Oscar-winning scores SHOWDOWN!

[Trumpeteer 302]

It would be too easy to ask what was the best Oscar-winning score of the past 35 years.

So I'm asking you to think of the worst score from 1971-2005. I do not mean the score that was not deserving of the Oscar, as most of you will inevitably pick a score that beat a John Williams score. But I want you to try to be objective and pick the score based on its merits (or lack thereof), not the fact that it won an Oscar.

For example, if you think "Chariots of Fire" is a good score, do not vote for it simply because it beat "Raiders of the Lost Ark" for the Oscar. And don't vote for a score you haven't fully heard or go on the general consensus that a particular score is bad. If you're not sure about a score, don't vote for it.

There are two polls above (I'm only allowed 20 choices per poll). Vote in each of them. The highest vote-getters in each category will square off Monday (the score from 1971-1985 against the score from 1986-2005).

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

71-87 Fame . No need to explain...

88-05 Beauty and the Beast - or some other Menken score-I hate them.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

A Little Romance and The English Patient.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I went with Godfather 2, its nothing but a complete rehash of the Godfather, which is a great score, but it was a terrible choice for Oscar, The Towering Inferno was so far more deserving. It was easy to say Fame, or Midnight Express, both bad choices as well, but they at least were original scores.

The 2nd half was much more difficult. Finding Neverland is a pretty score, but it really was not on par with the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is maybe John's last truly great score.

79's a Little Romance was a very pretty score from what I remember, I had it on record, but its been so long since Ive heard it. It was worthy of Oscar had there been no Star Trek, I don't know perhaps JG cancelled himself out, but its a shame that when looking back that Star Trek the Motion Picture did not win for Best Original Score.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

A Little Romance did nothing, absolutely nothing for me.

[Red 75]

71-87 Fame . No need to explain...

88-05 Beauty and the Beast - or some other Menken score-I hate them.

These are my choices. I don't hate Menken's scores, in fact, I find many of them to be brilliant. But that year had better scores than Beauty.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

If Menken's work is so brilliant, why isn't he scoring anything these days?

He was a hype, nothing more.

[Red 75]

If Goldsmith's work is so brilliant, why isn't he scoring anything these days?

...

I'm sorry.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You...are trying to be funny?

Never insult Jerry's memory and legacy on a John Williams fan forum!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

If Goldsmith's work is so brilliant, why isn't he scoring anything these days?

...

I'm sorry.

thats funny right there

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Beauty and the Beast is a far better score than Brokeback Mountain, as are the rest of Menken's scores.

Ray Barnsbury

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Beauty and the Beast is a far better score than Brokeback Mountain, as are the rest of Menken's scores.

Ray Barnsbury

Yes it is ! I didn't scroll down enough and I missed Brokeback. My bad.

[robthehand 3]

I went with Godfather 2, its nothing but a complete rehash of the Godfather,

It actually has quite a few new themes.

- Rob, who voted Chariots of Fire and Brokeback Mountain

[Morlock 11]

I went with Godfather 2, its nothing but a complete rehash of the Godfather,

Not at all true. One of the scores deserved an oscar. Of the first bunch it is easily 'Round Midnight. The Second one is harder. I personally don't like Grusin efforts at all, nor Piovani's, and I'm not Santaollalla fan.

[futuremartymcfly 0]

I'm going to have to say Chariots of Fire and Brokeback Mountain. Now... who's the comedian that chose Schindler's List and Star Wars?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I can see a vote for Schindler's List because it wasn't even the best Williams score of that year.

[Josh500 1,615]

I'm going to have to say Chariots of Fire and Brokeback Mountain.

Hey, I voted exactly the same, what a coincidence!

Well, to be honest, Chariots is not that bad, I guess, although it's no match for Raiders. But Brokeback Mountain . . . that's a whole different kettle of fish. It's not just bad -- it's garbage.

[futuremartymcfly 0]

I can see a vote for Schindler's List because it wasn't even the best Williams score of that year.

