Great film music you may not know (yet)...

[Sandor 797]

I'm sure everyone here has something in his or her film music collection that is not as famous as Star Wars or James Bond. I'm sure you have something that most folks here have never heard of.

I'm interested in the music you have that is basically unknown, but ultra-good. I have some pieces which I dearly love and are absolutely fantastic. If you don't know any of the following it wouldn't harm to look them up and see if you find the same magic in them that I found.

Please let me know your hidden treasures!

Ennio Morricone - The Silver Of The Mine from the Nostromo soundtrack

One of the best pieces of music ever composed. It's absolutely stunning! Make sure you finish the whole piece, because it takes a while before it truly starts to shine. The orchestrations are among the best.

Maurice Jarre - Building The Barn, from the Witness soundtrack

Actually, try to find the orchestral arrangment on a later Maurice Jarre collection CD. This has one of the most profound melodies written by a modern composer. It takes a while before you can truly appreciate the complexity of it all, but when it does - boy it's good!

Mike Batt - The Beginning, from the Watership Down soundtrack (television series)

An unbelievable orchestral piece which is as close to perfection as any. Brilliant theme in the first movement, the latter is a mind-blowing arrangment of Bright Eyes. You will not believe it's brilliance!

Jay Chattaway, The Inner Light., from the Best Of Star Trek compilation CD

A 6:30 minute long arrangment based on a simple melody from only one (actually two) episode. This is one of the pieces I always let my friends hear if they want to start exploring film music. It's a fantastic, albeit a little simple, piece of music with a build up that brings tears to my eyes. It's AMAZING!

Patrick Doyle, The Wedding Night, from the Frankenstein soundtrack

If Doyle writes this kind of music for Harry Potter 4 it's going to be great! The track features primarily the love theme from the Frankenstein remake film. It's gorgeous and far too unknown. Check it out; you will not be dissapointed.

I'll post more soon!

Roald

[scissorhands 16]

A couple hidden treasures of mine:

Altered States - John Corigliano

A complex immersion into human mind, written by a composer who can control all the instruments of the orchestra. Sometimes creepy, other times lovely, this is Corigliano's best film score so far.

Hana-Bi - Joe Hisaishi

Flower-Fire. Love and Dead. The 2 sides of the same coin. The most poetic movie of Takeshi Kitano does also have one of Hisaishi's greatest achievements. Everyone loves the main theme.

[Justin 2]

Jay Chattaway, The Inner Light., from the Best Of Star Trek compilation CD

A 6:30 minute long arrangment based on a simple melody from only one (actually two) episode. This is one of the pieces I always let my friends hear if they want to start exploring film music.  It's a fantastic, albeit a little simple, piece of music with a build up that brings tears to my eyes. It's AMAZING!

I agree. This really is a fantastic piece of music.

Justin

[John Crichton 4]

Nobou Uematsu- Final Fantasy VI & Final Fantasy VII

Once you get over the fact that these are lower quality synths, you realize the greatness of these video game scores. As complex and diverse as any film score, loaded with thematic content. VI in particular is a masterpiece. These are the two that I currently own, but VIII and IX are also wonderful and I hope to get them soon. I can't wait to hear his score for the upcoming FFVII movie.

[Olivier 5]

More praise for Chattaway's beautiful 'The Inner Light" (orchestral suite-- first Star Trek 30th Anniversary album, which I bought for that track; there are some good things, but this definitely made the CD for me).

Elegant, soothing, a wonderful piece of music. It thought of it reading your topic introduction. Simplicity isn't a flaw; a work of art, especially music, needn't be sophisticatedly complex to be good, efective, moving or/and highly enjoyable.

Jarre's "Building the Barn" is great, too. I prefer the orchestral arrangement (Maurice Jarre at Abbey Road). "Prancer" is another hidden gem featured on that CD, that ought to be released-- very nice, delicate Christmas music.

I'm sure I have other examples, but can't think of any right now.

[fommes 153]

See the following thread on ge®ms for my hidden treasures.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

This thread made me break out my Best Of Star Trek CD and convert it for my iPod.

[Melange 446]

Altered States - John Corigliano.  

A complex immersion into human mind, written by a composer who can control all the instruments of the orchestra. Sometimes creepy, other times lovely, this is Corigliano's best film score so far..

