I have more to rip, but I don't want to pay sample library money for CDXTRACT.
> 
> Good times.


I converted a lot of my CDR's in Kontact but not all sound like they did when using with the intended Akai S3000 sampler. Liquid Grooves was a great library. I'm pretty sure I remember hearing it used on a Paul Carrack CD but that was quite a few years back.


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## ReelToLogic

Jeremy Gillam said:


> Fellowship of the Ring by Howard Shore



+1 

It's some of my favorite music to play on piano or to listen to on headphones. So many of the melodies and harmonies are absolutely beautiful.


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## telecode101

..


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## Ray Toler

Blade Runner
Star Wars / Empire Strikes Back
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Pretty much anything by Danny Elfman
The Fifth Element
Dredd / Tron / Dune

Those are all in my "always available" playlist for my phone. Blade Runner, however, is the one I listen to the most by a wide margin.

Edit: Man, I'm scrolling through my library and so many others I love. Mancini, Herrmann, Clockwork Orange, Legend (both Tangerine Dream and Goldsmith), The 13th Warrior, Harry Potter...

Don't make me choose!! (But if I have to choose, it's probably Blade Runner)


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## coppi

Koyaanisqatsi anyone?


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## Rossy

Scalms said:


> Just curious what my fellow VI controllers would choose as their favorite cinema soundtrack of all time. You may have a long list but just give me your top choice. I'll get things started. My favorite is...
> 
> Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones/Randy Edelman)


I really thought about this and I would have to say k-pax, amazing colour, rhythm and expression.


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## telecode101

..


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## DavidRubenstein

Gettysburg, by Randy Edelman is my favorite. Below are a few of the cues:


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## Scalms

DavidRubenstein said:


> Gettysburg, by Randy Edelman is my favorite. Below are a few of the cues:



excellent choice


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## Ivan M.

John Powell - How to train your dragon (the first movie), a masterpiece if you ask me


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## Scalms

Ivan M. said:


> John Powell - How to train your dragon (the first movie), a masterpiece if you ask me



Another excellent choice, this one is one of my favs


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## gsilbers

anything harry gregson williams thats not narnia or that classical stuff. like phone booth, total recall etc.
amazing stuff.

coudnt care less about john williams, john powel and that type of scores that sound cartoonish to me.
but im into electronic music so thats my taste... i still know those classical styles are complex as hell.


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## Mukkenerd

Alex North - A Streetcar named Desire

For a newer one i pick Hans Zimmers DUNKIRK, which is pretty spectacular in it`s approach^^


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## blackzeroaudio

I think Man of Steel is a really underrated score...no one ever mentions in lists like this. 

One of my all time favorites.


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## fiestared

Witness... American Beauty... Rain Man... Jeux Interdits... Schindler's list...


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## Karl Feuerstake

I go through phases, usually composer-based phases rather than specific films. I kinda started on Hans Zimmer, but then moved to Danny Elfman, and now am on Marco Beltrami as my current subject of study. His music is often better than the movies he works on; here is something recent!


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## rnb_2

All-time, no question: The Empire Strikes Back. "Star Wars" first made me aware of the power of the orchestral score, and it's a great soundtrack, but it seems like everyone, including Williams, set out to top themselves with "Empire". So many iconic cues.

If forced to pick something from this century, I'd have difficulty choosing between Newman's "Finding Nemo" and Giacchino's "The Incredibles", which are both - like the films they score - pretty much perfect (yes, I'm an animation nerd).


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## Loïc D

Spirited Away - Joe Hisaishi
Once Upon A Time In America - Ennio Morricone 
L’Apocalypse des Animaux - Vangelis
The Danish Girl - Alexandre Desplats


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## stevee lambert

coppi said:


> Koyaanisqatsi anyone?


Well yes...its just has to go with this film! Brilliant.