But the difference between Schindler's List and Jurassic Park is nothing compared to the differences between Brokeback Mountain and the rest of the nominations, or even Finding Neverland and The Village.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

JoeinAr has an unreasonable hatred against Schindlers List, both the film and score.

I blame the nuns that raised him......

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I don't hate either the film or the score, both are very good, but Jurassic Park is a better score too me.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,070]

Even if you despise Chariots of Fire...it was groundbreaking, and it ushered in a new era of Hollywood. The word "synth" entered Hollywood's musical vocabulary because of that score. All the synth integeration you see in the 80's...from Williams to Goldsmith to Barry and on, is because directors were asking for something like Chariots of Fire. It opened the door for smaller filmmakers by giving them a chance at original scores without the massive money.

On that basis alone, Chariots of Fire is a worthy winner, nevermind that it indeed worked in the film.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Actually, that is a load of rubbish if ever I heard one.

Your argument is one made decades later, looking back at it. That's not what the oscars are about.

[Ollie 1,064]

I voted for Fame & Brokeback. Midnight Express and Il Postino would be my next two choices.

I'll give Menken credit for writing great songs but I found his underscores generic.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Even if you despise Chariots of Fire...it was groundbreaking, and it ushered in a new era of Hollywood. The word "synth" entered Hollywood's musical vocabulary because of that score. All the synth integeration you see in the 80's...from Williams to Goldsmith to Barry and on, is because directors were asking for something like Chariots of Fire. It opened the door for smaller filmmakers by giving them a chance at original scores without the massive money.

On that basis alone, Chariots of Fire is a worthy winner, nevermind that it indeed worked in the film.

did you vomit that, because thats what it is.

[Morlock 11]

Regarding Chariots, I can't stand the film -I think it is another Rocky case, where the Acadamy chose an underdog for the heck of it, when it was flaked by ridiculesly better movies- but I think the score is pretty magical in it. Raiders is more deserving, but Vangelis did a fine job.

I can see a vote for Schindler's List because it wasn't even the best Williams score of that year.

But the difference between Schindler's List and Jurassic Park is nothing compared to the differences between Brokeback Mountain and the rest of the nominations, or even Finding Neverland and The Village.

Trouble is, both Brokeback Mountain and Finding Neverland were excellent scores, perfect for the films. I may not like the music all that much (the former because of the annoying guitar sound and a theme that reminds me of Apollo 13, the latter because it is so sweet I feel like I'm one step closer to Diabetes after listening to 2 minutes of it), but they worked in the film, which is really the only way a film score needs to work. That's not to say I would vote for either of them, but nto because they are bad film scores. I felt that the composers of The Village, PoA, The Passion, Munich, Geisha and Pride and Prejudice had a far greater challenge and rose to the occasion more impressively than Kaczmareck and Santollalla did. Similar thing this year. Babel's music worked in the film. But aside from the fact that it should be illegible, concidering all the previous music used, no film I've seen this year was more helped by it's score than The Queen, where it's just whole other class of film scoring. An inspired piece of film scoring.

[Ollie 1,064]

Actually Finding Neverland would have been one of my choices as well, I found it to be very bland.

[Morlock 11]

I actually like a lot of it, when I'm not listening to it. Than I listen to it, and throw up from all the sugar.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,070]

Actually, that is a load of rubbish if ever I heard one.

Your argument is one made decades later, looking back at it. That's not what the oscars are about.

Bet you most of the numbskulls around here are voting on which of the scores sounds worst to their ears on album anyway.  That's not what the oscars are about either.

And like I said, the score works excellently in the movie.  

did you vomit that, because thats what it is.

You're free to go back and check history.

You will find that the lyrical use of synthesizers begins with Chariots of the Fire.  Prior to that score, synths were being used as nothing more than eerie sound effects for Sci-fi films.   

If 1977's Star Wars brought back the orchestra, 1981's Chariots of Fire brought synths as we know it today to Hollywood. Ask any composer, producer, or director.

[Dole 17]

There are so many worthy choices for least worthy...

A Little Romance wouldn't even be eligible today because so much of the score is based on Vivaldi.

