Chewers' 100 Best Movie Scores of the Last 25 Years: 1986-2011 - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spike Marshall 

I actually prefer the score to Innocence, just because of the insanely barnstorming, ludicrously over-long, Kugutsuuta kagirohi ha yomi ni mata muto which is pretty much every great bit of Kawai's score condensed into 9 minutes.

 

I'm glad Kawai got a mention at all, but yeah, Innocence's score builds on everything spectacular about the original.

44. Punch Drunk Love (Jon Brion, 2002)

Great list thus far.

If I were to make my case for a single entry in this group, Glass' score for The Hours would always be my choice.

http://youtu.be/F8-2XQbKfr8

Anyone care to discuss, champion, or deride the following scores?

- Willow (Horner)

- Waking Life (Glover Gill)

- Talk to Her - (Alberto Iglesias)

- The Red Violin (John Corigliano)

- Frida (Goldenthal)

- The Legend of 1900 (Morricone)

Really surprised, nobody's mentioned Carter Burwell. His Coen scores are quite effective, but his contributions to Spike Jonze's cinematic collaborations with Charlie Kaufman ALWAYS seal the deal.

Thanks for reading.

Actually, I almost threw Burwell's score for 'Rob Roy' on the list.  Stellar work.

ugh... Willow

While there are some truly great bits in that score, James Horner was firmly in his "PAN FLUTE! EVERY 2ND BAR!" phase in 1988. See his Red Heat score for further evidence,

That said, his work on Aliens is pretty amazing since he'd only had something like 10 days to write and record the bloody thing in 1986. Sure, he ripped off Aram Khachaturian a little bit (Williams plunders Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky regularly) but Horner's feat is no less impressive considering his climactic action cue has been reused repeatedly in countless action trailers over the past 20-odd years.

45. Aliens (James Horner, 1986)

The Famous Action Cue

I was seven when Willow was released, so I ate it all up. Really rousing, and majestic. Dare I say, epic. Seems like I have a soft spot for flutes (probably the Peruvian in me).

The quest for Red Heat begins!

@ Judas - Thanks for reminding me about Rob Roy. Totally forgot Burwell was involved.

Nice to see Speed Racer make the list - utterly perfect work by Michael Giacchino there. Totally fits (and enhances) the movie's tone while being a fun tribute to Saturday Morning cartoons.

There are 3 scores in the last 20 years that I'm particularly fond of that I didn't see make the cut, though I'd probably only submit #1 for inclusion in the list:

1. Spirited Away, by Joe Hisaishi

2. Quantum of Solace, by David Arnold

(probably a controversial choice, but I think this is the best and most interesting modern Bond score).

3. The Frighteners, by Danny Elfman

Hrm. 

I would say

Requiem for a Dream, Clint Mansell

and don't hate me, but if we're going to put up anime:

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Marco D'Ambrosia. 

It's too early, but can we go that Conan:The Barbarian is right up there with Star Wars and Raiders for greatest soundtracks ever?

49. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm - Shirley Walker

To this day, the finest score composed for any Batman feature. The main theme alone is the perfect distillment of the character's almost supernatural thirst for vengence, along with his mythic grandeur.

Some of my dark horse candidates in case the list thins out.   Not really including them in the list  but more for an up or down vote....

Pearl Harbor: Hans Zimmer.   Horrible movie with a love theme that belongs in a way better movie.

Cloverfield:   This score has only one song but what a song it is.   Michael Giacchino pours all his love of monster movies into a stellar number called "Roar".  

Cast Away:   Again, a one song wonder.   Some of Alan Sylvestri's best work with a song that's emotional and encapsulates the movie perfectly.

These would probably be disqualified due to being on TV but they bear mentioning....

LOST:   Michael Giacchino proves that you don't have to work on movies to make a great cinematic score.   Easily one of the best scores ever made for TV.

Twin Peaks:  Another TV show with a score way above its paygrade.   Angelo Badlamente's score is a character unto itself with beautiful haunting melodies you rarely hear in the movies let alone TV.