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## Martin S

I have a very soft spot for the soundtracks of Ennio Morricone, especially the films by Giuseppe Tornatore:

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso
Malena 

But also Sergio Leone's:

Once upon a time in America (particularly "Deborah's Theme")


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## daviddln

Joe Hisaishi - Porco Rosso
Carter Burwell - Fargo
Zbigniew Preisner - Trois Couleurs: Rouge
Danny Elfman - Edward Scissorhands
Jonny Greenwood - Phantom Thread


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## garaughty

Midnight Express - Giorgio Moroder
Arrival - Johann Johannsson
Ex Machina - Ben Salisbury / Geoff Barrow


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## ynwtf

_The Fountain_
oddly followed by a very close and over-listened to_ Labyrinth. _


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## CT

ynwtf said:


> _The Fountain_



Thrilling score.


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## wickedw

I love the Lord Of The Rings soundtrack by Howard Shore but The Two Towers stands out for me. There are many other soundtracks that I love or find inspiring, but if I have to pick my favourite, that'd be it.


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## doctoremmet

There Will Be Blood +1


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## el-bo




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## MariGea

Vangelis: "Blade Runner", "1492: Conquest of Paradise"
Ennio Morricone: "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", "Once Upon a Time in America", "Le Professional"
Clint Mansell: "Requiem for a Dream"
Pierre Bachelet:"Perils of Gwendoline", "Emmanuelle", "Story of O"
Joe Hisaishi: "Totoro", "Kikujiro", "Hana-bi"
Georgy Sviridov: "Metel" (1965)
Michael Nyman: "A Zed & Two Noughts", "The Piano"
Bach / Eduard Artemyev: "Solaris" (1972)
Hans Zimmer: "Inception", "Interstellar". And, just for fun lets add: "The Story of O 2". I am yet still to find out what tracks, Internet says it is: "Parade Of The Masks","Madame Pembroke's Gigolo", "Overture To A Party", "Deviation".

Here is Parade Of The Masks (I did my best to blur "spicy" moments, still please consider this NSFW). This scene made a huge impact on me, and I have no idea why.


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## KEM

Been listening to a lot of the Venom score lately, the synth work is god tier


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## Loïc D

MariGea said:


> Pierre Bachelet:"Perils of Gwendoline", "Emmanuelle", "Story of O"


First time I see Pierre Bachelet cited here. 
In France he’s mostly known for pop songs, one of them being super famous.


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## MariGea

Loïc D said:


> First time I see Pierre Bachelet cited here.
> In France he’s mostly known for pop songs, one of them being super famous.



I love this:




And this:




And this (sorry cannot resist):


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## TomislavEP

This is an equally difficult question for me as asking "what is your favorite film". There are just too many aspects to consider and too many things that I love. Also, being a composer predominately in a traditional sense rather than a media one, I must say that I prefer soundtracks which can stand on their own, rather than strictly in the context of the film itself and its visual elements. If I really had to choose a single title, I'll probably go with "Blade Runner" by Vangelis. Musically speaking, it has almost everything that I love and strive to in music, and I also deeply respect Vangelis as an artist. If I could select two favorite works at the same time, the first place would be shared with "Apocalypse des Animaux", also by Vangelis, both in a compositional sense as well for the particular sound color that never ceases to inspire me.


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## NoOneKnowsAnything

Scalms said:


> Just curious what my fellow VI controllers would choose as their favorite cinema soundtrack of all time. You may have a long list but just give me your top choice. I'll get things started. My favorite is...
> 
> Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones/Randy Edelman)


Excalibur


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## noises on

Alberto Eglesias, 5 and a half hour playlist of his musical contributions to Pedro Almodovar's inventory. A must listen.


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## Cathbad

The Third Man


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## HotCoffee

Personally I don't think it can get any better than LOTR by Howard Shore. Another favorite is the Bourne score by John Powell, who I think perfectly captures the overall bleakness of Bournes situation. Perfect transfer of emotion in my book.


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## Ray Cole

I love a lot of film music, including a lot of the suggestions posted above. But my favorite is easy: John Williams's _Close Encounters of the Third Kind_. The way its modernist parts sit side-by-side with the romantic parts, each lending power to the other, is brilliant. And both styles are impeccably realized. 



The Arista original, or better yet, the remastered version released on SACD by Audio Fidelity a few years ago, is the version I love to listen to the most.


