film lover 293 Posted June 25, 2015 I did a search for this topic--results went all around it but never addressed this question. This is my 1st thread--hope I do everything right. My film is "Aliens" (1986)--essentially it's just an "escape the monster" movie, albeit an expensive one. It is moved to the level of waking nightmare by its' musical score by James Horner; without the score it's just an expensive monster movie with a very good performance by Sigourney Weaver. Any film genre is eligible to be listed except musicals--they have to have listenable music to be good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Kimble Posted June 25, 2015 Well the only good thing about The Day Of The Dolphin is Georges Delerue's score, so I guess that might qualify 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Swithin Posted June 25, 2015 Mondo Cane (1962). One of Riz Ortolani's earliest scores, which was nominated and should have won the Academy Award for Best Song. The film, pioneering of its type, could have been better, but it was definitely made more memorable by the score. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MovieMadness Posted June 25, 2015 Many people in here are fans of the score to Dr. Zhivago. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted June 25, 2015 How about The Third Man? Has anyone ever discussed its score before? LOL I promise to add something sensible a bit later filmlover. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dargo Posted June 25, 2015 The first thought that comes to my mind with this question is that I was always of the opinion that the baseball-themed THE NATURAL is somewhat overblown and a little too "arty" for the story and its broader social themes it's attempting to make but seems to fail at. However, I DO think Randy Newman's score for this film elevates it to near the level its attempting. His Wagnerian-inspired fanfare theme played after Redford hits that final home run seems to have become an iconic cinematic moment, and with this fanfare in particular often bringing one's mind to thoughts of heroic feats, whether or not on a baseball field. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkblue Posted June 25, 2015 I think John Barry's score for 'The Chase' (1966) elevates that movie's status. Lambasted by critics at the time - and still seen as an overacted mess by many - the movie is enough of a mix of flaws and choice moments that its rating has improved as new audiences have re-discovered it. John Barry's score is at the forefront of that rise in appreciation, I think. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomJH Posted June 25, 2015 Riz Ortolani's marvelous score for a little remembered film, The 7th Dawn: [media] [media] Combined with the main title design by Maurice Binder, I think the film's opening credits shown here are a real stunner. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dargo Posted June 25, 2015 Just thought of a few more movies which I've always thought of as only "okay" overall but with musical scores which have made them much more memorable... HOW THE WEST WAS WON - Alfred Newman BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S - Henry Mancini SHAFT - Isaac Hayes 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted June 25, 2015 These films were already on the 'great' side but Elmer Bernstein's score took them to a whole new level: The Magnificent Seven (1960) and The Great Escape (1963). 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted June 25, 2015 Just thought of a few more movies which I've always thought of as only "okay" overall but with musical scores which have made them much more memorable... HOW THE WEST WAS WON - Alfred Newman BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S - Henry Mancini SHAFT - Isaac Hayes SUPERFLY---Curtis Mayfield ACROSS 110th STREET--Bobby Womack 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted June 25, 2015 Ennio Morricone took A Fistful of Dollars (1964) to an entirely new level. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scsu1975 Posted June 25, 2015 A few that quickly come to mind: Captain from Castile In Harm's Way King of Kings Mighty Joe Young (original version ... in my opinion, Roy Webb's best score ever ... but I still haven't heard all of his) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Kimble Posted June 25, 2015 Day Of The Dolphin always gets my vote when the Great Scores for Bad Movies thread gets started, but Elmer Bernstein's rousing music for The Hallelujah Trail is not far behind: For unremarkable movies with remarkable scores, there's Jerome Moross and The Jayhawkers: 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FredCDobbs Posted June 25, 2015 I can't imagine THE THIRD MAN without the zither music. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted June 25, 2015 Sol Kaplan's score for Salt of the Earth (1954) is great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
film lover 293 Posted June 25, 2015 Richard Kimble--need to see Day of the Dolphin(1973) &The Jayhawkers(?), to hear the scores. But The Hallelujah Trail (1965) is worth seeing to hear Elmer Bernstein's score & for the (scattered) laughs in the film! Swithin--I agree Mondo Cane (1963) should not have lost Best Song (More) to (Call Me Irresponsible). MovieMadness--Lara's Theme is good, so is the music, but the film drags on so. Dargo--will have to see The Natural (1984), after that music clip. I agree with your other picks, especially Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)--music makes film close to perfect. Dark Blue--Have seen The Chase (1966) 3 times. The music is the best part of the film--but I definitely need to rewatch it. TomJH--Thanks for the music clip. Film is MGM--don't know why TCM doesn't show it more often? Bogie56--Ennio Morricone did a good score for A Fistful of Dollars (1966). I love Elmer Bernsteins' film scores. DownGoesFrazier--I need to see the 2 you named. scsu1975--The 2 I've seen (Captain from Castile + In Harms' Way I agree with. Need to see the other two. FREDCDOBBS-nice hearing 3rd Man theme without a zither. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted June 25, 2015 I can't imagine THE THIRD MAN without the zither music. I cannot imagine either! That is the most Gawd awful thing I have ever heard! Mitch Miller should have played Harry Lime. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Kimble Posted June 25, 2015 I can't imagine THE THIRD MAN without the zither music. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EugeniaH Posted June 25, 2015 The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) is already a memorable silent film, but for me, the score by Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light (added long after the film's release) elevates it to a whole new powerful, spiritual level. I was once told to try watching the film with the sound off, and the lights out, for the "ultimate" experience, but I think the music only adds to it. I also have the soundtrack on my iTunes that I listen to sometimes while I exercise. It certainly takes my mind off the grind of the gym. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted June 26, 2015 Ravi Shankar's score for Pather Panchali (1955) helps transform that film into pure film poetry. The scene where the mother tells the returning father of their daughter's death gives me goose flesh just thinking about it. Unbelievable! It was Satyajit Ray's very first film and pretty well near Shankar's too. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
film lover 293 Posted June 26, 2015 EugeniaH--The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) is on this Sunday at midnight--I will be sure to see it--2 of TCM's reviews rhapsodize (sp?) about the music--Rudy Mate is the cinematographer--thank you for the recommendation. Bogie56--I saw Pather Panchali (1955) was shown only once by TCM despite every rating being 5 out of 5 stars--was it a memorial or TCM just decided to show it? Thanks for whatever information you have. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray Faiola Posted June 26, 2015 TOMORROW IS FOREVER is a very good melodrama, but I think it is raised to a veritable soap "opera" by Max Steiner's incredible score. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allthumbs Posted June 26, 2015 American Graffiti (1973) had a musical "score" consisting of recordings (45's) of popular Top 40 RnR hits from 1962 and immediately before. ('62 was the year depicted in the movie.) so, what was a nice, friendly movie was transformed from a kind of episode of "Happy Days" to an immersion into an innocent lifestyle fraught with teenage angst. situations and songs played together like a gathering storm cloud that dissipated at dawn. since many composers and arrangers were involved to form all the musical tracts, it was the integration of the music with movie's "plot" by George Lucas/Kim Foley/Karin Green that transformed the mundane into classic cinema. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Kimble Posted June 26, 2015 American Graffiti (1973) had a musical "score" consisting of recordings (45's) of popular Top 40 RnR hits from 1962 and immediately before. ('62 was the year depicted in the movie.) Haven't seen AG in decades but going strictly from memory there is at least one post '62 song ("All Summer Long" by The Beach Boys over the closing credits) and I'm pretty sure there are others. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
