Favorite Movie Music

[Glory1863]

Now I think about it, there should be a thread for recommending pieces of music from soundtracks. I don't see enough films but I love soundtracks. Video game soundtracks are often beautiful too.

Here you go, Mr. Smith. I only have time to start with one because I'm about to sign into work (I'm always about to sign into work), but I didn't even have to stop to think about this choice. I'll come back and add more later after work. Movie and show music is one of my bigger vices.

Maurice Jarre's Lawrence of Arabia.

Since I'm looking at the big yellow box of "No Work", I guess I'll be adding another one.

Ryuichi Sakamoto's Forbidden Colours from Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.

[Mr Smith]

You beat me to it, Glory! Awesome choice, too. Lawrence of Arabia is one of my mother's favourite movies! I kind of grew up on epic films, particularly Ben Hur and El Cid, both soundtracks of which Miklós Rózsa composed gorgeously. I was obsessed with El Cid in particular, my brother and I would play it out as kids.

I adore Stay With Me by Clint Mansell from The Fountain soundtrack, even though I hated the movie, and happily spend hours listening to it on repeat. There's the boppy Chaiyya Chaiyya Bollywood Joint from the Inside Man soundtrack that I get stuck in my head often, and I couldn't neglect to mention any version of Carrying You from the Miyazaki film Laputa: Castle In The Sky. Hayao Miyazaki films always have amazing soundtracks.

Also because I have to mention it essentially the entire soundtrack to the Digimon Movie. I'm sorry but it holds so many memories for me, especially Kick It Up by Paul Gordon, Here We Go by Jason Gochin, Run Around by Jason Radford, The Impression That I Get by The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones and All My Best Friends Are Metalheads by Less Than Jake.

Quoting my other post so I don't repeat myself.

I'm going to include things like E.S. Posthumus who do score-style music. I'm also enamoured with most of the soundtracks to Cirque du Soleil shows. I've only ever seen one for myself, though, Alegria. And how could I forget the lovely score from Hook? I've always had a particular fondness for John Williams' scores, probably because he's done the music for so many classic films. I also love the Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso and Comptine D'un Autre Ete from Amelie.

As far as TV goes, I have all the soundtracks to the new Doctor Who. I really think Murray Gold does such an amazing job with each and every track, but I have such a hard time picking favourites.

If we got started on video games I'd never stop, but we'll try it anyway. The soundtrack to Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will always be beautiful to me, but my favourite track is the Windmill Hut, as dated as it has become.

Basically the whole soundtrack to Shadow of the Colossus, which in addition to being one of my favourite games of all time, has probably my favourite soundtrack from a video game. I turned The Opened Way into my very first ringtone and played it at my wedding. Revived Power is another good one, any of the battle themes are brilliant, but there are the quieter moments too like The Farthest Land, The Sunlit Earth and Those Who Remain. The other game by the same team, Ico, has a lovely soundtrack as well, particularly Castle in the Mist, Beginning and the end theme, You Were There.

As for Assassin's Creed, Ezio's Family is beautiful, as are Venice Rooftops, Sanctuary and Flight Over Venice. The sequel, Brotherhood, has Echoes of the Roman Ruins and Rome Countryside, which always gets me at around the 1:30 mark. Then Revelations has my personal favourite piece of Assassin's Creed music in the dramatic Laboured and Lost, but I also love The Revelation and Enough for One Life. For kicks, this is addictive, they took sounds and dialogue from the game and mixed it into a song, and this is the song they used as a soundtrack to the trailer for the last game, both are worth a listen.

I'll stop myself there before this gets any longer, my apologies, especially as I got distracted by so many remixes and cover versions on youtube while writing this post. I can't wait to hear everyone else's favourites and recommendations.

[Artisticmom2]

Aww... Lawrence Of Arabia. I loved that one.

Anything by John Williams. In that vein, here is a great You Tube video by a young man singing a tribute to John Williams. It's worth the 4 minutes. My kids still sing this even though we saw it 6 months ago.

John Williams Is The Man - Star Wars Tribute using all John Williams music EXCEPT Star Wars

[Glory1863]

As far as TV goes, I have all the soundtracks to the new Doctor Who. I really think Murray Gold does such an amazing job with each and every track, but I have such a hard time picking favourites.

