Why I love soundtracks

Guardian UK ^ | 12.12.09 | Jon Savage

[Perdogg]

Soundtrack albums are the hidden pleasures of pop. Composed and performed to accompany moving images, they're emotional enhancers. This dramatic quality, coupled with the depth of sound-field in full cinema reproduction, ensures that many soundtracks stand apart from their parent films as a listening experience.

[buccaneer81]

Battlestar Galactica (The new one), all seasons

"Passacaglia" is incredibly beautiful.

[buccaneer81]

Almost anything by Jerry Goldsmith is worth listening to.

Same with James Horner.

[buccaneer81]

Poledouris also scored "Red Dawn."

James Horner is also one of the best.

[Perdogg]

No. I do not.

[McGarrett]

Some of my favorites;

The Last of the Mohicans
Quigley Down Under
The Man From Snowy River
Ben Hur

Three by Mark Knopfler (of Dire Straits fame)
Cal
Last Exit to Brooklyn
Local Hero

Pretty much anything by John Williams and Ennio Moriconi

[Third Person]

Just saw King Solomon’s Mines (don’t ask why) and saw that Goldsmith did the score...the pay must have been good!

[dfwgator]

One of the things that made “Animal House” such a great movie was Elmer Bernstein’s score.

[Darkwolf377]

When Horner isn't stealing from himself and others, he's very enjoyable. I wouldn't mind except he is only average so often, but I know he's capable of such beautiful stuff as Bobby Jones (beautiful, soulful orchestral music for a golf film) and The New World, so his lazy stuff bugs the heck out of me. Plus he's notoriously jerky to performers.

I've got almost all of Poledouris's scores. You must hear Farewell to the King if you like Red Dawn and his others, great adventure stuff. He died too soon.

And Rachel Portman is great, though some of her stuff sounds the same.

The Human Stain, Mona Lisa Smile, The Joy Luck Club (Portman)

The Lion in Winter, King Kong (1976), Playing By Heart (Barry)

[Intolerant in NJ]

... many soundtracks stand apart from their parent films as a listening experience..."Joe Versus the Volcano" - shabby film in spite of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, gorgeous music by Georges Delerue....

[VOA]

bump

[buccaneer81]

When Horner isn't stealing from himself and others,

LOL! I'll give you that. A lot of his work sounds like Star Trek II, especially Aliens.

[Alkhin]

OH I am with you on Vaughan Williams - love The Lark Ascending (??) and try to hunt down what I can off of iTunes. For some reason I liken him to Tolkien for his era...don't know why, except that his music is very spiritual and lush and romantic. I have weird associations with music.

Just recently discovered the Newman score and I know I am in love with the music when I can't get it out of my head - same thing happened with me and Phantom of the Opera - even went so far as to see POTO in London back in October! Will look for Salton Sea and the other two movies. Thanks! :D

Of course, there's always the Mooseburger tribute to John Williams "Kiss a wookie, kick a droid, fly the Falcon through an asteroid!"

[buccaneer81]

Plus he's notoriously jerky to performers.

It's that gay perfectionist thing.

[GeronL]

okay okay. I was just playing.

[buccaneer81]

as lush as Williams (or as sappy),

"Johnny" Williams got his start scoring "Lost In Space" (1965-1968) and some of that work as excellent.

[Josa]

The Natural

Dances With Wolves

Castaway

The Right Stuff

[buccaneer81]

True.

[patriot08]

Great old time rock in that movie

[Darkwolf377]

Salton Sea might be too weird for you at first--check out American Beauty first. It's a good mix of his orchestral stuff and his weirder side. If you can find it, his scores for The War and Fried Green Tomatoes (score CD, harder to find than the songs one) are beautiful orchestral stuff. I have some bootlegs of his Phenomenon score and others, and he's just so skillful, a rarity in the newer composers, who can't seem to write themes.

The Lark Ascending is beautiful. You really should see if you can get some of his stuff on CD through your local library. Beautiful stuff, and it stays with you--I'm in my 40's and have been listening to Lark and the Tallis Fantasia since my teens and am still in love with them. Toward the Unknown Region, Job: A Masque for Dancing, Dives and Lazarus, and his music for Christmas...tons of excellent music. You're in for a lot of great listening, he rarely disappoints.

Thomas Newman's cousin is Randy Newman--check out his The Natural--and his brother is David Newman--check out his score to Serenity.

[isom35]

Escape from LA and Face/Off, and Star Trek II and III. Workouts go great with soundtracks.