metaphor123

There has always been a special place in my heart for The Sound of Music. However, I must agree with Ender and state that 'Who Will Buy?' from Oliver! is a virtuoso piece, where the spectacle of the choreography is only surpassed by the soaring harmonies and counter-melodies. 'Food, Glorious Food' 'You Can Go (But be Back Soon)' 'Consider Yourself' 'Boy for Sale' and 'Oom-Pah-Pah' are certainly no slouches either! Oliver!'s only failing (to me) is the insipid, yet incomprehensibly popular, Nancy solo 'As Long as he Needs Me', which I never fail to skip when I'm watching the film. The super-effete vocals on 'Where is Love' does not win it any points, either (the singing voice of the Oliver character was dubbed by a girl). I am still eagerly anticipating a musical version of 'The Planet of the Apes' which was so brilliantly realised in an episode of 'The Simpsons', that even in its cartoon-snippet format, is already better than some musicals.

In no particular order, I present my list. Williams makes appearances in three of the twelve slots - more than any other composer (in fact, no other composer appears more than once). Williams has some competition for the top spot, though, as my favourite score of all time is really only my favourite score of all time temporarily - The Ten Commandments, Edward Scissorhands, Flowers in the Attic, Superman and The Boy Who Could Fly have all been my favourite at some point. The Ten Commandments - Elmer Bernstein The Boy Who Could Fly - Bruce Broughton Flowers in the Attic - Christopher Young Superman - John Williams E.T. - John Williams Jurassic Park - John Williams Edward Scissorhands - Danny Elfman Suspiria - Goblin Signs - James Newton Howard Gone With the Wind - Max Steiner The Bride of Frankenstein - Franz Waxman Koyaanisqaatsi - Philip Glass

There are many ways music can fall in and out of my favour, and it would be almost impossible to tell how much of it is due to how 'good' the music is. I am a psychologist, so individual differences in reaction to music interest me, as well as my own interests changing over time. Some music I can like immediately and can continue liking from the start. For example, I loved Across the Stars the very first time I heard it, and my appreciation has never lessened. Ditto for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I think it is clear that these tracks/scores probably are very good (although as has been pointed out previously, some of this might be unrelated to the music itself, but with secondary associations. For example, I love Bruce Broughton's The Boy Who Could Fly, but I don't know how much of it is how good the music is and how much is that I grew up with the film and love it very much.) The flipside is music you like immediately, but upon subsequent listens, it does not seem that spectacular. I can't think of any specific examples, but I feel that this has happened to me in the past. Of course, there are the other tracks/scores that don't do much for you on the first few listens, but then you start liking more and more, and end up really liking (they are 'growers' not 'showers' - for me, Artificial Intelligence and Shore's The Two Towers fit in this category). There is a much-replicated effect in psychology called the mere exposure effect: people like things the more familiar they are, and this obviously has nothing to do with the quality of the piece. Did my appreciation for these two scores come about because I listened to them over and over, and wanted very much to like them? Does the fact that I was willing to give the scores several listens before considering dumping them also imply something about the quality? Or am I deluding myself - is it that these really aren't as good as I think they are, but having heard them so much, I have simply started to like them? How strong can the mere exposure effect get? I think it is dependent on how much control you have over listening to the music in question. I own several JW albums that I almost never play - Minority Report, Sabrina, Seven Years in Tibet (even though I like the theme), Lost World. I suspect that if I gave them a chance (at least ten listens) I would probably like them all, but nothing is motivating me to do that. Many people praise Elfman's Spider-Man and the sequel, but I can't for the life of me see why. What are these people hearing that I'm not? Do they think these are anywhere near the quality of Batman Returns or Edward Scissorhands? Is it because they want to like it so much? What? I like the Spider-Man films, but I can't remember any themes from them seconds after I've heard them. There are. of course, themes I've heard so many times they no longer have the power to enthrall me (this happens no matter HOW great the music is), but I am fully cognizant of how bloody good they are. For example, the Superman March I believe to be one of William's best tracks ever, and I love it to death, but I don't get the same high I used to from listening to it. If I were to leave it unheard for several years, I could probably recapture that feeling.

I've not looked at this thread until now, but I must say I've greatly enjoyed all the themes contributed to this competition, but I adore Hermione's Crush, what a fantastic melody! Notwithstanding Williams' prowess at symphonic arrangement and complementing (or even propping up) onscreen visuals, I feel his greatest strength is his gift of melody - and in that respect more than any other, Hermione's Crush feels like a Williams piece. Next time a competition such as this comes up, I can't wait to hear what comes on offer.

Superman is my favourite score from my favourite composer. I stop short at calling it my favourite score ever, because I think Across the Stars trumps Can You Read My Mind as a love theme.