Very experimental score. I love it and the film (book is more detailed). Those simple deep piano keys with slide and that glassiness almost like symbolism for the depths, sets the stage perfectly at the beginning of the film doesn't it. Incredibly creepy stuff, even when listening to it without the imagery of Jessup in the water tank. Less really is more in many cases. And the beginning of the score proves it.

In the transformation sequence (track 8 on the cd) i love how he incorporates early electronic sound into the music. That scream (beginning at 2:00) where he enters the primordial soup, and then into that low hum. Those distant organ style chords too. It's so otherwordly. And at 4:00 where he's rescued from the bottomless pit.

Those subtle mystic tones. The shamanic dance used in track 3, at 1:09 , is one i "borrowed" about 12 years ago when i had an Amiga computer and made simple music on it. I made a piece which incoporated it. The music is actually more Tibetan religious, rather than Mexican shamanic. But most viewers wouldn't know the difference.

And that violin solo beginning at 3:02 (not used in the final cut) is gorgeous. So sad. Always reminds me of what Williams would use later on in Schindler's list, in ways. In the final cut, the scene worked better with the silence as her illusory sand body dissolves in the wind. But i'm glad it's on the Cd. So mournfull and beautiful.

There are so many bits i could pick out. But i'll just agre that it's a great score. I also like his work on The Red Violin. I must get his score for Revolution (1984) sometime. I was present when that film was being shot in South England on Dartmoor. The film dived. But Corigliano's score is supposed to be very good. I've seen it on some sites, as a bootleg. Because it was never released.

[QMM 4]

Nobou Uematsu- Final Fantasy VI & Final Fantasy VII

Once you get over the fact that these are lower quality synths, you realize the greatness of these video game scores. As complex and diverse as any film score, loaded with thematic content. VI in particular is a masterpiece. These are the two that I currently own, but VIII and IX are also wonderful and I hope to get them soon. I can't wait to hear his score for the upcoming FFVII movie.

Highly reccomend 8 and 9, 9 is my personal favorite with such great themes for all the characters.

It's sad that Uematsu's stepped off of doing the scoring for the FF games now, he's gone and made his own studio.

[Melange 446]

The following ones i like, are not "unknown". But probably less popular in general.

Rob Roy by Carter Burwell (1995). This film and score was overshadowed at the time by Braveheart. But both the film and score are more accurate to Scottish culture than Braveheart. Rob Roy has a very memorable love melody throughout of course. But at the beginning of the film (Reiving party), you see Rob and his men running up the wet and dank Highland hills to find Sheep Stealers, to the typical beat of a Bodhran drum, and some disturbing haunting vocals to accompany it. Much of the score uses traditional Reels and Gaelic vocals, so it's much better in authenticity than Braveheart. Captures the spirit better, because the sound of Scotland was allowed to speak for itself more, rather than be "utiliized" for effect, as it was in Braveheart.

Nostradamus (1984) by Barrington Pheloung. Usually a composer for TV series. Barrington wrote an effective score for this film about Nostradamus. Another score which put period authenticity ahead of making it "sound cool". So it incoporates actual pieces of music from the 16th century into the mix. The score captures the feeling of a period of history when things were uncertain. Religious fundamentalism and Plague, while secret societys tried to preserve the esoteric knowledge of old to rescue mankind from sinking into an abyss of intolerance and supersition. The score reflects this. It has an "on edge" feel to it. Sombre, but restless. Feelings of doom, but also one of possible redemption for humanity.

Little Buddha by Ryuichi Sakamoto (1993). Beautiful score indeed. Taking you back and forth on a journey between ages. Most scores that try to utilize Asian music, usually fail miserably by coming across as patronizing, or go over the top. But Sakamoto is of course well versed. So he got the right balance. Although Keanu Reeves as Guatama Siddartha was one of the most hideously inappropriate castings in history, the film and score carry through the message that life is transitory, effectively and richly. Some of this score sends shivers up my spine. Some Asian structures of music can hit areas of the psyche that western music cannot reach. So putting them in this sort of film, hit the bullseye. One of my favourites is "Nepalese Caravan". It scores a scene which re-enacts the birth of Guatama Siddartha. Gorgeous scene, and the music is haunting. A rich pallete of majesty, and mystical change. Incorporating subtle Sitar, and Indian vocals. Stunning. Subtleness was key in this film, and Sakamoto managed to do it very well (imo). The ending track "Acceptance" really is a guaranteed tear jerker too. If you've seen this final scene of the film, even more so. It's very 'Adagio for strings' that part.

