Jerry's Finest

[Maestro 147]

I claim nothing original or unique with this thread. I just want to know which Jerry Goldsmith score each person on this board considers his finest, and why.

With such a general, overasked type of question, this thread may crash and burn. But I would ideally like to amass a long list of scores that different people cherish, with the personal reasons that back up their choice.

I shall start.

Hoosiers.

What was once a score that irritated me due to its "dated" synthesizers is now the one Goldsmith score I can say, without any hesitation, that I adore from beginning to end. There might be themes or individual cues in other scores that I enjoy more. But this score is, as a whole, simply a masterpiece.

It is infectiously optimistic. It is dramatized to perfection. It is so poignant and beautiful, hopeful and victorious...it is the cure-all to a bad day.

Now let's hear those opinions!

[King Mark 3,631]

I hate that score

[Quintus 5,399]

I suspect ST:TMP will be the most popular score here, but I personally prefer Poltergeist, Total Recall and Supergirl, in that order. Those scores and movies mean more to me than a Star Trek flick.

[Greg1138 3]

I suspect ST:TMP will be the most popular score here, but I personally prefer Poltergeist, Total Recall and Supergirl, in that order. Those scores and movies mean more to me than a Star Trek flick.

Almost....but I think there is a point at which you have to recognise that the TMP score transcended the movie, and the main theme is one of the few that have entered the public consciousness to such a huge extent....admittedly this may have a lot to do with saturation too, but I don't think it would happen unless it were a damn good tune to begin with....

Fir that reason, I hold TMP to be the pinnacle, with Poltergeist a close second...Planet of the Apes, Supergirl and Total Recall all get honourable mentions...

[Trent B 337]

Star Trek The Motion Picture

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (despite it being a horrible film)

Star Trek First Contact (awesome collaboration between him and his son)

Star Trek Insurrection

Star Trek Nemesis (despite what Joe says)

Air Force One (another great collaboration between two composers)

The Mummy

Small Soldiers

Crap those are just to name a few of my personal favorites from him.

[scissorhands 16]

I can't name only one, it's hard to choose from such an extent and varied career. I'll pick 3 this time (although I have more favorites than only those 3):

Total Recall (or an evolved harmonic language for a perfected action writing of Goldsmith)

Studs Lonigan (or one of the most thrilling jazz scores of all time)

The Illustrated Man (or how from few resources -chamber ensemble- he can get the uttermost)

[davros72 1]

The Russia House. Such a beautiful, heartbreaking theme, gorgeously orchestrated. In particular, listen to track 7, "Bon Voyage." Starting with a piano statement, building and building up to full orchestra... gets me every time. Not a particularly successful film, but I just love Jerry's score. There's just something special about it, IMHO.

Also a fan of Matinee, another less-than-successful film (but I like it!) but another lovely score from Jerry.

After my two little personal favorites, it's ST:TMP, and both Gremlins films.

[David Coscina 3]

I would say most of his Franklin J Shaffner scores like:

Papillon

Islands in the Stream

Patton

Planet of the Apes

Boys from Brazil (much to the disbelief of some forum members here)

I also think First Blood is an exceptional action score. I actually prefer it to Williams' Raiders of the Lost Ark in terms of full out action cues. Tracks like "Over The Edge" still floor me. Great writing.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Hoosiers.

What was once a score that irritated me due to its "dated" synthesizers is now the one Goldsmith score I can say, without any hesitation, that I adore from beginning to end. There might be themes or individual cues in other scores that I enjoy more. But this score is, as a whole, simply a masterpiece.

It is infectiously optimistic. It is dramatized to perfection. It is so poignant and beautiful, hopeful and victorious...it is the cure-all to a bad day.

Some people can't get past the synths, but I'm a sucker for the score's bold emotionality. Goldsmith's heartland Americana reaches its romantic heights in the film's pastoral opening scenes. There's a passage I love in which, after a trumpet solo followed by a brief french horn bridge, the melody find its climactic statement in high strings and arpeggiated synth inflections -- quintessential Goldsmith.

[Lurker 5]

That's just one, of course. I could name tons more.

Neil

[Quintus 5,399]

The next time I see that poster in one of your posts I'm gonna dos attack this website.

Or at least I would if I knew how.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

There are a lot of great Goldsmiths. The ones I personally own are The Mummy, The Edge, Congo, Jericho, Alien, and Star Trek Nemesis. I don't know nearly enough of his music to choose the best, but from what I have my favorites would be: Gremlins, Dennis The Menace, and The Mummy.

