# Music From A Film



## strange_too (Feb 19, 2007)

I know everyone has their favourite films, but what about their favourite film soundtrack?

All of the film's Michael Nyman's work has to be classed as some of the best. Along with the likes of Howard Shore & John Williams.

GATTACA is a fantastic film, but the soundtrack is just superb. If you haven't seen the film or hear the sound track I would recommend it to anyone


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

The soundtrack from "The Omega Man" (1971) by Ron Grainer.

Quite topical at the moment as the original story ("I am Legend" by Richard Matheson) is just being released, starring Will Smith.

I suspect most people will remember Ron Grainer for the theme to "The Prisoner" and "Doctor Who" , a clever bloke indeed.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006112/


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

Bloody hell.........have to agree with you there Stanley!!

I still love Breakfast at Tifanys, and Once Upon A Time in the West


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Has to be The Thin Red Line for me. The film's a bit wank but the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is eerie and haunting yet beautiful at the same time.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Griff said:


> Bloody hell.........have to agree with you there Stanley!!


It won't be the first time Griff.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

I quite like the soundtrack from Excalibur (1981, dir. Martin Boorman).


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

I'm going to lower the tone....Jackie Brown.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Music composed for a film or a film soundtrack? the former I like the music from 633 Squadron, Dambusters, The Great Escape, Guns of Navarone, Battle of Britain .... come to think of it I like quite a lot of film music







As for best soundtrack don't really know, I have always liked "Easy Rider"


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

thunderbolt said:


> I quite like the soundtrack from Excalibur (1981, dir. Martin Boorman).


I watched Excalibur a couple of weeks ago & it's a great film - all sex, swordplay, blood & guts







I like the music but isn't a lot of it based on Carmina Burana by Carl Orff







? There's a superb bit in the film where Arthur rides through an orchard, to the strains of the aforementioned Carmina Burana (after he's come back to life, after the grail's been found), & all the trees come into blossom - "the land & the king are one" you see!! A young Helen Mirren as Morgana is another plus point(s)









As for music in films well a couple of the spaghetti western soundtracks stand out (The Good The Bad & The Ugly & Once Upon A Time In The West especially). Not sure I have a particular favourite film music composer as such though!


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Silver Hawk said:


> I'm going to lower the tone....Jackie Brown.


Tone was not lowered by that. Most Tarantino films have great soundtracks.

Love the Godfather 3 soundtrack with music from Mascagni's " Cavalleria Rusticana" also Apocalypse Now.

Alasdair


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## JTW (Jun 14, 2007)

If we're talking original scores then i guess Morricone wrote a lot of greats.

My personal favourites though are based on existing music. Top is O Brother Where Art Thou, followed by The Big Easy.

Ian


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

pauluspaolo said:


> thunderbolt said:
> 
> 
> > I quite like the soundtrack from Excalibur (1981, dir. Martin Boorman).
> ...


The more I think about it, you're right about the music, it does seem to be based around the one piece of music. An absolute belter of a film though imho. Helen Mirren and Cherie Lunghie, the latter in her birthday suit in the forest, plus points indeed.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

JTW said:


> If we're talking original scores then i guess Morricone wrote a lot of greats.
> 
> My personal favourites though are based on existing music. Top is O Brother Where Art Thou, followed by The Big Easy.
> 
> Ian


Agree with those, Morricone is a master. I bought the "Oh Brother" soundtarck and although it's good, the best track being repeated (is it four times)? is not great. If you like that you should check out Jim White and Johnny Dowd, great alt-country talents.









My faves,

Paris Texas - Ry cooder. (One of my favourite actors as well in that film, Harry Dean Stanton)

Habla Con Ella (Talk to her) - By Almodovar

A fabulous soundtrack and a great film,this song by Caetano Veloso make me cry and I am not a softie


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

Certainly agree with the mentions so far, Morricone, Williams, Grainer, Nyman (though I prefer his non-film music such as MGV & the Piano Concerto) etc.

John Barry is also a master - James Bond, Midnight Cowboy, Ipcress File & loads more.

Philip Glass has also done a lot of wonderful film work - Mishima, Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi etc.

My personal favourite is Danny Elfman. A prolific composer of film & TV music including most of Tim Burton's films. His soundtrack to Edward Scissorhands is a masterpiece


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## PaulBoy (Dec 2, 2007)

Lots of good choices already Shore Morricone Barry Elfman Zimmer et al

John Williams has done some classics imho especially with MrSpielberg Schindlers List Close Encounters Saving Pt Ryan etc

I also love Vangelis's Blade Runner & 1492 Conquest of Paradise

More uptodate the O Brother soundtrack is superb & Cal by Mark Knopfler is a big fav of mine

Finally my all time fav is Bernhard Herrman who did lots of Hitchcock's film like Psycho Vertigo The Birds as well as one of

my all time top films "The Day The Earth Stood Still" where he used an obscure electronic instrument called a theremin (sp?)

