What are the best film soundtracks of all time?

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I’ll add two more from composers already mentioned: The Great Escape suite from Elmer Bernstein and Days of Heaven (already one of the most visually beautiful movies) from Ennio Morricone. The latter also contains the haunting Aquarium by Camille Saint-Saens.

For a more modern soundtrack, I love Rushmore. It’s half a collection of obscure and not-so-obscure sixties songs and half works by Mark Mothersbaugh that really work well with the film.
 
the soundtrack from Anatomy of a Murder with James Stewart is good.

Jazz. As was the soundtrack from The Firm.
 
C’mon film nuts (and I’m lookin’ at you, meltzerboy:)), what are some of the best film soundtracks of all time? My personal fave is Maurice Jarre’s score for Doctor Zhivago, with an honorable mention to Henry Mancini’s Touch of Evil. Also, I highly recommend music aficionados purchase both records, or in the case of Jarre, the super-long, extended and crystal clear CD. Here’s a taste of both:

youtube.com/watch?v=AkeNsVBLdtg

youtube.com/watch?v=_4pyiIKpghA

And trust me, the loud crowd won’t be disappointed by Mancini, nor will lovers of gorgeous melodies be by Jarre!
Save me! It’s Magnolia with Aimee Mann, of course. 👍
 
The Sound of Music

Holiday Inn

Anything else written by Irving Berlin or by Rodgers & Hammerstein
 
So many times the movie themes are what I remember most about a movie !
The song Ramblin’ Man by The Allman Brothers is the most I care to remember about The Exorcist. They released the movie while the song was at the Top Ten.
 
The original Rocky – without that stirring, inspiring, heroic music … would the unspoken subtexts of the story have come out?

Still get chills remembering seeing it in an almost empty theatre when people jumped to their feet and began cheering as if they were seeing a real fight.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

I was shocked that this little underfunded no-stars movie … was one of the best I’d ever seen.

I wanted to buy that soundtrack immediately. But even after the movie, slowly, became a blockbuster after a re-release – the soundtrack wasn’t available for almost a year!

youtube.com/watch?v=A3P7fucxdpc < This masterpiece called "Going the Distance" (Bill Conti) has many wonderful building movements in it … ending in a crescendo of tympani drums and tubular bells.

I once saw a slide show using it to highlight the Passion of Christ going to Calvary … and it comes to my mind ever since. Especially this week.

http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/var/s...56-1-eng-GB/Jesus-of-Nazareth-film_medium.jpg
 
“Nashville” (ABC-TV show) soundtrack - all of them - not a movie (yet)

“Almost Famous” S/T - Zeppelin, Bowie, Simon & Garfunkel - what’s not to like?

“The Commitments” S/T (the first one) - “Destination Anywhere” still gives me goosebumps. “Mustang Sally.” Not a bad song on that soundtrack. (Wish I could say the same thing about the second soundtrack.)

“Repo Man” S/T - features two of the most iconic punk songs ever recorded (“Institutionalized” and “TV Party.”) There was a song-by-song remake of this soundtrack not too long ago.

“Sid & Nancy” S/T - features Gary Oldman covering Sid Vicious. (Yes, that Gary Oldman.)

“(500) Days of Summer” S/T - best-ever usage of a Smiths song in a movie, so yes, this one’s a shoo-in. Not only does it have The Smiths, it also has Hall & Oates before they were cool again.
 
James Horner’s Apollo 13 is worth mention. It’s uplifting when needed and haunting when needed. Without his score much of the drama would be lost on the audience.
 
A Walk On The Moon

I Am Sam

Harold and Maude

The Last Waltz (that was a concert documentary so not sure it technically counts as a soundtrack but I wore that album out and now put the DVD on just to hear the music.)
 
“Nashville” (ABC-TV show) soundtrack - all of them - not a movie (yet)

“Almost Famous” S/T - Zeppelin, Bowie, Simon & Garfunkel - what’s not to like?

“The Commitments” S/T (the first one) - “Destination Anywhere” still gives me goosebumps. “Mustang Sally.” Not a bad song on that soundtrack. (Wish I could say the same thing about the second soundtrack.)

“Repo Man” S/T - features two of the most iconic punk songs ever recorded (“Institutionalized” and “TV Party.”) There was a song-by-song remake of this soundtrack not too long ago.

“Sid & Nancy” S/T - features Gary Oldman covering Sid Vicious. (Yes, that Gary Oldman.)

“(500) Days of Summer” S/T - best-ever usage of a Smiths song in a movie, so yes, this one’s a shoo-in. Not only does it have The Smiths, it also has Hall & Oates before they were cool again.
Great choices! Especially The Commitments!
 
I do like Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone.

Among the films Nino Rota scored are:

Romeo and Juliet

La Strada

Nights of Cabiria

La Dolce Vita

The Godfather

Ennio Morricone scored:

The Mission

The Good the Bad and the Ugly

The Untouchables
 
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