The questions I pose are my personal observations and the opinions I give are strictly my own. Agree, disagree, or don’t give a damn. Whatever your preference, I’d honestly like to hear your feedback.

ARE WE LEMINGS?

Most of us want to “belong,” to be a part of something, myself included. And one of the primary joys of the internet is the discovery and friendship of film music fans all over the world. Long gone are the days when we’d listen to our favorite film scores in relative seclusion, unable to discuss or share our passion with anyone else. Now that that barrier is gone, we can discuss film music to our heart’s content. But I don’t understand the herd mentality, never have. I don’t want to follow the crowd just to realize there’s a cliff ahead and I’ve got nowhere to go but plummeting into the ocean. Would it really make me feel better to know that 40 people I know love Jerry Goldsmith? Do I have to rush out and purchase GREMLINS because 30 people on Facebook said how good it was? Maybe, like Groucho Marx, I just never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member. By all means, listen to the people you trust and admire, but make up your own mind.

DO YOU LIKE IT? DO YOU REALLY LIKE IT?

Because of what I do with film music on this site and elsewhere, I want to know what people think. I want to hear suggestions of scores I may have missed, as well as constructive debate about the merits of particular scores and composers. But that “like” you just clicked on Facebook? Sure, it’s great—if it’s directed my way, I appreciate it, truly—but it doesn’t mean squat. It’s like multiple “follow Friday” lists on Twitter or giving a gift card. It says, “I made the least amount of effort to show I care.” Express your appreciation for the work someone has done or what they have written (and I don’t necessarily mean me), but take the time and add something relevant to the discourse beyond a phatic response.

WHEN DID THE MESSAGE BOARDS BEGIN TO INFECT FACEBOOK?

While message boards can be excellent avenues for information and debate, we all know that they can bring out the basest of human behavior. The “privacy” of cyberspace and the relative cloak of a computer screen provides some users with more moxie than they might have in real life. We’ve all had run-ins with leeches and trolls who get their jollies raining on our parade. Slams and strikes on niche message boards get even more personal as more of the inhabitants communicate on a first-name basis with one another (even if they still hide behind foolish, decade-old screen names and gravatars). Over the last year those trolls seem to have migrated into the light, exhibiting their d-bag behavior on Facebook and other social media. It’s 2012. Haven’t we moved past this yet?

DO WE WEAR BLINDERS?

By not recognizing the good or ignoring the less pleasant aspects of a particular score or composer, we limit our own growth as we all hopefully continue to discover the wide range of film music. Take James Horner, for instance. Thousands of words over the years have been written about Horner’s self-plagiarism (that damn danger motif) and his lifting of melodies and chord progressions from classical composers like Prokofiev. I don’t mean that as Horner-bashing. By all means, enjoy Horner’s work (and any other composer) if you already do. But things like this matter. Dismissing them with a “yeah, but…” diminishes your argument and the impact of the composer’s work even further. Demand more…for yourself and for the artform.

WHAT IS THE OVERWHELMING LURE OF NOSTALGIA?

Maybe I’m just a cold-hearted snake (thank you, Paula Abdul)—or perhaps I’ve lost those particular brain cells by now—but I’m seldom afflicted with nostalgia for the past. Sepia-toned memories tend to revise history, giving far more prominence to certain films and scores than they might have otherwise, primarily due to the rose-colored glasses we all wear. Sure, I’m fond of films and scores from childhood and teenage years, like THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE, THE OMEN, STAR WARS, etc. But I’m not deluding myself that something like the 1978 Frank Langella DRACULA, for example, is a classic. Sure, it has its Gothic moments and an excellent score by John Williams. I’d love to see the score reappear on CD at some point (especially since my LP is long gone). But I’m not going to rewrite history and turn the film into something it’s not any more than I’m going to pine and whine for the CD. My life has gone on very well without it and it won’t make or break the rest of my existence if the score reappears or not. Perhaps it would profit the community more to appreciate the bounty we’ve been given and stop always wanting more, more, more. There will never be enough.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE GOLDEN AGE?

Yup, that tired old argument… Film music is still a relatively new artform that has remained basically unchanged since the early 1930s. Sure, the musical styles have morphed, but a composer is still writing for a film. If the tools with which they practice their craft have changed, the overall basic process has not. So if you love the artform, why wouldn’t you want to know more about it? Why would you exclude its creation and nearly 30 years of its history? Maybe my music education makes me more open to discovering all the various periods of film music, or maybe that’s just me acting uppity. You certainly don’t need training in music to appreciate film music, or any other genre of music. But limiting yourself to a set of composers, a sub-genre, or a specific period of film music, especially an artform with such a comparatively brief lifespan, stunts your knowledge and your enjoyment. Ageism seems to exist even in the arts.

DOES FILM MUSIC HAVE TO BE LISTENABLE ON ITS OWN?

Not necessarily. Its primary concern is to work within the scope of the film. That’s the job the composer was hired to do. To have the music survive as a stand-alone listening experience is icing on the cake. Ideally, film music should be good “music” as well within the context of what the composer is writing. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be enjoyable to listen to. Its effect on the ear—good or bad—should not diminish its quality.

SHOULD YOU HAVE TO WORK AT LISTENING TO FILM MUSIC?

By all means, yes. In my book, film music is important, above and beyond the simple joys of pure listening pleasure. I personally don’t want to be an innocent bystander just letting it wash over me. If that’s all it is good for, then I might as well use it like a warm bath and sit in my own liquid filth. A composer toiled to create that piece of music (probably under tight budgets and tough working circumstances). The least I can do is give it my attention. If it doesn’t deserve warrant the energy past that point, so be it. But lazy listening offends my ears.

WHAT IS OUR ROLE AS A COMMUNITY?

The way I see it, our job is to not only support the composers and record labels, but to educate and support each other. If we don’t take this artform that we love seriously, we can’t expect anyone else to either. We can engage in meaningful dialogue without patronization. But participating means more than chiming in with “I like that score too” (or not). For me, unless I asked, I don’t care. And maybe even then, I still don’t care. I want to know if you can tell me why. Be firm in your convictions and stand your ground. Your opinion is valid. Film music demands our respect. If we are not actively listening and participating, we are sitting on the sidelines. I’d rather be in the game.

And there endeth the soapbox. What do you think?

9 Questions For the Film Music Community is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

Part of Rota’s charm is the dated quality of his Fellini scores. With their ’60s instrumentation and vocals, the music instantly captures an influential period in Italian cinema. Rota’s classical training combined with his penchant gift for melody gives his music grandeur and gravitas that is occasionally absent from other composers forced to conform to the style of American film making. This is music that is not afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve.

Among film music fans, Rota is seldom ranked among the top tier composers. I don’t know if it’s a Hollywood bias or if he truly doesn’t belong there. That argument is up for debate. But there is no denying Rota’s influence on international film music and Italian cinema in particular. And most composers would kill for just one Fellini or GODFATHER in their musical canon.

9. LA STRADA (1954)

Fellini’s tragic story of traveling entertainer Zampanò (Anthony Quinn) and the waif Gelsomina (Giuletta Masina) he buys and beats is embodied in Rota’s heartbreaking main theme. The circus atmosphere of the music (a prevalent feature of the Fellini/Rota collaboration) is offset by the pervading air of sadness that hangs over the score.

