John 2,032 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Thought some here would find this interesting. Here are John Powell’s top 100 film scores of all time, per his Facebook: Quote My Top 100 Film Scores [as of 2008] 🤓 I’d say ‘discuss’ but that’s a bit redundant 🙂 A playlist from some of these films’s popular tracks is available on here: https://spoti.fi/2TXFMf4 1. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) - Elmer Bernstein 2. Goldfinger (1964) - John Barry 3. The Great Escape (1963) - Elmer Bernstein 4. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) - Alan Silvestri 5. Star Wars (1977) - John Williams 6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) - Jerry Goldsmith 7. The Pink Panther (1963) - Henry Mancini 8. Little Women (1994) - Thomas Newman 9. Much Ado About Nutting (1993 - Short) - Carl Stalling 10. All the President’s Men (1976) - David Shire 11. Finding Nemo (2003) - Thomas Newman 12. 633 Squadron (1964) - Ron Goodwin 13. Jaws (1975) - John Williams 14. Batman (1989) - Danny Elfman 15. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - John Williams 16. Predator (1987) - Alan Silvestri 17. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) - John Williams 18. Punch-Drunk Love (2002) - Jon Brion 19. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) - Ernest Gold 20. Mission: Impossible (1996) - Danny Elfman 21. Michael Collins (1996) - Elliott Goldenthal 22. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - Danny Elfman 23. Alien (1979) - Jerry Goldsmith 24. Queen Margot (1994) - Goran Bregovic 25. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - John Williams 26. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Thomas Newman 27. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966) - Maestro Ennio Morricone 28. Taras Bulba (1962) - Franz Waxman 29. Back To the Future (1985) - Alan Silvestri 30. The Fifth Element (1997) - Eric Serra 31. Beetlejuice (1988) - Danny Elfman 32. Our Town (1940) - Aaron Copland 33. Once Upon A Time in America (1984) - Ennio Morricone 34. Koyaanisqatsi (1982) - Philip Glass 35. Scott of the Antarctic (1948) - Ralph Vaughan-Williams 36. Planet of the Apes (1968) - Jerry Goldsmith 37. Thin Red Line (1998) - Hans Zimmer 38. Fargo (1996)- Carter Burwell 39. The Lion King (1994) - Hans Zimmer 40. Last Temptation of Christ (1988) - Peter Gabriel 41. Jurassic Park (1993) - John Williams 42. Toy Story (1995) - Randy Newman 43. The Magnificent Seven (1960) - Elmer Bernstein 44. Babe (1995)– Nigel Westlake / Camille Saint-Saens 45. On The Waterfront (1954) - Leonard Bernstein 46. Exodus (1960) - Ernest Gold 47. North By Northwest (1959) - Bernard Herrmann 48. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) - Ennio Morricone 49. The Mission (1986) - Ennio Morricone 50. The Godfather (1972) - Nino Rota 51. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) - Ryuichi Sakamoto 52. Captain Blood (1935) - Erich Wolfgang Korngold 53. The Player (1992) - Thomas Newman 54. Bullitt (1968) - Lalo Schifrin 55. The Sea Hawk (1940) - Erich Wolfgang Korngold 56. Crimson Tide (1995) - Hans Zimmer 57. Psycho (1960) - Bernard Herrmann 58. Birth (2004) - Alexander Desplat 59. Bambi (1942) - Frank Churchill, Edward Plumb 60. Edward Scissorhands (1990)- Danny Elfman 61. Henry V (1944) -- William Walton 62. Henry V (1989) - Patrick Doyle 63. Things to Come (1936) - Arthur Bliss 64. An American Tail (1986) James Horner / Alexander Borodin 65. The Red Pony (1949) - Aaron Copland 66. From Russia With Love (1963) - John Barry 67. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) - Bernard Herrmann 68. Gladiator (2000) - Hans Zimmer 69. Get Shorty (1995) - John Lurie 70. The Natural (1984) - Randy Newman 71. The Producers (1967) - John Morris 72. Ransom (1996) - James Horner 73. Basic Instinct – Jerry Goldsmith 74. Men in Black (1997) - Danny Elfman 75. Talk to Her (2002) - Alberto Iglesias 76. Chariots of Fire (1981) - Vangelis 77. Se7en (1995) - Howard Shore 78. The Omen (1976) - Jerry Goldsmith 79. The Ice Storm (1997) - Mychael Danna 80. Capricorn One (1977) - Jerry Goldsmith 81. The Draughtsman's Contract (1982) - Michael Nyman 82. The Jungle Book (1967) - George Bruns 83. Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - John Barry 84. As Good as it Gets (1997) - Hans Zimmer 85. The Witches of Eastwick (1987) - John Williams 86. Run Lola Run (1998) - Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek , Tom Tykwer 87. The Untouchables (1987) - Ennio Morricone 88. On Dangerous Ground (1951) - Bernard Herrmann 89. Chinatown (1974) - Jerry Goldsmith 90. Witness (1985) - Maurice Jarre 91. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) - John Barry 92. Cool Hand Luke (1967) - Lalo Schifrin 93. Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Gustavo Santaolalla 94. Batman Forever (1995) - Elliott Goldenthal 95. Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) - Danny Elfman 96. Hatari! (1962) - Henry Mancini 97. Thief of Bagdad (1940) - Mikos Rosza 98. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992) - Angelo Badalementi 99. Thelma & Louis (1991) - Hans Zimmer 100. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) - Cy Lince Arpy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Stop this maddness. 100 is too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 It's a curious list in that it hiphop's between extremely idiosyncratic and boring fanboy choices but it makes sense as personal best-of list (on which things like The Draughtsman's Contract, Crimson Tide, The Player, Capricorn One, Queen Margot and Mosquito Squadron happily co-exist next to each other). The Illustrious Jerry and Not Mr. Big 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,345 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Surprised to see at least one horror score there! Powell never struck me as being much of a horror hound. Unlucky Bastard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artguy360 1,845 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Not enough John Williams on that list. