Another list, this time about movie soundtracks, compiled by the listeners of UK’s Classic FM and revealed during the Monday, May 30 Bank Holiday.40 633 Squadron – Ron Goodwin
39 Cinema Paradiso – Ennio Morricone
38 Superman – John Williams
37 Once Upon a Time in the West – Ennio Morricone
36 The Merchant of Venice – Jocelyn Pook
35 Somewhere in Time – John Barry
34 The Shawshank Redemption – Thomas Newman/Mozart
33 Indiana Jones – John Williams
32 The Dambusters – Eric Coates
31 Chariots of Fire – Vangelis
30 Pirates of the Caribbean – Klaus Badelt
29 The Lion in Winter – John Barry
28 The Godfather – Nino Rota
27 Braveheart – James Horner
26 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Ennio Morricone
25 Brief Encounter – Rachmaninov
24 The Last of the Mohicans – Trevor Jones
23 The English Patient – Gabriel Yared
22 The Great Escape – Elmer Bernstein
21 The Deer Hunter – Stanley Myers
20 E.T. – John Williams
19 Gone with the Wind – Max Steiner
18 Titanic – James Horner
17 Ladies in Lavender – Nigel Hess
16 Harry Potter – John Williams
15 Dangerous Moonlight – Richard Adinsell
14 The Big Country – Jerome Moross
13 The Piano – Michael Nyman
12 Saving Private Ryan – John Williams
11 The Magnificent Seven – Elmer Bernstein
10 Dr Zhivago – Maurice Jarre
9 Jurassic Park – John Williams
8 Lawrence of Arabia – Maurice Jarre
7 The Mission – Ennio Morricone
6 Dances with Wolves – John Barry
5 Out of Africa – John Barry/Mozart
4 Schindler’s List – John Williams
3 Gladiator – Hans Zimmer
2 Star Wars – John Williams
1 The Lord of the Rings – Howard Shore
Of course I had to take a look, but I can’t say I’m very thrilled with the choices. I have to admit a couple of those titles I don’t know at all, a few others I know but am not familiar enough with the music, and a couple others come almost as a shock. Pirates of the Caribbean and Gladiator? Superman ranked so low? A “score” by Rachmaninoff? Is that fair? If so, I guess that’s why Gladiator showed up so high, since I guess they are including the unsubtle cribbing from Wagner and Holst.39 Cinema Paradiso – Ennio Morricone
38 Superman – John Williams
37 Once Upon a Time in the West – Ennio Morricone
36 The Merchant of Venice – Jocelyn Pook
35 Somewhere in Time – John Barry
34 The Shawshank Redemption – Thomas Newman/Mozart
33 Indiana Jones – John Williams
32 The Dambusters – Eric Coates
31 Chariots of Fire – Vangelis
30 Pirates of the Caribbean – Klaus Badelt
29 The Lion in Winter – John Barry
28 The Godfather – Nino Rota
27 Braveheart – James Horner
26 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Ennio Morricone
25 Brief Encounter – Rachmaninov
24 The Last of the Mohicans – Trevor Jones
23 The English Patient – Gabriel Yared
22 The Great Escape – Elmer Bernstein
21 The Deer Hunter – Stanley Myers
20 E.T. – John Williams
19 Gone with the Wind – Max Steiner
18 Titanic – James Horner
17 Ladies in Lavender – Nigel Hess
16 Harry Potter – John Williams
15 Dangerous Moonlight – Richard Adinsell
14 The Big Country – Jerome Moross
13 The Piano – Michael Nyman
12 Saving Private Ryan – John Williams
11 The Magnificent Seven – Elmer Bernstein
10 Dr Zhivago – Maurice Jarre
9 Jurassic Park – John Williams
8 Lawrence of Arabia – Maurice Jarre
7 The Mission – Ennio Morricone
6 Dances with Wolves – John Barry
5 Out of Africa – John Barry/Mozart
4 Schindler’s List – John Williams
3 Gladiator – Hans Zimmer
2 Star Wars – John Williams
1 The Lord of the Rings – Howard Shore
I can’t say I approve of lumping some scores together either. With Lord of the Rings this is understandable, since the intent was to make one large organic piece; but it doesn’t seem fair not to separate Star Wars (or “A New Hope” as you kids call it) and Empire Strikes Back. Or just to concentrate on Raiders at the expense of the other Indiana Jones scores. With that in mind, it would be hard to argue — even for this LOTR fan — that Howard Shore’s work bests Williams groundbreaking and instantly recognizable themes in Star Wars and Empire.
Those aren’t my only quibbles either. I would much rather have Field of Dreams over Titanic; the latter might have sold more albums but the former has better music. E.T. and Superman should swap places. It’s nice they noted Elmer Bernstein’s two great themes, but what about his Ten Commandments score? And think for a moment of all the composers who are completely left out of that list. No Jerry Goldsmith?! I’m not his biggest fan, but surely they can’t have forgotten all the significant work he has done. Erich von Korngold wrote several classic scores for cinemas Golden Age, none of which is remembered here. Another unbelievable lapse is the absence of Bernard Herrmann, whose Citizen Kane score was voted best in the recent TIME poll — and of course, the great work he did in many Hitchcock films. If they’re going to give a nod to Elmer Bernstein’s two greatest themes, what about the memorable melodies Henry Mancini wrote for the screen? A lot current moviegoes were came of age with the music of Danny Elfman, but he didn’t make a showing here either. Not forgetting Randy Newman, Alan Silvestri, James Newton Howard to just name a few. There’s a lot of good stuff in the list, admittedly; but there’s so much lacking.