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## mscp

The entire "Dancer In the Dark" soundtrack. It's just so beautiful - and it conveys so much.


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## Ray Cole

Phil81 said:


> The entire "Dancer In the Dark" soundtrack. It's just so beautiful - and it conveys so much.


That film and its music made a huge impression on me. Bjork's performance in the lead role (as "Selma") of _Dancer in the Dark_ is so raw, vulnerable, and emotionally naked it is hard to watch at times. And rarely has a performance of this power been combined with music and film editing of equal power in quite this way. The editing alone in this film is a masterclass in how to wring emotion out of the way you cut from one scene to the next (and when). At the time, it was so new to me that it practically felt avant-garde. 

And the contrast between stationary-only tripod-mounted camerawork during the fantasy sequences and hand-held only camerawork during the "reality" sequences, having been established throughout the film, gives director Lars von Trier an incredible new tool for communicating just how dire Selma's circumstances become by combining her music with the semantic meaning of his different camera modes. When she sings "My Favorite Things" _a capella_ near the end, the camera eventually switches to static/tripod-mounted, letting the audience know (even if just subconsciously) that she has escaped into her fantasy world. Yet, two songs later, in even more desperate circumstances, she begins singing "107 Steps" and the camera *refuses to switch* to the static/tripod-mounted fantasy mode. Finally, in the end, even music cannot overcome reality! It's a staggering moment created through a careful combination of song and camerawork.


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## mscp

Ray Cole said:


> That film and its music made a huge impression on me. Bjork's performance in the lead role (as "Selma") of _Dancer in the Dark_ is so raw, vulnerable, and emotionally naked it is hard to watch at times. And rarely has a performance of this power been combined with music and film editing of equal power in quite this way. The editing alone in this film is a masterclass in how to wring emotion out of the way you cut from one scene to the next (and when). At the time, it was so new to me that it practically felt avant-garde.
> 
> And the contrast between stationary-only tripod-mounted camerawork during the fantasy sequences and hand-held only camerawork during the "reality" sequences, having been established throughout the film, gives director Lars von Trier an incredible new tool for communicating just how dire Selma's circumstances become by combining her music with the semantic meaning of his different camera modes. When she sings "My Favorite Things" _a capella_ near the end, the camera eventually switches to static/tripod-mounted, letting the audience know (even if just subconsciously) that she has escaped into her fantasy world. Yet, two songs later, in even more desperate circumstances, she begins singing "107 Steps" and the camera *refuses to switch* to the static/tripod-mounted fantasy mode. Finally, in the end, even music cannot overcome reality! It's a staggering moment created through a careful combination of song and camerawork.


I couldn't agree more. It is a masterpiece.


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## LauraC

Yes, I have about 30, but, just to shake things up a bit - Off the Map, scored by Gary DeMichele. It was filmed in Taos, NM, where I was living at the time, and is a desert island movie for me. The score is *very* understated, which is the only way you can go when you're dealing with the power and energy of the New Mexican landscape. I don't think the score was ever released in any form - I've been looking for years.


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## EgM

I only listen to video game music and I don't watch movies, don't even care for them since the 2000s BUT I did watch a few and from these I remember and love the music:

-Star Trek: First Contact
-Last of the Mohicans
-Man on fire (Never seen the movie, but the song 'Smiling' is amazing!)
-Titanic


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## Jeremy Gillam

blackzeroaudio said:


> I think Man of Steel is a really underrated score...no one ever mentions in lists like this.
> 
> One of my all time favorites.


I love that score. Another HZ one you don’t hear a lot about but that I listen to all that time is The Last Samurai. Never gets old for me.


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## wilifordmusic

Only one?

John Williams - Star Wars (A New Hope)


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## EwigWanderer

Impossible to choose. Lately I’ve been listening The Judge by Thomas Newman and Rush from Hans Zimmer. 

Superman The Movie by maestro John Williams is one of my favorites and I think it’s better than his Star Wars saga.

I love the sound from The Edge by Jerry Goldsmith. I mean the soundstage and depth of the orchestra. Something that’s impossible to create with samples.