The wins for Fame and Midnight Express make me want to

I think Frida was the least worthy score for 2002 (LOTR wasn't even nominated that year!). Isn't a lot of Frida's score non-Goldenthal Mexican folk music or something?

I think Menken is a fine composer, although his best score is one that didn't win; The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Andthe win for Brokeback Mountain is far from the worst injustice ever done in the Best Score category. I think the music works well in the film. When you stop to consider that scores like North by Northwest, Vertigo, Batman, Psycho, Ran, Hook, Edward Scissorhands, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Topkapi, Star Trek II, Conan the Barbarian, Koyaanisqatsi, The Godfather, and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly weren't even nominated...well...the Oscars don't get it right even half the time in this category.

Dole's $0.02

[Red 75]

I concur.

[Morlock 11]

A Little Romance wouldn't even be eligible today because so much of the score is based on Vivaldi.

But at least what Delerue did write was lovely. And he was one of the best film composers ever.

The wins for Fame and Midnight Express make me want to

The latter, certainly. Terrible score. And 1978 was such a marvelous year. And with Gore- his score was negligable, but at least the songs were his. Unlike Anne Dudley or Herbire Hancock, who won for movies where the only noticable music was pre-existing.

I think Frida was the least worthy score for 2002 (LOTR wasn't even nominated that year!). Isn't a lot of Frida's score non-Goldenthal Mexican folk music or something?

A lot of it, but Goldenthal still had some good music in there. But I do agree that it was one of the least deserving of the good film scores that year. I mean, that year The Road To Perdition, Catch Me If You Can, and Far From Heaven were nominated.

I think Menken is a fine composer, although his best score is one that didn't win; The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I'm 100% with you there. Hunchback is by far my favorite score of his.

[Red 75]

I also think that Hunchback is Menken's best.

Andthe win for Brokeback Mountain is far from the worst injustice ever done in the Best Score category. I think the music works well in the film. When you stop to consider that scores like North by Northwest, Vertigo, Batman, Psycho, Ran, Hook, Edward Scissorhands, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Topkapi, Star Trek II, Conan the Barbarian, Koyaanisqatsi, The Godfather, and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly weren't even nominated...well...the Oscars don't get it right even half the time in this category.

That made me angry.

[Dole 17]

A Little Romance wouldn't even be eligible today because so much of the score is based on Vivaldi.

But at least what Delerue did write was lovely. And he was one of the best film composers ever.

I agree with you. I'm glad Delerue got an Oscar before he died, but there's no way he deserved it in 1979 over Goldsmith's Star Trek. But again, I guess it doesn't matter much. Herrmann and Goldsmith only ever won one Oscar but at the end of the day who really cares. They'll both go down as two of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

[Morlock 11]

Film composers. Always film composers.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,070]

Genre lines fade with time, music becomes music, and the greatest survive.

[Dole 17]

Film composers. Always film composers.

Right...well I wish we'd get away from that. The fact that John Williams is some sort of inferior/subclass composer because he writes film music instead of operas and symphonies is ridiculous. Film composers have done some more inventive music than many of the "classical" composers of the last century. And even the "classical" composers like L. Bernstein, Copland, and Prokoviev couldn't resist doing at least one film score. If Mozart, Beethoven, and Wagner were alive today, they'd all be composing film scores and music critcs would lambast their work as well. I mean, Bernstein's score for On the Waterfront has to be one of the best things he ever did, much better than his classical "Requiem" piece.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,070]

Film composers have done some more inventive music than many of the "classical" composers of the last century.

That is very true.

[Morlock 11]

Genre lines fade with time, music becomes music, and the greatest survive.

Unfortunately, no. No they don't.

[King Mark 3,631]

Fame and Brokeback Mountain

[Ollie 1,064]

Film composers. Always film composers.

I think of them as compsers, they just happen to use their talent in films.

[Morlock 11]

You and very few other people who form public opinion (myself included).

[Trumpeteer 302]

I think a lot of you are following the guidelines of the poll, but many of you are not. Remember to not vote based on whether the score deserved the Oscar or not, but if the score is actually good. It quite all right to discuss its worthiness of an Oscar, but don't let that rule your vote.

