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The Greatest Soundtracks Of All Time
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There are and have been many first-class film composers and it would go beyond the scope of this topic to list them all. That’s why five of the most famous of this genre are represented. If your favorite composer is missing, let me know, I’m excited.
Once Upon a Time in the West is a 1968 epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone. It stars: Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson and Claudia Cardinale. Even if you might not get much out of the movie, the soundtrack remains unforgettable.
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Metropolis is a German monumental expressionist silent film by Fritz Lang from 1927. It is based on the novel “Metropolis” by Thea von Harbou from 1925. The setting is a futuristic city with a pronounced two-class society. This science fiction film was one of the most expensive films of the time and is considered one of the most important works in film history (at least that’s what Wikipedia says and I’m happy to agree). The film music was written by Gottfried Huppertz from Cologne in 1927.
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This composition was written by John Williams for the film The Empire Strikes Back in 1983.
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Battlestar Galactica was considered a blatant plagiarism of Star Wars and promptly ended up in court. But that didn’t affect the success of the movies. I’m not exactly sure who was responsible for the soundtrack. But I think the compositions are by John Williams, too.
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I loved Battlestar Galactica, Juergen! It was marketed as TV’s answer to Star Wars, and that’s the lens I viewed it through. It was like watching Star Wars on TV every week! Never mind that they only had about four different special effects that they recycled over and over in every episode. (When the Cylon ship suddenly curves sharply to the right, you know it’s about to get hit by a Viper and explode.)
The music on Galactica was composed by Stu Phillips, who did similar work for many other shows including Knight Rider (your favorite!) and the Monkees (the little bits of incidental music). He’s still going at age 94.
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Yeah David, I loved Battlestar Galactica too. As I already told you, I had the pleasure of watching Battlestar Galactica in a cinema hall. In order to better amortize the high production costs, a slightly shortened version of the pilot film was released in cinemas in several other countries (Canada, Japan, Europe) at the same time as the series started in the USA, which also had considerable success . Later, some episodes were edited into other films. The film premiered in Canada on July 7, 1978. The German premiere took place on October 26, 1978. Starring Lorne Green aka “Ben” Cartwright and womanizer Dirk Benedict.
The series was relaunched in 2003. With a new plot and new actors. I’ve seen a few episodes of it. It may not have the charm of the old series, but it is at least technically up to date and offers a much more complex plot. Have you seen the new series?
According to rumors, a new movie is also planned
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No, I never gave the new Galactica a chance. I read about it, and there were so many changes (Cylons that looked like humans, etc.) that I imagined I would have spent most of my time yelling “That’s not right!” at the TV screen.
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The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American film adaptation of Dan Brown’s thriller of the same name. It was directed by Ron Howard. The well-known film score was written by Hans Zimmer.
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The movie Insterstellar was released in 2014 and the plot of the film still fascinates me to this day. The film is set in a dystopian future in which humanity has to leave Earth and search for a new home on another planet. Certainly not a completely new idea, but I was very impressed by the visual implementation and the attempt to put the film on a scientific basis. Kip Thorne, who later won the Nobel Prize in Physics, worked as a scientific advisor and executive producer. After I saw the exciting and not necessarily predictable ending of the film I thought: Too bad I won’t watch the film anymore now that I know the ending. But I was wrong. Every two to three years, when the memory has become a little dusty, I put the Blu-ray back into my player and am fascinated again and again. The wonderful soundtrack was arranged by Hans Zimmer.
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I may have been 14 years old when Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel “The Lost World” fell into my hands. I devoured it. The last descendants of the dinosaurs live high up on a hidden plateau in South America. I was so fascinated. Although the heroes in Jules Verne’s novel “The Journey to the Center of the Earth” had brief contact with primitive dinosaurs, it had never been described before in as much detail as in Doyle’s novel. As a young person, I was fascinated and excited long before the real hype about the rebirth of the dinosaurs began. When Jurassic Park came to the cinema in 1993 (based on a novel by Michael Crichton) I was completely over the moon. The unforgettable soundtrack once again is composed by John Willams.
