# Best Orchestral Movie Theme **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2015, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224 "2015-06-11T00:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/21 "2015-06-11T03:25:33Z")
Great minds…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/22 "2015-06-11T03:27:35Z")
I also love the jazz trio at the restaurant. What a beautiful tune. I really miss that kind of atmospheric free form film making. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/23 "2015-06-11T03:27:51Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > There are a lot of them. I really like Elmer Bernstein’s theme for \*\*The Magnificent Seven[/BN] (which Marlboro ended up using for their cigarette TV commercials). > … > I’m also a huge fan of Bernard Hermann’s themes – he did some notable Hitchcock music, … Among Herrmann’s best (at least for me) are _Vertigo_ and _Taxi Driver_. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/24 "2015-06-11T03:31:00Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Great minds…🙂 > [@madsircool](#): > > I also love the jazz trio at the restaurant. What a beautiful tune. I really miss that kind of atmospheric free form film making. True words. His _Cool Hand Luke_ and the _Dirty Harry_ movies tracks also stand out. And some of his TV themes are Top Dollar. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/25 "2015-06-11T03:35:33Z")
[_Lawrence of Arabia_,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuxHLzwlDY4)by Maurice Jarre [_The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFa1-kciCb4) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/26 "2015-06-11T03:39:17Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > I also love the jazz trio at the restaurant. What a beautiful tune. I really miss that kind of atmospheric free form film making. This it? [Bullitt (Original Score) - Lalo Schifrin - A Song For Cathy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_9RScMYv4A) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/27 "2015-06-11T03:43:48Z")
You have to be old – or an oldies film buff – but there’s been very little to top [Main Title (“A Streetcar Named Desire”) / Alex North (Soundtrack)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkigcwc9Gqk) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/28 "2015-06-11T03:44:01Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > This it? [Bullitt (Original Score) - Lalo Schifrin - A Song For Cathy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_9RScMYv4A) Oh yes. Thank you for the link. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/29 "2015-06-11T03:48:54Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Without naming a specific movie, I just want Henry Mancini’s name in this thread! Among his best works I count [Henry Mancini - Sounds of Hatari](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKJzMzf7TVE&list=PLF1xrKdn3fQ2cHx0GCK-6hAZpl3j2qfh0) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/30 "2015-06-11T03:55:28Z")
Did Henry Mancini score The Party? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/31 "2015-06-11T03:59:19Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Did Henry Mancini score The Party? [Yes!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063415/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm) [Henry Mancini - The Party - (Soundtrack)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3djgFPqLPc) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/32 "2015-06-11T04:07:27Z")
I bought the soundtrack for The Party not knowing that it didnt have the performances played in the movie. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/33 "2015-06-11T04:24:05Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > But my current favorite is James Horner’s very classic theme for **The Rocketeer**. Disney also used it for several trailers afterwards. As I was reading this thread, that music was running through my head. I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to cop to loving it, though. So thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/34 "2015-06-11T04:35:43Z")
I’d better quit hogging the show, but I do want to mention [Jerry Goldsmith ~ Chinatown](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEaGu7_J3oY) [The Sandpiper (1965) opening credits and music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbT0zk588ds) [Ocean’s Eleven Main Title Theme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llRmyRgmshM) [The Conversation Soundtrack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DogQt0WJJkI) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/35 "2015-06-11T04:37:02Z")
[Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl – Klaus Badelt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFBBKfw59kA) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/36 "2015-06-11T04:48:22Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNW0WW3JmkU) Here is a theme that should have had a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/37 "2015-06-11T05:02:33Z")
[Howard Shore - Lord of the Rings Main Theme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prZ4RWWku7Y) [John Williams - ET](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O15x-B8PgeE) But the best is [The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, by Ennio Morricone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFa1-kciCb4) ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/38 "2015-06-11T05:37:02Z")
Vangelis with his sound track for Chariots of Fire is not to shabby, it certainly did pretty well as a stand alone album. I think Jerusalem is the only non original piece on the soundtrack, and it is a good rendition in itself. Well I like it the whole LOTR score is great as well, complements the film wonderfully, and Annie Lennox final “into the West” song is a suitably epic ending Lalo Schifrin Bullitt opening credits is just awesome as well. Not sure it would get the nod for overall sound track, but many many points for that one. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/39 "2015-06-11T06:12:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [_Lawrence of Arabia_,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuxHLzwlDY4)by Maurice Jarre Yep, that’s the one that I opened the thread to mention. There are other ones I like, but that one’s the best. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224/40 "2015-06-11T13:59:06Z")
I just knew I had participated in a similar listing of movie themes/music before so I dug up one from 2009 and many of my contributions went to dead links, so I fixed most of them in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18430268&postcount=41) if you would count some of them as fitting in this thread. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-movie-theme/722224.md?page=3)