Leon by Eric Serra (1994). I love this score (and the film). The murky underworld of the city is reflected right away at the beginning. Rumbling and ominous, with an exotic flair over the top of it. Much of the score takes place at a rumbling low level of hopelessness which really suits Matilda and Leon's situation. All the while, the serene innocence of Leon is there hanging above it with the Accordion, even though he's a trained killer. I love the way Eric Serra manages it. And of course, the long "The Fight" sequence where half the citys Swat teams try to take on Leon, carries that brooding Arabesque sound which just seems to be perfect for this. Gary Oldman's menace and psychosis is approaching them all the time, and the "last stand" feel of it is great. Really on the edge. And Sting's song "Shape of my heart" was the cherry on the top.

The Power of One by Hans Zimmer (1992). It's often suprising how many of those Zimmer followers dont know of this one (or are aware of it, but dont own it because they think it's early work and probably not as good). It's a classic. Not the later "Lion King" Africa. But dark and brooding Africa of race tensions and tribal roaring. The drums shake the floor when you play this. There are so many awe inspiring tracks in this score. When it's in mourning (such as "Death and Dying" and "Funeral Song") it's low and brooding. But when optimistic, it reaches for the skies with the choir, like a bird. Thrilling. There are few scores that can rouse you or bring you to tears like this one. Something about it send shivers up your spine. It has that immediate emotional impact of 'power ressurected'. In one scene of the movie, the main character goes on a kind of "Search for himself" in the wilds, to find his own individual power (hence the name). And the music which accompanies this is stunning. It's one of those scores that stands so well alone, without even having to know it's a film score.

Dune by Toto and Brian Eno (1984). Pretty much ignored because the film did'nt quite catch the "Dune" universe of the novels, and audience stamina meant a confusing mish mash was slapped together for release. A dissapointment. But the score is suprising and effective for me. It has the noble but melancholy majesty of the warring Houses, such as "Leto's theme" and also deeply mystical feel for scenes such as "Paul takes the water of life", with it's 'sinking into depths of the psyche' tone to it. The terror of facing his inner self. The score is ominous throughout. The prophecy of a mighty Jihad that everyone knows is on the horizon, but isn't quite aware of how soon it's going to knock at the door. Infact, the director asked them to go for something like Shostakovich's 11th Symphony in terms of feeling (a symphony about Russia on the edge of revolution). So that's why it probably works so well within this film. The score is "not" perfect, i grant you. Some cues really lose their way and revert to a "mainsteam" sound. But mostly it's dark, broody and mystical. You have to get the 1997 edition with 30 tracks to appreciate it properly.

[stewdog1 50]

Jay Chattaway, The Inner Light., from the Best Of Star Trek compilation CD

A 6:30 minute long arrangment based on a simple melody from only one (actually two) episode. This is one of the pieces I always let my friends hear if they want to start exploring film music.  It's a fantastic, albeit a little simple, piece of music with a build up that brings tears to my eyes. It's AMAZING!

I agree. This really is a fantastic piece of music.

Justin

My wife and I used this in our wedding. The bridesmaids all walked in to this piece of music. We had it cued just right to where we used the entire piece.

If anybody cares, read further:

I did this really cool thing where I made one CD that when cued up, played 30 minutes of preshow then directly into processionals. The sound guy didn't even have to do anything. I was quite proud of myself. The preshow music included Ilya's theme, Leia's theme, Luke and Leia, some Yanni, then the Inner Light piece for the bridesmaids and Vangelis' Hymne for my bride. We ended it all with the foreboding Augie's Municipal Band.

[John McClane 1]

Bad Boys 1 and 2 had good score, but they were never be released officially.

Bad Boys was scored by Mark Mancina, and his score could get easily listened thanks to the DVD iso-score.

Bad Boys 2 was scored by Trevor Rabin, and there's a promo boot out there, which is very good!

As DVD iso-scores, I get The Bone Collector too, scored by Craig Armstrong. This guy did a great soundtrack.

(999th post... -1 you know!!!)

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

Maurice Jarre - Building The Barn, from the Witness soundtrack

Actually, try to find the orchestral arrangment on a later Maurice Jarre collection CD. This has one of the most profound melodies written by a modern composer. It takes a while before you can truly appreciate the complexity of it all, but when it does - boy it's good!