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A movie is a fantastic show of illusions. Our eyes are shown 24 individual images per second and yet we see a moving image. Just one or two pictures less and the image would stumble. The film music creates expectations and feelings that are not present in the film, but only in ourselves. Even the sound effects that we hear in the film are not what they seem to be. The Houdinis of modern times are Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock, Luc Besson and Steven Spielberg, to name just a few. Nothing we think to see is what it seems. We know this and yet we watch movies over and over again because we like it when a true master plays on the keyboard of our emotions. For a short time we immerse ourselves in worlds that are magic for our senses, like a fantastic dream, only ending after the credits roll.
An important part of this illusion are the film sound effect. They are essential. And there’s a lot of trickery going on. Anyone who has ever filmed knows this: the original sound is usually unusable. Too much noise: Wind, people talking somewhere, street- or machine noise. The world is loud. It is a remarkable phenomenon: even if you are in a remote place, you will find that the sounds of civilization are close behind you. So you have to help a little with sound effects in post-production. And that brings us to Jack Foley.
Jack Foley was born in 1891. He was the first well-known sound effects artist to develop many sound effects techniques for filmmaking. He is credited with developing a unique method of performing sound effects live and in sync with the picture during post-production of a film. Accordingly, people who work in this profession are called “foley artists”.
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I can’t believe that no one has mentioned Grease.
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We just were waiting for you do that, Tom. 😀
How are you doing?
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Tom,
Yes, Grease was a real landmark of a movie. They just don’t seem to make them as good as this anymore! I felt so bad about Olivia Newton-John’s passing a year ago in August 2022. Good thing for recordings & movies for ALL of the stars we’ve lost over the years!
Thankfully we have Mona & Lisa now! They have so many great years ahead of them! It’s so nice to be able to witness the record of their success from the very beginning! — Bud J.
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Thanks to you both But & Juergen,
I am well.
Let me add this little gem.
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For sure, Tom. A gem. „Also sprach Zarathustra“ (Thus Spoke Zarathustra) by Richard Strauss, loosely based on the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. I’ve always wondered what message Stanley Kubrick wanted to convey with his movie. Perhaps this is the answer: In his work, Nietzsche thought about the “eternal return“, according to which all events repeat themselves infinitely often. For Nietzsche, this cyclical understanding of time is the basis of the highest affirmation of life. Just like in “2001: A Space Odyssey”, the end is the beginning, and the beginning will not end, but will always start again. A never-ending cycle. Perhaps that’s what Kubrick wanted to tell us with his impressive movie.
Or as soccer coach Sepp Herberger once put it so aptly: “After the game is before the game.” 😄
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Here’s another pretty interesting contribution on the subject of movies and sound designs. A bit detailed, but quite fascinating.
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Actually, the many wonderful theme songs that animated movies have given us are missing from this topic. I don’t necessarily think of the countless Disney movies, but I’m especially thinking of films like “The last last Unicorn” ….
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…or even the theme song from „Watership down“ for example. Written by Mike Batt and performed by Art Garfunkel. I would like to include these two songs in this collection for the sake of completeness.
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Japanese anime films should not go unmentioned. Certainly often unusual for our film and viewing habits, they are very popular in Asia. And some of these films have also become something of a cult here.
“Your Name” received very positive reviews overall. According to box office receipts, “Your Name” was the world’s most successful anime film with more than 382 million US dollars to date. At the same time, “Your Name” is the third most successful domestically produced film in Japan. Many Japanese film composers have created great musical works. The soundtracks for video games such as “Final Fantasy” are particularly legendary.
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I’m not going to post the album links, but I’ve got a couple that ring loudly for me. The first one is (to me) very obvious and unless I missed it, nobody even mentioned it:
Rogers & Hammerstein’s “Sound Of Music” has to be one of the biggest movie soundtracks of all time.