[Pelzter 0]

It may be a cliché, but my favorite Goldsmith score is definitely Basic Instinct. It's both chillingly beautiful and fascinatingly complex, perfectly embodying both the action on screen and the psychological subtext.

[Quintus 5,399]

Ha, there is nothing of psychological interest in that dumb adult popcorn flick they called Basic Instinct. Its a competent sex thriller for the masses, nothing more. Of course it is no less fun as a result, but don't confuse it with anything remotely intelligent, because that it ain't. The score does it's job very well, but it fails to raise the script above its straight-to-video origins.

[222max 1]

Ha, there is nothing of psychological interest in that dumb adult popcorn flick they called Basic Instinct. Its a competent sex thriller for the masses, nothing more. Of course it is no less fun as a result, but don't confuse it with anything remotely intelligent, because that it ain't.

I think Pelzter's talking about the score, not the movie itself.

[Quintus 5,399]

Yes sorry about that, but to deviate is par for the course.

[Hitch 57]

[MSM 126]

1) Supergirl

2) The Mummy

3) First Knight

[scissorhands 16]

Fortune City? It must be some rejected score we never heard about?

[Hitch 57]

You've done it now

[Romão 2,274]

Masada

[Hitch 57]

How could we have forgotten

[Red 75]

Legend has always been one of my favorites.

[ST-321 4]

ST:TMP

Patton

[John Crichton 4]

Didn't we just do this?

Star Trek: The Motion Picutre, without a doubt. My next favorites are all his other Treks except Insurrection, Patton, The Omen, and Alien.

[Goldsmithfan 6]

Basic Instinct...

Legend...

The Final Conflict...

Star Trek: Nemesis...

The list could go on and on!

[Hitch 57]

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Uhh...

[Hitch 57]

It wouldn't be the same if Jimmy wasn't let loose in here

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

In alphabetical order:

The Final Conflict - Grand, dark, terrifying, exciting. Goldsmith in full Bruckner mode (never more so than in The Monastery. The Second Coming could nearly turn even me religious. And The Hunt perhaps contains the single most powerful statement of a main theme I've ever heard.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Enterprise is one of the grandest love themes in existence. And the fact that it was given so much space to breathe helps a lot (it's more of a concert piece really). The score has plenty of other highlights (the Klingon motif, the busy music when we first see Starfleet HQ, and I just love Leaving Drydock), but the second half of the score's heart is the V'ger exploration music. The Cloud and Vejur Flyover, with their dizzying scales and use of blaster beam are a great example of how Goldsmith was able to score the exciting aspects of a film even when they only come across moderately well in the film itself. Then there's the brilliant Spock Walk. And the wonderful theme for Ilia and Goldsmith's most iconic main titles ever, but even they fall flat compared to the score's highest points.

Total Recall - The single best action score ever written. "Enough notes for a Bruckner symphony", and it shows. The rhythmic work and the stuff the orchestra have to get through are simply mindboggling. The Mutant is a grand, Brucknerian set piece, and End of a Dream is nearly unrivaled in film music when it comes to near-endless buildups (ESB's Hyperspace comes to mind).

There are many more, but these are perhaps my personal top favourites of Goldsmith's top score. And who said with Goldsmith you can usually just stick to the main titles? They're not nearly the best thing of any of these three scores.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

And who said with Goldsmith you can usually just stick to the main titles?

That was me, but in reference to Elfman.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

I think someone said it in reference to Goldsmith. KM perhaps? Anyway, I obviously disagree.

[Romão 2,274]

I love Goldsmith, but I realy can't understand how Hoosiers is so highly regarded. It's borderline unlistenable for me.

[Ollie 1,059]

I think someone said it in reference to Goldsmith. KM perhaps? Anyway, I obviously disagree.

It was KM who uttered that ridiculous statement.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I love Goldsmith, but I realy can't understand how Hoosiers is so highly regarded. It's borderline unlistenable for me.

I have the score, never listened to it though. It was nominated, so it can't be that bad.

[Red 75]

I love Goldsmith, but I realy can't understand how Hoosiers is so highly regarded. It's borderline unlistenable for me.

Because of the synths?

[Romão 2,274]

I dunno, the whoe thing really. I heard it with great curiosity due to all the praise it got. It just sounds so incredibely cheesy. It's not just the synths... I just can't listen to it and take it seriously.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Jerry's two finest tracks,

Enterprise

and

Twilight Zone Overture

[Ollie 1,059]

Hoosiers works for me because the music says "basketball". Goldsmith nailed it as far as I'm concerned.