I don't want anyone to think I don't like this one, I do, I love this pice, but as anyone listened to Copland's Simple Gifts from his ballet Appalachian Spring? Because when I listen to Building the Barn, all I can think is of Copland's adaptation of this early american traditional song...

[HPFAN_2 0]

I know most of these are game music but i still love them.

Twisted Metal Black The game is gothic and grungy and very dark in its tone. The music matches it perfectly. I can't remember the composer's name and i'm too lazy to look. The composer did a wonderful job blending techno into the orchestra. It's fast paced and a whole lot of fun. You don't have to be a fan of techno to love this score.

Soul Calibur Soul Calibur in my opinion is the best fighting game ever created. It is just beautiful. Smooth and well rounded graphics. The gorgeous landscapes and sceneray fill every level. The fighting style of each character are so varied and unique. It isn't just a bottun smasher. It takes wit and sharp reflexes to master this game. You can't just pick it up and fight, you have to learn it, love it. Appreciate each character, find out their weakness. The game is set in the 18th or 17th century i'm not sure. The worlds span from Venice, the gothic mansions of europe to awe inspiring hills and landscapes of china and the middle east. The music covers all of this. One that stands out for me is bloom and harvest which is a damn good asian piece. The theme for ivy has a wonderful orchestration. It's a damn good score no matter what.

Halo You may have heard of Halo it's that game that is the biggest first person shooter. Yeah that's the one. The game is brilliant, fast paced action, thrilling story and awesome graphics. The score matches this perfectly. Marty O'Donnell is a god among video game composers. He needs to enter the film world NOW! The Halo theme alone is better than the Medal Of Honor scores combined. He envokes a sense of loneliness when he brings the strings into a smooth and hollow rythm, loneliness is something the game has alot of. He can have your heart pumping and make you ready to blast alien heads of when he brings in the drums and the strings to support them. To me he is the Williams of game music.

Halo 2 The sequal is the most anticipated game of the year, it is arguably the best of the year. Halo two is like Halo one but with flying ninjas with flaming weapons chasing barney down the express way, yes the action and mayhem is much more intense. The score again fits perfectly. O'Donnell revamps the Halo theme this time adding female voices to the choir at the begining. He adds an electric guitar towards the end, replaces the orchestra all together with drums and guitar towards the middle then brings it back coupling it with the rock instruments to make a fabulous new theme. It is absolutely great! This time around the music is more somber and touching. However it still holds on to its action packed roots tightly. O'Donnell hasn't lost the touch. He can still get me in the mood to murder aliens for the good of mankind. Hats way off to him

Metropolis The Anime version not the old one. The movie to me is brilliant, well drawn and well directed. The look is perfect and unique, convincing and creative. Toshiki Honda provides a great score. This Japanese man obviously knows his jazz. His music fits right into the days of the 20s jazz era. However he doesn't fail to add his own touch of style. The main theme is a roar, a high flying orchestration similar to St. James Infantry (or something like that) Run is absolutely brilliant, you have to hear it to believe it. This is the kind of rare album where not one track is a bore, where you can listen to it all the way through.

[QMM 4]

I know most of these are game music but i still love them.  

Twisted Metal Black The game is gothic and grungy and very dark in its tone. The music matches it perfectly. I can't remember the composer's name and i'm too lazy to look. The composer did a wonderful job blending techno into the orchestra. It's fast paced and a whole lot of fun.  You don't have to be a fan of techno to love this score.  

Soul Calibur Soul Calibur in my opinion is the best fighting game ever created. It is just beautiful. Smooth and well rounded graphics. The gorgeous landscapes and sceneray fill every level. The fighting style of each character are so varied and unique. It isn't  just a bottun smasher. It takes wit and sharp reflexes to master this game. You can't just pick it up and fight, you have to learn it, love it. Appreciate each character, find out their weakness. The game is set in the 18th or 17th century i'm not sure. The worlds span from Venice, the gothic mansions of europe to awe inspiring hills and landscapes of china and the middle east. The music covers all of this. One that stands out for me is bloom and harvest which is a damn good asian piece. The theme for ivy has a wonderful orchestration. It's a damn good score no matter what.

