# What's the best movie theme or fanfare? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548 "2002-07-18T04:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/1 "2002-07-18T04:53:58Z")
A poll; what is the best original movie theme song and/or fanfare? I would suggest; 1. JAWS. Dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum… 2. STAR WARS. The score is great, but the main theme is a highlight in and of itself. 3. THE NATURAL. The main fanfare just gives you goosebumps, don’t it? 4. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Instantly recognizable. Any other choices? ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/2 "2002-07-18T06:04:34Z")
[Lots of choices.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=116716) I think my opinion’s in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/3 "2002-07-18T06:31:04Z")
PATTON (by Jerry Goldsmith) The damned movie won all of its (what? 11? 12?) Oscar nominations, but one. And guess which one? Of course. The score. The score didn’t win. **It should have won.** It was a great score. And Geo. C. Scott didn’t even _want_ his damned Oscar, but _he_ got one. But not one for the score. It just wasn’t right. Sheesh. (I’m sure my other choices [which would include Patton, I am sure] are also on BraheSilver’s linked thread.) ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/4 "2002-07-18T07:48:18Z")
Well, I’m sort of a film score hound… I own about 50 or 60 movie scores currently, and I’ve listened to many, many more. The short list of my favorites, though: Howard Shore’s score for **Lord of the Rings** … perfect, perfect, perfect. The best score of last year, out of some pretty good ones. James Horner’s score for **Aliens**. One of the most recognizable pieces short of Star Wars, because excerpts from Horner’s score for this film are used in at least a few movie trailers every year. This year, I heard it (briefly) in the _Minority Report_ trailer. Great score, though, on its own merits. Check out Varese Sarabande’s Special Edition if you can find it. Thomas Newman’s **American Beauty** score. I’ve become a big fan of Newman’s in the past few years, but his best work is still this one. Can’t wait to hear what he did for _Road to Perdition_. **Sneakers** , another James Horner offering. This one’s more subtle, but very moving. Features Branford Marsalis in the performances; a nice piece of work. Hans Zimmer’s **Gladiator**. The whole score is great, but the rousing battle music is the clincher here. Feel that adrenaline flow! And the one that started me down the road of film score fanboy-ism: **Glory** , yet another James Horner masterpiece. I’ve been listening to this one for 12 or 13 years now, and it still moves me deeply. That says something. Favvorite score composers in general: James Horner tops the list, then Thomas Newman, Hans Zimmer, and some of Danny Elfman. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/5 "2002-07-18T08:09:21Z")
For me it’s **John Williams’** score for _1941_. Runners up include **Jerry Goldsmith** - _Legend_, **Basil Poledouris** - _Conan the Barbarian_ and **James Horner** - _Aliens_. Honorable mentions for **John Carpenter** (the only director I know that composes his own music) for _Halloween_, _The Fog_ and _The Thing_, **John Williams** - _Superman-The Movie_ and whoever did the theme song for _Rocky_. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/6 "2002-07-18T08:29:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Horseflesh \* > **Runners up include Jerry Goldsmith - _Legend_** Are you from the UK, Horseflesh, or do you just know your films well? I agree that Goldsmith’s score for the original British version of _Legend_ is excellent… Tangerine Dream’s score for the Amercian version of the same film is also quite good, though it gives an almost completely different feeling. Interesting story behind that whole mess. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/7 "2002-07-18T09:35:12Z")
Goldsmith’s Legend score has been available in the USA since the film first came out. It is a GREAT score, and one of my favorites. (I’ve never seen the UK version of the film, but I do have a tape somewhere…) I’m also a big Thomas Newman fan. The score for “American Beauty” was spectacular. I also like parts of Newman’s “Scent of a Woman”. And the same goes for Zimmer’s “Gladiator” score and Williams’ “1941” score. Good choices, all! Other good themes are Goldsmith’s “Under Fire” (now finally re-released on CD). Then there’s Ennio Morricone’s “Marco Polo” (I don’t think there’s a CD, I have a LP) and Morricone’s “Days of Heaven” (once again, no CD that I know of) and “Frantic” (where is the CD for this?!?!). I have these on LP, I need to hook up my iMac to burn CDs of them all. Oh! Another rare treasure is Goldsmith’s “The 'burbs”. (It’s selling on eBay right now—I got my copy a year or two ago.) That’s a _great_ score! Avalonian—good start on your film score collection! In a little while, you may be as scary and pathetic as me, with hundreds of soundtracks in your collection. (I know I had about 300 LPs, and then I switched to CDs, and I won’t even attempt to count all of those, or all of the Classical CDs and LPs I have. I’m just pathetic, OK?) ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/8 "2002-07-18T10:01:25Z")
Terminator “DADUN dun dundun…DADUN dun dundun” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/9 "2002-07-18T10:38:58Z")
