The Costume Dramas Soundtrack Thread

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

Definition from Oxford Languages: A television or film production set in a particular historical period, in which the actors wear costumes typical of that period.

 

Let's start with this: Can it possibly sound more British?

 

 

[Thor 8,101]

Burgon's BRIDESHEAD is brilliant. This topic, however, is so huge, I wouldn't know where to start or stop in terms of recommendations.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

15 minutes ago, Thor said:

Burgon's BRIDESHEAD is brilliant. This topic, however, is so huge, I wouldn't know where to start or stop in terms of recommendations.

 

Just pick one recommendation from the top of your head. No list needed.

 

What do you think of Adrian Johnston's take on Brideshead?

 

 

[GerateWohl 4,926]

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Definition from Oxford Languages: A television or film production set in a particular historical period, in which the actors wear costumes typical of that period.

Hm.

Apart from time travel and other science fiction movies, doesn't this definition apply to almost every movie?

[Brónach 1,305]

I imagine this would exclude "the present" in an undefined way and movies with made up ""historical"" costuming which are many

[GerateWohl 4,926]

Would The Flintstones count?

[Richard Penna 4,019]

40 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Hm.

Apart from time travel and other science fiction movies, doesn't this definition apply to almost every movie?

 

Exactly what I was thinking - if you took the definition literally, you'd be talking about any film that's explicitly set in the past and requires the costume designer to explicitly think about clothes of that era.

 

But I suspect the OP is more talking about Downton Abbey type things. The only thing I can think of that I've got is The Tudors. Does GoT fall into this category? It may be fantasy but it's still got the attributes we're talking about.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

22 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

But I suspect the OP is more talking about Downton Abbey type things.

 

No.

 

23 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

if you took the definition literally, you'd be talking about any film that's explicitly set in the past and requires the costume designer to explicitly think about clothes of that era.

 

Indeed.

[Brónach 1,305]

22 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

 

Exactly what I was thinking - if you took the definition literally, you'd be talking about any film that's explicitly set in the past and requires the costume designer to explicitly think about clothes of that era.

 

But I suspect the OP is more talking about Downton Abbey type things. The only thing I can think of that I've got is The Tudors. Does GoT fall into this category? It may be fantasy but it's still got the attributes we're talking about.

 

i think stuff like GoT can be *influenced* by historical costuming but also by literally anything else. I would say it doesn't count

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

23 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

Does GoT fall into this category? It may be fantasy but it's still got the attributes we're talking about.

 

No. Because it's fantasy, it's not set in a particular historic period.

[Brónach 1,305]

i have another equally vague subcategory for costume dramas: the teacup drama.

[Thor 8,101]

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Just pick one recommendation from the top of your head. No list needed.

 

I'd need something a little more structured. I could go through my collection and pick a great costume drama (however one defines that) score alphabetically by composer, one by one, if that helps. I mean, rather than a list. If so, the first would be A.R. Rahman's WARRIORS OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.

 

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

What do you think of Adrian Johnston's take on Brideshead?

 

I think I sampled it once upon a time, but don't remember much of it. I'll give it another go.

[Richard Penna 4,019]

10 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

No. Because it's fantasy, it's not set in a particular historic period.

 

But why should the fact that it's not strictly set in our reality stop it from following the rest of the conventions of a 'costume drama'?

 

Doctor Who has a ton of episodes explicitly set in a certain period, requiring costumes and the music to follow suit, yet it's a sci-fi series.

[Brónach 1,305]

in GoT case they can stop following them at any given time and in fact they do almost from the beginning. the books are more specific in the descriptions of costuming.

 

even in a historical "costume drama", they can make stuff up, which i imagine disqualifies it from being a "costume drama" in the first place?

[GerateWohl 4,926]

Did John Williams score any Costume Drama apart from Jane Eyre?

Are the Indiana Jones movies Costume Dramas? 

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

23 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

But why should the fact that it's not strictly set in our reality stop it from following the rest of the conventions of a 'costume drama'?

