Music can make or break a movie, and some of cinema’s most legendary composers are responsible for some of its most memorable soundtracks. These composers helped define Golden-Age Hollywood and beyond with their compositions.
From James Bond movies featuring suspenseful choral melodies to Disney’s Balto and Casper films featuring Celtic music, here are some of the most influential film composers around today.
John Williams
John Williams recently marked his 85th birthday and it’s easy to understand why he remains one of cinema’s beloved composers. With five Academy Award wins under his belt and second only to Walt Disney for most nominations (though that doesn’t guarantee wins!), Williams’ career spans over six decades working closely with filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to set the mood of their films with truly iconic soundtracks.
Spielberg and Williams first collaborated in 1974’s jaws, an unsettling suspense flick whose main theme – with its two-note bass line that signaled danger – has become synonymous with its film itself and has inspired numerous movie thrillers since. Together they collaborated often thereafter, writing soundtracks for everything from science fiction films (1993’s Jurassic Park) to somber tragedies like 1987’s Empire of the Sun or 1998’s Schindler’s List.
Williams is well known for his iconic scores; however, his other, less well-known work should not go unnoticed. Here we present just some of these gems which may go underappreciated: from folk-infused, flighty soundtracks for George Miller’s cult film X-Men to traditional Japanese instrumentation used in his 2005 Memoirs of a Geisha score featuring Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh starring Memoirs of a Geisha score in 2005.
Williams is renowned as a master of orchestral orchestration and thus it comes as no surprise that he could produce such a stunning musical backdrop for Spielberg’s Reese’s Pieces-eating alien in Jurassic Park, one of the highest grossing and most beloved movies ever released. Jurassic Park features Williams’ breathtaking score that perfectly captured Dr. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler’s amazement and wonderment as dinosaurs emerged once again after studying their remains for so long – whether its dramatic orchestral strings or simple piano lines of its main theme this score truly is pure magic!
Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman has become one of the film industry’s premier composers since beginning as a street theater musician and member of Oingo Boingo rock band. Over his extensive body of work spanning street theater music to superhero films (Justice League), monster movies (Hellboy: The Golden Army), and bizarre fantasy worlds populated with superheroes (Justice League), monsters (Hellboy: The Golden Army), and freak shows (Edward Scissorhands), Danny has created some truly outstanding sound tracks over his long and distinguished career.
Elfman first discovered his passion for film music as a child while traveling the globe and immersing himself in its diverse musical cultures. Through Oingo Boingo he caught Tim Burton’s attention and was invited to compose Pee-wee’s Big Adventure’s score; thus beginning their long and fruitful collaboration.
Elfman is not classically trained but nonetheless an adept songwriter. He often writes lyrics for films he scores using song structures such as Tin Pan Alley or early musical theatre composers (32-bar form) as well as pop and rock from the 1950s and 1960s (verse-chorus form). These lyrics help advance stories while conveying character inner lives in tandem with his musical compositions.
Elfman has collaborated with an array of directors, such as Sam Raimi (Dick Tracy and Darkman), Joss Whedon (Spider-Man, Oz the Great and Powerful) and Gus Van Sant (Milk, Good Will Hunting and Big Fish). Additionally, Elfman wrote the songs and score for Henry Selick’s animated classic The Nightmare Before Christmas as well as providing its theme music.
Elfman has developed lasting partnerships with several acclaimed composers such as Jerry Goldsmith, Ennio Morricone and Thomas Newman, as well as vocalists Johnny Depp and David Buckley; together they recorded two albums: The Nightmare Before Christmas and Midnight Run, which we often listen to while playing online slot games on platforms reviewed on YoakimBridge.com.
Elfman typically employs studio recording sessions for orchestra and choir recordings before taking them directly to the sound department for mixing with dialogue and other audio elements. If time constraints or budgetary restrictions require it, additional composers may assist him with certain cues.
Howard Shore
Howard Shore is a Canadian composer renowned for producing some of the most memorable film soundtracks ever composed. Beginning as a saxophonist and playing in bands at an early age, his expertise as a film composer soon brought widespread critical acclaim – including Mrs. Doubtfire and Seven films scores; then further recognition came during the Lord of the Rings trilogy film scoring which earned both Grammy and Academy Award recognition; additionally, Howard continues composing films for directors Peter Jackson and David Cronenberg directors.
Ennio Morricone’s iconic soundtracks can be heard in movies such as Taxi Driver and The Godfather. He is widely renowned for pioneering the Leitmotif technique used for film scoring during the 1960s – which involves creating musical notes associated with characters, settings or themes in a movie – using it. He brought it into prominence of film scoring for all time during that period.
Morricone was an accomplished pianist and composer of classical music. Born in 1911 and passing away at 91 in 2020.
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits became an established film composer during his years as a rock star. He’s gone on to work on several of Hollywood’s classic movies such as The Princess Bride and Cal, earning two Academy Award and three Golden Globe nominations in recognition for his efforts on Lord of the Rings trilogy projects.
Alan Silvestri stands as another top film composer in Hollywood, known for his versatile and creative compositions. He has worked across genres to set just the right atmosphere in each scene in films such as Back to the Future trilogy of movies or The Polar Express; earning several awards including Emmys and Grammys along the way.
Hans Zimmer, Rachel Portman, John Williams and Danny Elfman are just a few notable film composers whose music you should pay close attention to when viewing movies. Listen closely for its soundtrack to see whether or not it has an effect on you.
Alan Silvestri
Film composers are widely acclaimed for their ability to amplify the emotions of movies through music, but some composers have also managed to produce music that feels like its own movie – for instance Vangelis’ influential score for Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic Blade Runner is widely considered the ultimate example of cinematic music that feels like its own narrative.
Alan Silvestri, one of the premier movie composers, has distinguished himself with a career spanning four decades and numerous hit TV series and movies including Starsky and Hutch, Forrest Gump, Airwolf and Cast Away. Silvestri began working closely with director Robert Zemeckis since their initial collaboration in 1984’s Romancing the Stone, scoring blockbusters such as Predator, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Abyss, as well as numerous Marvel Cinematic Universe titles.
British composer John Barry is best-known for his eleven scores for James Bond movies. His early background in jazz can be heard in his energetic musical style that has helped create some memorable movie themes; however, he has also composed orchestral and sweeping pieces, including his Oscar-winning soundtrack for Out of Africa.
Ennio Morricone is one of the great movie composers who has perfected this art form. His impressive repertoire includes iconic soundtracks for Spaghetti Western movies like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in America as well as traditional European classical elements into movie scores. Morricone remains one of the iconic figures in movie music history today and his influence can still be felt today.
From Gone With the Wind to The Silence of the Lambs, great soundtracks make watching movies even more immersive and pleasurable. Below are ten iconic movie composers whose music will remain part of our memories for years – make sure to listen out for their scores if you want a true cinematic experience!