Anything with a theremin! ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/10 "2002-07-18T11:00:24Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Avalonian \* > \*\* > Are you from the UK, Horseflesh, or do you just know your films well?_\* Actually I never heard Goldsmith’s _Legend_ score until very recently with the release of the Ultimate Legend DVD (I highly recommend everyone get this). I really liked Tangerine Dream’s score along with the two songs by Bryan Ferry and Jon Anderson, but as you said it gives the film a much more “dreamlike” quality. I’m a rabid fan of the movie and read the [Legend FAQ](http://www.figmentfly.com/legend/index.shtml) on a monthly basis to see if and when the UK release would ever make it to the States (so I’m not a resident of UK). I nearly wet myself when the release date was finalized (for the umpteenth time). 🙂 Other Tangerine Dream scores I really liked were _Risky Business_ and _Three O’Clock High_, itself being a very good movie. Yeah, I’m a film nut and for quite a while collected hard to find horror movie soundtracks. Thank g0d for the Varese Sarabande label. A last note: On the collectors edition of _1941_ Williams states that he still thinks this score is some of his best work. I wholeheartedly agree. ---
**Author:** ![papertiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce73a5/32.png) [@papertiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papertiger)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/11 "2002-07-18T13:21:21Z")
Planet of the Apes! (the original of course) Dynamic and very atmospheric. ---
**Author:** ![lionel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@lionel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lionel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/12 "2002-07-18T13:26:59Z")
I’ve always loved James Horner’s Score to Bravheart. Also Jerry Goldsmith’s Air Force One. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/13 "2002-07-18T13:43:40Z")
Elmer Bernstein’s score for **The Great Escape** , especially the main theme. I’ve been known to whislte an arrangement of the theme when leaving work. ---
**Author:** ![aquariusrhimme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aquariusrhimme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aquariusrhimme)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/14 "2002-07-18T13:59:41Z")
Any theme composed by Danny Elfan, Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Batman, etc That man is the dark genious of creepy movie music ---
**Author:** ![aquariusrhimme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aquariusrhimme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aquariusrhimme)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/15 "2002-07-18T14:01:42Z")
Er. I meant to write Danny Elfman ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/16 "2002-07-18T14:21:59Z")
The Third Man theme. Anton Karas is a god. A distant second: Last of the Mohicans. ---
**Author:** ![sirtonyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@sirtonyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirtonyh)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/17 "2002-07-18T15:39:33Z")
I agree with the posters who suggested; The Third Man The Great Escape I’d also add The Magnificent Seven (Elmer Bernstien again) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Derfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lord\_Derfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Derfel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/18 "2002-07-18T15:46:03Z")
Everyone instantly recognizes the theme song from the Pink Panther movies - it’s a classic. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/19 "2002-07-18T16:29:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Horseflesh \* > **Other Tangerine Dream scores I really liked were _Risky Business_ and _Three O’Clock High_, itself being a very good movie.** Cool, another TD fan. Some of my favorites among their film work are _Near Dark_ (chilling) and _Miracle Mile_, of course… one of my favorite movies anyway. I have about a dozen TD studio and live concert albums as well, and the 5-disc “Tangents” boxed set. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Horseflesh \* > **Thank g0d for the Varese Sarabande label.** You know it… I have _so_ many VS discs, it’s almost silly. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by yosemitebabe_ > **Avalonian—good start on your film score collection! In a little while, you may be as scary and pathetic as me, with hundreds of soundtracks in your collection.** I’m getting there, to be sure… _grins_ Slowly but surely. Since you said you liked Thomas Newman, have you heard his score for _Meet Joe Black_? I really enjoyed that one. And of course, the first score that made me sit up and notice Newman, _The Shawshank Redemption_. He has a real talent. _Scent of a Woman_ is really good, too. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548/20 "2002-07-18T16:30:17Z")
The only movie music you could really call a movie “fanfare” isn’t limited to just one movie: Alfred Newman’s _Twentieth Century Fox Fanfare with Cinemascope Extension._ One of the greatest pieces of movie music of all time. It’s playing in your head right now, isn’t it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-movie-theme-or-fanfare/119548.md?page=2)