 

I didn't make the definition.

 

23 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

Doctor Who has a ton of episodes explicitly set in a certain period, requiring costumes and the music to follow suit, yet it's a sci-fi series.

 

Then these are costume dramas.

 

20 minutes ago, Brónach said:

even in a historical "costume drama", they can make stuff up, which i imagine disqualifies it from being a "costume drama" in the first place?

 

You're overthinking it. Set in a particular historic period --> costume drama.

 

4 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Did John Williams score any costume Drama apart from Jane Eyre?

 

 

Indiana Jones.

[GerateWohl 4,926]

I am sure, that counts:

 

 

 

[Thor 8,101]

33 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Did John Williams score any Costume Drama apart from Jane Eyre?

 

He's written plenty of films (and television episodes) that take place in a given historical period long before the year of the film's production, of course (westerns, war movies etc. etc.), but whether or not they qualify as 'costume dramas' is another discussion. You'd be hardpressed to call something like SCHINDLER'S LIST or THE PATRIOT or THE COWBOYS or FAR & AWAY costume dramas. JANE EYRE is probably the only one that comes the closest to the classic association of the genre, perhaps along with HEIDI.

[Not Mr. Big 4,719]

 

[Naïve Old Fart 10,229]

Could MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA be called a "costume drama"?

What about SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, or SLEEPERS?

Not every costume drama has to have heaving bosoms, constricting dresses, fancy balls, and a soaking wet Colin Firth (although it does help ).

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

49 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Could MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA be called a "costume drama"?

What about SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, or SLEEPERS?

 

Yes!

[Richard Penna 4,019]

So basically any movie set in the past?

 

Not narrowing the field for favourite scores much.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

2 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

So basically any movie set in the past?

 

Spot on!

[filmmusic 2,134]

8 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Just pick one recommendation from the top of your head.

I think the first score that comes to mind, that is a most favourite of mine from a costume drama, is The Age of Innocence by Elmer Bernstein. Sublime score.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

5 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

I think the first score that comes to mind, that is a most favourite of mine from a costume drama, is The Age of Innocence by Elmer Bernstein. Sublime score.

 

I've got that!

[filmmusic 2,134]

17 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

I've got that!

Then, the Richard Robbins scores for the Ivory films:

Room with a view, Maurice, Howards End, The Remains of the day.

I don't see Robbins frequently mentioned here...

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

2 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

Then, the Richard Robbins scores for the Ivory films:

Room with a view, Maurice, Howards End, The Remains of the day.

I don't see Robbins frequently mentioned here...

 

Too bad all these are OOP.

[Bespin 8,650]

Now I really wish to start a thread called The No-Costume Dramas Soundtrack Thread.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

What about the no-costume thread?

[filmmusic 2,134]

23 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

Too bad all these are OOP.

There is an affordable like new release of the 3 (the release I own), here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204131799709

 

oh, and how could I forger The Piano?

Another favourite score for a favourite costume drama film.

But I'm sure you have that..

[Edmilson 8,520]

The Pixar movie Turning Red is set in May of 2002 - aka the past. Is it a costume drama? 

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

Yes!

 

28 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

There is an affordable like new release of the 3 (the release I own), here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204131799709

 

Too expensive shipping, but I found it for about £20 including shipping on Amazon (not the marketplace), although it's out of stock. Ordered it anyway in case they get hold of a few copies.

[Marian Schedenig 8,803]

3 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

3 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

So basically any movie set in the past?

 

Spot on!

 

Back to the Future 2

Blade Runner

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

2010

[Naïve Old Fart 10,229]

You jest, JS, but in 1968, 2001 ASO was science fiction. What is it, 55 years later?

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

Science.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

 

Anyway, here's another great costume drama soundtrack.

 

[GerateWohl 4,926]

And basically all Patrick Doyle scores for Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare adaptations plus Frankenstein.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

10 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

And basically all Patrick Doyle scores for Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare adaptations plus Frankenstein.

 

My favourites are Much Ado and Henry V.