Halo You may have heard of Halo it's that game that is the biggest first person shooter. Yeah that's the one. The game is brilliant, fast paced action, thrilling story and awesome graphics. The score matches this perfectly. Marty O'Donnell is a god among video game composers. He needs to enter the film world NOW! The Halo theme alone is better than the Medal Of Honor scores combined. He envokes a sense of loneliness when he brings the strings into a smooth and hollow rythm, loneliness is something the game has alot of. He can have your heart pumping and make you ready to blast alien heads of when he brings in the drums and the strings to support them. To me he is the Williams of game music.

Halo 2 The sequal is the most anticipated game of the year, it is arguably the best of the year. Halo two is like Halo one but with flying ninjas with flaming weapons chasing barney down the express way, yes the action and mayhem is much more intense. The score again fits perfectly. O'Donnell revamps the Halo theme this time adding female voices to the choir at the begining. He adds an electric guitar towards the end, replaces the orchestra all together with drums and guitar towards the middle then brings it back coupling it with the rock instruments to make a fabulous new theme. It is absolutely great! This time around the music is more somber and touching. However it still holds on to its action packed roots tightly. O'Donnell hasn't lost the touch. He can still get me in the mood to murder aliens  for the good of mankind. Hats way off to him

Metropolis The Anime version not the old one. The movie to me is brilliant, well drawn and well directed. The look is perfect and unique, convincing and creative. Toshiki Honda provides a great score. This Japanese man obviously knows his jazz. His music fits right into the days of the 20s jazz era. However he doesn't fail to add his own touch of style. The main theme is a roar, a high flying orchestration similar to St. James Infantry (or something like that) Run is absolutely brilliant, you have to hear it to believe it. This is the kind of rare album where not one track is a bore, where you can listen to it all the way through.

Here we go

TMB:Black - The score fit the game perfectly (along with Rolling Stones Paint it Black) but to me it was nothing that special or memorable, I haven't played it in a long time tho.

Soul Caliber-I was surprised by how good the orchestrations were for this game, especially a fighting game. If Soul Caliber is the stand out for orchestrated music for fighting games, I'd say Tekken 3 is the best for techno related.

Halo 1 and 2: I agree, Marty O' Donnel's work on the games is very very good and fits the world perfectly. The unlikely pairing of Monks with videogames was brilliant and makes the Halo theme instantly memorable. 2 I enjoyed more just from Marty being able to use a full orchestra (along with the guitar skills of Steve Vai) Also great to hear the Halo theme sung with tenor, alto and soprano voices along with the new themes that were composed (Last Spartan and Earth City are my fav tracks) but the CD I felt was a little lacking (no doubt the rest of it being put into Vol 2)

I've never heard Metropolis...

My nominations for videogame soundtracks:

Super Smash Bros Melee- A must have for any Nintendo fan, just about every Nintendo character theme is brought out by a full orchestra.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty- Harry Gregson-Williams was a brilliant choice to bring a great soundtrack to Kojima's series. Harry brought the MGS theme out with full orchestra and added his own techno beats which complimented the action perfectly. I haven't heard all of the sequel Snake Eater yet but from what I've heard so far it sounds even better.

the whole Final Fantasy series-Not enough can be said about Nobuo Uematsu's amazing work on the series

Resident Evil: Outbreak-Probably one of the best videogame themes ever, very nerve wracking and eerie.

Voodoo Vince: I bought this on impulse from playing the demo, the soundtrack is pure jazz, blues, and New Orleans style funk with great violin/drum pieces and just plain fun tracks with small big bands.

Max-Visit gamemusic.com for soundtracks

[TheRuleOfThirds 0]

Tron by Wendy Carlos

A little on the whimsical side, but also hits the spot for a good sci-fi/computer score.

[Henry B 50]

I have...never heard Goldsmith.

I must be missing a lot. :?

[stewdog1 50]

I have...never heard Goldsmith.

I must be missing a lot. :?

You must be joking. Right?

[Henry B 50]

No.

[stewdog1 50]

Ladies? Let's try and help him out.

This is bad. Bad I tell you.

[Romão 2,274]

That track from Frankenstein is absolutly gorgeous, I agree with Roald. I love the whole score, and it's of the mais reason what I wanted Patrick Doyel to score GOf in the absence of JW.

Concerning Dune, it does have some magnificent tracks, and some horrendous ones. I adore the books, and several tracks have captured the mysticism of the story much better than the Tv soundtracks (like The Box, Trip to Arrakis and Final Dream), but the track from this score that simply takes my breath away is Paul Meets Chani, specially the last minute, when in the movie we see the water driping in the reservoir. Simply breathtaking.

