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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

What's your favorite non-Star Wars opening score???

Discussion in 'Star Wars And Film Music' started by DARTH_BELO, Sep 7, 2016.

  1. DARTH_BELO

    DARTH_BELO Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 25, 2003

    LOL that sounds like a direct copy of Star Wars in structure and style!
     
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  2. Guidman

    Guidman Skywalker Saga Mod and Trivia Host star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 29, 2016
    I really like The Social Networks opening score piece "Hand Covers Bruise" by Trent Reznor and Atticus Finch. The work they did all through that film was really good.

    I know it's not an original score piece but it sounds like one, the song "Tick of the Clock" used in the opening of Drive is amazing. It has a real gritty feel to it and it accompanies the scene amazing by building up the tension.
     
  3. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998


    Are you talking about the opening theme, or the plot, characters, fx, and the entire movie?
     
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  4. DARTH_BELO

    DARTH_BELO Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 25, 2003
    LOL Sarge I was really talking about the opening score theme.

    But I also see similarities in the rest of it too.
     
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  5. Ghost Ryder

    Ghost Ryder Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 16, 2016
    First one that comes to mind for me.

     
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  6. Cowgirl Jedi 1701

    Cowgirl Jedi 1701 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 21, 2016
    In no particular order:
    Superman (starring Christopher Reeve)
    Star Trek (original series)
    Star Trek (Enterprise)
    Battle Beyond The Stars (forgotten until I read this thread)
    Original Battlestar Galactica (ditto as above)
    The A-Team
    Airwolf
     
  7. Balaaa

    Balaaa Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 15, 2016
    Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (very emotional and perfectly grabs the atmosphere after the death of an important character in the previous episode)
    Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (especially the third one, love how they incorporated Sandman's and Venom's theme)
    Doctor Who (seasons 1-3)
    Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

    Howard Shore is a true genius and he is #2 on my list after John Williams :)
     
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  8. dva3842

    dva3842 Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 2, 2008
    I recall in the CD liner notes or maybe some article Stu Philips when working on his composition for BSG wondering one session day why
    John Williams was in the audience seating. It later turned out he was "checking" to see if similar themes or sounds were going
    to be used like SW's music probably more to do with seeing what Universal was up to than the composer.
    Maybe it was just a misunderstanding or whatnot, but years later Williams would occasionally
    pay respects to the BSG music by performing it in some of his numerous movie music medley exhibitions.
     
  9. dva3842

    dva3842 Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 2, 2008
    in no order for openings.

    Blade Runner
    Star Trek: The Motion Picture
    The Black Hole (Disney 1979)
    original Battlestar Galactica
    Superman (1978)
    LOTR
     
  10. Jester J Binks

    Jester J Binks Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 19, 2016
    It's really hard to recall what was the opening vs. a main theme (or just theme I latched on to).

    Bram Stoker's Dracula
    Risky Business - The Dream is Always the Same (Tangerine Dream)
    Rocky - Gonna Fly Now
    Xanadu (ELO and Olivia Newton John was a great combo)
    Inception - Dream is Collapsing
    Body of Lies - Bird's Eye (Mike Patton Serj Tankian (I think it is actually the closing credits theme)
    Breakfast Club - Don't You (Forget About Me)
    The Crow - Burn (The Cure)
    Highlander/Flash Gordon - Queen (like Princes of the Universe)
    Purple Rain - I'm sure whatever song opened was good, but the theme is great
    Conan the Barbarian (Arnold version)

     
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  11. Sith Lord 2015

    Sith Lord 2015 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2015
    Interesting this thread is about opening music specifically instead of just soundtracks. Among the best definitely:
    The original Conan (1981) by Basil Poledouris, where the entire first half hour has nonstop music, actually different tracks on the soundtrack merged into one masterpiece of music in the film, right from the opening drums during the prologue until the scene where Conan is finally released from the wheel. Actually ALL music from that movie is great.
    The opening of Heaven & Earth (1993, Oliver Stone) by Kitaro, sadly one of the most ignored and/or underrated movies and soundtracks ever. The first 20 minutes are amazing and visually spectacular, the music almost epic, but in a more subtle way. The track is called "Heaven and Earth (Land Theme)" on the album. Kitaro's style is sometimes a little similar to Vangelis, so if you like Vangelis you might like Kitaro. The opening sequence has some of the most beautiful photography I have ever seen in a movie, zero CGI but actual landscapes. The movie itself is certainly not for everyone, and can be hard to watch at times (cruelty, violence, abuse, torture...), but if you like good photography and music in a movie I recommend anyone to at least give the opening a try. This is the third in Stone's so-called "Vietnam trilogy". While Platoon and Born on the 4th of July get all the praise, Heaven & Earth is mostly overlooked. Maybe people expected a "real" war/action movie and were confused where to put this one, which is more of a personal drama, with an unknown lead character. Though Tommy Lee Jones has a relatively minor part, he is very good in it and convincing in every scene he is in. Just wondering, it being mainly ignored by media in general, does anyone else know or even like this movie?
    E.T.: another great score by Williams, and the opening sequence has always been one of my favorites.
    Also great, but for me to a lesser extent, the "prologue" sequence in Fellowship of the Ring.
    Though most people seem to hate Alien 3, I have somehow always liked it, so its opening sequence and music is also one of my favorites.
     
