What's your favourite film composer?

KriD · 08-11-2006, 10:10 AM

For me, Ennio Morricone is at the top, with scores like Once upon a time in America, The Mission and Cinema Paradiso.

Other composers I listen to a lot is Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Spirit, Crimson Tide) James Newton Howard (The Village, Unbreakable, The Rock) Klaus Badelt (Time Machine) and Howard Shore (LotR).

What are your favourite composer, and what filmscores do you like?

Jatsie · 08-11-2006, 10:12 AM

John Williams.

SakSquash · 08-11-2006, 10:12 AM

Judas Priest.

Lee in Limbo · 08-11-2006, 10:58 AM

I have a genuine affection for soundtrack composers who came from the world of rock music:

Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo) - his soundtracks do start to bleed into one periodically, but pushed by strong directors, he comes up with new and exciting ways to get his vision across.

Trevor Rabin (Yes) - Some tend to lump him in the Hans Zimmer catagory, and he does tend to compose for action films and uses rock intrumentation to augment orchestral intrumentation, so that's an easy comparison. However, I've been following his music for ages, and his particular musical voice is distinct and fascinating to me.

Tony Banks (Genesis) - Sadly, Tony has had very little opportunity to compose scores, and rarely with classical orchestration. However, the man's musical voice lives in my head, and when he stretches into instrumental passages, I'm right there in the side car with him.

Stewart Copeland (Police) - And this guy has worked in both film and television, and writes some of the most intelligent, dynamic, unique soundtrack material on the planet. Another one I can't get out of my head.

And finally, just because it fits in an odd sort of way...

Michael Kamen (New York Rock and Roll Ensemble) - This guy has collaborated with and scored orchestral music for damned near every rock band in history, and most famously for Pink Floyd. He also composed scores for some of my most favourite films.

SakSquash · 08-11-2006, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee in Limbo

I have a genuine affection for soundtrack composers who came from the world of rock music:

Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo) - his soundtracks do start to bleed into one periodically, but pushed by strong directors, he comes up with new and exciting ways to get his vision across.

Oh yeah. I like him too. One of the first tapes I ever bought was the beetlejuice soundtrack when I was 9.

Anubis · 08-11-2006, 11:01 AM

Being a Star Wars -fan, John Williams's scores to the six films have made a lasting impression. Other composers/scores I like are Howard Shore (LotR), Eric Serra (The Fifth Element), Alan Silvestri (The Mummy Returns) and Steve Jablonsky (The Island)

SakSquash · 08-11-2006, 11:09 AM

Ew. You like Star Wars?!

Once A Villain · 08-11-2006, 11:14 AM

Ennio Morricone for sure.

SakSquash · 08-11-2006, 11:16 AM

What'd he do?

RLacey · 08-11-2006, 11:31 AM

Much as I hate to admit it, I'm a Hans Zimmer fan. The best part of Hannibal (which I actually don't hate as a film) is the supremely eerie score. Superb stuff.

Flyboy · 08-11-2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jat316sob

John Williams.

John Williams has been horrible for the past decade or so unless you like having emotions force-fed to you during a film. He's totally incapable of doing anything even remotly subtle or original anymore and has had a pretty big hand in fucking up all of Spielberg's films since (and including) A.I. Granted he's done some of the more memorably scores in history but lately his music has nothing more than uninspired manipulative garbage.

Me, I'd have to vote for Carter Burwell. He's done pretty much all the Coen Bros films (think Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, Fargo...) Before Night Falls and Spike Jonze's stuff (Adaptation and BJM). Some pretty memorable stuff there.

Once A Villain · 08-11-2006, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SakSquash

What'd he do?

Well, KriD named a few already, but I guess I'll do a longer list:

A Fistful of Dollars
For a Few Dollars More
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
The Battle of Algiers
Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in America
The Mission
The Untouchables
Cinema Paradiso
Fists in the Pocket
Il Decameron
The Thing (1982)
In the Line of Fire
etc.

Tramboi · 08-11-2006, 02:07 PM

Danny Elfman, Ennio Morricone, and of course Spinal Tap.

Stoofa · 08-11-2006, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SakSquash

What'd he do?