Earnest Gold’s “Exodus” was also huge, the title song pulls at me from my much younger concert band days, a stirring and deep work of stellar symphonic proportions. Not that I was ever at that level of proficiency…In more modern scopes, Good Morning Vietnam is one of my favorites that covered the antics of Sgt Adrian Cronauer’s battle with “the establishment” as was fitting for the times of the Vietnam War. Some of the generation’s greatest rock and roll songs added flavor to a touching and poignant depiction of both affection and injustice within one of the most controversial times in modern military history. Not just for the US, but the whole world. Not unlike right now, but that’s a whole other thing.
But so much is put into the soundtracks of film that adds mood and feel to the big screen. I think it is often overlooked and taken for granted. I have a musician friend that writes and composes soundtracks for a living, and it is very interesting to hear him talk about what he does. The man is humble, but oh so brilliant. Plays a pretty mean guitar too.-
Daryl, Chris & David,
I just have to comment here on both West Side Story & The Sound of Music. (I had just spent a long time typing this up, & then in one accidental click I lost the whole thing, just before submitting it!) I agree with you wholeheartedly on these two movies, & though I have a lot of favorites (“Evita,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Music Man” & many more, those two movie musicals, “WSS” & “SOM” are my favorites!
In the ’80’s to 2010, I used to play trumpet in many Broadway Show–type musicals in Seattle, & we played those two shows. I had just lived in New York City (NYC) in the ’70’s, near where the movie musical was filmed, & did a lot of walking around NYC. I had a few Puerto Rican friends who were trumpeters too, & there was a big “Salsa” music scene in those days. Great stuff! All that great music from WSS really resonates with me, & I feel like I lived it! (Luckily, without the gang involvement!)
And I lived on the Upper West Side in NYC, just 6 blocks from John Lennon, & 8 blocks from where some WSS scenes were filmed! I used to walk by the Dakota Apartments a lot but didn’t hang around because I didn’t want to bother him! What a mistake that was! I really got the whole New York experience & loved that part of my life!
On my first European trip I visited Salzburg & Vienna Austria, along with 14 other countries. Then in 1983 to 1990, I played in the Pit Orchestra of Civic Light Opera, & besides “WSS,” we also did “The Sound of Music!” We all got to meet Johanna von Trapp, (the real 2nd from youngest von Trapp.) She gave a talk to the audience for the Premiere & Opening night, which was a great experience for everyone! We learned the real von Trapp story, & the book by her adopted mother Maria is a very interesting read! (Please also check out videos of the REAL von Trapp Family Singers!)
Thanks for posting these videos, as it brings up all those great memories for me! In one of the newer MLT videos, Mona mentioned that she wants to visit NYC. All I can say is, you will have a great time there! There are so many layers of history, musical & otherwise! (Just be careful, keep an eye out on your surroundings, & watch your wallet!) I can see Mona & Lisa jamming out some Beatle tunes on the “Strawberry Fields” site in Central Park!
Thanks guys! — Bud Jackson
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Hi Daryl,
thanks for posting. You are right: Film music is an art form that certainly requires a lot of sensitivity and musical creativity from the composer. It’s always the icing on the cake that sweetens the whole film.
„Good Morning Vietnam“with the unforgettable Robin Williams is well known, but „Sound of music“ doesn’t ring a bell. I once researched why this is so: The Broadway premiere of “Sound of Music” was on November 16, 1959 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater in New York. The first performance with us was in 1982. The memoirs of Augusta Maria Trapp, on whom the musical is based, were already filmed in 1956 under the title “The Trapp Family”. According to Wikipedia, this was one of the most successful German homeland films. This was all long before my time.
Julie Andrews who starred in the 1965 film adaptation, was an impressive singer with a wonderful voice.
Below is the song „Edelweiss“ from the musical, sung by the Trapp great grandchildren.
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I don’t know if musicals qualify for this list, but Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, two masters, created something truly magical and timeless in West Side Story. I haven’t seen Spielberg’s take on it; this is from the first movie, in 1961.
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Musicals absolutely qualify, Chris! And you picked one of the best. I can listen to the soundtrack of West Side Story over and over, and I tear up every time.
