# Your top three movie soundtracks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies, music\ **Created:** [July 18, 2021, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750 "2021-07-18T12:11:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/21 "2021-07-18T15:38:33Z")
**The Towering Inferno** - John Williams **Creepshow** - John Harrison (vinyl album autographed by Tom Savini) **Sorcerer** - Tangerine Dream ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/22 "2021-07-18T15:41:27Z")
_Performance_ (1970) _A Clockwork Orange_ (1971) _Repo Man_ (1984) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/23 "2021-07-18T15:41:29Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The Empire Strikes Back > > Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl > > The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring I should have mentioned the composers: - John Williams - Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer - Howard Shore. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/24 "2021-07-18T15:46:47Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > _Repo Man_ (1984) Ha! My previous ringtone was _Secret Agent Man_ by the Plugz. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/25 "2021-07-18T16:00:41Z")
Vanilla Sky - Not just my favorite soundtrack, but probably one of my favorite albums, period. Also introduced me to Sigur Ros. Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Good mix of 80s oddball synth pop. Superman - The original John Williams score. The opening notes still give me chills. I would say Goodfellas, but the official soundtrack album, while featuring a really good mix of tunes, leaves out some of best songs from the movie, including “Jump into the Fire” by Harry Nilsson, “What is Life” by George Harrison, and “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones. ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/26 "2021-07-18T16:36:33Z")
_Top Gun_ (1986) _The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring_ (2001) _Gladiator_ (2000) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/27 "2021-07-18T16:56:10Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > _A Clockwork Orange_ (1971) Yeah, I enjoyed annoying my kids with "I Want to Marry a Lighthouse Keeper ". ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/28 "2021-07-18T17:12:42Z")
Listening to a young Elmer Bernstein’s score for _Robot Monster_, ones only reaction is “this music deserves a better movie than a guy in a gorilla suit and a diving helmet.” 90’s movies became tedious for routine inclusion of Celtic music after the Riverdance phenomenon, but it worked in well in _Last of the Mohicans_, as opposed to that other 90’s de regueur musical cue: the Native American bone flute (or the wailing Arab woman singing that was used everywhere else in the 90’s too). The 1940’s & 50’s movie music was guilty of telling the audience how to feel about the story. As long as the music was really great that was just fine. Bernard Herrmman’s music for _On Dangerous Ground_ and _Garden of Evil_ are their best features. But when Michael Bay/Hans Zimmer hit us over the head with the score 50 years later, it’s just silly. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/29 "2021-07-18T17:15:41Z")
Amadeus Flash Gordon After that, who cares? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/30 "2021-07-18T17:23:46Z")
Star Wars Rollerball Titanic ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/31 "2021-07-18T17:25:22Z")
Hard to limit to three. These are soundtracks as regularly listen to, often while driving and I can’t watch the movie. Star Wars, John Williams. Flash Gordon, Queen. Sita Sings the Blues, Annette Hanshaw and others. Aladdin (2019), Alan Menken and others. Frozen II, Christophe Beck and others. You’ll notice my choices are all very story driven. The music evokes the scenes. Also, I think Disney soundtracks (and I’m not talking about the vocals) are often under-appreciated. Their orchestrations are superb. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/32 "2021-07-18T17:30:40Z")
**Alien** - Jerry Goldsmith **Long Riders** - Ry Cooder, David Lindley **Blade Runner** - Vangelis ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/33 "2021-07-18T17:31:01Z")
Definitely. The music in Bambi is absolutely gorgeous. I never really have learned why the composer Frank Churchill never worked with Disney again, and ultimately committed suicide. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/34 "2021-07-18T17:40:44Z")
They call it “mousechwitz” for a reason… ---
**Author:** ![Wincerind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@Wincerind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wincerind)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/35 "2021-07-18T17:46:27Z")
1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (my ringtone too) 2. Schindler’s list 3. Lord of the Rings ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/36 "2021-07-18T17:52:30Z")
1. Heavy Metal 2. Repo Man 3. Koyaanisqatsi Honorable Mentions: This Is Spin̈al Tap Pulp Fiction 1984 Blade Runner ---
**Author:** ![Wincerind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@Wincerind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wincerind)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/37 "2021-07-18T17:55:02Z")
Yeah, Mishima and Koyaanisqatsi belong in the 5 of my top 3 too ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/38 "2021-07-18T20:25:57Z")
_Star Wars_ (the first one; I refuse to call it “A New Hope”) - John Williams _Chinatown_ - Jerry Goldsmith _Lifeforce_ - Henry Mancini The OP specified “favorites,” and these are the top three I play most frequently at home. My list of the _greatest_ soundtracks would be different. I think Bernard Herrmann’s _Psycho_ is one of the greatest film scores ever written, but I rarely listen to it. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/39 "2021-07-18T20:35:19Z")
Some of my favorites… Prince’s soundtrack to _Batman_ _Grease 2_ that’s right I like the soundtrack to the much derided sequel _Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope_ it’s great; well it’s mostly great-- listening to the Cantina band song nonstop would get annoying qucik. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750/40 "2021-07-18T21:25:00Z")
Repo Man Rumble Fish Something Wild [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-three-movie-soundtracks/946750.md?page=3)