What is the Most Powerful Film Score of All Time?

  • Thread starter Thread starter FishmanGeertz
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Film
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around identifying the most powerful film score of all time, exploring various scores from different movies across genres and eras. Participants share personal favorites and opinions on the emotional impact of these scores, touching on both classic and contemporary works.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose the score from the "Saw" film franchise as particularly powerful, citing its ability to evoke strong emotions when played loudly.
  • Others express a preference for strong orchestral pieces, mentioning scores from films like "Sunshine," "Transformers," "Armageddon," and "National Treasure."
  • Several participants highlight epic film scores, including those from "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Star Wars," and "The Godfather," indicating a broad appreciation for orchestral compositions.
  • Clint Mansell's "Death is the Road to Awe" is noted for its stunning visual accompaniment, suggesting a connection between music and imagery.
  • Some mention scores from films like "Natural Born Killers," "Lost Highway," and works by Pink Floyd, indicating a diverse range of musical influences.
  • Recent scores from films like "Tron" and "Star Trek" are also brought up, alongside classical pieces such as "Unicron's Theme" and music from "Gone with the Wind."
  • Ennio Morricone's score for "The Mission" and John Barry's score for "Out of Africa" are discussed for their emotional depth and transformative impact on their respective films.
  • John Williams's score for "Schindler's List" is highlighted for its balance between evoking pathos and avoiding sentimentality.
  • Some participants express a strong affinity for "Requiem for a Dream," describing it as haunting and powerful.
  • Other notable mentions include scores from "Jaws," "Goldfinger," "Once Upon A Time In The West," and "The Truman Show."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a wide range of opinions on what constitutes the most powerful film score, with no consensus reached. Multiple competing views and personal preferences remain evident throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference a variety of scores without delving into specific technical details or musical analysis, focusing instead on emotional responses and personal connections to the music.

FishmanGeertz
Messages
189
Reaction score
0
In my opinion, the most powerful score from any movie in history would have to be from the "saw" film franchise.



Gives you goosebumps if you play it with the sound blasting.

Composed by Charlie Clouser.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
I like a strong orchestral piece, something like Sunshine or Transformers.

I also like Armageddon, National Treasure, etc.

Quite a long list actually.
 
I also like the scores from armageddon, pirates of the carribean, star wars, the godfather,... In fact, I like all epic film scores...
 
I also...
 
Clint Mansell's "death is the road to awe"

the visual that accompanies it is equally stunning..

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Natural Born Killers was fun for a while.

Pink Floyd did two movies: More (album has same name) and The Valley (album: Obscured by Clouds)

Lost Highway had David Bowie w/ massive attack, NIN, smashing pumpkins.
 
In more recent film history, I would add:The new Tron's...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIqfZt8WlkM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap7uGtw4QLc&feature
And the recent incarnation of Star Trek...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgkMGGyacSg
But classically speaking, let us not forget:Unicron's Theme...

Original
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnToc1dp3Jc

Orchestral version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okja20PilGU&feature Music from Witness...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qte_Ne5mpJk&feature Music from Ragtime...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_p3WpUCSIg
Superman (ending in particular)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZFy4ctYh54&feature
Gone with the Wind...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_Z4DmualTc
 
The only movie score that I really know is the Bladerunner score by Vangelis. I think it is pretty good. I actually had it on cassette when I was younger.One of my favourites, possibly because it opens with my favourite line from the movie...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When the chosen adjective is ‘powerful’, the one that immediately springs to my mind is Ennio Morricone’s score for ‘The Mission’. The climactic moment of the piece ‘The Falls’ coupled with the pictures of Angel Falls is very powerful.

Which leads me to think of John Barry’s score for ‘Out of Africa’. The original plan for that movie had been to use only standard classical repertoire, primarily Mozart. The decision to bring in John Barry was made quite late, and his score is credited as transforming the project from the more or less total flop it was heading to be into the moderate success it became. Again, the power of the music lies entirely in coupling the central theme with the pictures of Blixen’s lover flying her over the African landscape she had farmed for so many years but had never previously seen from that perspective.

I could mention several others – someone else mentioned ‘The Godfather’ and I have often wondered if it is well understood just how good Nino Rota’s scores for those films really were. But one more definitely worth a mention is John Williams’s score for Schindler’s List. There is a central difficulty with the subject matter of that film that any retreat into mere sentimentality would tend to trivialise something that retains deep sensitivities. I think that with his score, Williams walked the line very expertly between evoking an appropriate sense of the pathos of the situation without ever sliding into sentimentality. The result also warrants that same specified adjective.
 
  • #10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRLdhFVzqt4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN6cJ1lmyZo

The best of all time is Requiem for a Dream. Amazing. Haunting!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE-rD8vcY4U
 
  • #11
Jaws
 
  • #12
Greg Bernhardt said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRLdhFVzqt4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN6cJ1lmyZo

The best of all time is Requiem for a Dream. Amazing. Haunting!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE-rD8vcY4U

Same duo that did the fountain movie/soundtrack- client mansell/Aronofsky.. good stuff
 
  • #13
Goldfinger


Once Upon A Time In The West


The Truman Show


Cat People
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #14
FrancisZ, Thank you so much for sharing "Building the Barn." Anyone who has been to Amish country knows how haunting the land is.
 
  • #15
Lacy33 said:
FrancisZ, Thank you so much for sharing "Building the Barn." Anyone who has been to Amish country knows how haunting the land is.
Yes, very sublime I think. We used to vacation there with my grandparents in the 80's. I have nothing but warm fuzzy feelings for Lancaster County.
DDD5.jpg
The statue's name is really Amos. Even still, we always preferred to call him Mr. Zinn.
PADENzinns.jpg
 
  • #16
Schindler's List theme... good violin solo.

Ditto on Requiem For a Dream.
 
  • #17
Theme from Lawrence of Arabia.
Also John Williams' score for the original Star Wars movie.
 
  • #18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=351yTR29B7Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWIdO9DidqU
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 142 ·
5
Replies
142
Views
12K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K