# Top 10 Film Composers of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845 "2011-02-10T02:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/21 "2011-02-11T00:44:55Z")
Not a single mention of Philip Glass yet??? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/22 "2011-02-11T01:23:22Z")
Moving away from purely orchestral scores, Clint Mansell, Giorgio Moroder, and Mark Knopfler all have done several great scores. David Shire’s score for The conversation is amazing, although I don’t know anything else by him. Of the more traditional composers, Nino Rota is one of the finest. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/23 "2011-02-11T01:26:25Z")
Oh, also, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ scores are fantastic, some of the few I can listen to as a whole rather than picking highlights from. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/24 "2011-02-11T01:30:17Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > David Shire’s score for The conversation is amazing, although I don’t know anything else by him. Great choice–he also did the wonderful score for the original _Taking of Pelham 1-2-3_ and the charming, quirky music for _Return to Oz_ ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/25 "2011-02-11T03:47:15Z")
Graeme Revell? ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/26 "2011-02-11T03:50:38Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Moving away from purely orchestral scores, Clint Mansell, Giorgio Moroder, and Mark Knopfler all have done several great scores. David Shire’s score for The conversation is amazing, although I don’t know anything else by him. > Of the more traditional composers, Nino Rota is one of the finest. I LOVE Mark Knopfler’s albums (and grew up listening to Dire Straits in the car as a kid), but I didn’t know he scored any movies…O.o ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/27 "2011-02-11T03:55:48Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > And Sergei Prokofiev was a far more important pioneer than Saint-Saens, as far as classical crossovers go. Yeah, I’d agree with that. > [@Musicat](#): > > But one name stands out to me…John Williams. Not an innovator, just a copier of obsolete styles (semi-classical, forgettable). This is in extreme contrast to Henry Mancini, who broke ground with jazz and jazz influences in a medium where it was rarely used. > > Randy Newman (although I’d classify him as a songwriter, not a composer) used an old genre, but he brought new and clever angles to it. IMHO, John Williams just retreaded the field and collected an obscenely large paycheck. (And I speak as one who received part of his paycheck from Williams’ coattails.) I’d agree with that, but John Williams is simply the most tuneful film composer, as polarizing a figure as he is. If we wanted to talk video game music (another thread, perhaps? :D), that’d be like comparing Koji Kondo to Nobo Uemitsu. N.U’s far superior as a “composer” with innovative counterpoint, orchestration, etc. But everyone, EVERYONE in the western world who doesn’t live in a cave has heard the Super Mario themes before. That’s the analogy I use for considering John Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/28 "2011-02-11T04:46:41Z")
> [@Sir\_Not\_Appearing\_on\_This\_Site](#): > > But Marvin Hamlisch? The only thing I associate him with is The Spy Who Loved Me, which has the worst score of any Bond film. Synth for the lose. His orchestration of the matt Damon film “The Informant” is fantastic, one of the many great things about that underrated movie. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/29 "2011-02-11T05:45:45Z")
How about Vangelis? Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/30 "2011-02-11T06:26:49Z")
Thirty posts and no mention of four-time Oscar winner [Dmitri Tiomkin](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006323/)? He was nominated 22 times. His scores include: The High and the Mighty\* The Old Man and the Sea\* High Noon \*\* Rio Bravo Giant Five Hitchcock films including: Dial M for Murder Strangers on a Train Shadow of a Doubt Five Frank Capra films including: It’s a Wonderful Life You Can’t Take it With You Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Ten Why We Fight documentaries with Capra \*Oscar Winner \*\* Oscars for score and song IMDb has this this story about Tiomkin: > [@](#): > > For that _Duel in the Sun_, Tiomkin wrote a lush orchestral score, trying to please the writer/producer David O. Selznick in his request: “Make a theme for orgasm!” Tiomkin worked for several weeks, and composed a powerful theme culmination with forty drummers. Selsnick was impressed, but commented: “This is not orgasm!” Tiomkin worked for one more month and delivered an even more powerful music theme culminating with one hundred voices. Selznick was impressed again, but commented: “This is not orgasm! This is not the way I fuck!” But Tiomkin replied brilliantly: “Mister Selznick, you may fuck the way you want, but this is the way I fuck!” Selznick was convinced, and after that, Tiomkin’s music was fully accepted. ---
