Your Favorite Movie Themes/Music

[Chas]

I have so many, being such a lover of both films and music and all. But three of my top choices would be:

8 1/2 by Frederico Fellini; music by Nino Rota. They will play this at my funeral.

[video=youtube;nWqC6kRCLjI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWqC6kRCLjI[/video]

The Seven Samurai - Directed by Akira Kurosawa; music by Fumio Hayasaka.
[video=youtube;GYMNz2xETKU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYMNz2xETKU[/video]

Ennio Morricone. 'nuff said. So many great film scores, but I especially love this one.

[video=youtube;wV0wPBYDQ6Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV0wPBYDQ6Y[/video]

 

[Pompidou]

The Godfather finale by Nino Rota is spine tingling. The song that plays during the threeway showdown at the climax of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly with the epic trumpet solo is another favorite of mine. The March of the Charioteers from Ben Hur is a good one.

 

[martinsantos]

Just saw again another day, and the theme is fantastic. The Third Man, music by Anton Karas. A fantastic cynical counterpoint to the story.

Regards,

Martin

 

[CharlieB]

The original Casino Royale. Movie was silly, but the Tijuana Brass theme never gets old.

 

[Bugsy]

Tara's Theme by Max Steiner.

 

[Atomic Age]

Chinatown by Jerry Goldsmith...

[video=youtube;T3uSMI8VZPU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3uSMI8VZPU[/video]

 

[The Good]

Here are a few of my very favorite pieces, some of which I would seriously consider for my own funeral:

[video=youtube;7qyL3gArv3o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qyL3gArv3o[/video]

[video=youtube;bkx-alzLyDA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkx-alzLyDA&feature=related[/video]

[video=youtube;pZvhbkvZ-oY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZvhbkvZ-oY[/video]

[video=youtube;IWeovnGYCyo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWeovnGYCyo&playnext=1&list=PLBD509848D711A7FB&index=16[/video]

[video=youtube;vY6ZgJ-ITGo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY6ZgJ-ITGo[/video]

[video=youtube;uE4V6g897Ug]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE4V6g897Ug[/video]

I'm sure there's more, but I can share those later. These, to my ears, are absolutely awe inspiring pieces. Some of the most inspired I've ever heard. Ennio Morricone is my favorite composer, but Nino Rota, and even the relative newcomer Hans Zimmer, are great.

 

[astrang1]

Hello,
I would have to go with The Shadow (Jerry Goldsmith) and a John Barry's score for the High Road to China an obscure gem but worth seeking out.
Best wishes,
Al

 

[fluteplayer07]

The Piano main theme - The Heart Asks Pleasure First, by Michael Nyman.
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/_UaHl3d8Rlg?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/_UaHl3d8Rlg?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Can someone assist with the embedding, please? Thanks!


And, the main themes from Gattaca, also by Nyman.

 

[lolly_loisides]

The Piano main theme - The Heart Asks Pleasure First, by Michael Nyman.
And, the main themes from Gattaca, also by Nyman.

I particularly like Nyman's scores for Peter Greenaway movies. The Draftsman's Contract and A Zed and Two Noughts are favourites of mine.
[video=youtube;1XDkyT2QU6k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XDkyT2QU6k[/video]

 

[Widebrim]

Can someone assist with the embedding, please? Thanks!

I think this is it, FP:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UaHl3d8Rlg

 

[Fletch]

20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932)

A striking example of how music can add to the impact of visual effects.
The title music is by Bernhard Kaun, who did much of Warner Bros.' incidental scoring; the optical montage is probably by Anton Grot, the legendary art director.
Main Title (0:00–1:10)
End Title (4:00–4:31)

 

[Widebrim]

Swan Lake, Op. 20, used at the beginning of Dracula, as well as The Mummy.

 

[Auron]

It hasn't been said, but the Pirates of the Caribbean theme is great. Here is a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LZcMv0H1bI

 

[Stearmen]

Big Country

I think it is a toss up between The Big Country and The Magnificent Seven! To be on the safe side, I'D better through in The Seven Samurai! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6vREiRNMFc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLTHW0ZwK7U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_e4m3bl5_U

 

[Edward]

Two pages in and no mention of the Raiders March yet? For shame! Jurassic Park and Schindler's List also had wonderful scores. Once upon a time I adored the Star Wars score, but that franchise has been dead to me since the late 90s.

If we're talking soundtracks more generally, I could go on forever, starting with Cabaret (although I greatly prefer the stage show, even if the film is closer to the original novel).

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

Cowboy Bebop

Technically a T.V. show, but there was a movie made and the music is all as good as this opening:

[video=youtube;T6zDfxZ4NcE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6zDfxZ4NcE[/video]

 

[Stearmen]

Green Onions

While as a whole, I can not stand Rock & Roll songs as opining themes, I will make an exception for American Graffiti! I still can't to this day, get into a Hot Rod or 55 Chevy, without thinking of Booker T and The MGs, Green Onions! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJJ4JyeAIoE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXFMnfQVINM&feature=related

 

[Diamondback]

Most of these guys seldom do wrong in my experience, no particular order aside from as I think of 'em:

1. John Williams (The SW films may be dead to me, but Williams' music I can consider independent of Lucas's film--and I'll still buy whatever Star Destroyer miniatures I can find)
2. James Horner
3. Basil Poledouris
4. Jerry Goldsmith
5. John Barry
6. David Arnold
(HM) Not personally a fan of Bernstein's, but I respect his talent

Also, a few others have places on my playlist:
Bruce Broughton (Tombstone)
Frank Klepacki (not films, but almost the entire Command & Conquer series of PC games)
Numeriklab (for the NCIS theme)
whoever did the Criminal Minds theme
the guys who composed the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty score
Stewart Copeland (The Equalizer)
Joel Goldsmith (the various Stargate TV series' scores)

 

[Methuselah]

<p>CSI for using songs by The Who!
And the theme for Cape Fear

EDIT: I may be on my own here, but I love the Conan soundtrack.
The first film, not the rubbish sequel.