[GerateWohl 4,926]

Just now, Jurassic Shark said:

 

My favourites are Much Ado and Henry V.

Mine too. My least favourite is probably Hamlet.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

6 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Mine too. My least favourite is probably Hamlet.

 

Yeah, that's too generic and unspectacular.

[Marian Schedenig 8,803]

41 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Anyway, here's another great costume drama soundtrack.

 

From the beginning, I was sure you only started this thread so that someone would post this.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

7 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

From the beginning, I was sure you only started this thread so that someone would post this.

 

I did.

[Thor 8,101]

He, he, yes, same here. I was waiting for you to post about your beloved Lady Jane, and although the thread has skipped all over the place, I was always sure what type of costume drama you had in mind.

 

Anyways, whether you like it or not, here's a list of some of my favourite costume drama scores more or less within the more traditional interpretation of the genre (pre-20th century, centered on romance, lavish costumes, aristocratic intrigue and the like):

 

WARRIORS OF HEAVEN AND EARTH (A.R. Rahman)

VICEROY'S HOUSE (A.R. Rahman)

ROMEO & JULIET (Abel Korzeniowski/James Horner)

THE GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING (Alexandre Desplat)

THE PAINTED VEIL (Alexandre Desplat)

MARY SHELLEY (Amelia Warner)

LOS BORGIA (Angel Illaramendi)

POLDARK (Anne Dudley)

THE GIRL KING (Anssi Tikanmäki)

ERMESSENDA (Arnau Bataller)

LES MISERABLES (Basil Poledouris)

OUTLANDER (Bear McCreary)

JANE EYRE (Herrmann/Williams/Marianelli)

ROB ROY (Carter Burwell)

POLLYANNA (Christopher Gunning -- R.I.P.)

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (Craig Armstrong)

ELIZABETH & ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (Hirschfelder/Armstrong/Rahman)

PRIDE & PREJUDICE (Dario Marianelli)

AMAZING GRACE (David Arnold)

THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE (David Newman)

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (Elliot Goldenthal -- perhaps a stretch with the whole vampire thing, but still)

MARIE WARD (Elmer Bernstein)

EL GRECO (Morricone/Vangelis)

GIORDANO BRUNO (Ennio Morricone)

THE LADY OF THE CAMELLIAS (Ennio Morricone)

LA VENEXIANA (Ennio Morricone)

ELIZABETH AND ESSEX (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)

DEVOTION (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)

ISABEL (Federico Jusid)

VICTORIA (Gaute Storaas et.al.)

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (Geoffrey Burgon)

DANGEROUS LIAISONS (George Fenton)

THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE (Fenton/Händel)

DANGEROUS BEAUTY (George Fenton)

ANNA AND THE KING (George Fenton)

LA REVOLUTION FRANCAISE (Georges Delerue)

ZWINGLI (Great Garbo)

THE LAST SAMURAI (Hans Zimmer)

KING ARTHUR (Hans Zimmer)

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Harry Gregson-Williams)

DICKINSON (Ian & Sofia Hultquist)

LA COCINERA DE CASTAMAR (Ivan Palomares)

BRAVEHEART (James Horner)

THE NEW WORLD (James Horner)

RESTORATION (James Newton Howard)

THE HANDMAIDEN (Jo Yeong-wook)

LOVER’S PRAYER (Joel McNeely)

THE LION IN WINTER (John Barry)

DOWNTON ABBEY (John Lunn)

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (John Williams)

I AM DINA (Marco Beltrami)
ANNE & ALET (Mark Rayen Candasamy)

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP (Mark Suozzo)

THE VIRGIN QUEEN (Martin Phipps)

VICTORIA (Martin Phipps)

DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (Maurice Jarre)

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (Max Richter)

WUTHERING HEIGHTS (Legrand/Sakamoto)

Plenty of Rozsas (QUO VADIS, IVANHOE, JULIUS CAESAR, BEN HUR, KING OF KINGS…)

THE GREAT (Nathan Barr)