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,602 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Fairly standard choices, most of them, but glad to see a handful of less common picks in there, like the Bregovic (his Kusturica scores are very hit/miss, but always appropriate for the wild universes he conjures up). I had hoped for a few more contemporary picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jurassic Shark 12,211 Posted April 3, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 3, 2019 Chicken Run is missing from the list - I guess Powell's just being modest. Yavar Moradi, Cerebral Cortex, The Illustrious Jerry and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bofur01 245 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Edit: was silly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo 3,709 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 633 Squadron and Michael Collins are cool additions (especially in his top 25) but the lack of Fellowship of the Ring makes me wonder who hurt him. crumbs, Arpy and TheUlyssesian 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John 2,032 Posted April 3, 2019 Author Share Posted April 3, 2019 Seeing Carter Burwell’s Fargo in the top 40 makes me very happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 There are hardly any sequels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,211 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 2 minutes ago, John said: Seeing Carter Burwell’s Fargo in the top 40 makes me very happy. The main theme is good, but the remainder of the score is quite boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John 2,032 Posted April 3, 2019 Author Share Posted April 3, 2019 I like it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loert 2,520 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 8 hours ago, Kasey Kockroach said: Surprised to see at least one horror score there! Powell never struck me as being much of a horror hound. He did write the score to a French animation short Les escarpins sauvages which I think does have horror in it. But yeah he seems to prefer scoring animations containing flower-smelling bulls... Kasey Kockroach 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,345 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 I recall him being asked in an interview (don’t recall which one) about whether he’d ever like to do a horror movie, and he felt he just doesn’t have that in him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,661 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Let me know when he's finished his Top 1000. 14 minutes ago, Kasey Kockroach said: I recall him being asked in an interview (don’t recall which one) about whether he’d ever like to do a horror movie, and he felt he just doesn’t have that in him. He's talked in several interviews about not wanting to do movies where the main point is violence, regretting some earlier movies, trying to talk Zimmer out of some movies, etc. I remember a very thorough discussion of it from him at one point, but here are a few glancing discussions. https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/john-powell/50304/john-powell-interview-scoring-bourne-hans-zimmer-faceoff-and-more https://www.npr.org/2016/07/30/487777654/in-the-sounds-of-jason-bournes-world-a-story-of-creation-and-loss https://www.royalalberthall.com/about-the-hall/news/2017/july/what-is-the-role-of-a-composer-is-telling-the-story-of-a-film-exclusive-q-and-a-with-screen-composer-john-powell/ Kasey Kockroach and Loert 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,677 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 I know it's a personal list, but I cannot sanction some of his choices. LITTLE WOMEN above JAWS? No LAWRENCE OF ARABIA?! What the hell is going on, here?! My god in heaven. Ps, it's THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, ejit. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,345 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Where's THE VAGRANT by Christopher Young!? mstrox 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 This looks like a fairly good list. A lot of these titles would probably end up on one of my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,602 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 4 hours ago, mstrox said: He's talked in several interviews about not wanting to do movies where the main point is violence, regretting some earlier movies, trying to talk Zimmer out of some movies, etc. I remember a very thorough discussion of it from him at one point, but here are a few glancing discussions. Yes, I know. That annoys me a little bit. I mean, he's free to prioritize as he wishes, but I find him the most interesting in live action format, for more 'serious' films. Enough with the kiddie animations already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted April 3, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 3, 2019 All these complaints of "boring fanboy choices", what's he supposed do to, pad the list with more obscure choices to prove how artsy and cultured he is? Loert, Kasey Kockroach, Arpy and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,211 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 He should have added CE3K. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,661 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 There's a Twin Peaks score on there, so he's clearly a learned man. Unlucky Bastard and Loert 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Ludwig 1,120 Posted April 4, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 4, 2019 Here's a quick summary of Powell's picks by decade (up to 2008, where the list ends: Interesting, though not really surprising, that his favourites really pick up steam in the 1960s, the decade he was born in. But what is surprising to me is how few there are from the 2000s. And if you're wondering which composer has the most scores on the list, it's a three-way tie (7 scores each): - Williams - Goldsmith - and Elfman Zimmer is a close second with 6, but with the list's bias towards the pre-2000s, the most recent Zimmer score is Gladiator. It is a bit curious, especially since Powell has worked at RCP and with Zimmer himself. On the face of it, it looks like Powell just likes older scores, and that may be all there is to it. But maybe the list is born more out of nostalgia, a kind of list of scores from the now-distant past that he's enjoyed the most. It would be cool to see an updated list of his top scores from 2000 onward. Maybe he'd still have only 7! John, The Illustrious Jerry and Falstaft 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 9 hours ago, dougie said: All these complaints of "boring fanboy choices", what's he supposed do to, pad the list with more obscure choices to prove how artsy and cultured he is? Preferably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oomoog the Ecstatic 314 Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 4/3/2019 at 