# Greatest movie music of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 10, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531 "2020-04-10T22:25:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/21 "2020-04-11T01:56:36Z")
A few that haven’t been mentioned: [Junah Sees the Field from The Legend of Bagger Vance, Rachel Portman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QAOXHlAfOs) [My Name is Lincoln from The Island, Steve Jablonsky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iu-t1n821M) [Promontory from Last of the Mohicans](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eYeC0IEqDY) [Now We Are Free from Gladiator, Hans Zimmer, Lisa Gerard](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm-sbOH-nEc&list=PL85083C8DCEEF4040&index=3) [God Moving Over the Face of the Waters from Heat, Moby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHJCrpvYyMo) [Starwaves from Oblivion, M83](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qSD7eEK9og) [Conan the Barbarian from Conan the Barbarian, Basil Poledouris](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT_IrmuA8nI) > [@Rocketeer](#): > > Followed closely by [“Takeoff”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXbL0iukdCo), the theme from “The Rocketeer”, by James Horner. A lovely, evocative, and soaring nostalgic piece. It’s a very “James Horner” piece.😃 [The Ludows from Legends of the Fall](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Iio8QmZY8A) [My Heart Will Go On from Titanic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0ESyVSa8dw&list=PLE487BC0B9018C876&index=5) [Main Theme from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDW5-VczFHo) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/22 "2020-04-11T02:03:59Z")
“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, where Slim Pickens’ character dies in his wife’s arms. ---
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/23 "2020-04-11T02:12:16Z")
The [opening music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klvUH-JWFQA) from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/24 "2020-04-11T02:24:57Z")
I’ve loved Danny Elfman’s theme from [Batman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRZAk2rfESU). ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/25 "2020-04-11T02:33:10Z")
I like Mancini’s theme to _[Silver Streak](https://youtu.be/Wv_wl30h6eU)_ quite a lot. The rest of the movie is pretty good, too. “Do you go… all the way?” ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/26 "2020-04-11T02:58:23Z")
Can I get some clarification please? Some people are answering the question based on music composed for a film while others are listing movies with songs they like in them. Some answered with both, **Snowboarder Bo** for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/27 "2020-04-11T03:08:09Z")
Passion (Last Temptation of Christ) by Peter Gabriel ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/28 "2020-04-11T04:53:09Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Can I get some clarification please? Some people are answering the question based on music composed for a film while others are listing movies with songs they like in them. Some answered with both, **Snowboarder Bo** for instance. I would prefer responses with music composed for a film. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/29 "2020-04-11T05:05:29Z")
I can’t believe that nobody has mentioned [The Dam Busters](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3tF-iLP8Oo) yet. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/30 "2020-04-11T05:34:06Z")
[Lighting the beacons](https://youtu.be/QhRFaY8A9cA) in Return of the King. Dark theater, huge screen, huge sound, this was just awesome American Beauty (nsfw) [Cheerleaders](https://youtu.be/LViiC0ftkdg?t=86) [Running](https://youtu.be/lILK05mtQGA) [Rose Petals](https://youtu.be/g7NXm8YCPDw) Ok, maybe not all time great, but a personal favorite is The Man in the Moon with Reese Witherspoon [Jump with me](https://youtu.be/TiQaVmutQwg) [Dani brings Cort water](https://youtu.be/gXp4WCjZcik) [Skinny dipping](https://youtu.be/oT_RsXOPjTs) (just up to :52) Etc. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/31 "2020-04-11T05:52:42Z")
And of course from American Beauty [Dead Already](https://youtu.be/qIy0-vgnuUY) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/32 "2020-04-11T06:00:47Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > Of course it’s [“Ecstasy of Gold”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZhYCERJp4s&fbclid=IwAR0S-VsQqZF6FYlzZW3u7wtCtgr0iwsrcRSzz23WVBZzFTYJEgN9WR8xwtU&app=desktop), by Ennio Morricone, from “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/33 "2020-04-11T06:15:34Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2oEsWi88Qv0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHWBIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGYgZihmMA8=&rs=AOn4CLC6J1b5LUow28cwWOHE4kLFg9w9sQ "The Third Man - Anton Karas") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oEsWi88Qv0) Anton Karas on the zither in the Third Man ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/34 "2020-04-11T07:48:03Z")
Fargo has a really great score, written by Carter Burwell and based on an old Norwegian folk song. I once heard the score from Psycho played as a piece of stand-alone music. It really worked as serious art, even the screeching strings from the shower scene. A masterpiece by Bernard Hermann. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/35 "2020-04-11T07:49:26Z")
The music composed for _Psycho_ does a damn good job of setting the mood. Also, while it’s not the music itself, but a really good decision was George Lucas’ decision to go with a classical score for Star Wars in 1977. Apparently, a “contemporary” score was considered, and some people at the studio thought it was necessary for bringing young adults into the theater, but Lucas pushed for the classical score. It’s one reason the film holds up so well. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/36 "2020-04-11T13:04:11Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > Of course it’s [“Ecstasy of Gold”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZhYCERJp4s&fbclid=IwAR0S-VsQqZF6FYlzZW3u7wtCtgr0iwsrcRSzz23WVBZzFTYJEgN9WR8xwtU&app=desktop), by Ennio Morricone, from “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. Every instrument in the orchestra used, in a wonderful interweaving. A work of genius. > > Followed closely by [“Takeoff”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXbL0iukdCo), the theme from “The Rocketeer”, by James Horner. A lovely, evocative, and soaring nostalgic piece. The G, B & U was the first thing that I thought of when I saw the thread title. BTW, is there a version of this anywhere where sound and video is actually in synch? It seems every time I see it on TV its off by a fraction of a second. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/37 "2020-04-11T13:54:33Z")
My two favorites - both mentioned before. Nothing quite like facing a huge screen in Technicolor and Cinemascope and having the theme music coming at you… Goldfinger Lawrence of Arabia I remember seeing the latter in the summer of 1963, with my father in Syracuse NY. I fell asleep halfway through and never saw the complete theatre version again (in a theatre) until a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/38 "2020-04-11T14:17:57Z")
It was a TV documentary feature but “British Sea Power” recorded a score (which was released as an album) for something called “From the sea to the land beyond” which celebrated a hundred years of UK coastal life through various snippets of film footage. [Here’s a trailer for it.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vr-zoGTeQE). Hardly blockbuster material you’d think but the music is perfectly judged. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/39 "2020-04-11T15:35:01Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Do we only count original music? … Doesn’t say so, in which case may I propose **Death In Venice**? I’m not a great classical music buff, but the use of Mahler’s music throughout adds wonderfully to the movie. Here’s the [opening six minutes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeSiNpVK_RM). About half way through it becomes apparent why the opening credits were presented like that. There’s a quote about Death In Venice - can’t remember who it’s by - which runs something like: _There may be better movies than Death In Venice, but no movie will ever be a greater work of art._ j ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531/40 "2020-04-11T15:57:01Z")
Seconding \*\*\*633 Squadron \*\*\*and _ **The Dam Busters** _! I didn’t know the melody of the latter is also that of an Anglican hymn until I heard it being sung in church one Sunday: “Hey, I know that tune! Where the hell is it from again?!?” Not a movie, but a 26-episode documentary series with composer Richard Rogers conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra: _ **Victory at Sea** _. It is truly magnificent, especially the main title. I can’t listen to it without getting chills all over my body! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-movie-music-of-all-time/851531.md?page=3)