AfI 100 years of Film Scores

[indy4 155]

I concur. 80 motifs, and still discovering thematic connections 50 listens in... I don't call that simplistic.

And even if it was too simplistic, Jaws and Psycho, 2 scores that are listed, are only listed BECAUSE of their simplicity. Simplicity is not a bad thing, and LOTR is NOT simplistic.

[Romão 2,274]

The shower scene is a simple aproach, but there's nothing simple about the score, only the essemble.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I think people confuse mechanical complexity with real complexity far too much.

[indy4 155]

The shower scene is a simple aproach, but there's nothing simple about the score, only the essemble.

The shower scene (and all the murder scenes) are what the score is known for. It's the only iconic bit noticable by the general public. While I admit the rest of the score is fantastic, and not simple at all, I think the reason AFI picked Psycho was because of the shower scene. It all comes down to what part of the score they were listening to: the most well known part, or the majority of the score.

[Romão 2,274]

The storm sequence is probably the most effective sequence in the movie, and I would say, although not as iconic, it still is pretty well known.

[indy4 155]

The storm sequence is probably the most effective sequence in the movie, and I would say, although not as iconic, it still is pretty well known.

True...I guess it really depends on what AFI was listening for. Still, the point I've been trying to prove is that simplicity isn't bad.

[Romão 2,274]

Not at all. Take Signs, for example, of the most masterful scores in recent years.

[Ollie 1,059]

How about a list of the top 25 film scores from the last 25 years? Leave the AFI to their precious golden age.

Just annoys me when people like that can't acknowledge that some outstanding music was written in the last quarter-century.

Show me great film music from the last 10-15 years not written by John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith that deserves to be top 25. (And not counting LOTR).

I can think of top 75 but nothing that really says top 25.

[indy4 155]

How about a list of the top 25 film scores from the last 25 years? Leave the AFI to their precious golden age.

Just annoys me when people like that can't acknowledge that some outstanding music was written in the last quarter-century.

Show me great film music from the last 10-15 years not written by John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith that deserves to be top 25. (And not counting LOTR).

I can think of top 75 but nothing that really says top 25.

You'll all probably hate me for this, but I don't think Zimmer's Lion King was so bad, and while I don't think it belongs in top 25, I still think it's a close call.

[Richard Penna 3,669]

I'd personally say American Beauty and the Shawshank Redemption are pretty defining scores.

[Romão 2,274]

No way, not in a top 25.

[Ollie 1,059]

Not top 25.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Apollo 13, The Nightmare Before Christmas.

[indy4 155]

Apollo 13, The Nightmare Before Christmas.

I agree with Nightmare Before Christmas. Home Alone and Hook could've been on that list.

EDIT: Forgot no JW was allowed. Sorry.

[Qui-Don-Jinn 0]

Just wanted to say that this is the same list from last year, so they haven't updated it.

[Morlock 11]

Show me great film music from the last 10-15 years not written by John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith that deserves to be top 25. (And not counting LOTR).

Road to Perdition and Signs.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Former BLECH! Latter...top 100 but not 25.

[Morlock 11]

Well, they're both as good as anything else from the past 10-15 year.

Morlock- who thinks there's a serious problem with anyone who uses BLECH to describe anything by Thomas Newman. It might be good, it might be bad, but it is never BLECH.

[Ollie 1,059]

Signs is overated, aa good score but hardly great, unless channeling Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith counts.

I will admit Thomas Newman's scores do not translate well to CDs compared to how they sound in the film.

[Morlock 11]

Channelling Goldsmith and Herrmann? That's oversimplifying it (and film music as a whole).

And Thomas Newman...I have a hard time separating between his scores in the film and on the albums. Road to Perdition is about as prominant a role as a score has ever been given in a film, and it works so beautifully in the film, that I get the same thing from the album. The man's got a sound that is 100% his own, and a command of melody and orchestration with the best of them. I am in awe of Newman, he is one the film composers that make me proud to be a film score fan. I always get the sense of an artist at work.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I only like Shawshank Redemption by him.

[Morlock 11]

Great. Have fun with it. It's a good score.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Great score actually.

The rest of his scores tend to escape me, usually having one or two good (sometimes superb) tracks and then ZZZZzzzZZZZ.

His, don't remember the track title, "Letter" (I butchered it) or something from Lemony Snicket is a 15/10 rating piece.

[Morlock 11]

Lemony Snicket is a bit too eclectic for my tastes...but it does have some very good tracks. I wish Oscar and Lucinda was more widespread...that theme is beautiful and awe-inspiring. I wish more people would hear it.

[indy4 155]

Great score actually.

The rest of his scores tend to escape me, usually having one or two good (sometimes superb) tracks and then ZZZZzzzZZZZ.

His, don't remember the track title, "Letter" (I butchered it) or something from Lemony Snicket is a 15/10 rating piece.

The Letter That Never Came??

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I thought the LOTR music was too damn simplistic for such a complex film. I certainly don't think it should be on any list of great scores. The so-called atmospheric music tended to be long held chords with a lot of reverb. The melodies were all 5-finger tunes that any beginner could bash out on the piano. The pseudo-Irish crap that was supposed to represent Hobbiton was just irritating and seemed to be riding on the success of the Titanic score. Hobbiton would have been better represented by a more English style of folk music. The music was distracting and drew me out of the film.

Amen to that!!

[Morlock 11]

Amen to that!!

Religious talk is forbidden on this board. And when bashing the music from LoTR, you are attacking the belief system of several prominant board members. Commit your hate crimes elsewhere!!!

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

A list without Lord of the Rings is no list at all.

Amen to that!

So in principle , when defending LOTR , amen is ok?

[indy4 155]

A list without Lord of the Rings is no list at all.

Amen to that!

So in principle , when defending LOTR , amen is ok?

Yes. That was a stupid question.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Ok ok I admit I like the theme that plays at the very beginning of each LOTR film. I believe it's called the "History" motive. I know a lot of you seem to love these scores, but I was honestly very disappointed with the music. I'm obviously in the minority, but hey, different strokes and all that.

I completely agree with the comments above about Psycho. A truly incredible score. The driving/storm scene is a brilliant example of how music completely controls the emotion behind the images onscreen.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Ok ok I admit I like the theme that plays at the very beginning of each LOTR film. I believe it's called the "History" motive. I know a lot of you seem to love these scores, but I was honestly very disappointed with the music. I'm obviously in the minority, but hey, different strokes and all that.

I've never been a fan of the LotR scores either....I appreciate the painstaking effort Shore put into them, but the music just doesn't do much for me.

Ray Barnsbury

[John Crichton 4]

I enjoy them (some parts much more than others) but an all-time top 25 placement would be a bit much IMO.