Best Ever Soundtracks

[mmichaelson]

(Just for OT and little Altoid)

So once again I am starting my own little thread. . .

What would you pick as the best soundtrack, if you were the king in charge of picking such things?

Perhaps for those of us who really are into soundtracks, you might have to pick by genre, if you can't pick just one!

I think by far my absolute favorite soundtrack is Braveheart. . .although it is closely followed by many others. I happen to adore The Last of the Mohicans. The Star Wars music is very inspiring, and Harry Potter (especially the 3rd) is terrific. Gladiator is wonderful, as is Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

OT, look out, this thread might be as cut-throat as some of the political ones!

Opinions?


Let's go!

[RC]

Excellent Saxy.

I adore a late evening by/in the pool with a tall cold one and the soundtrack from Chocolat. (Must be my Johnny Depp fantasy).

Also like the Harry Potter soundtrack - what fun! (and no, I'm not into the kid that plays Harry )

What about the soundtrack from another fantasy flick: Lord of the Rings? Nice once in a while.

[mmichaelson]

Yeah, I forgot that one. . .and the non-vocal music from Titanic is pretty as well. And I shouldn't forget the soundtrack to the Four Feathers.
Man, I think I'm inciting myself. . .
<sigh> so many good ones. . .

[RC]

Go on.... I'm taking copious notes

[mmichaelson]

Erm. . .Cold Mountain has beautiful stuff. . .and who could forget Master and Commander? King Arthur has good tracks, and is a little similar in style to Gladiator (written by the same guy, who would have thought??)
Let me stew for a bit and I'll have some more. . .

[Nicole Marie]

Thanks Saxy. Soundtracks... the one form of music I hate and you bring it to my forum. Kidding... but I still hate soundtracks.

I'll put aside my emotions and vote....

PURPLE RAIN!!! No really, I love that soundtrack. Ok and in second place... The Decline of Western Civilization. (For those unfamiliar: "The Decline of Western Civilization is the notorious documentary of the original US punk movement, featuring several of the bands central to the vitality and aggressive anti-authoritarian stance of punk. The film is both a documentary of the stage as well as the lifestyle, politics and journalism that all contributed to the scene in 1979 and 1980."

http://imusic.artistdirect.com/soundtracks/music/declineofwesterncivilization.html

Penelope Spheeris is up to part III of this series. Have done a movie on the metal years, and the punk movement in LA in the late 90's. But by far the first one I listed above is the best.

<small>[ 07-30-2004, 03:11 PM: Message edited by: Nicole Marie ]</small>

[mmichaelson]

Nicole, I know you hate soundtracks, but it was a quick topic that everyone can enjoy. .. plus, I was interested in seeing what soundtracks you actually DO enjoy.
Now I will have to see what they're like!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Lt. Kije (yes, it was a movie)
Dr. Zhivago
Iron Eagle
Forrest Gump

[rwcrooks]

The best sound track of all-time is ....

A Hard Day's Night (although you won't find it inthe "soundtrack" section).

Nicole,
I'm surprised you didn't mention Hazel O'Connor's "Breaking Glass" which was the best punk soundtrack ever recorded. It is still fresh today!

[dai bread]

I'd forgotten about "Dr. Zhivago". Yes, that's an excellent soundtrack. So is the one from "The Last of the Mohicans". (Daniel Day Lewis's movie). It has a rather surprising Celtic influence. Surprising but logical when you think of the origin of many settlers in colonial times.

[Shapley]

"Pirates of the Caribbean" has an excellent soundtrack.

"Fiddler on the Roof", and "Schindler's List", both excellent.

"Zorba the Greek", & "The Sand Pebbles".

[Nicole Marie]

RichC, good call! Hazel and Wendy O always make a top ten list.

[Shapley]

"The Mission", my all-time favorite soundtrack. Probably Ennio Morricone's finest work.

<small>[ 08-02-2004, 09:57 AM: Message edited by: Shapley ]</small>

[barfle]

I'm a bit surprised nobody picked 2001 A Space Odyssey. Maybe because its music wasn't written for the movie?

Other favorites of mine include Grand Prix (a Maurice Jarre composition, who also did Dr. Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia), Star Wars (the original), Dances With Wolves, and Rocky.

[Shapley]

Barfle,

If you're going to include movies that use classical selections not written specifically for the film, then Excalibur deserves a place of honor. "Sigfried's Funeral March" and "O Fortuna" being used with excellent visual impact.

I very much like the music from Das Boot, written by jazz great Klaus Doldinger.

V/R
Shapley

[barfle]

Shap, I just didn't give myself enough time to recall Excalibur - a film that got very little box office respect, in spite of a great telling of a well-known story, amazing cinematography, and, of course, the sound track. I have it on laser disk, but I would be interested in the extras that the DVD might have.

[Shapley]

I bought the Excalibur DVD off the sale rack ($9.95 at Wal-Mart, sorry Mom & Pop), but there aren't many extras - Scene Selection, language, & subtitles being the only menu items, as near as I can recall. It may have been a two-sided DVD, widescreen on one side, full-screen on the other, but I don't recall right now. I bought Road Warrior on DVD at the same time, same price, and it was two-sided. I think the only extras on it were language selection (English or Australian ), Subtitles, Scene Selections, and Theatrical Trailer.

V/R
Shapley

[Shapley]

Speaking of DVD's, I see that a new release of [I]The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly[\I] is now available as a two-disc set with 18 minutes of additional footage and lots of extras, including a special feature on Ennio Morricone (See, this isn't a hijack!).

An Excellent Soundtrack on that movie, as well!

V/R
Shapley

[shostakovich]

Gotta go back to some oldies.

Alfred Newman's Captain from Castile and The Robe

Erich Korngold's Robin Hood and Captain Blood

Max Steiner's King Kong and Gone With the Wind

Miklos Rosza's El Cid, Quo Vadis, and Ben Hur

Bernard Herrmann's North by Northwest and Jason and the Argonauts

Elmer Bernstein's Man With the Golden Arm and Magnificent Seven

Franz Waxman's Bride of Frankenstein and Taras Bulba

Bronislau Kaper's Mutiny on the Bounty

All these guys had many more "hits".

A real surprise, loaded with good stuff: George Antheil's The Pride and the Passion

Just getting my nickel's worth.
Shos

<small>[ 08-04-2004, 11:03 PM: Message edited by: shostakovich ]</small>

[redlover1]

Nicole,

WHY oh WHY do you hate soundtracks that much??
<Thanks Saxy. Soundtracks... the one form of music I hate and you bring it to my forum. Kidding... but I still hate soundtracks.>

I'm just curious to ask because the music is made up of people playing classical instruments. So am I to believe that you just hate soundtracks because it just isn't your cup of tea? Are you more of a traditionalist classical afficionado? Please elaborate =)

Devin