yosemitebabe’s first post is perfect. I agree with most everything she says there.
For my own personal favorites, I’m most into James Horner and Thomas Newman (who never ceases to amaze me, either). I’ve gotten to the point where I will buy a score either of these men have composed without ever having seen the film or heard the music.
Some favorites from them: Horner - Sneakers, Apollo 13, Aliens, Braveheart, The Spitfire Grill, The Rocketeer
Newman - Meet Joe Black, Red Corner, The Shawshank Redemption
I also love Peter Gabriel’s score for The Last Temptation of Christ and the Dust Brothers’ score for Fight Club, both already mentioned.
Michael Kamen and Orbital’s combined work for Event Horizon is quite good.
I’m no John Williams fan, but his scores for Born on the Fourth of July and Presumed Innocent are actually quite good.
I know compilations weren’t part of the OP, and they’re not usually my cup of tea, but the compilation soundtracks for Strange Days, City of Angels, and Godzilla (surprised me as much as anyone!) are really pretty good.
If you can find it (it’s somewhat rare), the full-length recording of Danny Elfman’s music for Good Will Hunting is well worth the trouble. I also quite like his music for Dolores Claiborne. Neither of these are typical Elfman music (such as we’re used to hearing in Batman or Edward Scissorhands), and hard to recognize as his work.
Don’t know if this embraces your soundtrack vision.Tho they’re labelled soundtrack,it’s more like songs from the movie,but I enjoy Oliver,Bound For Glory,and the aforementioned Grease.
I’d like to get a copy of songs from Scorceses’ Mean Streets.We both seem to have embraced the same music as teens.
Kudos to some wonderful name. Also to add, Philip Glass, Angelo Badelemanti (sorry I butchered the spelling…he’s the composer for David Lynch), some of Tangerine Dream. For a non-musical movie (the Tommy’s, Jesus Christ Superstar, etc), I would add The Big Chill, City of Angels, and Risky Business, just off the top of my head.
Max: tempting offer! I’m sure our combined soundtrack collections would be a wonder to behold! By the way, I’m too lazy to look it up, and I’m out of the loop—who composed “Red Dragon”?
And yes, some of the other composers mentioed are very good. Basil Polidoris and his “Conan” score is gorgeous, and I’ve loved some of Philip Glass’s stuff. Angelo whats-his-name did a wonderful moody job for “Twin Peaks”.
Oh yeah, Alatariel has seconded “Planet of the Apes”: I hear tell that Goldsmith used pots and pans for part of the percussion sounds. A pretty unique score. Since I am a hardcore Goldsmith fanatic, I have to say that he’s done other scores equally weird, and that “Planet of the Apes” has Goldsmith all over it. (Once you get past the pots and pans!) I do remember when I first heard it (lo, many years ago) I completely did not get it. It didn’t seem like the Goldsmith I knew and loved. But I gave it a few more listenings, and eventually realized that it was freaking GENIUS. I cannot emphasize this enough—freaking GENIUS. Same thing happened with “The Omen” and (believe it or not) “Under Fire”. They all left me cold at first, but since they were Goldsmith, I thought I’d better give them more time to sink in. I soon uncovered their brilliance.
Scarface (which is featured as the fare on the Flashback 95 radio station in GTA III).
Requiem for a Dream (created by Clint Mansell, listen to it in the dark for full disturbance)
A Clockwork Orange
The Last Action Hero (if you, as I, love early 90’s hard rock)
Red Dragon was done by Elfman. Very cool stuff. I also meant to mention Elfman’s Planet of the Apes (2001). Sure the movie may not have been that great but the score was way cool, with much jungle influence.
[sub]1004 posts? I missed my own thousand post party! Aren’t I supposed to get kissed or something?[/sub]
You guys have already mentioned a couple of my favorites already. Newman’s soundtrack to “The Shawshank Redemption” sees a lot of play in my CD-ROM drive, as does Peter Gabriel’s “Passion” (Last Temptation of Christ) soundtrack.
I’d like to add one more, if I may. How about Vangelis’ soundtrack for “Blade Runner”?
The soundtrack to “West Side Story” includes some neat arrangements not included on the Broadway cast recording. I highly recommend it. Also, “The Red Violin” and “Shine” soundtracks are highly excellent.
By the way, I’m too lazy to look it up, and I’m out of the loop—who composed “Red Dragon”?