Who am I kidding? The Oscar voters don't vote that way. Hell, they gave Rachel Portman on Oscar instead of giving it to Alan Menken for "Hunchback" because they probably didn't think he deserved to have nine Oscars.

And I love "Hunchback."

Dear Jeff,

I really appreciate you taking the time out to write me such a nice, thoughtful letter.

I, too, felt pretty cheated at this year's Academy Awards. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" was one of the greatest experiences of my career and responses like your validate that for me.

Stephen Schwartz and I are now adapting our animated film score for the Broadway stage (via Berlin). With any luck the world will take more notice this time!

Best wishes,

Alan Menken

(Sept. 10, 1997)

I guess he's not bringing it to Broadway. Right now, he's bringing "The Little Mermaid" to Broadway, adding a few new songs. (To answer the question of why he hasn't been writing new musicals).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I, too, felt pretty cheated at this year's Academy Awards. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"

What an unsporty whining turd!

He's got more Oscars then people like Goldsmith, Herrmann, North, Silvestri, Poledouris. You know, composers who's ouvre ranged beyong a few cartoon musicals.

He's worse then bloody Horner!

Fucktwat!

And Portman's Emma is fine!

[Dole 17]

What an unsporty whining turd!

I think my favorite bit of Oscar unsportsmanship is when writer/director Billy Wilder reportedly tried to trip the director of Going My Way on his way to the podium after the film shut out Wilder's Double Indemnity in every category. I think more people would watch the Oscars if this was an annual occurence. How about John Williams bodyslamming Michael Gore when Fame is announced instead of The Empire Strikes Back?

[AI 0]

The Right Stuff, simply because it's such an obvious 'rip-off' of The Planets. I'm sure Conti was bullied into doing that though, I like some of his other scores, but TRS is the worst in so far as it is almost completely unoriginal. Thusly my vote.

The Milagro Beanfield War is my 2nd vote. Just a very scanty score, and it did win against much better competition.

[Neimoidian 14]

I wish I had heard wall these scores. Unfortunatelly I haven't. Thus, I do not find myself eligible to vote.

Nevertheless it is typical of Academy to pick a score that isn't worthy. While most of the awarded scores are good anyway, Academy often misses the really best one. The are not 'professional' film scores enthusiasts, they often don't use musical criterion when they choose scores. Of course, they rise to the occasion sometimes, but it is not general rule. "Brockeback Mountain" worked great in the movie, but wasn't the best of '05 nominees (on the contrary, as a matter of fact). I was extremely proud that Kaczmarek won for "Finding Neverland" (not only was it very fine music (though much too sweet for my taste), but also the composer was my compatriot ), however, if I had had to pick my favourite of 2004, it would have been "The Village" (sorry John W. ).

This year I opt for "Pan's Labirynth". If it doesn't win, I will be very unhappy (again).

[Morlock 11]

Well, Babel has been getting the most word of mouth. It's probably the favorite. But Desplat has a good shot at it as well. Navarette probably comes third. It is possible, however, that all the exotic names will cancel each other out, leaving Newman or Glass. In that case, Newman has a shot. But my money is on Santaollalla or Desplat, one of whom sorely deserves it, while the other does not by any stretch of imagination.

[futuremartymcfly 0]

Well, Babel has been getting the most word of mouth. It's probably the favorite. But Desplat has a good shot at it as well. Navarette probably comes third. It is possible, however, that all the exotic names will cancel each other out, leaving Newman or Glass. In that case, Newman has a shot. But my money is on Santaollalla or Desplat, one of whom sorely deserves it, while the other does not by any stretch of imagination.

Desplat's saving grace is the fact that he was nominated for only one score, otherwise Santaollala would have won just as he did last year.

[QMM 4]

It's sad that Portman won't be recognized in the Memorial segment tonight, but Basil will be.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Portman, Rachel? As in, you mean Shirley Walker and got the names mixed up, or do you mean someone else Portman?