# Movie Themes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746 "2003-02-17T23:15:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/1 "2003-02-17T23:15:12Z")
List all the nice TV/movie themes you know. You should consider these themes ‘good’ irrespective of the context and usage in their respective movies/show. IOW, they should stand as good pieces of music on their own, as if they were musical pieces by some band. I’ll chime in the ones I like _End Titles_ from **Bladerunner** **Crimson Tide** _The Kiss_ from **Last of the Mohicans** **Bombay** **Bangkok Hilton** _Lux Aeterna_ from **Requiem for a Dream** **Brazil** **Where Eagles Dare** **Bad Boys** _Lara’s Theme_ from **Doctor Zhivago** **Indiana Jones** **Star Wars** _Imperial March_ from **Star Wars** **Poirot** **Pink Panther** **Mission: Impossible** **Braveheart** **Chariots of Fire** **1492 : Conquest of Paradise** _Many Meetings_ from **LOTR** **Terminator** **Twin Peaks** ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Dirx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Sir\_Dirx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Dirx)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/2 "2003-02-18T01:14:18Z")
I’m rather fond of the **Jurassic Park** soundtrack, particularly _Welcome to Jurassic Park_. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/3 "2003-02-18T02:12:13Z")
**Goldfinger** and **Thunderball** **The Godfather** ---
**Author:** ![Fibber\_McGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a6a055/32.png) [@Fibber\_McGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibber_McGee)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/4 "2003-02-18T02:21:24Z")
I’m fond of quite a bit of DAnny Elfman’s work, most notably the Themes/Scores from: _Beetlejuice_ _Mars Attacks_ _Ed Wood_ _Batman_ _Pee Wee’s Big Adventure_ And of course, the themes for _The Simpsons_ and _Tales From the Crypt_. Wasn’t fond of his work on _Spider-Man_ though. A superhero needs a memorable, iconic theme, especially one as well-known as Spidey. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/5 "2003-02-18T03:27:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 5 time champ \* > **The Godfather** \*\* I’m assuming you’re talking about the Sicilian song [Brucia La Terra](http://www.jgeoff.com/godfather/gf3/anthony.html). ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/6 "2003-02-18T04:09:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fibber McGee \* > \*\*I’m fond of quite a bit of DAnny Elfman’s work… \*\* Do you know Elfman did the score for _Good Will Hunting_ as well? One of my favorites of his is the opening titles from that movie. Also, the train station score from _Unbreakable_ is great (James Newton Howard). Most of Thomas Newman’s score for _Meet Joe Black_ is wonderful. Howard Shore’s music for _The Lord of the Rings_ has been top-notch so far. “Forth Eolingas” from _The Two Towers_ and “Concerning Hobbits” from _Fellowship_ are quite memorable. Eric Clapton’s music for the British series _Edge of Darkness_ is very rare, but very worth finding. James Horner’s score for _Sneakers_ is awesome, especially “Too Many Secrets.” His theme for the “Battle in the Mutara Nebula” from _Star Trek II_ is a lot of fun, and “Bishop’s Countdown” from _Aliens_ is an out-and-out classic. Tangerine Dream’s “People in the News” from _Miracle Mile_ and the Unicorn theme from _Legend_ are great. Hans Zimmer has some great work, “Now We Are Free” from _Gladiator_ is one of my favorites. Alanis Morrisette’s song “Uninvited” from the _City of Angels_ soundtrack is almost worth the price of the CD by itself. “Sleepers Wake” from _12 Monkeys_ is quite memorable, one of those songs that is hard to seperate from the film. Peter Gabriel’s “A Different Drum” from _The Last Temptation of Christ_ is incredible (but really, the whole score kicks ass). The use of Sting’s “Shape of My Heart” at the end of _Leon (The Professional)_ is one of the most perfect uses of music I’ve ever heard in a film. My favorite use of music in any film, however, is the use of **Henryk Gorecki’s Symphony Number 3** at the end of _Fearless_. I swear I stop breathing every time I see that sequence, and it’s perhaps the ideal marriage of music with film. Heartbreakingly perfect. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/7 "2003-02-18T04:17:05Z")
Suprised no one has mentioned **Goodfellas**. Lots of classic songs on that soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/8 "2003-02-18T04:17:31Z")
I rather like “A Journey In The Dark” off the LOTR soundtrack: specifically the point where they’re entered the large hall (of Dwalin, I believe, but IANA Tolkien expert) and Sam says “Now that’s an eye-opener, make no mistake!” The very beginning of “The Black Rider” off LOTR is great fun, too, just before the hobbits fall off the hill. Very fun and it seems to put the epitome of hobbit-ness into a few seconds. The start of “Bridge of Khazad-Dum” is massive enjoyment, as well–definitely gives me tingles. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/9 "2003-02-18T06:42:16Z")
Danny Elfman also did **The Nightmare Before Christmas** , which has some great songs and music. I also like Silvestri’s **Back to the Future** theme. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/10 "2003-02-18T08:44:11Z")
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the theme from **The Good, The Bad and The Ugly** by Ennio Morricone ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-themes/155746/11 "2003-02-18T15:21:20Z")
> [@](#): > > posted by **Fibber McGee** > I’m fond of quite a bit of DAnny Elfman’s work, most notably the Themes/Scores from… _Ed Wood_ Written under the pen name “Howard Shore,” of course. 😉