There's not much else you can say about ST:TMP that hasn't been said. Total Recall may just be the best action score ever written. Alien and Poltegeist get high marks and POTA may be un-listenable to some but it is an outstanding score. The Final Conflict may be the best score of the trilogy.

Papallion, First Blood, Night Crossing, Patton, The Sand Pebbles, The Omen, Rambo II, The Blue Max, The Wild Rovers and The Wind And The Lion are all top rate Goldsmith scores that I would hesitate to rank among his best.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Hoosiers is not a fav. I could never hear it again and life would be just as good,

when I think of all the great JG, Hoosiers never comes to mind.

[Hlao-roo 389]

In alphabetical order:

The Final Conflict - Grand, dark, terrifying, exciting. Goldsmith in full Bruckner mode (never more so than in The Monastery. The Second Coming could nearly turn even me religious. And The Hunt perhaps contains the single most powerful statement of a main theme I've ever heard.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Enterprise is one of the grandest love themes in existence. And the fact that it was given so much space to breathe helps a lot (it's more of a concert piece really). The score has plenty of other highlights (the Klingon motif, the busy music when we first see Starfleet HQ, and I just love Leaving Drydock), but the second half of the score's heart is the V'ger exploration music. The Cloud and Vejur Flyover, with their dizzying scales and use of blaster beam are a great example of how Goldsmith was able to score the exciting aspects of a film even when they only come across moderately well in the film itself. Then there's the brilliant Spock Walk. And the wonderful theme for Ilia and Goldsmith's most iconic main titles ever, but even they fall flat compared to the score's highest points.

Total Recall - The single best action score ever written. "Enough notes for a Bruckner symphony", and it shows. The rhythmic work and the stuff the orchestra have to get through are simply mindboggling. The Mutant is a grand, Brucknerian set piece, and End of a Dream is nearly unrivaled in film music when it comes to near-endless buildups (ESB's Hyperspace comes to mind).

There are many more, but these are perhaps my personal top favourites of Goldsmith's top score. And who said with Goldsmith you can usually just stick to the main titles? They're not nearly the best thing of any of these three scores.

Great post, Marian.

Take a Hard Ride (Jerry Goldsmith)

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

No mention of Capricorn One yet? It's the score that post-1978 Goldzilla references the most! And so many other composers too.

Others worth mentioning are Islands in the Stream (apparently Jerry's favourite score he did until Total Recall), then of course The Great Train Robbery, Twilight Zone: The Movie, First Blood, Explorers, King Solomon's Mines, Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Medicine Man, and Powder.

And King Mark's favourite Yamaha score to Runaway.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

No mention of Capricorn One yet? It's the score that post-1978 Goldzilla references the most! And so many other composers too.

This wasn't release, right? I have a bootleg, I think.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

No mention of Capricorn One yet? It's the score that post-1978 Goldzilla references the most! And so many other composers too.

This wasn't release, right? I have a bootleg, I think.

Aside from the out-of-print OST, in 2005, Intrada brought out a limited run of the original score.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Oh ho, sounds interesting. I wonder if that's the version I have. I'll check up on it when I go on my Goldsmith binge.

[Delorean90 42]

The 70s Goldsmith scores I own are Patton, Alien, and The Wind and the Lion, and they're all fantastic. I'm not sure I'd say they're his absolute greatest, though. I agree, TMP is a strong possibility. Of the ones I own, Patton has an edge for me because not only is it great music in its own right, but it is just flat-out masterful scoring. I've said it many times before: that bit in the "Attack" cue when the soldiers are all cheering around him is just one of the greatest moments in film scoring EVER.

If we're talking favorites, even if they're not his greatest works, I must say I have a soft spot for Rudy. It's just a really gorgeous score, and the football material is wonderfully exciting and uplifting. I can't get enough of it.

[Neimoidian 14]

That's my favourite, mainly for the main theme that is breathtaking. I love that period jazzy feel of it. I also immensly enjoy the suspence music which is rich, dense and thrilling. Pity that the score is so short.

I also like The Russia House very much, virtually for the same reason. It's hovever my 3rd favourite Jerry's score, because I rate Papillon slightly higher.

[Romão 2,274]

Oh yes, those 3 are absolutely wonderful.

[Maglorfin 196]

Alien and The Omen. Two of the finest soundtracks ever written by any composer; the marriage of music and imagery in these two movies is as perfect and immaculate as it gets. Bravo, Jerry!