The Tailor of Panama, both score and movie, are tow sadly overlooked works. The score is fantastics. I suggest all of you give it a listen.

Addicted to Love is a typical Rachel Portman effort, but the theme, although very simple, is just so cute...it really warms your heart.

[BigKenLittle 6]

The Picnic from Much Ado About Nothing, by Patrick Doyle. Simple melodic line carried by solo guitar and cello, whilst listening to the dulcet narration by the spectacular Emma Thompson, is then developed into a glorious simple yet nveloping theme for strings. This entire score is a must own.

The score to Lovesick featured here is a tremendous acheivement. With no one track more outstanding than another. Philippe Sarde's score is sublime, melodic and enchanting. I cannot recommend this CD strongly enough. The remainder of the CD features the music from a TV movie called "Sister Mary Explains It All' and four more tracks from the movie The Manhatten Project both are strong musically, but the highlight is found in the score to Lovesick, never before available.

[Sandor 797]

The Power of One by Hans Zimmer (1992). It's often suprising how many of those Zimmer followers dont know of this one (or are aware of it, but dont own it because they think it's early work and probably not as good). It's a classic. Not the later "Lion King" Africa. But dark and brooding Africa of race tensions and tribal roaring. The drums shake the floor when you play this. There are so many awe inspiring tracks in this score. When it's in mourning (such as "Death and Dying" and "Funeral Song") it's low and brooding. But when optimistic, it reaches for the skies with the choir, like a bird. Thrilling. There are few scores that can rouse you or bring you to tears like this one. Something about it send shivers up your spine. It has that immediate emotional impact of 'power ressurected'. In one scene of the movie, the main character goes on a kind of "Search for himself" in the wilds, to find his own individual power (hence the name). And the music which accompanies this is stunning. It's one of those scores that stands so well alone, without even having to know it's a film score.

Zimmer collaborated with Lebo M. on this score which made it as good as it is. I absolutely agree with you: this score is stunning. I should have mentioned it. My favorite tracks from the album are the opening "Rainmaker", "Mother Africa" and the last track "Mother Africa Reprise" which presents a totally new choral medlody at the end. This is by far the best and most complex African influenced film music I have ever heard! Whatever opinion you may have of Zimmer, this score is among my favorites.

I did this really cool thing where I made one CD that when cued up, played 30 minutes of preshow then directly into processionals. The sound guy didn't even have to do anything. I was quite proud of myself. The preshow music included Ilya's theme, Leia's theme, Luke and Leia, some Yanni, then the Inner Light piece for the bridesmaids and Vangelis' Hymne for my bride. We ended it all with the foreboding Augie's Municipal Band.

Stewdog that is awesome! Why didn't I think of that when I got married!!

Roald

[Josh500 1,615]

I really, really love the score to LOLITA by Ennio Morricone. The main theme is a really beautiful, haunting, and quiet piece played in part by the piano. I saw the movie on DVD once and was really impressed by it and got the CD. I'm sure the score would have garnered an Oscar nomination, but because of the controversy surrounding it, the movie was never released in the US theaters (or for a short time, anyway). Adrian Lyne, the director, praises the score in the audio-commentary.

[HPFAN_2 0]

Ladies?   Let's try and help him out.

This is bad.  Bad I tell you.

I have never heard Goldsmith either.

[Sandor 797]

I really, really love the score to LOLITA by Ennio Morricone. The main theme is a really beautiful, haunting, and quiet piece played in part by the piano. I saw the movie on DVD once and was really impressed by it and got the CD. I'm sure the score would have garnered an Oscar nomination, but because of the controversy surrounding it, the movie was never released in the US theaters (or for a short time, anyway). Adrian Lyne, the director, praises the score in audio-commentary.

Lolita is indeed a brilliant score. I love the title track and the theme presented in "Love In The Morning". Morricone should have been nominated more often during his extraordinary career and should have won back in 1987 for his incredible and highly influential The Mission score.

Morricone has so many incredible scores in his discography (which counts almost 400 (!) films). His Once Upon A Time In America, The Untouchables, Canone Inverso, etc. ... Even his mediocre scores (like Mission To Mars) still feature at least one track worth the price of the album (in the case of Mission To Mars the cue Where? is as good as any classic piece of film music).

Roald

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Super Smash Bros Melee- A must have for any Nintendo fan, just about every Nintendo character theme is brought out by a full orchestra.

