Film Score Friday: Superman the Movie

This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from Superman the Movie. John Williams wrote the score for this 1978 film. Jerry Goldsmith was originally scheduled to write this score, but dropped out due to a conflict and Williams stepped in. It's hard to understand the perspective this film had to contend with in the late 70s. We all live in a world where comic book characters are in a new movie just about every month. This was a untested idea. Williams score was put together relatively late in the game. This allowed him to have some awareness around the tone the film was taking. This proved wildly successful with a great score. 

The music from this film has become an iconic score for good reason. The march and fanfare make it hard to avoid smiling. The horns have great lyrical lines during the middle of the film with the romance theme. We think you should listen to this score. 

Truth, Justice, and the American Way demand it!

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Superman on Amazon

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Film Score Friday: The Mummy

This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from 1999's The Mummy. Jerry Goldsmith wrote the score for this adventure film. If you're familiar with Goldsmith's work, this score will be very familiar. We think that's a good thing. Goldsmith goes to his usual arsenal of soaring Horn interspersed with driving Low Brass. This works well with the film and helps amp up the action feeling. 

Is The Mummy on your list of great Jerry Goldsmith scores? Let us know in the comments. 

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The Mummy on Amazon

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Film Score Friday: Back to the Future

Back to the Future
Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson
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This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from Back to the Future. Alan Silvestri composed the score from this 1985 classic. Many people associate the music from this film with Huey Lewis and the News and their pop songs that were included. 

At the time the film was released, the 85 piece orchestra Silvestri used was unheard of. Some changes were made to the music written for the beginning of the movie. Silvestri's beginning material was scrapped for some pop songs that opened the film. The unintentional effect is you don't hear the score until about 18 minutes in the film. The moment is the first time you see the all important Delorean turned into a time machine. Although not necessarily planned by the composer, the effect is awesome. 

The driving theme for Silvestri uses matches the adventurous theme of the film exactly. When you hear the three pick up notes from the horns and their lead in, you'll be ready to jump into a time traveling Delorean. 

The big reveal

 

Silvestri on the score

Where does this rank for time traveling movie score? Let us know in the comments

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Back to the Future on Amazon

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Film Score Friday: Dances with Wolves

Dances With Wolves (25th Anniversary Edition)
Starring Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant, Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman
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This week on Film Score Friday we listen to the score from Dances with Wolves. John Barry wrote the score for this 1990 film. We have to say it up front. This is a bad movie. It won lots of awards, but it's not our cup of tea. That being said, Barry's score is solid. 

While not a traditional "Cowboys and Indian" film, Barry matches the tone of a western. You'll hear lots of similarities to Copland in that vein and it's a good thing. There's plenty of opportunities for sweeping Horns. There's some great Trumpet solos. The low brass have some dynamic swells in the climax of the film as well. 

 

 

Were we right about bad movie good score? Let us know in the comments. 

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Dances with Wolves on Amazon

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Film Score Friday: Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan
Starring Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Davies, Vin Diesel
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This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to the score from Saving Private Ryan. This 1998 film is one of our favorite scores from the war movie genre. In the grand scheme of John Williams scores, this one is quite different. In a typical Williams score you get lots action music accompanying action in the film. This is different. Many of the most intense action-packed parts of the film are without music or have very little accompaniment. The most intense music is saved for lulls in the action. We struggle to advocate for less score from this composer, but the approach works incredibly well. 


The score was recorded by the Boston Symphony. The recorded in their usual home, Symphony Hall. The highlight of the score is titled Hymn to the Fallen. Williams said he intended this to be the Requiem of the film. It features chorus and all parts of the orchestra. The middle of this part contains an amazing brass choir section. There have been a number of arrangement for stand alone brass choir since the film debuted. Here's a good one from Vienna Brass Connection.


Where does Saving Private Ryan rank for John Williams scores? Let us know in the comments. 

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Saving Private Ryan on Amazon

Saving Private Ryan on iTunes

Saving Private Ryan (For Brass Band) on Sheet Music Plus

Film Score Friday: Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Francois Truffaut, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon
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This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This John Williams score premiered in the same year as Star Wars. If John Williams had only written one of these score that year it would have been impressive. Both ended up being iconic and helped cement his status. 

Many movies are improved or even made with a great score. This film certainly fits that category but goes a step further. Stephen Spielberg insisted the film be edited to match Williams' score. In case you're wondering, it's almost always done the other way around. 

If you make a list of memorable Tuba solos from film scores, this must be at the top of your list. It's hard to think of a more memorable Tuba solo than this. The music is so integral to the plot it fits perfectly. 

In the video above, Spielberg and Williams talk about the origin of five note motive that appears throughout the film. If you looks real hard you'll see how hard they thought about this when you see a Kodaly reference. The Tuba solo at the climax of the film was performed by Tommy Johnson and Jim Self. It's a classic from the very beginning of the era when great scores began to be paired up with science fiction. 

What do you think about Close Encounters? Let us know in the comments. 

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Close Encounter of the Third Kind on Amazon

Close Encounter of the Third Kind on iTunes

Film Score Friday: First Knight

First Knight
Starring Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Ben Cross, Liam Cunningham
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This week on Film Score Friday, we listen to 1995's First Knight. James Horner scored the music for this retelling of the story of Knight Arthur. This one falls under the category of middle of the road movie with a great score. 

The brass really get lots of opportunities to shine in this score. Each section really has unique times to shine as well. Trumpets have some great fanfares and lyrical passages. The horns get to soar over the top of the strings in many spots. The low brass really sets the tone of foreboding. Well done low brass and well done James Horner. 

Horner came to this project at the last minute and recorded the score in just a few days. The rushed job doesn't show at all. This is a very underrated score and worth your time to check out. Besides, brass combined with a large choir singing ominously in Latin is awesome. 

Where does First Knight rank for James Horner scores? Let us know in the comments. 

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First Knight on Amazon

First Knight on iTunes

Film Score Friday: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves [Double Sided]
Starring Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, Alan Rickman
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This week on Film Score Friday, we take a listen to 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Michael Kamen wrote the memorable score. This is written when Kamen really hit his stride in his career. This was a mediocre film, but the score really shines. 

Even if you've never heard the score in full, you've almost certainly heard an excerpt. The beginning fanfare that Kamen wrote for the film was adapted by Morgan Creek Productions for their title sequence heard on many films after it came out. 

Kamen wrote so many great horn parts for this score that it's hard to call out a specific sequence. Speaking of that, the Vienna horns have a marvelous recording of an arrangement of this score. It's worth a look. 

The hard part about this film is it's not great. Everyone has a British accent, except for Robin Hood. It's really strange and distracting. If you watch it, just try to focus on the great music and you'll be in a much happier place. 

Is this the best of Kamen's works? Let us know in the comments. 

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Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves on Amazon

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves on iTunes