# Movie Score/Soundtrack Suggestions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 13, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146 "2009-01-13T20:40:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gwyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/858c86/32.png) [@Gwyen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gwyen)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/1 "2009-01-13T20:40:33Z")
I am looking for movie music to add to my collection of lyric-less ear entertainment. I like almost anything, and am open to new and strange things. Suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![totoismomo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@totoismomo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/totoismomo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/2 "2009-01-13T20:46:32Z")
I recommend Michael Nyman’s work in Peter Greenaway’s films. I especially like his soundtracks for “The Draughtman’s Contract,” “A Zed and Two Noughts,” and “Drowning By Numbers”. This album is a good sampler: [http://www.amazon.com/Nyman-Greenaway-Revisited/dp/B001DELXF8/ref=pd\_bbs\_sr\_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1231879528&sr=8-1](http://www.amazon.com/Nyman-Greenaway-Revisited/dp/B001DELXF8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1231879528&sr=8-1) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/3 "2009-01-13T20:53:56Z")
> [@Gwyen](#): > > I am looking for movie music to add to my collection of lyric-less ear entertainment. I like almost anything, and am open to new and strange things. Why don’t you list of a few of your current favorites? Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with just about anything written by Bernard Herrmann, Jerry Goldsmith, Georges Delerue, Franz Waxman, or Elmer Bernstein. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/4 "2009-01-13T20:56:06Z")
Try the scores from: Jaws 2001 Close Encounters Alien ---
**Author:** ![Gwyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/858c86/32.png) [@Gwyen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gwyen)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/5 "2009-01-13T21:11:54Z")
I know I like John Williams, John Barry, James Horner, Danny Elfman (in small doses), Javier Navarrete, Alexandre Desplat…etc. I don’t know a lot of names really, only moveis that I loved to “hear” like Dances with Wolves or On Golden Pond or even Braveheart. I really am open to everything though! ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/6 "2009-01-13T21:12:14Z")
The first CD I bought was _Jurassic Park_, before I even had a CD player. It’s still one of my favorites. James Horner’s score for _Titanic_ was damn good, too. Does it have to be film scores? I love [this two disc collection](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JQU1/ref=s9subs_c2_15_img1-rfc_g1_si3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1P9D6FVT1H7AR0KYTB73&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383371&pf_rd_i=507846) of J.S. Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin played by Rachel Podger. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/7 "2009-01-13T21:23:20Z")
I’ve got a collection of John Williams scores (Everyone’s heard his stuff, so it’s easy to like) I’m also a big fan of Bernard Hermann, having grown up listening to his brooding, moody stuff. He did several films for Hitchcock ( **Psycho** and **North by Northwest** prominently among them. Hitchcock put Hermann on the other side of the camera in hhis remake of **The Man Who Knew Too Much** – he was directing the orchestra in Albert Hall on-camera.) and scored several of Ray Harryhausen’s flicks – most notably **The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad** and **Jason and the Argonauts**. Great stuff! There’s at least one collection of his film scores out there, along with the individual films. If you’re looking for odd electronics stuff, you can get Louis and Bebe Barron’s score for **Forbidden Planet**. Or Wendy Carlos’ scores (One album has **Clockwork Orange** and other stuff on it.) ---
**Author:** ![Umbriel2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/4af34b/32.png) [@Umbriel2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel2)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/8 "2009-01-13T21:37:51Z")
I second anything by Jerry Goldsmith – enormous stylistic variety, and all of it magnificently crafted. There are a number of good anthologies of his work available too. For something a bit more obscure, I recommend [Christopher Young’s _Hellbound: Hellraiser II_ soundtrack](http://www.amazon.com/Hellbound-Hellraiser-Original-Soundtrack-Highpoint/dp/B000001P0E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1231882127&sr=8-1). At turns majestic, brooding, and all likely to appeal to a fan of Williams and Horner. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/9 "2009-01-13T21:44:31Z")