  12. Selkith2000

    Selkith2000 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Aug 23, 2015
    Already mentioned:
    • Superman The Movie
    • Man of Steel
    • Raiders of the Lost Ark
    • Blade Runner
    • The Last Starfighter
    • Batman
    • The Dark Knight
    • Jurassic Park
    • Tron Legacy
    Cant believe these were missed:
    • The Exorcist
    • Alien
    • Alien3
    • Scarecrows
    • Waterworld
    • The Dark Knight Rises
    • and my absolute favourite Transformers The Movie.
     
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  13. Darth__Lobot

    Darth__Lobot Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 29, 2015

    Hell yeah - was just going to post that (Robocop is another great soundtrack by the same guy...although not a masterpiece like Conan)



    Another good one is Batman (1989)



    Several of the OG Star Trek Films (1-6... with the original cast) have really good openings also

    Wrath of Khan is great (along with a few others)

     
  14. Aiwendil42

    Aiwendil42 Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 16, 2008
    Let's see...

    Metropolis opening titles (Gottfried Huppertz)
    Vertigo, "Prelude and Rooftop" (Bernard Herrmann)
    Star Trek: The Motion Picture, "Main Title" (Jerry Goldsmith)
    Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, "Main Title" (James Horner)
    Raiders of the Lost Ark, "The Raiders March" (John Williams)
     
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  15. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2014
    The Raider's March isn't the opening score of any of the Indy films though. The opening track of Raiders is Into the Jungle, which doesn't even feature the march at all.
     
  16. Aiwendil42

    Aiwendil42 Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 16, 2008
    You're right! Well, erase Raiders from my list then.
     
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  17. Grievousdude

    Grievousdude Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Jan 27, 2013
    Off the top of my head, The opening of Tron Legacy, The Spider-Man trilogy opening credits music and all the openings to the Hobbit and LOTR films are amazing.
     
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  18. Sith Lord 2015

    Sith Lord 2015 Jedi Master star 4

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    Oct 30, 2015
    The opening sequence of Born on the 4th of July has a nice Williams score as well.
     
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  19. AndyLGR

    AndyLGR Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    May 1, 2014
    The opening score to Raiders of the Lost Ark is perfect as they trek through the South American jungle, (in fact I'd say the whole soundtrack is my favourite of a non SW movie).

    I really like the opening music to Spectre in Mexico for the day of the dead festival.
     
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  20. sethg

    sethg Manager Emeritus star 2 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    I'm sure I'm missing a ton, but the first ones that come to mind:

    Superman: The Movie
    Spider-Man (2002)
    Jurassic Park
    Superman Returns -- I know it's just a retread of the original, but seeing this in theaters with the visuals really took me back
    101 Dalmatians (1961)
    Beauty and the Beast (1992)
    Nightmare Before Christmas
    Enchanted
     
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  21. Sith Lord 2015

    Sith Lord 2015 Jedi Master star 4

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    Oct 30, 2015
    Another good one is the prologue and main title sequence from David Lynch's Dune by the band Toto.

    Funny how a pop band could compose such an epic movie score.
     
  22. christophero30

    christophero30 Chosen One star 10

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    May 18, 2017
    May have posted already but Superman, ET, Dark Knight, Gladiator, Vertigo and Blade Runner come to mind. :vader:
     
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  23. Martoto77

    Martoto77 Jedi Master star 5

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    Aug 6, 2016
    I have to say that Williams's full prelude fanfare and march for Superman : The Movie has always been placed high above the Star Wars theme for me. I get chills just thinking about it.
     
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  24. christophero30

    christophero30 Chosen One star 10

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    May 18, 2017
    You "read my mind" lol.
     
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  25. Sith Lord 2015

    Sith Lord 2015 Jedi Master star 4

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    Oct 30, 2015
    Blasphemy! :eek:;)
    While I think it's not bad for me it doesn't really come close to the SW main theme in all its versions, but maybe I'm a little biased.