King of Spaghetti Western film scores.

I vote for Henry Mancini!

Junkface · 08-11-2006, 08:52 PM

I'm shocked and appalled that noone's mentioned Bernard Herrmann or Elmer Bernstein yet. Morricone's great as well, even if his having something like 400 scores fills the completist in me with rage.

Tobbe · 08-11-2006, 10:10 PM

Ennio Moricone all the way!

Kolzig · 08-11-2006, 11:18 PM

Ennio Morricone, old scores by John Williams (these days he is just repeating his old work all the time), Danny Elfman and Howard Shore.

Once A Villain · 08-12-2006, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junkface

I'm shocked and appalled that noone's mentioned Bernard Herrmann or Elmer Bernstein yet. Morricone's great as well, even if his having something like 400 scores fills the completist in me with rage.

Herrmann was a genius, but since the topic was about our favorite film composer, I had to give Morricone a slight edge. But I believe Herrmann did some of the greatest film scores ever as well.

I would also add these composers (that I don't think have been mentioned yet) if it was a list of "favorites":

Sergei Prokofiev - The Battle on the Ice in Alexander Nevsky. Enough said.

Nino Rota - Composer for many Fellini films, and The Godfather films.

Joe Hisaishi - Composer for many Takeshi Kitano films (Fireworks, Sonatine, Kikujiro, etc.) and Hayao Miyazaki films (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Laputa, etc.).

Max Steiner - Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, The Searchers, the 1933 King Kong, Treasure of the Sierra Madre...need I say more?

Fumio Hayasaka - Seven Samurai, Ikiru, etc.

Miklos Rozsa - Quo Vadis, Ben-Hur, The Lost Weekend, Double Indemnity, The Thief of Bagdad, Spellbound, etc.

Maurice Jarre - Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Fatal Attraction, Witness, Dead Poets Society, etc.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold - The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk, Captain Blood, etc.

John Barry - The James Bond theme, Midnight Cowboy, The Black Hole, Out of Africa, Dances with Wolves, Body Heat, etc.

Peter Gabriel - For The Last Temptation of Christ score. Awesome stuff.

Basil Poledouris - Conan the Barbarian, The Hunt For Red October, etc.

Erwin_Br · 08-12-2006, 08:40 AM

James Horner, Danny Elfman, Carter Burwell, Mark Snow, and John Williams.

--Erwin

samIamsad · 08-12-2006, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kolzig

Ennio Morricone

Oh man, yeah. I'd go as far as to say that the composer of the Final Fantasy scores was influenced by some of Morricone's scores quite a bit. Like in a typical Morricone score, every character has its own damn catchy theme in these games. Works well.

Oh man, that theme from the Nobody movies with Terence Hill... ahh... You can't get it out of your head for days on end. *starts whistling*

08-11-2006, 10:10 AM	#1
KriD Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 541	What's your favourite film composer? For me, Ennio Morricone is at the top, with scores like Once upon a time in America, The Mission and Cinema Paradiso. Other composers I listen to a lot is Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Spirit, Crimson Tide) James Newton Howard (The Village, Unbreakable, The Rock) Klaus Badelt (Time Machine) and Howard Shore (LotR). What are your favourite composer, and what filmscores do you like? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Replaying: The Black Mirror Just finished: Day of the Tentacle, Broken Sword - Director's Cut To play: Black Mirror 2

08-11-2006, 10:12 AM	#2
Jatsie Lovable rogue Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Great Britain Posts: 6,378	John Williams. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ "Jatsie is amazing." - Jazhara "My mental image of Jat is a gentleman sitting in a leather armchair, wearing a robe. The light in the room is dim and strangely he's not sitting in front of a computer, but next to a small, round table with a box of cigars on." - Jelena Gay-Nerds.com Last edited by Jatsie; 08-11-2006 at 11:19 AM.

