Some great original (actually original) soundtracks include:
Gigi
State Fair (in both cases, the movie predated any stage version)
42nd Street
Footlight Parade
Bugsy Malone
I would have to say Glory just based on the soundtrack’s use elsewhere. A lot of these movies have great songs in them, but the soundtrack wasn’t made for the film.
Akira
*The High and the Mighty. *The main theme (beginning at 0:21) is one of the most gorgeous melodies every composed.
The Empire Strikes Back
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
The answer is a tie between Help! and A Hard Day’s Night.
Second Place: Quadrophenia
Runners up:
Once
Saturday Night Fever
The Graduate
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Purple Rain
The Pink Panther
Local Hero
This is Spinal Tap
*
And stretching the definition of ‘Original Sountrack’:
*
The Blues Brothers.
Reservoir Dogs
Pulp Fiction
Easy Rider
The Last Waltz
*
Yay Ennio Morricone!
May I recommend the excellent two-disc compilation Crime and Dissonance compiled by Mike Patton, formerly of Faith No More. The wildest stuff from his Italian film soundtracks from '68 to '81.
For single soundtracks, I would say ‘The Harder They Come’.
and the runners up are:
Woodstock
Nashville
Stop Making Sense
I would also go for Morricone, there are indeed very good nominations so far, I would also add Basil Poledouris for Conan The Barbarian and in the comedy division a mention to Henry Mancini’s score for The Great Race, great main theme and creepy but unforgettable villain theme.
I’m not sure how “original soundtrack” is being defined, but considering the other choices, I nominate O Brother, Where Art Thou?
(sitting here gobsmacked) Speaking as a fan of Ernest K. Gann’s non-fiction so I thought it might be good, please, I beg of you, NEVER make me watch that movie! :eek:
ETA: But it is a good theme. I base that on decades of hearing it out of association with the movie. Couldn’t listen tonight because I was in awe of how bad the movie probably was.
Word to publishers: Sure, some guy can write magazine articles. That does not mean he won’t come up with the most hackneyed, overwrought fiction in the history of the universe. Unless that’s what you are looking for.
“Forbidden Planet”
Requiem for a Dream, without a doubt.
Amadeus.
oh.
Blade Runner
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Pride & Prejudice
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Gladiator
Glory
Ray
Blade Runner, yes!
I came in to mention this. But we have to be choosy as there are several renditions, including a couple bootlegs, of which the “Esper Edition” is the best of them all, IMHO.
But anyway, astounding music.
And I will nominate The Mission.
Silverado
The Natural
I have them all, and prefer the “Off World” double cd boot over the Esper, but both are vastly superior to any of the official retail releases. Which is a crime, because OW and EE would be magnificent records given decent sources and treatment.
BTW, the recent new three-disc retail version only added outrage to insult, IMO. I’ll bet you agree.
.
Star Trek II’s score turns a good movie into a great one.
Oddly enough, the same score was chopped to pieces and used for a really bad chop-socky film afterwards. It didn’t help that film at all.