Intrada Soundtrack Forum

The Fury is certainly still up there as one of his greatest enduring works. An incredibly powerful main title opening and it never eases up from there. The re-recording is probably the better listening experience but there are plenty of fine alternative moments to savour on the original soundtrack as well. It's a masterpiece and always a rewarding listen.

Favorite theme: Jane Eyre

Score: The Reivers

My favorite score from the 80's would have to be one of Goldsmith's, maybe THE FINAL CONFLICT.

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Robert M Eastman

- Favorite Theme -

E.T.'s "Flying", which is most unfortunately missing from the anniversary editions; the first score ever I have gotten, shortly followed by Gremlins; I played these countless times.
A literally uplifting theme.

"Welcome to Jurassic Park" would be a favorite from his more recent scores; "Theme from Schindler's List" as well, but not exactly for the same reason: it's a beautiful theme, perfectly written-- moving but not melodramatic; but it's not really the kind of thing you can mindlessly play over and over, precisely because of the subject.



- Favorite Score -

I don't know.

E.T., in its abridged-cum-concert version, because I grew up with it, and haven't grown so fond of the complete version.

If I try and think of the scores that I have most often played, with the least track-skipping:
Jurassic Park, Hook, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, Superman, A.I.; I'm not sure which one of these is my favorite.



- Favorite Scored Sequence -

"Darth Vader's Death": we certainly are a very few to pay attention to those few seconds. A perfect, delicate variation on an aggressive theme.

"Desert Chase": quite the epitome of adventure movie scoring.

Some really neat Williams sequences
The Storm from Dracula
Opening Titles from The Fury
End Credits from Jaws 2,
The Dance Hall from 1941.
The Ferry from War of The Worlds
Marlowe Running in the Traffic The Long Goodbye
The Landing Gear from The Mission
!st Dinosaur Appearance from Jurassic Park
Asteroid sequence from Empire Strikes Back
Blimp Descending on The Super Bowl from Black Sunday
Stealing the Model T from The Reivers...
Planet Krpyton from Superman...
My God I can't stop...

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"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance...that principle is contempt prior to investigation.
Herbert Spencer

Never been much fan of sci-fi or action music, and I must say I most enjoy the Johnny Williams of How To Steal a Million, Penelope or Fitzwilly.

Currently I'm also expecting A Guide for the Married Man to arrive hopefully soon.

Maybe one day I'll get to buy JAWS. I heard the theme recently in a Columbo episode.

Favorite theme? Impossible to choose. 'The Imperial March' is the reason I bought my first film music CD, which, in turn, started my love for film music. So that's a sentimental favorite.
But right now, I'll say 'Hymn to The Fallen'. As good as music inspired by film gets. It is so friggin'.....wow.

Favorite score? also changes, but currently it is HOOK. The richest film score I've ever heard. 2+ hours of pure orchestral story-telling on a scale I've never heard before or since. Probably more themes and motif than just about any other movie ever, and each and every one of those theme (at least a dozen) is strong enough to hold a motion picture on it's own. The music is as...well, add any positive superlative you want here. My favorite pirate music ever- 'Presenting the Hook' is music I remembered and loved ever since I saw the film for the first times, a decade before I became a film music enthusiast. And 'The Face of Pan' is as stunning an example of film scoring as any (together with 'The Cadilac of The Skies' from EMPIRE OF THE SUN). (I tend to get kind of gushy when it comes to HOOK.....)

Favorite moment? Also impossible to choose. But since I'm in a HOOK kind of place, it's as good a place as any to choose from. On the album, it'd be the opening seconds fo the album, the 'Prologue'. The whole track is among the best things Williams has ever written, but the opening in particular, the entrance to a magical world. This may sound kind of simple, but sooooooo many composers have tried to capture that feel. Over here, Williams promised me a once in a life time musical experience, and boy, did he deliver.
Oh, and that chattering motif from RETURN OF THE JEDI (at the end of 'Obi Wan's Revelation') is also a thrilling, unexpeced little motif that is so utterly perfect, in a particulaly Williams kind of way.
Another one that comes to mind is just a recent example- from HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN. That woodwind run at the end of 'The Secrets of The Castle', more than anything, confirmed that Williams was just as brilliant as ever. Just a tiny magical touch on a tiny little scene, but it just exudes so much...I just love the mischievous sense present in this score (crystalized by the 'Double Trouble' theme, of course). Film music that is as alive and vivacious as it comes.