08-11-2006, 10:12 AM	#3
SakSquash Banned User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Paltz...for now... Posts: 6,177	Judas Priest. Share Share this post on Twitter

08-11-2006, 10:58 AM	#4
Lee in Limbo It's Hard To Be Humble Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,557	I have a genuine affection for soundtrack composers who came from the world of rock music: Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo) - his soundtracks do start to bleed into one periodically, but pushed by strong directors, he comes up with new and exciting ways to get his vision across. Trevor Rabin (Yes) - Some tend to lump him in the Hans Zimmer catagory, and he does tend to compose for action films and uses rock intrumentation to augment orchestral intrumentation, so that's an easy comparison. However, I've been following his music for ages, and his particular musical voice is distinct and fascinating to me. Tony Banks (Genesis) - Sadly, Tony has had very little opportunity to compose scores, and rarely with classical orchestration. However, the man's musical voice lives in my head, and when he stretches into instrumental passages, I'm right there in the side car with him. Stewart Copeland (Police) - And this guy has worked in both film and television, and writes some of the most intelligent, dynamic, unique soundtrack material on the planet. Another one I can't get out of my head. And finally, just because it fits in an odd sort of way... Michael Kamen (New York Rock and Roll Ensemble) - This guy has collaborated with and scored orchestral music for damned near every rock band in history, and most famously for Pink Floyd. He also composed scores for some of my most favourite films. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Lee Edward McImoyle, Author Smashwords eBooks

08-11-2006, 11:01 AM	#6
Anubis Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Finland Posts: 9	Being a Star Wars -fan, John Williams's scores to the six films have made a lasting impression. Other composers/scores I like are Howard Shore (LotR), Eric Serra (The Fifth Element), Alan Silvestri (The Mummy Returns) and Steve Jablonsky (The Island) Share Share this post on Twitter Last edited by Anubis; 08-11-2006 at 11:35 AM.

08-11-2006, 11:09 AM	#7
SakSquash Banned User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Paltz...for now... Posts: 6,177	Ew. You like Star Wars?! Share Share this post on Twitter

08-11-2006, 11:14 AM	#8
Once A Villain OUATIJ Creator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,640	Ennio Morricone for sure. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Ben Co-Founder Abborado Studios Lead Designer - Once Upon a Time in Japan: Earth

08-11-2006, 11:16 AM	#9
SakSquash Banned User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Paltz...for now... Posts: 6,177	What'd he do? Share Share this post on Twitter

08-11-2006, 11:31 AM	#10
RLacey The Thread™ will die. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 22,542	Much as I hate to admit it, I'm a Hans Zimmer fan. The best part of Hannibal (which I actually don't hate as a film) is the supremely eerie score. Superb stuff. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ RLacey \| Killer of the Thread™ I do not change to be perfect. Perfect changes to be me.

08-11-2006, 02:07 PM	#13
Tramboi Barroom hero Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Paris, France Posts: 525	Danny Elfman, Ennio Morricone, and of course Spinal Tap. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Where are they now?

08-11-2006, 08:52 PM	#15
Junkface Grah! Grah! Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	I'm shocked and appalled that noone's mentioned Bernard Herrmann or Elmer Bernstein yet. Morricone's great as well, even if his having something like 400 scores fills the completist in me with rage. Share Share this post on Twitter

08-11-2006, 10:10 PM	#16
Tobbe Living with my love Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Finland Posts: 1,453	Ennio Moricone all the way! Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ ''My names George. It means... Well, its just a name'' George Stobbart-Broken Sword

08-11-2006, 11:18 PM	#17
Kolzig The Reggienator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Vaasa, Finland Posts: 5,519	Ennio Morricone, old scores by John Williams (these days he is just repeating his old work all the time), Danny Elfman and Howard Shore. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ "The old standby, that never got old in the first place. We come back to them weekly, nightly, for hours at a time--and they always deliver. They are pure, timeless, and often taken for granted." - Nick Breckon - Shacknews My gamesale list updated 26.8.2007 Hey, dear people please buy my games, I need money to conquer Europe! Or do something similar.

08-12-2006, 08:40 AM	#19
Erwin_Br Under pressure. Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands Posts: 3,773	James Horner, Danny Elfman, Carter Burwell, Mark Snow, and John Williams. --Erwin Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ > Learn more about my forthcoming point & click adventure: Bad Timing! > Or... Visit Adventure Developers: Everything about developing adventure games.

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