[Mirrormask](http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6831274/a/Mirrormask.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Gwyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/858c86/32.png) [@Gwyen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gwyen)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/10 "2009-01-13T21:48:07Z")
This is great stuff! I had forgotten about Wendy Carlos, she (he?..) has some awesome stuff! Thanks for the replies, I am downloading, and patiently waiting to hear. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/11 "2009-01-13T21:48:14Z")
_The Natural_. Also, I fell asleep watching a movie last night, but as I drifted in and out, there was one part that had no dialogue that was really cool. The movie is _Fractured_, with Anthony Hopkins. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/12 "2009-01-13T21:50:56Z")
Mark Knopfler has done some amazing work for soundtracks, including _Local Hero_, _The Princess Bride_ and _Last Exit to Brooklyn_. A few of the tracks have lyrics (Gerry Rafferty sings on a beautiful _Local Hero_ song), but, by and large, it’s all wonderful instrumental stuff (and not all of it his incomparable guitar work – much of it is orchestral). There’s even a compilation of some of the best on an album called _Screenplaying_, which you can [sample here](http://www.amazon.com/Screenplaying/dp/B0012259FG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1231882884&sr=8-1). Just noticed the price of the MP3 download for the \*Screenplaying \*album – you will get more than $7 of enjoyment out of that album, believe me. Also, Ennio Morricone’s work for The Man with No Name series (_The Good, the Bad & the Ugly_, et al.) is quite good, as is his soundtrack for Brian De Palma’s _The Untouchables_. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/13 "2009-01-13T21:52:32Z")
Soundtracks (classical style unless otherwise noted) [ul] [li]Christophe Beck - _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ soundtracks [/li][li]Christopher Franke - _Babylon 5_ soundtracks, others. ambient/electronic[/li][li]Murray Gold - _Doctor Who_ (current series) soundtracks[/li][li]Randy Newman - Disney/Pixar soundtracks: _Toy Story_, _Monsters, Inc_, _A Bug’s Life_[/li][li]Yoko Kanno - _Cowboy Bebop_ soundtracks. Great jazz. [/li][li]Howard Shore - _Lord of the Rings_ soundtracks[/li][li]Alan Silvestri - _Back to the Future_ soundtracks, many others[/li][/ul] Non-soundtracks [ul] [li]David Arkenstone - ambient/electronic[/li][li]California Guitar Trio - classical arrangements and pop covers[/li][li]Canadian Brass - classical and pop covers by a 5-man brass band[/li][li]Don Dorsey - electronic renditions of Beethoven and Bach[/li][li]Los Angeles Guitar Quartet - mostly classical arrangements[/li][li]Paragon Ragtime Orchestra - orchestral arrangements of old ragtime favorites[/li][li]P.D.Q. Bach (Peter Schikele) - absurdist classical music. [/li][li]Chris Thile/Nickel Creek - Mixed original folk music w/ vocals and pretty instrumental pieces arranged for mandolin & guitar[/li][li]Tim Weisberg - Jazz/electronic [/li][/ul] \*\*\* Ponder ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/14 "2009-01-13T22:29:42Z")
**Broken Flowers** has an Ethiopian Jazz soundtrack. I think there are no vocals, at least no English vocals. Mulatu Astatke is the main artist. ---
**Author:** ![kurilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea5d25/32.png) [@kurilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurilla)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/15 "2009-01-14T03:49:59Z")
The best soundtracks I’ve heard in years are TRANSFORMERS (make sure you get the original score, not the “music inspired by”) and HITMAN. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/16 "2009-01-14T04:14:26Z")
Patrick Doyle’s soundtrack for Henry V. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/17 "2009-01-14T04:19:17Z")
Hans Zimmer - Pirates of the Carribean, Gladiator, Thin Red Line, Crimson Tide, Black Hawk Down, The Rock, Pearl Harbor Jerry Goldsmith - Rudy, some Star Trek films James Horner - Legends of the Fall, Titanic Rachel Portman - The Legend of Baggar Vance Randy Edelman - Last of the Mohichans (a must have), Dragonheart, The Bruce Lee Story, Every movie trailer ever made ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/18 "2009-01-14T04:26:13Z")
“Grand Prix” by Maurice Jarre ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/19 "2009-01-14T04:52:39Z")
Perhaps my favorite movie soundtrack: [Sweet and Lowdown](http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Lowdown-Music-Motion-Picture/dp/B000034D03/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1231908682&sr=1-1) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146/20 "2009-01-14T05:09:43Z")
I love Horner’s score for **The Rocketeer**. It had depth and resonance, and old-movie majesty to it. Disney must’ve felt so, too – they re-used it several times for some of their trailers. I like several of Jerry Goldsmith’s scores, especially the one he did for **Patton**. I still like the old James Bond scores, especially the ones that John Barry did. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-score-soundtrack-suggestions/481146.md?page=2)