8. AMARCORD (1973)

Fellini’s loving, nostalgic look at his hometown is tinged with a rose-colored, larger-than-life aspect that Rota perfectly captures in the many moods of his score. Anchored by its sweet main theme, Rota’s music delineates the lives and loves of the citizens of the small Italian town. If LA STRADA captured the poignant humanity of Fellini’s vision, AMARCORD gives it vibrant, carefree life.

7. DEATH ON THE NILE (1978)

In 1974, legendary mystery writer Agatha Christie became all the rage at the cinema with Sidney Lumet’s all-star MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. The success of that film (with Richard Rodney Bennett’s classic score) started a franchise that included EVIL UNDER THE SUN, THE MIRROR CRACK’D, and many more. DEATH ON THE NILE brought a resurgence to Peter Ustinov’s career as the Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot, a role he would play five more times over the next decade in film and on television. For this second entry in the all-star cinematic formula, Nino Rota contributed a sweeping score that flows alongside the blood-tinted Egyptian waters. Like Bennett’s ORIENT EXPRESS score, Rota’s music doesn’t shirk from the murderous drama of the story, but it also captures period flavor and a regal yet romantic tone that is perfectly in keeping with the lush visuals and Anthony Powell’s rich, Oscar-winning costumes.

6. 8 1/2 (1963)

Fellini’s masterpiece stars Marcello Matroianni as a film director whose attempts to bring his new film to fruition keeps getting blocked by the many women in his life. Deliberately fragmented by the numerous female tangents, Rota’s score is not his most cohesive, but it suits Fellini’s fractured, fairy tale visions. Rota takes the memorable main theme through a whirlwind of musical styles, from swing and a lively gallop to the memorable circus atmosphere of the reunion finale.

5. JULIET OF THE SPIRITS

With its visions, memories and mysticism, Fellini’s skewed vision of infidelity is embodied by Giuletta Masina’s suffering wife Juliet. Rota’s score embodies the delightful ’60s instrumentation combined with his effortless gift for melody. From the wordless female vocals to the electric guitar and the ever-present Hammond organ, Rota’s music is a groovy ride infused with joy and life.

4. THE GODFATHER (1972)

If Francis Ford Coppola turned Mario Puzo’s potboiler bestseller into cinematic art, a good portion of that artistic success can be laid at Rota’s feet. From the lonely trumpet of the famous waltz to the even more famous love theme, Rota’s music helped inspire generations of film makers and influenced mob films ever after. Rota was a shoo-in for the Oscar until a scandal erupted surrounding the borrowing of themes from the 1958 Italian film FORTUNELLA.

3. THE GODFATHER, PART II (1974)

As good as the original GODFATHER was, the sequel was even better. With deeper characterizations and a richer political atmosphere, the film brings Al Pacino’s tortured Michael, now the head of the Corleone family, to the brink of heartbreak. Rota (along with director Francis Ford Coppola’s father, Carmine) finally won an Oscar for this rich musical tapestry, which owes its success in no small part to the themes he created for the original GODFATHER. Memorable musical set pieces include young Vito’s arrival at Ellis Island and a lovely theme for Diane Keaton’s Kay.

2. ROMEO AND JULIET (1968)

Franco Zeffirelli brought a new innocence and energy to Shakespeare’s overworn tale of youthful love and feuding families on the streets of fair Verona. Rota’s famous love theme gave him a number one hit, but there is much more to the score than that one famous melody. Combining modal harmonies with Renaissance rhythms, Rota gives this classic tragic love story a yearning core of (ahem) Shakespearean proportions.

1. THE LEOPARD (1963)

Director Luchino Visconti had no say in casting Burt Lancaster as the Prince of Salina, a noble aristocrat who tries to preserve his family and class amid the social upheavals of 1860′s Sicily. And no matter which version you watch, Burt in English or dubbed in Italian is odd casting. But this epic film gave Rota the chance to shine with arguably his strongest score. Based on his own neglected Symphony on a Love Song, written when Rota was a young man, the score has a wealth of beautiful themes and a not surprising classical elegance and depth (especially given its roots) that is rare and welcome. Conductor Ricardo Muti, one of Rota’s students and a champion of the maestro’s music, opened the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s subscription season this year with the suite from the score. A rarity for film music and a fine, well-deserved tribute to this legendary composer.

9 Favorite Film Scores of Nino Rota is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

Perhaps it’s his Germanic roots or the post-war sensibility, but along with contemporaries like Alex North and Leonard Rosenman, Previn’s music is anything but traditional, presenting a dry mid-century harmonic challenges that eschewed the excesses of the Golden Age. So it’s ironic that Previn won his four Academy Awards for musical adaptations—GIGI, PORGY AND BESS, IRMA LA DOUCE and MY FAIR LADY—that follow along more traditional lines.

Much of Previn’s music wasn’t available on disc until Lukas Kendall and Film Score Monthly came along. The imminent demise of the FSM label (but not the FSMO magazine) next spring probably means that what has been released so far is all we’re going to get, unless someone like Bruce Kimmell at Kritzerland (who has released some of Previn’s music in the past) or some other label takes up the mantle. Previn’s output as composer isn’t massive, but there are still some delectable scores such as THE CATERED AFFAIR and DESIGNING WOMAN that deserve to see the light of day.

Hopefully, Previn’s contributions to film music will be properly appreciated one day. Until then, here are nine fantastic scores by a master of his craft.

9. THE 4 HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE (1962)

This WWII drama starring Glenn Ford, Charles Boyer, and Lee J. Cobb spans the globe from Germany and France to Argentina, giving Previn a chance to flex his musical muscles in a variety of styles. With a beautiful, memorable love theme, the score covers a lot of ground but comes across a bit scattered on album. Still, if you’re looking for one score that covers that breadth of Previn’s dramatic output (and if you can find the out-of-print Ryko CD), this is a good place to start.

8. IRMA LA DOUCE (1963)

The 1956 musical ran for four years in Paris, and in London’s West End for three. The Broadway incarnation ran for a year and a half in the 1960-61 season, and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, winning a Best Actress Tony for its star Elizabeth Seal. When it came time for IRMA’s delightful star hooker to strut her stuff on the silver screen in the form of Shirley MacLaine, director Billy Wilder excised Marguerite Monnot’s songs, leaving only their delightful Gallic melodies for Previn to work with. Previn won his third Oscar for adapting this melodic romp. The old Ryko CD is long out of print and is more than due for a rerelease.

7. THE SUBTERRANEANS (1960)

Previn’s love of jazz riffs through the entire score of this adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s semi-autobiographical 1958 novella. Hollywood changed the book’s African American female love interest to French white girl Leslie Caron as she and George Peppard live and love down among the jazz clubs of the budding Beat scene in San Francisco. Jazz greats like Carmen McRae, Gerry Mulligan and Art Pepper lends their talents, adding to the score’s authentic, smoky atmosphere. With a haunting main theme, Previn’s music takes us underground with drive and drama. The FSM release expands the original LP to include the complete score.

6. BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (1955)

Spencer Tracy plays the one-handed stranger who exposes the racism in a tiny railroad-side town in the middle of nowhere. With its harsh, minor-key harmonies, driving sixteenth notes, and belching brass, Previn supplies this tight, taut film with a score that is every bit as dramatic as the lean, mean story it accompanies. The Ryko CD is long out of print but well worth picking up.

5. DEAD RINGER (1964)

Bette Davis gets to ham it up once again in a dual role as a woman who murders her callous, wealthy twin sister and assumes her identity. Previn contributes a bit of delightful Grand Guignol with his use of harpsichord, while his theme for Edie showcases a typically lush melody and subtle French horn countermelody. The combination of a great actress and a great composer can accomplish by rising above such trashy material. The FSM CD is still in print.