**Author:** ![Dioptre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/278dde/32.png) [@Dioptre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dioptre)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/31 "2011-02-11T09:50:48Z")
I think Bruce Rowland deserves consideration. Mostly films not well known outside Australia, but the various themes from Pharlap, All the River’s Run and Man from Snowy River make me shiver. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/32 "2011-02-11T10:27:58Z")
I miss recognisable theme music. There seems to be less of that than there once was. The last movies where I’d really recognise a theme would be _Pirates of the Caribbean_ and _Lord of the Rings_. Maybe _Spider-Man_. The rest just sound generic and messy. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/33 "2011-02-11T11:11:22Z")
> [@antonio107](#): > > I LOVE Mark Knopfler’s albums (and grew up listening to Dire Straits in the car as a kid), but I didn’t know he scored any movies…O.o Local Hero and The Princess Bride are probably the highlights, and he’s done several other films. There’s also a compilation album Screenplaying which is a good introduction. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/34 "2011-02-11T12:32:46Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > How about Vangelis? Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire. Yeah, blew my mind he wasnt even mentioned. Vangelis has his own corner in the movie composers street (and dont forget the Bounty, a lot of the film’s mood comes from Vangelis’s work). There’s one that didnt have a very prolific run, but might have turned out the best score ever: Wocjiech Killar. The Dracula score is, IMO, one of the best scores ever written (and the Ninth Gate had a few very very good tracks). ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/35 "2011-02-11T12:59:43Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > There’s one that didnt have a very prolific run, but might have turned out the best score ever: Wocjiech Killar. The Dracula score is, IMO, one of the best scores ever written (and the Ninth Gate had a few very very good tracks). Agreed, the only reason I didn’t mention him is he’s a classical composer who’s done a few scores, rather than a film composer. If that’s allowed, Leonard Bernstein’s score for On The Waterfront needs mentioning. As does the unrelated Elmer Bernstein, for The Magnificent Seven among many others. ---
**Author:** ![Apollon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47774/32.png) [@Apollon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollon)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/36 "2011-02-11T14:46:27Z")
Elliot Goldenthal. His scores may lack catchy tunes, so the unwashed masses tend to dismiss him, but his orchestration technique is awesome and his harmonies are overwhelming. Elmer Bernstein. His music sounds great even when taken out of context. They’re almost concert works in their own right. Michel Legrand. A master of melody. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/37 "2011-02-11T14:52:19Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > You ever notice that The “Indy” theme is “Tiny Bubbles” in reverse? It’s okay, John. You may have had a long night before that deadline. 😃 You just blew my mind. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/38 "2011-02-11T15:55:45Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > You just blew my mind. Me too! Who notices these things, and reverses music in their heads? Talk about a fascinating and perhaps problematic talent… ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/39 "2011-02-11T17:04:13Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Also, Angelo Badalamenti, who did all of David Lynch’s scored music including most of the _Twin Peaks_ soundtrack. He would be number ONE on my list. Good choice; I mainly opened this thread to make sure he was on the list. I also want to put in a word for John Zorn. The films he scores may all be obscurities–I’ve never actually seen any of them–but his extensive series of _Filmworks_ recordings is uniformly sublime. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845/40 "2011-02-11T21:28:02Z")
Just off the top of my head: John Barry Bernard Herrman Miklos Rosza Franz Waxman Jerry Goldsmith Maurice Jarre John Williams Elmer Bernstein Henry Mancini Ennio Morricone [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-film-composers-of-all-time/570845.md?page=3)