Spielberg’s version is definitely worth seeing, and this is coming from someone who is generally skeptical of remakes. It preserves everything from the original that should be preserved, and most of the changes are just reversions to how it was done on Broadway. There are also a few new scenes that serve to flesh out some of the main characters without altering the story line.
Here’s a sample of how the two versions match up:
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Thanks David. I didn’t know about Spielberg’s version until I went to look up the old one. But I read a bit about it. Some say it’s Spielberg’s best film. Wikipedia says it had terrible box office numbers, and doesn’t mention that it was during the pandemic — who was going to see movies then?
That clip you posted is well done too. And now that I know the two movies are the same, I don’t have to see the other one. (Just kidding.)
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Yeah, I remember watching it at the theater, with my mask on… with just three other people!
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Talking about „The Trapps“ and Austria I have to remember the famous “Harry-Lime theme” from the British film noir “The Third Man”. It was played by Anton Karas on the zither.
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Jurgen,
Sure, I remember this theme, but I hadn’t seen the video until now of the zither performance. A weird, but interesting sound, and a nice solo here! I first heard the “Third Man Theme” when it was recorded by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. Herb & his wife Lani Hall recently did a concert nearby here, & he’s 88 years old now! He’s still playing & touring, along with sculpting & painting! I missed the last show unfortunately because I had a very mild case of covid. I’m all better now!
I HAD seen the video of the von Trapp great grandchildren singing “Edelweiss.” I just googled it, and apparently, the four newest von Trapps here gave their last full-time professional performance in 2016, where they live in Portland, Oregon! That’s about 4 hours from me. Time marches on!
— Bud J.
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Yes Bud, the zither has an unusual sound and was often used in Alpine folk music. It was developed sometime in the 19th century and was considered a dying instrument. In recent years, however, this unusual instrument seems to be experiencing a renaissance. Especially with young musicians.
I found a short, entertaining documentary about the Zither. English subtitles can be added via the settings menu.
By the way Zither (Zitter) means something like trembling.
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Jurgen,
Thank you for that very interesting documentary, & I do like the Zither sound! Very cool, and with the bow and various techniques, the young lady here got some real weird avant garde worthy sounds! I’ll try sending you this Tijuana Brass version of “The 3rd Man Theme.” I saw them for the 1st time in 1967 in Seattle! (Imagine that!) They were hugely popular back then & had many hits.
I love all those unusual instruments, & I took some “World Music” classes for Teacher credits, among all the other classes in Conducting, Instrumental & Vocal Techniques & on into the night.
I don’t have a Zither, but I own 2 Talking Drums from Nigeria, & a Djembe from Mali. I studied with 3 different Master Drummers from Nigeria, Senegal & Ghana. But I’m mainly a trumpet player, & can play many Brass, Woodwind, String & Percussion instruments.The problem is trying to keep up with all of them! I was in Germany only once in 1982, when I visited 15 European countries, plus Kenya. I’ve found out that my ancestry is mostly English, Irish, Scottish, Norwegian, Danish, Canadian, but also 12% French & German from northern Switzerland! And I’ve been to all those places! I was born in Hawaii, & live near Seattle, but I also lived in New York City for 2 years & travelled around in a Rock Band. I’ve had Music students from all over the World, so I have more of an International attitude about things. I get bothered by all the craziness in US politics. I believe that ALL people deserve respect, & that countries & people have to STOP choosing sides! (“We the People” means EVERYONE!)
Thanks for all your interesting comments Jurgen! PEACE BRO’! — Bud Jackson
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Bud,
nice to hear that you have already experienced a lot of things in life and that you have traveled to many places. This broadens your personal horizon a lot. Personally, I also really enjoy traveling and think it’s a shame that the world is becoming smaller again because many countries think they have to separate themselves. Here in Europe we have had to painfully experience so many times where this leads. A sad trend.
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Thanks Jurgen,
Nice comment! I would like to see a peaceful, more understanding World with acceptance of cultural differences & diversity. We need to help spread the word! — Bud
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Juergen,
europeans especially Germans are my heroes.
Stay warm this winter.
109 postings so far.
You are the reigning champ discussion thread meister.
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