Five Perfectly Amazing Film Scores
From Steiner to Williams to Zimmer, these composers left an impact on cinema and music history.
I recently had the pleasure of joining Critics Choice member Noel Manning on his show, Meet Me at the Movies. This time he tasked me with listing five “perfectly amazing” film scores.
First, my criteria. For a score to be amazing, it must function perfectly within the film. I may love the music, but if it doesn’t work in the picture, it’s not “perfectly amazing.” I tried to separate what I enjoy listening to personally and instead look at what works best within the film. Watch my segment below, or continue reading for summaries of my selections.
Casablanca (1942)
First up is Casablanca, with music by Max Steiner. It’s perhaps not his most well-known soundtrack—he also scored King Kong and Gone with the Wind—but Casablanca stands above the rest. In a movie filled with romanticized, clichéd moments that all manage to work together, he created a perfectly romanticized, clichéd score.
His music contributed immensely to the emotion of the film. The love theme, “As Time Goes By,” is iconic. Warner Brothers still uses it as their logo theme, so whenever you go to the movies and see the Warner Brothers logo, you’re hearing that song.
Star Wars (1977)
It’s hard not to include Star Wars on a list like this; the score by John Williams brought film music to a new level. There’s simply no arguing its place on this list. You could honestly compare it to Wagner’s operas in the 1800s; it’s just that grand in scale.
Now that Williams has scored eight films in the series, he has hours and hours of music, much like Wagner’s 12-hour Ring cycle. The original Star Wars (and its subsequent sequels) contain so many musical themes that people still recognize today, and remains one of the lasting works of music in the last 40 years.
The Mission (1986)
Ennio Morricone is perhaps best known for the spaghetti westerns of the 60s and 70s. But The Mission was a much different film, and I consider it his best score, though perhaps not his most iconic. This film score puts raw emotion on display; it’s one of the most beautiful listening experiences I’ve ever had. You watch the film completely mesmerized. I think this is a case where you see music become a character in the film.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The score for Saving Private Ryan is perfect not only because of the music used, but because of where music isn’t used. Williams and director Steven Spielberg decided they didn’t want any action music. None of the action scenes have music—it’s just sound effects, which gives you a sense of actually being at war. Then, in the aftermath, this lush, soft, nostalgic, introspective music comes into play. It’s one of Williams’ most beautiful, patriotic scores, though it’s underappreciated because there’s not much of it. But when the music does come in, it’s powerful.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
Last (but not least) on my list is Pirates of the Caribbean, specifically At World’s End. This franchise contains some of the most memorable music of the 21st century. If you ask someone to hum a movie theme written after 2000, chances are they’d hum the theme from Pirates.
At World’s End is a remarkable culmination of so many rich themes. It ushered in a new genre of film music—that “rock-and-roll mixed with the orchestra” sound. I think it’s the best score of the 21st century.
What do you consider the most “perfectly amazing” film scores? Comment below to let me know.