movie music

[CrazyMage]

First, "ditto" on Star Wars soundtracks (thought Ep. II was rather lame musically); Raiders, and LotR/TTT. From Lord of the Rings, I particularly liked the music when the Fellowship exits Moria after Gandalf has fallen, and the music for the "new" scene when Sam and Frodo see the elves leaving Middle Earth.

While not entire soundtracks, some cool bits of music from movies
--Royal Tenenbaums, the music when they introduce the characters. I recognized it, but it drove me nuts because I couldn't remember what it was. Sat through most of the credits to be reminded that it was Ravel's String Quartet in F, second movement. At about that point in the credits, there was some cool music happening but who knows what that was. Rest of the movie had some good music as well.

--Aaron Copland, Music for Films. This CD has music from a number of films Copland scored. Just beautiful, open sounds. I especially like Our Town.

--Himalaya had some cool music. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...8398036/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-3385585-6019169
For info on the movie http://www.tibet.ca/wtnarchive/2000/12/1_2.html

--Anything with Huun Huur Tu. This is a Tuvan group of throat-singers. Saw them in concert once at UW-Milwaukee. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...8398260/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_2/104-3385585-6019169

Some of their songs were in The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat)

--Lest you think I'm going too weird, the opening piece from Hunt for Red October. Come to think of it, I liked the opening piece from Sum of All Fears as well.

 

[Chauzu]

My favorite movie soundtracks include Braveheart, Black Hawk Down, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Gladiator, The Thin Red Line, The Last Of The Mohicans, and Glory.

I don't have the LOTR soundtracks, but if I did, I would add them to the list. Same with Conan.

 

[Kilmore]

The movie "Excalibur"s use of the Carmina Burana was very memorable and on the spot.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Empire Strikes Back is probably the best of the Star Wars soundtracks. I really like the Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack as well. Uh, Willow's is excellent. So is the soundtrack for Witches of Eastwick. And anything by Elfman.

 

[Shadowdancer]

The music in LoTR that always makes me choke up is the children's choir part when Gandalf falls into the pit, and everyone thinks he's dead.

I also choke up when watch The Natural, and the use the start of the main theme -- the strings, followed by the soaring horn part. They use this at all of the key moments in the movie, and it gets me every time.

The Conan soundtrack I love, it really gets my blood pumping -- love those timpani and the brass.

Also like the use of the beginning of Loreena McKennitt's "The Mystic's Journey" in the movie Jade. Very creepy, sets the mood well.

 

[Orius]

Another FotR music moment that gets me is in Khazad Dum, when Gandalf sheds "a bit more light" and reveals the grandeur of the dwarven halls. The music swells at just the right spot and then there's this little brass echo -- it reminds me both of the glory of the dwarves and the fact that their time is over and we will never see the like again. It sounds silly but I have to fight back tears at that moment almost every time I hear it.

That's one of the greatest moments in the FotR sountrack.

 

[Orius]

There's also a single piece of Star Wars mucisc that I just love. Again, I couldn't tell you what it is, but the most memorable instance of it is in ANH when Luke is standing in the desert on Tatooine looking out at the two suns. I think it pops up at poignant "Luke/Jedi" moments.

Is that the same theme that's used at the end of ANH at the beginning of the ceremony, and later in Jedi Luke's standing at Vader's pyre (not to mention many places throught all 5 films)? I believe that theme is used for the Force, particularly the light side.

 

[Orius]

Gotta agree with the FotR and Star Wars ones.

My personal favorite right now is the "Rohan Theme" from The Two Towers. It pops up in a bunch of the tracks and has that kinda off-kilter fiddle thing going on. Good stuff.

2 more of my all-time favs are the Superman Theme and the main Indiana Jones theme. The Superman Theme is just as unmistakable as the Star Wars music, IMO.

I like the Rohan theme too. That's definitly a great piece to use for D&D.

 

[Villano]

For my favs, I have to go with the classics, Conan, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, and Jaws. Also, The Shining is great for "ominous" and the theme from Rosemary's Baby is just creepy (children laughing, tinkling music, and distorted laughter).

And you can't forget about Shaft. That's bada$$ d20 Modern music.

However, I'd kill for a copy of the soundtrack of Howling 2: Your Sister Is A Werewolf. Don't laugh! That punk band (Bable or Babel, I'm not sure how they spelled it) rocks.

I couldn't find anything on eBay searches, so I doubt a soundtrack was ever released (I checked out the Internet Movie Database, and all the members have seen to have gone on to work making music for other films).

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I second the vote for the Highlander music, with emphasis on 'Gimme The Prize'. In fact I'm going to put that on my Cd player right now

In addition, I think the Matrix soundtrack was just perfect for the film, especially the Rage Against the Machine track 'Wake Up' at the end - could you think of a better named band with a better named track for the end of that film?

And I love Danny Elfman's stuff, he's about the only composer that works in film who's name I know - and that speaks volumes.

Ooo! The music that's playing just as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gonn are about to fight Darth Maul for the last time, just as he poses and pulls the "I know something you don't know...I've got a double headed lightsaber!" trick, the fast strings into the chorus...wonderful.