I've only listened to it once, but 'A Window to the Past' is absolutely outstanding. 'Double Trouble' 'Buckbeak's Flight' and 'Aunt Marge's Waltz' were also incredible. My favourite Potter theme is still 'Hedwig's Theme' but this album is better than PS and CoS.

Since concert versions and re-arrangements are allowed: Prelude and Main Title March - Superman Across the Stars - Attack of the Clones Parade of the Slave Children - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Theme from Schindler's List - Schindler's List Welcome to Jurassic Park - Jurassic Park Escape/Chase/Saying Goodbye - E.T. The Extra Terrestrial Throne Room/End Title - Star Wars Harry's Wondrous World - Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone Fawkes the Phoenix - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Duel of the Fates - The Phantom Menace

For me, the Hannibal score is clearly the best of the three, but then Zimmer had a grander palette to work with. I didn't think much of Shore's score for many years, but in the past few months have really begun to appreciate it. I can't say much for Elfman's take on the story. Its better, I think, than his 'effort' for Spider-Man, but how hard could that be?

I wouldn't replace JW in a second, but if I were to do it, I would want James Newton Howard on the job (for all the reasons already offered). Christopher Young would also be fantastic. I have been listening to his beautiful score for 'The Tower' and have long been a fan of his gothically-inspired work (Flowers in the Attic and Hellraiser II are superlative).

I absolutely love M Night Shyamalan. I thought 'The Sixth Sense' is truly chilling and superlative, 'Unbreakable' is good and 'Signs' is a show-stopping masterpiece. RE: Keyser Soze - I've not seen 'The Usual Suspects' but I am aware that it was a popular film with a famous ending. However, I'd be restrained with how much I attribute to it (or with any film made after the 1950s) with regards to twist endings. Almost all of them owe a large debt of gratitude to Rod Serling and 'The Twilight Zone', and before that, pulp sci-fi comics from the 40s and 50s. Rod was also responsible for the twist ending of 'Planet of the Apes'. I think a lot of people get high and mighty about 'seeing it coming', as if that somehow makes them better than the people who didn't see it coming, or the director, or whoever. I think any movie that is known to have a twist ending - especially with the Internet so widespread - is now in a compromised position. But Shyamalan doesn't live in a void, he knows that people expect a twist ending and he can play the audience to his advantage. Whether 'Signs' had a twist is debatable but almost irrelevant: the ending resolved the film perfectly, and is the only ending imaginable. I very much look forward to 'The Village' and James Newton Howard's score. The score for 'Signs' was criminally neglected in 2002. Perhaps the situation will be rectified.

Well....I personally thought Jurassic Park III was much, much better than The Lost World....both Spielberg and Williams missed the boat on that one. I generally stop the film about half way through because its so boring. Jurassic Park III isn't quite the spectacular film that the first is, but the film and the score are so much better than The Lost World.

How so? i loved all of the themes from the Score album, and the ones not in the score album. Batman, as always, is very good, as is BR. danny elfman is so far the best overall composer for SH films, but JW's Superman was also excellent. Eflman's Spider-Man failed to engage me at all. Batman Returns and Edward Scissorhands are two of my favourite scores of all time, but I guess there is nowhere to go but downhill after that. I can't remember the themes from Spider-Man moments after I've heard them.

I love Danny Elfman's scores to Batman and Batman Returns but frankly everything he has done recently has failed to interest me. The score for Spider-Man was a massive disappointment (and I've not seen or heard Hulk so I can't comment on that). The only comic book adaptation I'm looking forward to (indeed, salivating over) is the forever-in-limbo new Superman project. Of course, only John Williams could possibly score.

Well, uh, I have to be frank here. Matrix: Reloaded was pretty awful. I thought the first movie was OK, but this one was boring, pretentious and disjointed. And the score! I laughed out loud at some points. Not a good thing unless the score is meant to be a parody. Needless to say, I'm looking forward far more to The Return of the King.

I would DEFINITELY say the Harry Potter scores. I've been alternating PS and CoS every night for the past week in my CD player, and have been truly appreciating 'Fawkes the Phoenix' more and more. I don't know whether I like it as much as 'Hedwig's Theme', but it is so exquisitely constructed, and such a perfect compliment to the HP universe that its a moot point. TMP and AOTC I find less interesting to listen to (its been months since I've listened to either one) although there are certainly strong points on both albums. I hooked a friend of mine onto 'Across the Stars'. He does not listen to score music but he said 'Across the Stars' was brilliant AND it sounded like Star Wars music. He recognised that Williams had bridged material between films to make the films a holistic experience.