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

Under rated and obscure composers and scores that you love

Discussion in 'Star Wars And Film Music' started by Eugene_Meltsner_AIO, Jan 24, 2004.

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  1. FurryDuck

    FurryDuck Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 2, 2001
    Ah, so happy someone mentioned Little Women! It's a great score- one of my favorites. ...Especially the few tracks involving the main theme. They're absolutely beautiful.
     
  2. Mastadge

    Mastadge Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 4, 1999
    Big fan of Poledouris, here.

    Also a big Wojciech Kilar fan -- relatively unknown in the states, but big in Europe apparently. Almost got to score Lord of the Rings. Wish he had.

    Love Patrick Doyle. Man writes beautiful music.
     
  3. Koohii

    Koohii Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 30, 2003
    Jerry Goldsmith's Wind and the Lion, Lionheart, Secret of NIHM,

    Michael Kamen: Highlander, X-men, Dead Zone

    The 6th Day (whoever did that)

    Anne Dudley: 10th kingdom

    Richard Band: The Resurrected
    Shaun Davey: 12th Night
     
  4. Eugene_Meltsner_AIO

    Eugene_Meltsner_AIO Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 9, 2002
    I cannot believe I haven't mentioned The Goonies by Dave Grusin! Neither the score or the composer seem to be very popular, but it's a great score. I love the main title theme, known as the "Fratelli Chase" theme.

    In the VG score arena, I like Michael Giacchino's works (Medal of Honor series, Secret Weapons Over Normandy.
     
  5. ElfStar

    ElfStar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2001
    A lot of video game music is underrated. I think some series like Zelda and Final Fantasy have music that can stand up to film music, for the most part.

    And I fourth the mention of Poledouris.
     
  6. VADERsSABER

    VADERsSABER Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Feb 4, 2004
    Ennio Morricone- Untouchables brilliant!!!
     
  7. Darth-Walken

    Darth-Walken Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 27, 2001
    Morricone is absolutely amazing ! :) His score for Once Upon A Time In The West is one of my all time favourites. I also really love his score for Once Upon A Time In America, and The Untouchables is great.
     
  8. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 27, 2000
    John Ottman. He's done things like X2 and upcoming X3, but by far his best work is for The Usual Suspects. He's also a good editor. I really love the score to TUS, I can listen to it over and over. It's a nice mafia-ish main theme but with a lot of originality in the score as it goes along.

    Plus, Mr. Ottman has his e-mail address listed on his official site and has been nice enough to respond quickly and personally to some comments and inquiries of mine. :)

    -sj loves kevin spacey
     
  9. Son-Of-Suns

    Son-Of-Suns Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 18, 2000
    // high-fives sj

    I was going to say exactly the same, but Ottman never replied to my e-mail :( 8-} . John Ottman did a good job on Apt Pupil and Incognito as well, made some chilling themes.


    And like that...he's gone.
     
  10. Eugene_Meltsner_AIO

    Eugene_Meltsner_AIO Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 9, 2002
    One more from me! If you don't mind comedy scores with surprisingly good themes and sound, check out The Paper Brigade by Ray Colcord. I say surprisingly because this is a DIRECT-TO-VIDEO FAMILY COMEDY--one that is surprisingly funny, also. The opening theme is a fun, catchy piece that I find myself humming often--I'll call it "March of the Paperboys" for the moment 8-}. There are a handful of other themes that are memorable, too, but the first one stands out. The underscore is cool, too, often sounding like something from a war film, only its between the paperboys and the local bullies (it's better than it sounds, trust me!). The only problem here is the soundtrack itself (which I have not yet gotten), appears to be badly out of order. Not sure about the content, either. Therefore, you may want to see if you enjoy the music in the film before buying the soundtrack. Still, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
     
  11. elfdart

    elfdart Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 1, 2001
    Raymond Leppard did the score for Alfred the Great and it is amazing. The problem is (A) the movie is dumb and (B) neither the movie nor the score can be found anywhere. I recorded the movie off AMC a few years ago, but can't find the tape.

    The movie is one of the last the late David Hemmings starred in and was one of the first for both Michael York and Ian McKellen.
     
  12. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    John Ottman. As SJ mentioned, Usual Suspects is great gangster-sounding music, and quite menacing in parts, and great fun to listen to. Goes great to Kevin Spacey's narration.

    His X2 Suite (not in the movie except in chunks, but full-length on the soundtrack) is a thing of beauty, as is his theme for Mystique, which is probably the most sensual/sneaky music I've heard in awhile. His Magneto music is cool too; it provides an almost Hannibal Lecterish-feel to his escape scene, and great end-of-the-world music when Magneto reverses Cerebro 2.

    Also, I love the entire Black Hawk Down soundtrack. It's weird at first, but it grows on you.
     
  13. Magellan_the_Cat

    Magellan_the_Cat Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 21, 2003
    One that no one would bother mentioning: the soundtrack to Silent Trigger.