My choice for the list?  

45.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by John Williams:   You know it's a great score when you can immediately hum the tune and one can say the same thing about Harry Potter.    To me, the score for Harry Potter is up there with John William's greats such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Superman.   The guy is the best and with HP, he proves he's still got it.

51. Basic Instinct (Jerry Goldsmith, 1991)

The movie is silly as hell but Goldsmith's score is beautiful, mysterious, & sumptuously silken aural noir.

52) Way of the Gun, Joe Kraemer (2000)

One of the few times I've sat through the credits just to hear the music all the way through. Kraemer hasn't done much, but this score is wonderful.

53.  Independence Day - David Arnold.  

Talk about a score that elevates the fuck out of a movie.  Whatever genuine grandeur and/or excitement the film has stems mainly from the score.  

The end credits suite should be mandatory accompaniment for every fireworks display across the country.  

54.  'Rob Roy', Carter Burwell.  It's gorgeous...rousing and romantic.

Ok, I'm gonna totally fuckin' nerd out, right here:

55. Transformers: The Movie (Vince DiCola, 1986)

"The Death Of Optimus"

For Pete's sake, talk about elevating the material...

56.  'Highlander' by Michael Kamen.  Tons of fantastic cues throughout, but the main theme below is simply fantastic.

57.  Road to Perdition: Thomas Newman.   Beautiful, haunting score with a sound unlike anything else out there.   The man doesn't get near enough love.

And for your consideration, a brilliant score tied to a mediocre movie....

58.  The Island: Steve Jablonsky:   One of my weaknesses when it comes to movie scores is when the human voice is in the mix.   And it's used exquisitely here.   If you've seen any movie trailers in the past 5 years, you've heard the rousing "My Name is Lincoln"

59. Oldboy (2003, composed by Hyun-jung Shim, Seung-hyun Choi and Ji-Soo Lee)

From atmospheric, to synth, to classical, to waltzy... Oldboy's got it all!  I haven't seen enough Korean films to be certain of this, but it felt like the film's score was aped by a lot of darker Korean films that were released in its wake. 

SPOILERS

Yeah, I remember being really into Korean cinema in 2005/2006 and hearing a ton of variations on Waltzes. Definitely one of the more iconic scores, for me, of the last ten years. I remember importing the CD from Korea back in 2004 for like $60 because I liked the soundtrack so much. The Last Waltz (which is ostensbibly Mido's theme) is probably my favourite piece of scoring in the last twenty five years.

I second Road to Perdition, by Thomas Newman.  It's an incredible, moving score.  Since no one posted this.

The most obvious one I can think of that is missing is, Michael Nymans incredible score to the 60) Piano.

61) Snow Falling On Cedars, Jame Newton Howard, make sure you listen to this one.  JNH, has a lot of work that would qualify on this list.

62. Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood & Lennie Niehaus, 1992)

We'd be seriously out of step not to mention Clint Eastwood's proclivity for writing his own scores (the melodies of which he dictates to his collaborators by rote). The theme to Unforgiven has a tender, personal quality that tells you everything you need to know about William Munny's search for redemption & devotion to his dead wife.

And another personal favorite, the score to the 63) Traffic, by Cliff Martinez and Brian Eno.  Sublime.  I can thank of quite a few more, but I'll let some others have a say.

Whoops. Offended the timeline restrictions.

fixed

64. UP (2009) Michael Giachinno

Two notes. Two little quarter notes form the base structure for one of the most phenomenal achievments in film scoring in the last decade. The film, which might be considered in the future of the peak of Pixar's storytelling abilities, has an emotional core more than earned on its own, but the score. Man, that score. From the opening notes which at first convey that childhood sense of wonder and amazment of what the world has to offer, to the Married Life montage which has wrecked rivers of tears from even the toughest of men, to that final note of acceptance and closure, this is a score that has something to offer no matter the mood. All based around two notes.