The original soundtrack for the game isn't totally orchestral; I think only "Fountain of Dreams", "Intro" and "Zelda Overworld Theme" are performed by an orchestra. Still, it's a wonderful soundtrack. I managed to find the "Super Smash Bros DX Orchestra" CD, it does have most of the themes performed by a live orchestra. It's a brilliant CD, has anyone heard it?

[Sandor 797]

Does anyone know, now that were talking computer game music all of a sudden, the theme from the classic Commodore 64 game The Last Ninja?

It had an amazing melody!

Roald

[Melange 446]

 

Commodore 64 game The Last Ninja. It had an amazing melody!  

Hmm. Rings a bell that game. I haven't played computer games for many years now. But i think it's the same one i'm thinking of. I cannot remember the music exactly. But in a way, i do. One of those scenarios where you know of something, but cannot recall it fully. I seem to remember it was a very good game also.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

As long as we are in videogames, I always loved the parody that the Star Trek theme received in Sierra's Space Quest games.

[Josh500 1,615]

Does anyone have anything by Rachel Portman??? I've heard that her score to ONLY YOU and EMMA are two of the best love story scores ever. I haven't even watched those films, but I'm very much curious as to what the only respected FEMALE film composer can produce.

LOL

[Sandor 797]

Wasn't Chocolate written by her?

A nice score I remember vaguely. I liked the film by the way.

Roald

[John McClane 1]

Oh, videogames soundtracks...every classic LucasArts graphic adventures have a wonderful soundtrack. Michael Land, Clint Bajakian and Peter McConnell could really be great film music composers too. They sounds cool even with synths, try to imagine with a full orchestra. It wouldn't be cool to hear, for example, the Monkey Island Main Theme played by a real orchestra?

I have every soundtrack from this site. All worth downloading:

- All the 4 Monkey Island

- All the 3 Indy games

- All the 7 Star Wars

- Sam & Max

- Day of the Tentacle

- The Dig (both OST and expanded)

- Grim Fandango (both OST and expanded)

- Outlaws (any Morricone western movie scores will love this!)

- Loom

- Zac McKracken

Too bad he had to take down every Indy and SW scores!!

[QMM 4]

Does anyone have anything by Rachel Portman??? I've heard that her score to ONLY YOU and EMMA are two of the best love story scores ever. I haven't even watched those films, but I'm very much curious as to what the only respected FEMALE film composer can produce.

LOL

I bought the Manchurian Candidate soundtrack done by her, I thought it was great for the movie, worth having in my opinion because it includes the original movies soundtrack along with the remake

[Justin 2]

Oh, videogames soundtracks...every classic LucasArts graphic adventures have a wonderful soundtrack. Michael Land, Clint Bajakian and Peter McConnell could really be great film music composers too. They sounds cool even with synths, try to imagine with a full orchestra. It wouldn't be cool to hear, for example, the Monkey Island Main Theme played by a real orchestra?

I must agree. The Monkey Island scores are fine indeed. The Curse of Monkey Island is easily one of the most charming scores written. The combination of jazzy rhythms with Caribbean instruments creates a unique listening experience. The score can be eclectic at times reflecting both the pirating atmosphere and a more impressionistic view of the beautiful landscape seen in the games. The music can go from full swashbuckling orchestra to just quiet strings and woodwinds with soft steel drum. Absolutely a stellar musical work. The enjoyment increases a million fold once heard in the game I recommend playing the game. But it can be enjoyed outside of it also.

Justin

[John McClane 1]

Justin...try to think a movie score with all the themes from the 4 MI games re-arranged and played by a real orchestra!

Why they don't make a Monkey Island movie?!?

It would be easy to do a better movie than Pirates of the Carribean

[John Crichton 4]

I've always been partial to Monkey Island 2's score. LeChuck's Theme is given a very Imperial March-like treatment. There are even direct homages to the "I am your father" cue from ESB and Vader's Death from RoJ. And a quick quote of the Raiders March. Bajakian, Land, and McConnell definately know their Williams.

[Romão 2,274]

Addicted to Love and The Cider House Rules are wonderful Rachel Portman scores.

And the best video game scores ever are, IMHo, the 4 monkey island scores, grim fandango and Indy 4.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Indy 4.

Indy 4 does not excist!

[Romão 2,274]

I was talking about the game, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. The DOS file was called Indy4.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Dos file?