4. THE SUN COMES UP (1949)

Best known today as the swan song of MGM songbird Jeanette MacDonald, the film (written by Pulitzer Prize winning Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings of THE YEARLING fame) is one of the weaker efforts in the Lassie franchise. Previn’s first film score, written when he was still a teenager, is surprisingly mature, with a main theme that tugs at your heartstrings without descending into sentimentality, unlike the film. Using seesawing harmonic progressions that would be a signature of Previn’s film and concert music, the score was an undiscovered gem until Lukas Kendall finally unearthed this musical jewel for the FSM Lassie box set. The music overcomes the silly story and Lassie’s incessant barking (and the sound effects inherent on the FSM CD) to signal the arrival of a major talent in Hollywood.

3. ELMER GANTRY (1960)

With one of the most explosive main titles ever written (and with shades of BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK), Previn’s main title literally leaps off the screen like Burt Lancaster’s Oscar-winning turn as a conning tent revival evangelist. Previn weaves in arrangements of traditional hymns throughout this spare, short score, making every musical moment count. Inexplicably, this is Previn’s only Oscar nomination for original music. Given its Oscar connection, not surprisingly this was my first exposure to Previn’s music and a score I’ve treasured for decades. Still in print on Kritzerland.

2. INSIDE DAISY CLOVER (1965)

This jaded look at Hollywood stardom during the 1930s combines the hurdy gurdy atmosphere of the boardwalk where Natalie Wood’s title character lives, along with a musical cynicism that has a Kurt Weill feel to it. Interspersed are deliberately overblown musical numbers and cues that send up and make mockery of the Hollywood world from which Previn came. Haunting, dark and emotional, Previn’s score is a rich musical tapestry of an era long gone. The FSM 2-CD set is highly recommended.

1. TWO FOR THE SEESAW (1962)

Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine play two lonely losers unlucky in love adrift in the big city. Anchored by the haunting theme (and Oscar-nominated song), “Second Chance,” and once again mixing jazz with a more traditional orchestral underscore, Previn weaves the various styles into a brilliant musical portrait of solitude and the eternal search for connection. Loneliness never sounded so beautiful.

9 Favorite Film Scores of André Previn is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

As with most “9 on the 9th” posts, the topic is so broad that I had to set myself some ground rules, basically boiling the list down to live action non-musicals and only score per composer. Otherwise, I could have peppered an entire list with music from John Morris and Elmer Bernstein. Some of my favorite comedy films, like WHAT’S UP, DOC? and PAPER MOON, have no original score. But I had no problem pulling together a list of nine, even though I had to leave off musical gems like SOME LIKE IT HOT, SILENT MOVIE and STRIPES.

Oddly enough, I don’t like all of the films listed below. (You’ll see.) While you may not necessarily laugh at the music, this month’s “9″ are guaranteed to make you smile.

9. SIDEWAYS (2004)

This thinking man’s comedy goes down like a fine Bordeaux (“no f***ing Merlot!”) and so does Rolfe Kent‘s gentle jazz score. A quartet of marvelous performers speak Jim Taylor and director Alexander Payne’s sparkling dialogue. Like the amber-colored drives through California wine country, Kent’s music never overwhelms the emotion in the story and lets the characters be the stars. Smooth and easy, this is a score to be savored.

8. 9 TO 5 (1980)

This larger than life spoof of women in the workplace by all rights should not have worked. But a smart script and three talented actresses (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and newcomer Dolly Parton) overcome some of the story’s silliness to create flesh and blood characters, while still poking fun at corporate politics and having a damn good time in the process. Parton’s title song was an instant classic, but it was up to Charles Fox to musically keep up with the frenetic pace of the film. The score is light and breezy, yet never out of tune with the characters. From classic chase music to spot-on pastiches of country and western and a pitch perfect Disney spoof, Fox matches the actresses’ comic timing from 9 to 5 and everywhere in between.

7. BAREFOOT IN THE PARK (1967)

Neil Simon’s particular brand of sitcom one-liners has not aged particularly well. BAREFOOT IN THE PARK is a rare exception. Perhaps it’s the NYC apartment living that still rings true, or maybe it’s just the marvelous combination of Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, and especially Mildred Natwick who make it work. Adding a great deal of joy to the film is Neal Hefti‘s score. With its memorable main title waltz, Hefti composes a jazz paus de deux for newlyweds Fonda and Redford that keeps the stagebound locale dancing on air.

6. GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

With ANIMAL HOUSE and AIRPLANE!, Elmer Bernstein gave his career new life scoring comedy films. What set Bernstein’s music apart from the run-of-the-mill comedies (which still holds true today) is his ability to play straight man under the most ridiculous of circumstances. In GHOSTBUSTERS, Bernstein got to combine sci-fi pastiche with dramatic elements that helped offset the foolish story at its core. I’m not a big fan of the film, not even after having to write the liner notes for the Varese Sarabande CD years ago. But having to research those notes did give me further respect for Bernstein’s talent.

5. PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE (1985)

One of the silliest movies ever made works primarily due to the inventiveness of Tim Burton and Paul Reubens’ unique talent. Because I grew up in Texas, the film’s down home humor poking fun at the Lone Star State, especially the hilarious Alamo scenes, still make me giggle. And Pee Wee’s tinge of mean superiority trapped within his childlike voice still hits the mark. But perhaps the film’s greatest achievement was bringing together Burton and Danny Elfman for one of the greatest director/composer collaborations in film. Elfman hit the ground running (or bicycling, in this case) in his first major film with his distinctive style that has now been copied and parodied but never equaled. Forget 1982′s FORBIDDEN ZONE, Elfman’s feature debut. It started here, folks.

4. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974)

This film is just as funny as it was at age 14 when I literally slid out of my seat in the theater from laughing so hard. The slapstick elements may have been the funniest elements at 14. Delicious performances, a smart script, and pitch perfect cinematography and art direction blend together in this witty spoof that Mel Brooks never equaled before or since. But what truly elevates the film is John Morris‘ score, which veers between horror music pastiche and a sublime, memorable lullaby that gives the film heart.

3. 1941 (1979)

I detest this film. I truly do. Steven Spielberg was ripe for a fall after JAWS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, and, boy, did this overblown WWII spoof, ahem, tank. It wasn’t funny when I was 17 (the perfect age for such moronic humor), and a recent viewing didn’t change my opinion one whit. How John Williams captured such sparkling wit and joy in the music is beyond me. Williams anchors the score with one of the best marches ever composed for film. Whether it’s period , spoofing his own music, or composing something entirely original, the score constantly delights as the film crashes and burns, sometimes quite literally.

2. IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963)

MAD WORLD is the 1941 of 1963. Director Stanley Kramer got a little big for his britches, cramming all that comedic talent into an overlong windbag of a film that is painfully unfunny. Not so with Ernest Gold‘s marvelous score. Gold switches gears at the drop of a hat, combining action, ’60s period pop pastiche and inspired melodic content for a wild musical ride that gives the film a circus-like buoyancy that it so desperately needs. If you enjoy watching legendary stars mugging and embarrassing themselves for 154 minutes (it feels longer!), have at it.

1. BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (1961)

The humor is more whimsical and nostalgic than thigh-slapping. And if you can overlook Mickey Rooney’s yellow face performance as Mr. Yunioshi, TIFFANY’S is an utter delight from its breakfast at dawn beginning to the classic rain-soaked finale. In addition to Audrey Hepburn’s iconic performance, much of the joy of TIFFANY’S comes from Henry Mancini‘s pitch perfect score. Far more dramatic and subtle than the classic LP will have you believe, Mancini’s music never overplays the comedic elements, while “Moon River” rips your heart out every single time. When oh when will someone release the original tracks to this?

What are some of your favorite comedic film scores?

9 Favorite Comedy Scores is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

Once again I was lucky to have discovered film music during a rather heady period of creativity. Though I discovered it on the eve of the STAR WARS boom that would signal a regeneration of film music a year later, 1976 strikes me as a particularly inventive and varied year. As always, the “chore” of whittling down the list to nine proved difficult. Leaving out such seminal scores (at least to me) as ROCKY, KING KONG, ROBIN AND MARIAN, THE MISSOURI BREAKS, RICH MAN POOR MAN, SWASHBUCKLER, THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION, SILVER STREAK, MURDER BY DEATH, and LOGAN’S RUN seems foolish. But such are the challenges and drawbacks of making lists.

To give other scores a chance, and to actually see what would end up in the top slot, I’ve deliberately left off THE OMEN. For reasons that have been recounted numerous times throughout this site, Jerry Goldsmith’s classic horror score for me takes the top spot–for the year and, well, forever. So I decided to give other scores and composers a chance.

Needless to say, at age 14, I didn’t discover each and every one of these scores immediately. But, over time, they have become standard repertoire in my collection and have provided me countless hours of listening enjoyment.

9. CARRIE (Pino Donaggio)

No one should have to see CARRIE at age 14 with their mother. Yet that’s what I did. The opening shower scene made me wildly uncomfortable (for many reasons) and my mother and I screamed like 12-year-old girls at the shocking epilogue. In between, my attention never wavered from the intensitty of Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie’s performances. For all its shock value, the themes of adolescence and unfortunate bullying remain just as timely as ever. Pino Donaggio’s music captures all the horrific events of the story note for note. But I’ve never forgotten the haunting theme for Carrie’s innocence.

8. OBSESSION (Bernard Herrmann)

The first of Brian de Palma’s one-two punch of horror this year, though OBSESSION probably qualifies more as a mystery. Not nearly as successful a film as CARRIE, the main draw of OBSESSION is one of Bernard Herrmann’s final two Oscar nominations this year. With its Gothic use of organ and choir, and Herrmann’s oscillating chord progressions, the score is far more unsettling than the film. This is a score that is in dire need of expansion and reissue. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.

7. BOUND FOR GLORY (Leonard Rosenman)

This biopic of Woody Guthrie is beautiful to watch with its amber-glow, dusty cinematography, courtesy of Oscar winner Haskell Wexler. Another asset is Leonard Rosenman’s Oscar-winning adaptation of Guthrie’s songs. Rosenman cleverly and subtly weaves the down-home familiar tunes into an effective dramatic underscore that rides the rails as Guthrie crisscrosses the country. After winning an adaptation Oscar for BARRY LYNDON the year before, Rosenman memorably quipped in his acceptance speech for BOUND FOR GLORY: “I write original music, too, you know.” Here’s another Oscar winner in need of a CD release. Let’s also get SYBIL, Rosenman’s Emmy-winning score that year, while we’re at it.

6. SILENT MOVIE (John Morris)

After YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, it was all downhill for Mel Brooks. His attempt to make a silent comedy has its occasional moments of funny bits, but the greatest joy comes from John Morris’s score. From its catchy main title march to ’40s pastiche and the delightful “Marty Fedlman Two Step,” Morris’s music is all lightness and fun, unlike the straining efforts of Brooks & Co. to instill humor onscreen. Few scores put a smile on my face like this one.

5. TAXI DRIVER (Bernard Herrmann)

One of the most unpleasant movies I’ve ever seen. The story and the characters are so unappealing that I simply cannot watch it. I don’t like what Scorcese is saying with the film, no matter how much he may think it needs to be said. But without the film, we wouldn’t have Bernard Herrmann’s penultimate score, and a classic it is. Herrmann died the night of final recording (Christmas Eve 1975), and what makes the score even more poignant is how Herrmann seems to be stretching himself in new directions–new  directions he would unfortunately never get to travel–while still retaining his trademark sound. What little shred of humanity and emotion is in the film comes from Herrmann’s music.

4. VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED (Lalo Schifrin)

The story of a cruise ship of Jewish refugees refused entry to Cuba and forced to return to Nazi Germany is a harrowing tale, though the film, with its all-star cast, is unfortunately far less dramatic than the story deserves. Lalo Schifrin’s score, however, captures a poignancy and overwhelming sadness that hovers over the doomed lives of the passengers. Most of the original LP has been released on a CD that included other Schifrin concert works, but the entire soundtrack has yet to make it to CD. Here’s yet another Oscar nominee in need of a proper release.

3. THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (Jerry Fielding)

Clint Eastwood’s popular “revenge” flicks of the ’70s get moved back in time and the film could almost be named “Dirty Harry in the Civil War.” But the change in period gave Jerry Fielding the opportunity to stretch his musical muscles, combining his customary lean orchestrations and contemporary harmonies in a more traditional 19th century setting. The result is one of Fielding’s more accessible scores and a well-deserved Oscar nomination.

2. ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (David Shire)

I’m not a particularly political person, but I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Watergate. Perhaps it’s the Shakespearean tragedy of it all, or maybe it’s just the ridiculous hubris of the government and what they thought they could get away with (a fact that has only gotten worse over time). Whatever the reason(s), this tale of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and their efforts to uncover the Watergate break-in makes for fascinating cinema. The script, direction, performances, art direction, sound design, everything all work together seamlessly for a nail-biting experience that is even more impressive considering that we know how the story turns out. What often gets overlooked in the praise for the movie is David Shire’s sparse and understated score. With its French horn theme echoing of fractured patriotism and a gentle, insistent guitar and four-note scale underneath, Shire creates a subtle musical mood of paranoia that only adds to the tension and fear of the story.

1. FAMILY PLOT (John Williams)

I had never seen Hitchcock’s final film or heard a note of this score until Varese Sarabande finally released this long-awaited soundtrack last year. (I’ve still never seen the film all the way through.) What an eye-opener this was! With that classic Williams mid-’70s sound and his trademark orchestrations, this is one of the few scores that I get what all the fuss was about. Listening to Williams’s gorgeous theme sends me into a trance each and every time. That Williams wasn’t an Oscar nominee, not even on the shortlist, is a shame, though this is one of those years where very score–THE OMEN, OBSESSION, THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES, TAXI DRIVER, and VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED–is a worthy nominee. Still, it’s a shame…

What are your favorites scores from the year you discovered film music?

9 Favorite Film Scores of 1976 is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

So rather than wait for the 19th to roll around (hint, hint, mark your calendars all you non-Facebookers…triply pathetic), I’m celebrating my birthday a little early by devoting this month’s “9 on the 9th” post to my favorite scores from the year of my birth—1962. (Do the math…)

That year in particular saw a wealth of great film music. In addition to the nine listed below, I had to leave off such classics as BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ and WALK ON THE WILD SIDE (Elmer Bernstein); THE COUNTERFEIT TRAITOR (Alfred Newman); DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES (Henry Mancini); DR. NO (John Barry); JULES ET JIM (Georges Delerue), KNIFE IN THE WATER (Krzysztof Komeda); THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (David Amram); REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT (Laurence Rosenthal); TENDER IS THE NIGHT (Bernard Herrmann); and WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (Frank DeVol).