Paul


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

PaulBoy said:


> Cal by Mark Knopfler is a big fav of mine
> 
> "The Day The Earth Stood Still" where he used an obscure electronic instrument called a theremin (sp?)
> 
> Paul


Mark Knopfler's score for Last Exit to Brooklin was also excellent









TDTESS is one of my favourites too. The Theremin was an amazing instrument - at one time there was a whole orchestra of them. Its inventor, Leon Theremin, was an interesting character


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## PaulBoy (Dec 2, 2007)

dapper said:


> PaulBoy said:
> 
> 
> > Cal by Mark Knopfler is a big fav of mine
> ...


Hi Alan - Hope you like my updated avatar!

The SE DVD version of TDTESS has a load of info about the music & the theremin iirc

Must check out that other Knopfler OST as I've never heard it although I knew he'd done it if you know what I mean?

Paul


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

PaulBoy said:


> Hi Alan - Hope you like my updated avatar!












"Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!"


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Ry Cooder's performed on lots of film soundtracks: "Paris, Texas" (already mentioned by MarkF), "Crossroads" and "Southern Comfort" (never released as far as I can gather) are particular favourites. Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez' performance of "La Wally" from the film "Diva" is also good (can also be heard in the background in "Someone to Watch Over Me"). Luis Bacalov's theme tune for "Django" is definitely worth a listen, as is "The Harder they Come" which features some great reggae tracks.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

rhaythorne said:


> Ry Cooder's performed on lots of film soundtracks: "Paris, Texas" (already mentioned by MarkF), "Crossroads" and "Southern Comfort" (never released as far as I can gather) are particular favourites. Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez' performance of "La Wally" from the film "Diva" is also good (can also be heard in the background in "Someone to Watch Over Me"). Luis Bacalov's theme tune for "Django" is definitely worth a listen, as is "The Harder they Come" which features some great reggae tracks.


Rich, I didn't realise HD was in "Two Lane Blacktop" as well. Must watch it again, HD Stanton and Warren Oates in the same film, bliss.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Indeed he is







The latest DVD version of the film seems to have a couple of slightly extended scenes not present in the versions I've taped many times (and subsequently lost) from the TV. It doesn't say anything on the case but I wonder if it's the original USA theatrical version perhaps?


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## PaulBoy (Dec 2, 2007)

dapper said:


> PaulBoy said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Alan - Hope you like my updated avatar!
> ...












"It is no concern of ours how you run your own planet, but if you threaten to extend your violence, this Earth of yours will be reduced to a burned-out cinder. Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration" ... Paul


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

bladerunner is a classic, love the soundtrack

nomad soul by bowie (although it is the soundtrack to a game)

crossroads, ry cooder

matrix (the first one)

team america


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## ncon (Sep 14, 2005)

What about the soundtrack to "Carlito's Way" starring Al Pacino?

You could almost be forgiven for thinking the film was only a few years old, given the numbers of disco/pop tracks in the film that have been re-released/remixed lately!


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

mrteatime said:


> team america


F*ck yeah - & the South Park Movie


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

dapper said:


> mrteatime said:
> 
> 
> > team america
> ...


quality! except when i was sitting with my son watching it, and he piped up america f**k yeah!

not quite as bad as Taylor pushing himself round the front room after i was listening to the soundtrack to 'the rocky horror show' and him yelling "im a sweet transvstite"


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

mrteatime said:


> dapper said:
> 
> 
> > mrteatime said:
> ...



















My favourite from that film was the short but extremely funny 'Everyone has AIDS!'


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## Bladerunner (Jun 4, 2006)

For me _Blade Runner _by Vangelis is a sublime & exquisite soundtrack, certainly my favourite.










Jerry Goldsmith has done some superb soundtracks to for example: _The Russia House _ & _Total Recall _.

Bernard Herrmann with _North by Northwest_, _Vertigo_ & _Torn Curtain_.

Surprised no ones mentioned John Barry; _Out Of Africa_, _Dances With Wolves _or _Enigma_.

For soundtracks made up of "period" music to help give added atmosphere I'd probably choose _Scarface_ or _Manhunter_.

Just my opinion of course


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