ROMEO & JULIET (Nino Rota)

Plenty of Doyles (HENRY V, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, SENSE & SENSIBILITY, AS YOU LIKE IT, ALL IS TRUE…)

IL LEONE DI VETRO (Pericle Odierna)

LE TEMPS DE SECRET (Gabriel Yared)

TESS (Philippe Sarde)

STORIA DI UNA MONACA DI CLAUSURA (Pierro Piccioni)

THE FLOWERS OF WAR (Qigang Chen)

EMMA (Rachel Portman)

Plenty of Richard Robbins (A ROOM WITH A VIEW, MAURICE, HOWARD’S END, THE REMAINS OF THE DAY….)

ENCHANTED APRIL (Richard Rodney Bennett)

THE LAST EMPEROR (Ryuichi Sakamoto)

SILK (Ryuichi Sakamoto)

LADY JANE (Stephen Oliver….yeah, it’s there, due to your relentless dedication)

LITTLE WOMEN (Thomas Newman)

VICTORIA & ABDUL (Thomas Newman)

ALEXANDER (Vangelis)
THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (Wojciech Kilar)

ONNA JOSHU NAOTORA (Yoko Kanno)

GUNSHI KANBEE (Yoko Kanno)

THE SECRET GARDEN (Zbigniew Preisner)

FEAST OF JULY (Zbigniew Preisner)

 

That's just a few. You can discuss amongst yourselves if some of these don't fall neatly into the traditional costume drama genre or not, but I think they more or less do.

[Jurassic Shark 12,801]

The purpose of this thread was to discover more good music from costume dramas, so thanks for the recommendations, Thor! Are there any specific highlights you could post, either from Spotify or Youtube?

[Thor 8,101]

Loads, of course. Just three random highlight tracks from three of these:

 

"Funeral de Juan" from LOS BORGIAS (Angel Illaremendi):

 

 

"Baci Tropo Il Tramonto" from LA VENEXIANA (Ennio Morricone):

 

 

"Main Title" from LOVER'S PRAYER (Joel McNeely):

 

 

[Marian Schedenig 8,803]

 

[GerateWohl 4,926]

27 minutes ago, Thor said:

He, he, yes, same here. I was waiting for you to post about your beloved Lady Jane, and although the thread has skipped all over the place, I was always sure what type of costume drama you had in mind.

 

Anyways, whether you like it or not, here's a list of some of my favourite costume drama scores more or less within the more traditional interpretation of the genre (pre-20th century, centered on romance, lavish costumes, aristocratic intrigue and the like):

 

WARRIORS OF HEAVEN AND EARTH (A.R. Rahman)

VICEROY'S HOUSE (A.R. Rahman)

ROMEO & JULIET (Abel Korzeniowski/James Horner)

THE GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING (Alexandre Desplat)

THE PAINTED VEIL (Alexandre Desplat)

MARY SHELLEY (Amelia Warner)

LOS BORGIA (Angel Illaramendi)

POLDARK (Anne Dudley)

THE GIRL KING (Anssi Tikanmäki)

ERMESSENDA (Arnau Bataller)

LES MISERABLES (Basil Poledouris)

OUTLANDER (Bear McCreary)

JANE EYRE (Herrmann/Williams/Marianelli)

ROB ROY (Carter Burwell)

POLLYANNA (Christopher Gunning -- R.I.P.)

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (Craig Armstrong)

ELIZABETH & ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (Hirschfelder/Armstrong/Rahman)

PRIDE & PREJUDICE (Dario Marianelli)

AMAZING GRACE (David Arnold)

THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE (David Newman)

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (Elliot Goldenthal -- perhaps a stretch with the whole vampire thing, but still)

MARIE WARD (Elmer Bernstein)

EL GRECO (Morricone/Vangelis)

GIORDANO BRUNO (Ennio Morricone)

THE LADY OF THE CAMELLIAS (Ennio Morricone)

LA VENEXIANA (Ennio Morricone)

ELIZABETH AND ESSEX (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)

DEVOTION (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)

ISABEL (Federico Jusid)

VICTORIA (Gaute Storaas et.al.)