Speaking of TV, Mr. Smith, I just discovered that there are soundtracks for Sherlock. Those will be on my Christmas list for sure, although just the opening chords of One More Miracle make me want to cry.

I collect John Williams, too, both his music and the recordings he made as conductor of the Boston Pops. Here's a favorite of mine not from Star Wars: The Theme from Schindler's List performed by Itzhak Perlman. We need to transpose that down for Malcolm's viola, Mr. Smith.

[Reanok]

The music soundtraks from Starwars the Empire Strikes back. Braveheart soundtracks 1&2 and Titanic. Startrek wrath of khan sound track Also The voyage home and Furst contact.Also Startrek 6 and Topgun and Pretty in pink.I listento alot of movie soundtracks.

[HopefulNebula]

The Wrath of Khan and First Contact definitely have the best music of any Trek movies.

Importing the link from the Randomness thread: Adagio in D Minor from Sunshine is one of my favorite things ever.

[Mr Smith]

Speaking of TV, Mr. Smith, I just discovered that there are soundtracks for Sherlock. Those will be on my Christmas list for sure, although just the opening chords of One More Miracle make me want to cry.

Yes, there are Sherlock soundtracks! I have a similar response, my friend, echoes of John looking so lost and alone with his therapist break my heart all over again.

Here's a favorite of mine not from Star Wars: The Theme from Schindler's List performed by Itzhak Perlman. We need to transpose that down for Malcolm's viola, Mr. Smith.

You have reminded me I must write more of Malcolm and Mnemosyne! One day, when that particular Jon and Malcolm are done dining around Earth.

Braveheart soundtracks 1&2 and Titanic.

Speaking of Braveheart: this remix of the theme tune has long been one of my favourite things.

Importing the link from the Randomness thread: Adagio in D Minor from Sunshine is one of my favorite things ever.

I checked this one out when you posted it. I've seen the movie but only now did the music really strike me, so thank you!

John Williams Is The Man - Star Wars Tribute using all John Williams music EXCEPT Star Wars

This is excellent!

[Glory1863]

Would you believe I was introduced to Elmer Bernstein's great music for The Magnificent Seven through a record promoting cigarettes? Yep, Music from Marlboro Country.

For those who know composer Jerry Goldsmith from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, here is his Theme from Masada. It would appear that I have some sort of "thing" about Peter O'Toole, the desert and a symphonic score.

For those who know composer James Horner from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, here is his music for the closing credits of Glory. Take my word for it, if you've seen the movie, just hearing this will rip your heart out. Vocal on this is performed by the Boys Choir of Harlem. You had to know that I would include a Civil War movie.

[Kathy Rose]

Would you believe I was introduced to Elmer Bernstein's great music for The Magnificent Seven through a record promoting cigarettes? Yep, Music from Marlboro Country.

That's always been one of my favorites, too.

For some reason, I seem to be drawn to war movie music, particularly WWII. I think it's because I watched some of them on TV with my father, and that was the only time he really talked about his military service in Europe in that war. I particularly like the music with the movie Patton. The opening segment sends chills up my spine.

[Glory1863]

For some reason, I seem to be drawn to war movie music, particularly WWII. I think it's because I watched some of them on TV with my father . . . I particularly like the music with the movie Patton. The opening segment sends chills up my spine.

Ohh, another great Jerry Goldsmith score!

Same for me Kathy Rose. When I was a kid, Friday night was war movie night on WGN. Dad always watched and I watched with him. He'd tell me which ones were more "true." For most kids, their first going to a movie experience is Disney. For me, it was The Longest Day (which has a pretty good soundtrack, too). This was one of the "true" ones, and it had a book by Cornelius Ryan which I just had to get from the library. I was all of 10 (but could read at college level). Later, when I majored in history, Dad would lament to Mom, "Where did we go wrong with this kid?"

If you like war movie soundtracks, you might enjoy Hollywood Goes to War: Music from the Great American War Films. It's a 2 disc set from Silva America featuring the City of Prague Philharmonic. I've had it for a couple of years, so I don't know if it's still available.