If you don’t feel like celebrating my birthday from whatever corner of the globe you’re in (and I can’t understand why you wouldn’t!), then by all means celebrate this treasure trove of amazing music.

9. FREUD

Jerry Goldsmith’s first Oscar nominated score is probably better known today tracked in to ALIEN. But Goldsmith’s harsh—and at times tender—atonal music is the perfect backdrop for this biopic of the celebrated analyst. John Huston’s film has its own strange beauty, Montgomery Clift is a dead ringer for Freud, and Susannah York gives a lovely performance. The film is fascinating to watch, if not completely successful. If a troubled mind could be set to music, then this is it.

8. CAPE FEAR

Few films are as creepy as CAPE FEAR (both this version and the 1992 Martin Scorcese remake) and few composers could score fright with such dexterity as Bernard Herrmann. Those trademarks minor chords and repeated rhythmic and melodic cells send chills down my spine every time I listen to the score, all the while trying not to think about the classic Simpsons episode where Homer & Family go into the witness protection program to escape Sideshow Bob.

7. THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM

The poor Brothers Grimm. The art direction and costumes are colorful, but the story is stagnant and uninteresting, with lead performances by Laurence Harvey and Karl Boehm that border on manic and narcoleptic, respectively. Thankfully, the film is chock full of delightful music courtesy of Leigh Harline (score) and Bob Merrill (songs). Merrill’s simple tunes are brightly orchestrated and arranged by Harline, who displays some lovely melodies of his own. A thoroughly charming score that is best heard outside of film. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

6. THE MIRACLE WORKER

Helen Keller’s heartbreaking story is given musical voice in a truly beautiful score by Laurence Rosenthal. Rosenthal filters his memorable themes through harmonies reminiscent of Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber, yet still retains his own distinctive voice. If you don’t shed a tear when Helen learns to “speak,” beautifully underscored by Rosenthal’s heartbreaking music, it’s a miracle you still have a soul.

5. TWO FOR THE SEESAW

Anchored by the memorable main theme based on the song, “Second Chance,” Andre Previn’s dramatic jazz score oozes early ’60s New York City. Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine try to put their lives back together, all set to the mournful sound of a lonely trumpet. From finger-snapping jazz cues to yearning dramatic music, the score is still remarkably fresh and moving, thanks to Previn’s prodigious talent.

4. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

One of the most famous themes in film history and a score that screams FILM MUSIC in big, bold letters. Maurice Jarre’s colorful orchestrations exude the arid dessert heat while his action cues are every bit as exciting as David Lean’s film and Peter O’Toole’s star-making performance. But Jarre’s Oscar—and the score’s classic status—deservedly rest on that phenomenal main theme.

3. TARAS BULBA

Gypsies and Cossacks and Poles, oh my! Franz Waxman’s score bristles with energy and the expansive beauty of the Ukrainian steppes. Filled with one exciting cue after another and a tender love theme, Waxman’s music is a stunning piece of composition, brimming with orchestral color and thrilling action cues. If “The Ride to Dubno” doesn’t get your pulse racing, nothing will.

2. MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY

While this waterlogged remake can’t hold a candle to the performances, direction and script of the classic 1935 film, this version is stunning to look at. Top-notch cinematography, art direction and costume design show why the film almost bankrupted M-G-M. But the real star of the film is Bronislau Kaper’s stunning dramatic score. The music pitches and rolls along the high seas, fleshing out the two-dimensional characters emotionally. Topped off by a haunting, exotic love theme and a majestic main theme, Kaper’s score is anything but dry-docked.

1. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

It seems anticlimactic to put Elmer Bernstein’s classic score in the top spot, but that’s where it belongs. A model of spare, emotional film scoring in which every note is perfectly rendered. From Harper Lee’s story to Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch, MOCKINGBIRD is as emotionally powerful today as it was nearly 50 years ago. But I’d argue that much of the film’s classic status also rests on Bernstein’s equally timeless score.

What are your favorite scores from the year of your birth?

9 Favorite Film Scores of 1962 is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

Horner certainly knows his way around a melody and his harmonic language is solidly based in tonality, making his music popular among film score fans and the general public. (TITANIC anyone?) But Horner’s overuse of those certain motifs—in particular a 7-note snare drum riff and an ever-present minor-key triplet “danger” motif in the brass—while immediately identifying the music as his, ultimately rob many of the scores of their spark and originality.

I prefer my Horner on the gentler side, in scores where he doesn’t seem to be straining so hard. For me, the music is more relaxed and personal, as opposed to the forced bombast of many of the bigger blockbuster scores, which, while often exciting, can come across as pale imitations other composers, as well as of each other.

When I first revisited Horner’s music in preparation for this month’s “9 on the 9th” post, I thought I’d be hard pressed to come up with nine selections, especially considering how angry I get at him sometimes. But it’s been a thoroughly enjoyable few weeks of tonal film music, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had to whittle down a sizable chunk of solidly crafted film music.

9. ALIENS (1986)

Every bit as effective, in its own way, as Jerry Goldsmith’s original ALIEN score, Horner’s music for the sequel was equally butchered and caused a rift in his relationship with director James Cameron. Yet even in its compromised state, the string chords and echoing brass capture the lonely vastness of space, while the top-notch action cues have been used in countless trailers ever since.

8. HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG (2003)

This dark film stars Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley as a recovering addict and the bullish head of an immigrant Iranian family battling over the ownership of a house. The music ebbs and flows as if in a dream, floating and drifting throughout the film, giving the story a harmonic haze that offsets some of the more unpleasant aspects of the story. A surprising Oscar nominee.

7. ALL THE KING’S MEN (2006)

The Pulitzer Prize-winning tale of Southern political corruption had already been made into a 1949 Oscar-winning Best Picture. And with Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Anthony Hopkins on board, the remake had all the earmarks of further Oscar bait. But critics left the film hanging from the magnolia trees, and Horner’s dramatic score along with it. As with all tales of political corruption, the story is dark and so is Horner’s music. Anchored by a heartbreaking main theme that telegraphs Willy Stark’s downfall, Horner keeps his Hornerisms to a minimum and delivers an undiscovered gem of raw, dramatic power.

6. WILLOW (1989)

Based on a story by George Lucas, Ron Howard directed (and I use that term loosely) this wretched sword-and-sorcery fantasy film. This is one of those films I hated on sight and, because of that, have trashed Horner’s score ever since. I now publicly eat crow in my praise of the music, which I may have continued trashing if it weren’t for this post. The faux Renaissance trappings of the music don’t work particularly well, but the score has energy; a rousing, heroic main theme; and crackerjack action cues.

5. TESTAMENT (1983)

Nuclear holocaust is usually portrayed on film as the horror it is. In this understated gem of a film, Jane Alexander tries to keep what’s left of her family together as her world slowly succumbs to the effects of radiation. The film focuses on human relationships rather than makeup effects, and contains images that still stick with me nearly 30 years later. In this sparse score, chimes toll the coming devastation and a French horn melody cries in pain. But it’s the childlike flute theme that underscores lost innocence and a safe world that is no more. Sad, tender and heartbreaking, the music moves you without yanking on the heartstrings.