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (Geoffrey Burgon)

DANGEROUS LIAISONS (George Fenton)

THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE (Fenton/Händel)

DANGEROUS BEAUTY (George Fenton)

ANNA AND THE KING (George Fenton)

LA REVOLUTION FRANCAISE (Georges Delerue)

ZWINGLI (Great Garbo)

THE LAST SAMURAI (Hans Zimmer)

KING ARTHUR (Hans Zimmer)

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Harry Gregson-Williams)

DICKINSON (Ian & Sofia Hultquist)

LA COCINERA DE CASTAMAR (Ivan Palomares)

BRAVEHEART (James Horner)

THE NEW WORLD (James Horner)

RESTORATION (James Newton Howard)

THE HANDMAIDEN (Jo Yeong-wook)

LOVER’S PRAYER (Joel McNeely)

THE LION IN WINTER (John Barry)

DOWNTON ABBEY (John Lunn)

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (John Williams)

I AM DINA (Marco Beltrami)
ANNE & ALET (Mark Rayen Candasamy)

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP (Mark Suozzo)

THE VIRGIN QUEEN (Martin Phipps)

VICTORIA (Martin Phipps)

DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (Maurice Jarre)

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (Max Richter)

WUTHERING HEIGHTS (Legrand/Sakamoto)

Plenty of Rozsas (QUO VADIS, IVANHOE, JULIUS CAESAR, BEN HUR, KING OF KINGS…)

THE GREAT (Nathan Barr)

ROMEO & JULIET (Nino Rota)

Plenty of Doyles (HENRY V, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, SENSE & SENSIBILITY, AS YOU LIKE IT, ALL IS TRUE…)

IL LEONE DI VETRO (Pericle Odierna)

LE TEMPS DE SECRET (Gabriel Yared)

TESS (Philippe Sarde)

STORIA DI UNA MONACA DI CLAUSURA (Pierro Piccioni)

THE FLOWERS OF WAR (Qigang Chen)

EMMA (Rachel Portman)

Plenty of Richard Robbins (A ROOM WITH A VIEW, MAURICE, HOWARD’S END, THE REMAINS OF THE DAY….)

ENCHANTED APRIL (Richard Rodney Bennett)

THE LAST EMPEROR (Ryuichi Sakamoto)

SILK (Ryuichi Sakamoto)

LADY JANE (Stephen Oliver….yeah, it’s there, due to your relentless dedication)

LITTLE WOMEN (Thomas Newman)

VICTORIA & ABDUL (Thomas Newman)

ALEXANDER (Vangelis)
THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (Wojciech Kilar)

ONNA JOSHU NAOTORA (Yoko Kanno)

GUNSHI KANBEE (Yoko Kanno)

THE SECRET GARDEN (Zbigniew Preisner)

FEAST OF JULY (Zbigniew Preisner)

 

That's just a few. You can discuss amongst yourselves if some of these don't fall neatly into the traditional costume drama genre or not, but I think they more or less do.

At such a big list of course the omissions get even same as interesting.

Why none of Nyman's Greenaway scores?

Or Elfman's Sleepy Hollow?

 

[Thor 8,101]

11 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

At such a big list of course the omissions get even same as interesting.

Why none of Nyman's Greenaway scores?

Or Elfman's Sleepy Hollow?

 

I omitted SLEEPY HOLLOW due to the 'fantasy'/paranormal element, but then again I included INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, so it makes no sense.

 

The Greenaways should have been among them, for sure, but it's just a random sample by scrolling through my digital collection rapidly.

[Brónach 1,305]

I mean i did consider the 2021 vampire film ALL THE MOONS to be more of a teacup drama since it isn't really a horror? so maybe?

 

Score by Pascal Gaigne, like GIANT (definitely a costume drama, there's a scene with the protagonist trying out an uniform and everything).

 

Probably not the vibes in either score that we're imagining in this thread at all.