My favorite part of the score isn't the Married Life montage (although let's be clear, that scene still destroys me), it's the scene where Carl discovers the pages in the back of Ellie's Adventure Book. We get the Married Life theme/Ellie's theme reach its emotional climax in the reflective sense, but then, when Carl realizes that he's got to save Russell and take part in the adventure he's been running from, and he starts ditching all the furniture (memories) in his house so it'll fly once more, the same theme begins building anew. Fits and bursts, and then the house takes off, and the sadness of the Ellie theme is reborn as a full fledged call to adventure. It's thrilling, emotionally charged moment, and it's the perfect marriage of image and sound as anything in the last few years.

One of my top favorite horror scores ever is:

65. Philip Glass's Candyman (1992) score. I love how it moves between gothic grandure and a child's nursery fairytale tune. 

It's killing me that I can't put the Queen 'Flash Gordon' soundtrack on this list.  I mean, fuck...

67. I Heart Huckabee's, (2004) Jon Brion

As whimsical and strange as the film itself.

68. Zatoichi (2003) - Suzuki Keiichi

Kitano's vision of Zatoichi almost seems to be a kitsch parody of the character, an Austin Powers to Zatoichi's Bond lineage. Certainly after over twenty films of Shintaro Katsu doing largely the same thing it was a shock to the system to get such a lyrical and offbeat adapation. But whilst Kitano's direction prods and pokes the Zatoichi mythos (indeed turning the rather benevolent character into something almost akin to a Universal Monster) Suzuki Keiichi's score is surprising and affectionate and almost avante-garde. From the Jeunet-esque sequence where Zatoichi enters town, the soundtrack cobbled together from synthesisers and diagetic sound, to the tap-dance finale the soundtrack is what gives the film it's fun edge, despite Kitano's dark and brooding take on the character. But it's this piece of music, from the films finale, which perfectly inhabits the mood of Kitano's Zatoichi, switching from almost ambient noise to full on intense-electronica at the drop of the hat and perfectly defining the anachronistic nature of the film.

69. Grand Canyon (James Newton Howard, 1992)

One of my favorite scores of the 90s.

To get a sense of the score's breadth, here's it's climactic fanfare:

This score is bizarrely rich, compelling, & majestic for a movie that's essentially about baby boomer ennui (it's actually a pretty great film).

Double post.

71. The Social Network - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (2010)

Surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet.  Reznor and Ross really knocked this one out of the park.  Methinks whatever they do for Girl With The Dragon Tattoo will also be worthy of this list.

Yeah, speaking of....

72. Fight Club (The Dust Brothers, 1999)

73. A Scanner Darkly - Graham Reynolds

Elegiac, haunting, and devastatingly human, Reynolds' score for Linklater's mini sci-fi opus casts a wondrously emotional haze over the film's events.

At the risk of overloading the list with James Newton Howard I must add:

74. Dave (1993). It's easy to discount since it's been so thoroughly co-opted by heartwarming commercials and news-show montages but I love how catchy it is, and how it captures twin senses of mischief and aspiration.

75. Barton Fink by Carter Burwell (1991)

This is the soundtrack that best encapsulates the Coens' particular brand of eccentricity and dark quirkiness. Looked for a youtube but there's none to be found.

Yup, even The Last Airbender soundtrack had some neat stuff in it. Howard should really get off that ship and fast.

His score for the Village is actually quite gorgeous as well, and I consider it to be one of his best.

Evi's post re: Carter Burwell reminded me of:

77. Miller's Crossing (1990)

Quite possibly my favorite main theme in a film ever:

In fact:

77. The Village - James Newton Howard (2004)

Lots of Howard in here the last few posts, but oh well.  The Village is a movie I enjoy, despite how much I absolutely loathe its central conceit.  The stunning cinematography, the beautiful score, and some fun performances all come together and make this thing a lot better than it should be (although still not nearly good enough).

Man, how hasn't this one come up yet?   Best film score ever to workout to?  Yes!

78.  Run, Lola, Run

78. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)  Composed By Tan Dun

This soundtrack is easily one of the top five film scores I listen to the most.  I don't know what else to say, it is perfect for the movie and awesome to listen to if you're stressed.