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## Jish

EwigWanderer said:


> Superman The Movie by maestro John Williams is one of my favorites and I think it’s better than his Star Wars saga.
> 
> I love the sound from The Edge by Jerry Goldsmith. I mean the soundstage and depth of the orchestra. Something that’s impossible to create with samples.


Can't agree more, on both points.

As well known as it is, I would argue that his score to _Superman _is actually amongst his most underrated, given how damn well he does nearly everything in that score- sure, I find part's of it a bit 'rough' or not to my personal taste at times, but that main theme, then the all too under-appreciated 'Leaving Home' and 'The Flying Sequence' are for me, up there with anything else he ever did- tied with anything from his work on SW and JP, and, for me, ahead of _Indy_ and _E.T_.

Still can recall randomly catching 'The Edge' on TV (_FX _used to replay it to death) and the best cue just happened to be playing at that same time- 90's Goldsmith is still my favorite, and if that makes me a blasphemer, so be it


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## Soundlex

Benjamin Button - Desplat
Jackie - Mica Levi

And no love here for Marco Beltrami: I robot?
This one is fantastic:


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## Richard_AH

Batman Begins / Field of Dreams / Black Rain / Psycho / Memento / BTTTF / Dead Zone / JFK / Inception / Senna - arghh theres just too many. Cant pin it down to just one.


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## Marsen

So many good one's.

Lately (revisited) Chocolat - Rachel Portman and Vertigo - Bernhard Herrmann


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## NeonMediaKJT

Tombstone is one I can't stop listening to. Temple of Doom and Jurassic by Williams. Evil Dead by Roque Banos is a favourite of mine, too. Then there's Disney's Dinosaur and Wyatt Earp by James Newton Howard. I have too many favourites.


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## Brian2112

E.T.
Star Trek IV the Voyage Home
Glory
Bladerunner


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## KEM

Update: it’s still TENET


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## Traz

I'm going to have to go with the Back to the Future soundtrack.


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## Nate Johnson

Star Wars + Virgin Suicides (Air)


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## LordOfTheStrings

You will never guess


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## Traz

LordOfTheStrings said:


> You will never guess


Harry Potter?


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## LordOfTheStrings

Traz said:


> Harry Potter?


Yes, my favorite is "They're taking the muggles to Alcatraz"


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## LordOfTheStrings

LordOfTheStrings said:


> Yes, my favorite is "They're taking the muggles to Alcatraz"


Alcatraz, lol, meant Azkaban I think? 
It's been a while since I've seen Harry Potter :D


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## CT

LordOfTheStrings said:


> You will never guess


Yours is the correct answer though.


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## Manfred

The Mission!


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## muziksculp

Nate Johnson said:


> Virgin Suicides (Air)


I love this soundtrack by AIR. Great movie as well.


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## ptram

One of my favorites is the one by Roque Baños for 
_Balada triste de trompeta_ by Álex de la Iglesia.

Paolo


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## dcoscina

EwigWanderer said:


> I love the sound from The Edge by Jerry Goldsmith. I mean the soundstage and depth of the orchestra. Something that’s impossible to create with samples.


Great choice. It's one of his best from his later era. Great film too.


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## dcoscina

This idea of favorite always shifts. Presently I'm engrossed with First Blood by Goldsmith. Prior to that, it was Legend, also by Goldsmith. Superman by Williams always remains in my top 5 however, much like Papillon.


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## GMT

I love soundtracks that become another character in the movie, even if they don't stand up alone without the pictures. For me, it is Spy Game by Harry Gregson Williams. So many different styles to match the different locations and times of the movie. His work with Tony Scott was the perfect thriller partnership.

An honourable mention goes to John Powell for the Bourne movies.


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## Robin Thompson

So... I'm not saying this is the best score ever, but I've always had a particular soft spot for _Ladyhawke_ by Andrew Powell (and produced by Alan Parsons). It's a product of its time and gets a bit hokey sometimes, but it's energetic and joyous and inventive and not a little rebellious - it taught me at a young age that film music doesn't have to fit into any particular box. And it's absolutely beautiful at its most delicate.