8:34 AM, Richard said: I know it's a personal list, but I cannot sanction some of his choices. LITTLE WOMEN above JAWS? No LAWRENCE OF ARABIA?! What the hell is going on, here?! My god in heaven. Ps, it's THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, ejit. Yes, and where's Homeward Bound? Maybe this was a drunk post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,064 Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 Powell’s got great taste for the most part. Although when I originally read the thread title I thought it was a ranking of Powell’s scores. Didn’t think he’d scored that many films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Zimmer just did something similar by creating a Spotify playlist featuring 45 cues from his favorites scores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oomoog the Ecstatic 314 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 No Zimmer there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John 2,032 Posted April 6, 2019 Author Share Posted April 6, 2019 Only two Williams cues? Strange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 4 hours ago, Borodin said: No Zimmer there? On Powell's list? Did you read it? There are 6. On Zimmer's? Why would he cite his own work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,602 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Knox Harrington said: On Zimmer's? Why would he cite his own work? Ha, ha. Indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 No idea why that's funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheUlyssesian 2,478 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Most glaring omission is Gone With The Wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,652 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 4 minutes ago, Knox Harrington said: No idea why that's funny. And why did he put a comma between each "ha"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 1 hour ago, TheUlyssesian said: Most glaring omission is Gone With The Wind. It’s in Zimmer’s playlist... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,602 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Knox Harrington said: No idea why that's funny. Just the idea of a composer (whether Zimmer or someone else) listing his or her own work in a 'best of' list; I just found that funny. The only composer I can think of that would genuinely have done this, is Leonard Rosenman (rest his soul). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oomoog the Ecstatic 314 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 I don't see why people don't list some of their own as the best... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 3 hours ago, Borodin said: I don't see why people don't list some of their own as the best... Really? It’s egotistical and bad form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Neither I nor any other composer I know, and that's quite a few, would be remotely likely to feel as strongly about their own work as that of others. Even Williams, who may put on a more humble air in public than is genuine, probably earnestly has the same reservations about his work as the rest of us. One can know when one did a good job, but only the most narcissistic are likely to point a finger at their own work as something they really love on a list like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oomoog the Ecstatic 314 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 3 hours ago, Koray Savas said: Really? It’s egotistical and bad form. Gotta be one or the other! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. A. Ron 1,747 Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 2 hours ago, Borodin said: Gotta be one or the other! Because nothing has multiple characteristics ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aenae 41 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 I just discovered Powell's top 100 list now. I don't think it is a particularly good list. There is nothing by Alex North, Leonard Rosenman, Toru Takemitsu or Georges Delerue - all four of them are four of film music's most major and innovative voices. No Max Steiner either. All this while listing seven John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith and Danny Elfman scores and also six scores by Hans Zimmer. I am however pleased to see Goldenthal's Michael Collins on the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,048 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 I liked the subtle Horner jab. 😂 Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,593 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 23 minutes ago, Aenae said: There is nothing by Alex North, Leonard Rosenman, Toru Takemitsu or Georges Delerue - all four of them are four of film music's most major and innovative voices. Just for the sake of argument/discussion: I think innovative just means that they introduced new ideas. Does that necessarily have to mean that they are also the ones who perfected, expanded and used those ideas and elements and fused them with others on a "Top 100 scores" level? Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aenae 41 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 I also wrote most "major", not just innovative, obviously they have all written a number of splendid scores, some of which belong on a top 100 list certainly, otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned them. I honestly don't see how you can truly care about film music and leave them out. It is comparable to leaving off Bernard Herrmann. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,593 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 35 minutes ago, Aenae said: No Max Steiner or Miklós Rózsa either. On 4/3/2019 at 2:37 AM, John said: 97. Thief of Bagdad (1940) On 4/3/2019 at 2:37 AM, John said: - Mikos Rosza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aenae 41 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 Ops, Rózsa's name was misspelled that's why I missed that one. No Michel Legrand and some other important names either though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,211 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 Mikkos Rossla sounds kind of Finnish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumbs 14,364 Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 Prisoner of Azkaban at #25 is so awesome. The man has taste! Chewy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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