Get a Mac!

[John McClane 1]

Indy 4? You mean "The Fate of Atlantis"? It's simply the best videogame orchestral score ever.

"The Emperor's Tomb's score is great, too.

It's a pity how they put the music in "The Infernal Machine"...more than 100 cues, everyone long just 10-20 seconds each.

Star Wars videogames are good too, althought they are too similar to the JW original ones.

The Indy score, on the contrary, are great because they're very different and original from the movie scores.

[Lurker 5]

Ryuichi Sakamoto's scores to DePalma's Snake Eyes and Femme Fatale are wonderful scores that are not widely known at all.

Neil

[Henry B 50]

Indy 4? You mean "The Fate of Atlantis"? It's simply the best videogame orchestral score ever.

"The Emperor's Tomb's score is great, too.

I like FoA, but it's limited greatly by the synthesizer...unlike the one used for Dark Forces, it does NOT sound good, the tracks hardly sound better than MIDI. Listen to the trumpet playing the Raiders March. Terrible!

Star Wars videogames are good too, althought they are too similar to the JW original ones.

The Indy score, on the contrary, are great because they're very different and original from the movie scores.

Depends which SW videogame score...some are really derivative, like Chris Huelsbeck's Rogue Squadron scores, but some take things in a totally different direction...all right, ONE does: Knights of the Old Republic. Aside from the occasional heroic Williams moment (usually when the Force theme comes into play), the music is pretty different from the movie scores. And Knights of the Old Republic II is out, and with a great soundtrack, I hear! Maybe somebody could record it off their Xbox, which would be very easy, because there's now an in-game feature for listening to music.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Alaric Jans' Winslow Boy (for the 1999 David Mamet film). A wonderful score, which kind of reminds me of Amistad's Anthony Hopkins music.

[Justin 2]

Alaric Jans' Winslow Boy (for the 1999 David Mamet film). A wonderful score, which kind of reminds me of Amistad's Anthony Hopkins music.

I remember hearing the score in the film and noting how pleseant it was. The film was engrossing as I recall. I'll have to see it again.

And Tommy, a Monkey Island movie would not be good. The games are great but a film would simply not work. It's just to far of a stretch for me to see it happening in any good form. Now a film adaptation of Tim Power's On Stranger Tides is a completly diffrent animal. Definatly worth looking into. I'd love to see Ridley Scott or Brad Silberling tackle the project.

Justin

[John McClane 1]

I like FoA, but it's limited greatly by the synthesizer...unlike the one used for Dark Forces, it does NOT sound good, the tracks hardly sound better than MIDI. Listen to the trumpet playing the Raiders March. Terrible!.

Then you did never listened to the soundtracks on the site I was talking about. There used to be a re-arranged soundtrack. The author took the original MIDI files and he encoded them with a professional software using professional SoundFonts. That soundtrack sounds like the score for Emperor's Tomb, like Mp3s, not MIDIs.

Depends which SW videogame score...some are really derivative, like Chris Huelsbeck's Rogue Squadron scores, but some take things in a totally different direction...all right, ONE does: Knights of the Old Republic. Aside from the occasional heroic Williams moment (usually when the Force theme comes into play), the music is pretty different from the movie scores. And Knights of the Old Republic II is out, and with a great soundtrack, I hear! Maybe somebody could record it off their Xbox, which would be very easy, because there's now an in-game feature for listening to music.

Yes, I agree...also, in the pc version of Emperor's Tomb, we have Mp3 files in low quality. In that site there was the soundtrack made with the X-Box version of the game, which have the same Mp3s, but in hi quality.

[Henry B 50]

Then you did never listened to the soundtracks on the site I was talking about. There used to be a re-arranged soundtrack. The author took the original MIDI files and he encoded them with a professional software using professional SoundFonts. That soundtrack sounds like the score for Emperor's Tomb, like Mp3s, not MIDIs.

Yeah, that's what I was talking about. The MIDIs are redone, but I don't think they sound very good.

[John McClane 1]

No no no...that's an amazing work. Of course it's impossible to make a MIDI file to sound like a cue played by a real orchestra, but that's still a very enjoyable listening experience. Obviously I agree if you say that the Raiders March isn't that good, but for that we have enough version recorded by JW!

[Justin 2]

The Dark Forces Album on that site is a great listen. A vast improvment on the original MIDI score.

Justin - Who really loves the Dark Forces score.