    Yes, it's a goofy Dolph Lundgren flick.

    Anyone know where I can find it on CD? I've tried all the usual places. Not even google helped.
     
  14. Bezo

    Bezo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 23, 2003
    I think the score to Hot Shots Part Deux is vastly underrated. Basil Poledouris did a fantastic job lampooning the music of the movies being parodied.
     
  15. Well_Of_Souls

    Well_Of_Souls Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2001
    Elliot Goldenthal is another great composer that I'm a huge fan of.

    Alien 3 is beautiful and horrifying at the same time and the final track, "Adagio", is amazing.

    Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is one of the most operatic and grand science fiction scores I've heard in a long time. The LSO performs on this score and they are excellent as usual. My favorite tracks are "The Kiss", "Winged Serpent", and "Adagio and Transfiguration".
     
  16. BobaFett-MP

    BobaFett-MP Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 13, 2001
    'Empire of the Sun' GREAT score by John Williams. I'm a bit Biased as I'm a big WW2 buff and P-51 Mustang fan, and that score is the ONLY place you'll hear an entire track devoted to the P-51 Mustange... 'Cadillac of the Skies!'

    Also some I've loved:
    Memphis Belle - GREAT GREAT score. It's like variations of 'Danny Boy' thrown into a score.
    Tuskegee Airmen - If you're like me and got one of the super super rare never before released CDs of this soundtrack, you know how good it is!
    House of Sand and Fog
    Far from Heaven
     
  17. charben01

    charben01 Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 28, 2001
    I've got another two to add, both by David Arnold:

    StarGate (movie)
    Independance Day

    I'd love to see both of these expanded to include unreleased cues, especially from ID4.
     
  18. Well_Of_Souls

    Well_Of_Souls Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2001
    I'd love to see both of these expanded to include unreleased cues, especially from ID4.

    There's an expanded bootleg floating around and the sound quality is excellent. There are some really amazing cues that didn't make it to the commercial release, so if you really want it, it's definitely worth looking in to.
     
  19. Son-Of-Suns

    Son-Of-Suns Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 18, 2000
    I have it. :cool:


    And like that...he's gone.
     
  20. BobaFett-MP

    BobaFett-MP Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 13, 2001
    Same here... I love 'The Launch' on the second cd. GREAT piece of music. And the Stargate score is EXCELLENT!
     
  21. Eugene_Meltsner_AIO

    Eugene_Meltsner_AIO Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 9, 2002
    Although I never really thought they were all that under rated, I must agree they are very great scores! And if "Stargate" and "Independence Day" are considered under rated, then so is...





    The Last Starfighter by Craig Safan. Awesome score, classic sci-fi theme. This is one film where the 80's synths sound GOOD to me. Just listen to "Centauri Into Space," and you should hear what I mean. Unfortunately, I don't think this one gets the credit it deserves. I really hope that Varese gives this one a deluxe release sometime if they can get the rights... either that or Intrada could make a special edition like Miracle on 34th Street. Speaking of which, that's another excellent one. Bruce Broughton made some great Christmas music with this one, like JW did with the first two Home Alone films, only, sadly, more under rated and appreciated. Both of these can be found in their best releases at Intrada.
     
  22. Eugene_Meltsner_AIO

    Eugene_Meltsner_AIO Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 9, 2002
    While I wouldn't really consider them under rated, ID and Stargate are some great scores. Of course, if they can be considered under rated, then so can The Last Starfighter by Craig Safan. Awesome score with a classic sci-fi theme. Unfortunately, I don't think this one is as well recognized as it should be. Hey, this is (I think) the ONE score where I enjoy the 80's synths. Just listen to "Centauri Into Space" and you should hear what I mean.

    Intrada needs to do a special edition of this like they did with Miracle on 34th Street, which, by the way, is another excellent score. Bruce Broughton wrote some great Christmas music for this, sort of like JW did with the first two "Home Alone" films, only, sadly more under rated and under appreciated. Both albums can be found at Intrada.
     
  23. Eugene_Meltsner_AIO

    Eugene_Meltsner_AIO Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 9, 2002
    Sorry about the double-post. I paraphrased my first post because I thought it hadn't gone through. Continue.
     
  24. Meriwyn

    Meriwyn Former RSA star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 22, 2002
    Last of the Mohicans, by Randy Edelman and Trevor Jones

    Braveheart, by James Horner

    and believe it or not...

    The Prince of Egypt, by Stephen Schwartz and Hans Zimmer
     
  25. Well_Of_Souls

    Well_Of_Souls Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 26, 2001
    Last of the Mohicans, by Randy Edelman and Trevor Jones

    Braveheart, by James Horner


    I wouldn't call either of these underrated or obscure, myself. Great scores, though.

    And good call on The Prince Of Egypt. It's one of my favorite animated films scores.
     
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