4. APOLLO 13 (1995)

The disastrous journey of Apollo 13 makes for prime drama and slick Hollywood filmmaking in the hands of director Ron Howard. The score soars in the main trumpet theme, while Horner captures the haunting loneliness of outer space and dashed dreams in the quiet moments. All those annoying Hornerisms are on full display, yet work wonderfully, in the action cues. Horner once again borrows from himself, using exact quotes from 1993′s THE PELICAN BRIEF, yet he ratchets up the emotional stakes to create a truly memorable, if not entirely original score.

3. STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982)

I know I said I liked the quieter aspects of Horner’s music, but sometimes you just want to hear some gutsy, balls-to-the-wall film music…and this score is nothing if not ballsy. Where Jerry Goldsmith created an ethereal (yet still exciting) space symphony with his original STAR TREK score, Horner instead focuses almost strictly on the action…and by God, it works! The score is a wild orchestral ride from start to finish, filled with music that is bold and brash, as if Horner knew the score was a make-it-or-break-it moment in his career.

2. IRIS (2001)

The frustrations of Alzheimer’s are sensitively and movingly portrayed by Judi Dench and Kate Winslet as the older and younger versions of novelist Iris Murdoch and Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent and Hugh Bonneville as her caretaker husband, fellow writer John Bayley. Horner scores the film with equally sensitive music, featuring violin solos by Joshua Bell. The music never strains for sentimentality, instead relying on lovely circling motifs that weave throughout the tender themes. In a strong year for film music, Horner’s lovely score got unjustly overlooked, most likely because of the film’s downer subject matter.

1. SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER (1993)

It’s hard to make chess exciting, yet this film does. Horner’s score captures every bit of excitement inherent in the clash of young intellects, while plumbing the emotion inherent in the complicated relationships between Joe Mantegna and Joan Allen and their young chess prodigy son. The score is tender, emotional, exciting, and one of my favorites of any composer. Nothing was going to beat John Williams’ SCHINDLER’S LIST score, but this should have easily been an Oscar nominee.

What are your favorite James Horner scores?

9 Favorite Film Scores of James Horner is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

If Shore had written nothing but the LOTR scores, he would be accorded an honored place in film music history. But there’s so much more to Shore’s music than Hobbit tin whistles, metallic Orc percussion and Elvish-spouting choruses. Historical drama, Shakespearean documentaries, romantic comedy, video games, and sexless vampires…Shore won’t be trapped into one genre. He brings a distinctive harmonic and instrumental style to every project and elevates even lesser films with the quality of his music. You can’t mistake the style and sound of a Howard Shore score. Here are nine that I highly recommend.

9. NAKED LUNCH (1991)

Based on William S. Burroughs’ basically unfilmable novel, NAKED LUNCH is a mescaline-induced vision into the twisted mind of a drug-addicted writer. Part memoir, part film noir, confusing and unforgettable, the disturbing images pile on top of each other accompanied by Shore’s equally creepy score. Shore enlisted the talents of legendary saxophonist Ornette Coleman to contribute the wild and woolly free jazz sax solos that run throughout the score. The musical combination of Shore and Coleman is as unsettling as the film itself, perfectly capturing the seedy aspects of the story and complementing the many bizarre and horrifying images onscreen. My new pug “sings” along with Coleman’s sax solos and I can’t think of higher praise than that.

8. MOONLIGHT AND VALENTINO (1995)

Elizabeth Perkins plays a grieving college professor and poet who has just lost her husband and Jon Bon Jovi is the hunky painter she falls for. Surrounded by Whoopi Goldberg, Kathleen Turner and Gwyneth Paltrow (now that’s a cast!) and a lovely Howard Shore score, it sounds like it can’t miss. But apparently it did. It did so poorly at the box office that Shore’s tender mandolin and guitar flavored score has never been released. This is lovely gem of a score that deserves more recognition and a proper release. Perhaps for volume 2 of the Collector’s Edition?

7. BIG (1988)

BIG was one of my favorite films of 1988. But Tom Hanks’ childlike innocence would not have been nearly as effective without the sweetness of Shore’s music backing him up. The score has a pop/smooth jazz feel in some of its harmonies and orchestrations that certainly date its sound. But the memorable piano main theme gives the score a simple, tender poignancy that would seem fake or forced in less talented hands, while the mandolin waltz for Zoltar gives weight to the mysterious elements of the story and a nice break from the more ’80s-sounding elements of the music. If Shore’s music doesn’t elicit a tear during the film’s finale, then you’re made of stern stuff than I.

6. SOUL OF THE ULTIMATE NATION (2007)

From his days in Middle-earth, Shore certainly knows how to score fantasy and that LORD OF THE RINGS sound is the perfect fit for this 2007 Korean fantasy-based massive multiplayer online role-playing game. Majestic choral passages, rousing brass and percussion cues, arpeggiated strings…it’s all there. S.U.N. raised the bar on video game music and composers have begun to step up. Video games are often seen as a stepping stone for emerging talent and Shore showed them all that quality projects can be found in any genre. By lending his considerable talents and A-list clout, Shore may have done more to give credence and acceptance to video game music as a viable art form than anyone prior.

5. THE YARDS (1999)

Shore has scored his share of thrillers and cop dramas. But his scores often play against expectations, focusing on the emotion of the story rather than telegraphing each blood-soaked thrill. With a haunting waltz at its score, Shore plays the music close to the (bullet-proof) vest in this story of graft and corruption among the contractors in the Queens railway yards where subway cars are repaired. In lesser hands, the entire score would be one non-stop action cue. Shore instead creates a haunting, little-known gem for a standard issue thriller.

4. A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005)

Once again Shore plays against type in another collaboration with David Cronenberg in what Shore describes as a ”classic Western where the visceral battle between good and evil is examined.” A plaintive French horn theme calls out over the American landscape and Coplandesque harmonies give a false sense of security. When Viggo Mortensen’s Tom changes and his moral fiber is challenged, the French horn theme is “corrupted” and the music erupts with a violence that shatters the placid aural world Shore has created. I’m not a fan of the film by any stretch. I’d rather look into man’s deepest corners through Shore’s music, thank you very much.

3. EASTERN PROMISES (2007)

Yet another unpleasant Cronenberg movie and some rather seedy characters, once again brought to life by Viggo Mortensen in a thrilling Oscar-nominated performance. The underbelly of the Russian mob in London provides the atmosphere and Shore composes one of his finest themes for violin solo with a haunting waltz that sighs and cries throughout the score. A yearning, two-note clarinet countermelody (or countermotif, if you will) adds to the musical pain and balalaika gives a subtle Russian flavor underneath. It’s an unpleasant story and Shore once again goes against type in our expectations, playing on the emotions of the search for the family of a dead teenager and her newborn baby.

2. NOBODY’S FOOL (1994)

Paul Newman gives one of his finest performances as a lazy construction worker in this charming character study of the inhabitants of a wintry upstate New York town. Filled with rich supporting performances from Jessica Tandy, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith and a host of character actors, this delightful comedy drama also features one of Shore’s tenderest scores. A memorable clarinet main theme coupled with the tin whistle give a hint of the Irish for Newman’s Sully and the other working class citizens of the town. Sweet and tender, the score contributes real emotion to the film without overplaying the tender feelings that have a hard time being expressed onscreen. A lesser-known gem in the Shore canon.

1. THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY (2001-2003)

What else could take the top spot? Whatever you think of the music, Shore’s monumental accomplishment is one-of-a-kind in film music history. The wealth of thematic material, the numerous memorable musical set pieces, and the sheer scope of the project has not dimmed in the decade since FELLOWSHIP was released in 2001. If anything, thanks to the Lord of the Rings Symphony and the live-to-projection concerts around the world, appreciation for Shore’s achievement has only grown. Each new listen brings out further detail and clarity in the music’s rich harmonic and melodic tapestries. I have no doubt that Shore’s monumental work will be remembered at the dawn of the next millennium as one of the crowning achievements in film music of this century. A pompous statement? Perhaps. I won’t be around to find out, but I bet I’m right in my prediction. One ring to rule them all, indeed!

9 Favorite Film Scores of Howard Shore is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

This month celebrates the 75th anniversary of the publication of Margaret Mitchell’s GONE WITH THE WIND, arguably Steiner’s most famous score. So what better time to honor the Father of Film Music with a “9 on the 9th” post of his own?

Steiner gets a bad rap these days from non-Golden Age lovers (and probably from some GA fans as well). Complaints about the wall-to-wall scoring and Mickey Mousing are all valid issues in Steiner’s music. But film music in the 1930s and ’40s was still finding its way in the sound era, and to dismiss these films and scores because of a learning curve on the part of the filmmakers is doing a disservice to some of the best films ever made. And those complaints lobbied at Steiner’s expense? They’re still prevalent in today’s film music, and I doubt there’s a composer out there who hasn’t been “guilty” of one or both (or more) of these at some point in his/her career. So it’s time we as fans cut Steiner some slack and view his music as a product of its time, but one that still holds up remarkably well over half a century later.

Steiner was never less than a superb melodist and top-notch dramatist, and these nine scores support that rather broad, sweeping statement. With so many classic films to choose from, narrowing down the list to nine was, as usual, difficult. But all nine of these scores (and many beyond this list) have brought, and continue to bring, me years of enjoyment, some thirty-odd years after discovering film music’s titular father figure.

9. THE FLAME AND THE ARROW (1950)

Mandolin gives Italian flavor to the galloping main theme from this costumer in Medieval Lombardy as a Robin Hood-like figure (Burt Lancaster) and his loyal followers fight against their Hessian conquerors. Lancaster, a former acrobat with the Kay Brothers circus, is at his athletic best. It may not match the best of the earlier Errol Flynn swashbucklers, but it’s thoroughly enjoyable, thanks in no small part to Steiner’s rousing music.

8. THE INFORMER (1935)

Director John Ford’s first Oscar also brought Steiner the first of his three Oscars, and the first purely dramatic score to win the award. (1934′s ONE NIGHT OF LOVE featured underscoring based mainly on famous opera tunes.) Based on the 1925 novel by Liam O’Flaherty, Victor McLaglen stars as the brutish Gypo who informs on his best friend, a member of the Irish Republican Army, in order to collect the reward money and sail to America with his girlfriend. Bleak and atmospheric, the film plays out in the mists and shadows of war-torn Ireland. Steiner’s music is appropriately dark, with brass chords that plod alongside Gypo’s grief-stricken tread. The choral redemption finale is particularly moving.

7. THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN (1944)

If Mark Twain stretched the truth, so did the filmmakers in this historically shaky, yet thoroughly entertaining, biopic. Fredric March makes a fine Twain, but Steiner’s Americana score rises above the Hollywood-isms to create something truly special. Based on a four-note call of “Mark Twa-a-ain” (yes, four) that is called on the riverboats of Twain’s early career, the music is steeped in 19th century harmonies and banjo strummings. Throw in some unlikely, and delightful, bassoon solos, and you have one of Steiner’s underappreciated jewels.

6. CASABLANCA (1943)

There’s no such thing as a perfect film, but CASABLANCA comes pretty damn close. The perfect (oh, there’s that word again!) marriage of acting, direction and script, the film is simply ageless, emotionally involving no matter how many times you see it, and able to withstand the closest of scrutiny. The score is often mistaken as nothing more than rehashing “As Time Goes By” over and over again, though Steiner never wanted to use the tune. But in the hands of a pro like Steiner, something so seemingly insignificant as a source cue is skillfully and subtly woven into the score, and a decade-old song becomes not only a standard, but movie musical magic.

5. LIFE WITH FATHER (1947)

This delightful adaptation of the long-running stage hit stars William Powell as the imperious, yet loveable, head of his exasperating, carrot-topped family. Steiner’s score weaves in period tunes like “Sweet Genevieve” into a sweet, sentimental score. With a charming main theme that clip-clops along with the horse-drawn carriages of turn-of-the-century New York, Steiner’s music is a major holy grail of mine that I hope sees the light of day at some point.

4. THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936)

Popular CAPTAIN BLOOD co-stars Errol and Olivia de Havilland reteamed for this recreation of the famous charge of the Crimean War, based loosely on Alfred Lord Tennyson’s famous poem. The score is one of Steiner’s finest, weaving in quotes of “Rule Brittania” with a memorable march for the British soldiers and rousing (and frightfully difficult) action cues that give the orchestra musicians a real workout. Tribute Film Classic’s restoration of the complete score is definitely worth an honored slot on your shelf.

3. JOHNNY BELINDA (1948)

Jane Wyman’s Oscar-winning performance as a raped deaf mute who must contend with the reactions of her seaside Nova Scotia town grounds the film with lovely, understated work. Steiner rises to her level, contributing a score of heartbreaking tenderness and, on occasion, brutal cruelty. The sweet theme on celeste for the baby captures Belinda’s maternal instincts and inherent goodness.

2. NOW, VOYAGER (1942)

Steiner’s second Oscar is a prime example of the kind of melodramas that Warner Bros. did best. Containing one of Bette Davis’ signature performances as the ugly duckling who turns into a swan away from her overbearing mother (the superb Gladys Cooper), Steiner’s music contains enough drama for three scores. Anchored by one of Steiner’s most famous themes, the score surges passionately in the strings as Davis’ mousy Charlotte finds love from within and without. The drama is beautifully played and that memorable theme tugs at the heartstrings.

1. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)

Whether you like or hate the film–or like or hate the music–you have to give Steiner credit for pulling together such an intricate, interwoven tapestry of musical invention. Weaving together 11 primary themes and numerous period tunes, Steiner’s musically rich score is dramatic and engaging from beginning to end. Anchored by “Tara’s Theme,” arguably the most famous theme in film music, Steiner and his crackerjack music department (which included orchestrators Hugo Friedhofer and Adolph Deutsch) had only 12 weeks to compose and orchestrate the lengthy score. What emerged was a true film music classic, number one on my list and one of the top film scores ever written.

9 Favorite Film Scores of Max Steiner is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

To write this fictional (and seemingly implausible) possibility, I had to set myself some ground rules. Since the first Music prize was given out in 1943, no scores before that year were eligible. As it states in the Pulitzer rules, the composer has to be American. Rather than basing my choices on any perceived Pulitzer story trends or my own whims, I decided to only include scores that have some Pulitzer relationship already inherent in the film.

None of these scores below were ever submitted for Pulitzer consideration to my knowledge, nor can I find any evidence that film music was even allowed until the rule changes in 2004. (My research hasn’t turned up any reason why Thomson’s was considered in the first place. If anyone has the answer, please let me know in the comments.) So basically this post is all fun and games. In an ideal world, film music would be taken as seriously by the Music jury as the Journalism entries. But, alas, that just ain’t so. Still, each and every one of these scores would have been deserving of consideration.