But I can't resist a long list of honorable mentions: Star Trek II, Batman, Jaws, King Kong (John Barry), Pleasantville, Starship Troopers, The Rock, The Fifth Element, Independence Day, The Land Before Time, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (seriously, John Du Prez is one of the most criminally forgotten composers of all time - see also A Fish Called Wanda). Can you tell I'm an 80s kid? 

Oh and Star Wars of course, but since so many people have mentioned New Hope, let me toss my coin in for the fearsome brass and chilly, mechanical textures of Empire.


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## Pincel

GMT said:


> I love soundtracks that become another character in the movie, even if they don't stand up alone without the pictures. For me, it is Spy Game by Harry Gregson Williams. So many different styles to match the different locations and times of the movie. His work with Tony Scott was the perfect thriller partnership.
> 
> An honourable mention goes to John Powell for the Bourne movies.


It's rare for me to see someone talking about those scores these days, which are two of my favourites ever, so it's always cool to see that other people feel the same. I only disagree with you in the sense that I believe both of those scores stand up perfectly when apart from the picture. I know a lot of people don't feel the same, but I'm one of those weirdos that just love to hear good thriller/tension scores apart from the respective movies, don't ask me why... Sometimes I'm just in a thriller mood. And Spy Game pretty much has it all, from gritty techno stuff to absolutely beautiful lyrical passages. Might very well be Harry's best work in the genre.

HG-W's work with Tony Scott is the stuff of legend for me, I pretty much grew up listening closely to those scores, ever since I saw Spy Game, which is also one of my favorite movies of all time. So I guess that score would be up there for my favourite, even though I can't choose only one.


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## JohnG

Traz said:


> I'm going to have to go with the Back to the Future soundtrack.


It's a perfect score for a perfect / near-perfect movie.


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## Traz

JohnG said:


> It's a perfect score for a perfect / near-perfect movie.


Yes! I absolutely agree!


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## Robin Thompson

JohnG said:


> It's a perfect score for a perfect / near-perfect movie.


Have you heard the 2cd version with the original score - I mean the unused version before they realized it was a comedy? Absolutely fascinating comparison. Of course the final version is best, but I think there's a lot to learn from hearing the same cues with the same themes but a different emotional intent.


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## Germain B

I have to choose The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Just because of the style, the way it's composed and orchestrated just fits my tastes and it's what brought me into orchestral music and the 'classical' world ; and why I have so much love for woodwinds.


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## SevenTearsOfHope

If not mentioned before, its "Das Boot" from Klaus Doldinger for me.
2nd is the Armageddon Soundtrack as well as Tron Legacy


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## Tilman

Planet of the Apes - Jerry Goldsmith, it shows how easily Goldsmith could compete with contemporary classical music and is full of brilliant ideas!


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## gamma-ut

If we're talking favourite, it's a bit of a toss-up between The Fountain (Clint Mansell), Aguirre (Popol Vuh) and the Taking of Pelham 123 (David Shire).

However, if it needs to be a classic favourite in terms of influence, originality etc, I'd vote for Planet of the Apes over those. Or Alexander Nevsky.


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## Sub3OneDay

GMT said:


> An honourable mention goes to John Powell for the Bourne movies.



John Powell for How to Train Your Dragon - awesome score.


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## Scalms

Sub3OneDay said:


> John Powell for How to Train Your Dragon - awesome score.


He should have won the academy award for that one, but alas, didn’t happen. However, one of the best soundtracks in the last 20 years imho


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## stmain

Bernard Hermann's score for Hitchcock's North by Northwest. I had the pleasure of playing the harp part in a concert orchestral version of that once, with specially procured score and parts. Sent shivers down my spine.


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## GGaca

Steve Jablonsky - Your Highness. 
I love LOTR ost, Zimmer's work (Pirates, Inception, Dark Knight etc.) Williams' soundtracks are also exceptional most of the time but not enough people know about Your Highness OST (probalby because the movie was... not so good for most people).


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## Orb

The Thin Red Line by HZ has to be my all time favorite.


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