Star Trek II was probably one of the worst. He completely disregarded Goldsmith’s stuff. I mean, he dated Goldsmith’s daughter just to get in on scoring sessions, and hasn’t written anything new since Braveheart.
Chris From Polandsays
Indiana Jim, I so agree with you. Goldsmith’s score for The Motion Picture is just unsurpassable, and Horner is just a bland derivative of himself.
VyseN1says
Wonder why they chose Transformers to be on the list.
My fav is 2001…hard to beat the classical classics…then followed very closely by Vangelis’ surreal blending of sound and music for Blade Runner. That film would not be rated the best all-time sci-film without that near perfect score.
ejdalisesays
Sam, sometimes it is scary just how close we are on viewpoints . . . must be something along the lines of “with great age comes great wisdom”.
I put Blade Runner as #1 (the meshing of some visuals and music still get to me), and Close Encounters at #2. I do like 2001, but that music is not really original to the film. It’s great music for sure, but Kubrik used existing music, so for me it’s classical music first, and a movie score second.
OK, maybe not super close, but somewhat similar.
Robinsays
Dude, Fifth Element! I mean, how can you not love techno-opera?
Of the ones listed… there’s a visceral connection between John Williams’s Star Wars score and my lizard brain. I’m of an age that means I don’t remember a world without the original trilogy, and those musical themes are part of my soul.
Dave in NYsays
The Farscape Soundtrack/Score wasn’t that bad.
But, I’d still have to give it to Star Wars: A New Hope!
Dave in NYsays
Just read that this list is only Theatrical, which I would throw in Serenity as having a great score.
Star Wars is still my #1 though and will be always!
roxaussays
Aye for the Serenity Score and can the Soundtrack for WALL-E count?, they both live happily on my ipod. and while (please dont hurt me) i did vote to the Transformers, hey i’m a sucker for the dramatic string section. I must concede that A New Hope has had the greatest social influence in western culture of likely any Score ever created….scrap that…. anything John Williams conducted.
Samsays
I have both the Firefly and Serenity scores on CD and actually prefer the Firefly score much better. It’s more original and earthy in scope.
Hilstosays
I feel the most attachment to the 1984 Dune score. My parents had me watching that movie when I was waaay too young so I didn’t have a chance. Otherwise Star Wars, Star Trek IV, and 5th Element rank up there too with me.
method says
Bear McCreary’s Battlestar Galactica score of course!!! How did you guys miss that one?
Joejoesan says
Of course it’s difficult to produce a list with nominees. But I expected the Superman score to be in it – for sure!
Michael Hickerson says
We didn’t create the list. It was created by another site.
So, there will be a few favorites left off.
And the BSG score wouldn’t count as the others listed are all cinematic scores.
Indiana Jim says
Star Trek II was probably one of the worst. He completely disregarded Goldsmith’s stuff. I mean, he dated Goldsmith’s daughter just to get in on scoring sessions, and hasn’t written anything new since Braveheart.
Chris From Poland says
Indiana Jim, I so agree with you. Goldsmith’s score for The Motion Picture is just unsurpassable, and Horner is just a bland derivative of himself.
VyseN1 says
Wonder why they chose Transformers to be on the list.
Michael Hickerson says
@IndyJim. I like both TMP and the TWoK soundtracks. They’re both very different and both fit their respective films well.
That said, I still think TWoK is better….
And I can think of quite a few other scores that I’d have put on here besides Transformers. Say, for example the one from Back to the Future.
Locutus says
My favorite is “ET” followed closely by “Back to the Future”. So, I guess I can’t vote. 🙂
Sam says
My fav is 2001…hard to beat the classical classics…then followed very closely by Vangelis’ surreal blending of sound and music for Blade Runner. That film would not be rated the best all-time sci-film without that near perfect score.
ejdalise says
Sam, sometimes it is scary just how close we are on viewpoints . . . must be something along the lines of “with great age comes great wisdom”.
I put Blade Runner as #1 (the meshing of some visuals and music still get to me), and Close Encounters at #2. I do like 2001, but that music is not really original to the film. It’s great music for sure, but Kubrik used existing music, so for me it’s classical music first, and a movie score second.
OK, maybe not super close, but somewhat similar.
Robin says
Dude, Fifth Element! I mean, how can you not love techno-opera?
Of the ones listed… there’s a visceral connection between John Williams’s Star Wars score and my lizard brain. I’m of an age that means I don’t remember a world without the original trilogy, and those musical themes are part of my soul.
Dave in NY says
The Farscape Soundtrack/Score wasn’t that bad.
But, I’d still have to give it to Star Wars: A New Hope!
Dave in NY says
Just read that this list is only Theatrical, which I would throw in Serenity as having a great score.
Star Wars is still my #1 though and will be always!
roxaus says
Aye for the Serenity Score and can the Soundtrack for WALL-E count?, they both live happily on my ipod. and while (please dont hurt me) i did vote to the Transformers, hey i’m a sucker for the dramatic string section. I must concede that A New Hope has had the greatest social influence in western culture of likely any Score ever created….scrap that…. anything John Williams conducted.
Sam says
I have both the Firefly and Serenity scores on CD and actually prefer the Firefly score much better. It’s more original and earthy in scope.
Hilsto says
I feel the most attachment to the 1984 Dune score. My parents had me watching that movie when I was waaay too young so I didn’t have a chance. Otherwise Star Wars, Star Trek IV, and 5th Element rank up there too with me.