THE AGE OF INNOCENCE (1993)

Martin Scorsese might seem a strange choice to bring Edith Wharton’s classic 1921 Pulitzer-winning novel about 19th century New York high society to the screen. And you’d be right. So what could this 70-year-old story, which had been previously filmed in 1924 and 1934, still have to say to contemporary audiences in the early 90s? Apparently not much. There were some critics who were bowled over by Scorsese’s attention to detail (and it is a lovely movie to look at). But in focusing on the proper place settings and what fork went where, the film was devoid of any emotional resonance. Not so with Elmer Bernstein‘s score. While Wharton’s characters expressed love behind the trappings of their upper crust facade, Bernstein’s Oscar-nominated score passionately waltzes around the characters, giving voice to the feelings they cannot. Gunther’s Schuller’s Of Reminiscences and Reflections, while more tonal than many Pulitzer winners, was awarded more in recognition of the composer’s career (which happens a lot) than the piece itself. In awarding Schuller, the jury was looking backward to make up for lost time, but not that far back.

ANGELA’S ASHES (1999)

Frank McCourt’s memorable Pulitzer-winning memoir about his impoverished childhood in the slums of pre-war Limerick made a difficult transition to the screen. What was moving, humorous and full of hope on the page, even in its darkest moments, was just bleak and depressing onscreen. However, John Williams‘ Oscar-nominated score brought a ray of light to the darkness on display. The memorable minor-key main theme for piano captures the hardships and struggle of McCourt’s early years. While the Irish elements would certainly have hindered Williams’ chances with the Pulitzer jury (they don’t seem to like ethnic flavors in their chosen music), surely the Americana strains of the film’s finale, “Back to America,” would have made them sit up and take notice. When Lewis Spratlan won the Prize in 2000 for a concert staging of the second act of his opera Life Is a Dream, which had had yet to be staged in full production, many Pulitzer followers scratched their heads. Spratlan later became one of the most vocal opponents of the addition of film music to the Pulitzer roster. Shame.

THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)

When author and poet MacKinlay Kantor (a 1956 Pulitzer winner for the wonderful Civil War novel Andersonville) turned in 434 pages of blank verse for his preliminary treatment of vets returning to their hometown from World War II, fellow Pulitzer winner Robert Sherwood was brought on board to fashion a workable screenplay from the unwieldy tome. Sherwood won three Pulitzer Prizes for Drama—in 1936 (Idiot’s Delight), 1939 (Abe Lincoln in Illinois) and 1941 (There Shall Be No Night)—and had dabbled in films, most notably as co-screenwriter of REBECCA. Sherwood’s pedigree and the obviously American story would most likely have garnered some attention for the score as well. Hugo Friedhofer‘s Oscar-winning music is dramatic and beautiful, emotional and raw, without a trace of false sentimentality. You’d think it would have been right up Pulitzer’s alley, though tt would hard to take away Charles Ives’ 1947 Pulitzer for his Symphony No. 3.

CROSS CREEK (1983)

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings won the 1939 Pulitzer Prize for her novel, The Yearling. The memorable characters that populate the book were based on her experiences living in the Florida backwoods of Cross Creek, which also served as the basis for her 1942 memoir of the same name. While the 1983 film version was mostly ignored, Leonard Rosenman‘s Oscar-nominated score thankfully was not. Written very much in the accessible Americana style of Aaron Copland, the score is a departure for the composer, who is best known for more atonal works like THE COBWEB, FANTASTIC VOYAGE and BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES. The Pulitzers were slowly coming out of decades worth of experimental musical fare, revisiting tonality in works like Ellen Zwilich’s Three Movements for Orchestra and David Del Tredici’s In Memory of a Summer Day. But the Pulitzers seldom embrace full-on tonality, as indicated by the 1984 winner, Bernard Rands’ Canti del Sole for tenor and orchestra.

DEATH OF A SALESMAN (1951)

In 1951, you have two films based on classic Pulitzer Prize-winning dramas—DEATH OF A SALESMAN and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE—both composed by newcomer Alex North. STREETCAR changed the face of film music, but the Pulitzers, like Hollywood, weren’t ready to embrace jazz (they still have problems with it), so it’s likely they would have ignored North’s groundbreaking work. Even though the film of SALESMAN may not have matched the primal forces of the original stage production, it is a faithful adaptation of the classic play, and Fredric March gives a moving performance as everyman Willy Loman. The coup of the film was securing North’s services to expand his original music for the Broadway production into a full-fledged score. With its harsh tonalities and slippery tonalities, North’s music gives voice to Willy’s pain and shattered dreams. If they gave a Prize specifically for film music, North would most certainly have been a Pulitzer darling, as his style most closely captures the sound of 1950′s American concert music. Gail Kubik’s 1952 winner, Symphony Concertante, has never been recorded on CD and is seldom performed, like many Pulitzer winners, whereas North’s music continues to thrive.

THE HEIRESS (1949)

Aaron Copland won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for his classic ballet music, Appalachian Spring. While it’s doubtful that he would have been considered for another prize so soon (few composers have won more than one), THE HEIRESS is certainly deserving. The score is one of the few that Copland did not turn into a concert suite, feeling that the music didn’t work outside of the film. The story behind the butchering of his score by director William Wyler for this adaptation of Henry James’ Washington Square is legendary. And since Copland was so disgusted at his treatment that he ultimately left Hollywood and refused to pick up his Oscar for the score, it’s doubtful he would have accepted a Pulitzer Prize for work that he felt was tarnished. And it’s obvious by the 1950 winner, Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera The Consul, that the Pulitzer jury was looking at works with a far more political bent.

THE HOURS (2002)

Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel interweaves the story of three women around Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. As haunting as the book is, the film is even better, thanks in part to excellent performances and the emotional score by Philip Glass. Scored for just strings and piano, the music captures pain and loss and gives the film a musical aura and further gravitas. That Glass has never won a Pulitzer, much less been a finalist, is strange, though he’s arguably too populist for the elite Pulitzer jury. If Steve Reich can win a Pulitzer, Glass’ day must not be far behind. Besides, nothing was going to beat the 2003 Pulitzer winner, John Adams’ moving On the Transmigration of Souls, with its moving tribute to the victims of 9/11.

THE REIVERS (1969)

Better known for his tortured Southern Gothic novels like The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner won the second of his two Pulitzers for fiction for the lighthearted The Reivers, his final novel. The coming-of-age story in turn-of-the-century Mississippi is simply told (as opposed to many of Faulkner’s books) and so is the film. But even with Steve McQueen in the driver’s seat, the film is missing the joy of reading Faulkner’s exquisite prose. But John Williams‘ score—with its guitar, harmonica, barroom piano and memorable main theme—captures the innocence of youth and the raucous adventures of the story. Far too tonal for Pulitzer consideration, especially in 1970 when Charles Wuorinen became the youngest composer to win the Pulitzer for his purely electronic work Time’s Encomium, Williams’ score is still rollicking Americana for the ears.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

One of the Pulitzer Prizes, in any category, that few people can dispute is the awarding of Harper Lee for her classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird. And few dispute the power of the screen version or Elmer Bernstein‘s classic score. All three—the book, the film and the music—are considered high points of their various genres. The 1963 Pulitzer winner, Samuel Barber’s Piano Concerto, is far more tonal (with a beautiful second movement) than many winning pieces, but still harmonically adventurous enough to please the Pulitzer jury. By this point, Bernstein’s Americana would probably have felt distinctly out of place for Prize consideration. Their loss.

9 Film Scores That Deserved a Pulitzer is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!