My Favorite Film Scores of All Time Part 1 of 2

As you all know, I’m quite enamored by films and their creation. Whether it’s a film’s mise-en-scene, its acting, or its screenplay, I like to look at movies from differing angles. Certainly I put more emphasis on certain aspects (i.e. screenplay), but there is one that I’m a closeted fan of: the film score. As I look back on my life, this should come as no surprise to me. I remember when I was little kid, I was consistently creating “a score” that would coincide with the images that would run through my head (Let it be known I wasn’t crazy). Yet, I think the score is an aspect of film that continuously gets taken for granted. In some cases it’s merely treated as background noise, but there is a lot more to it than that. It can serve as a tunnel to a period in time or it can act as a warning sign to the audience. It can implicitly guide us in the understanding of a character or situation. In any event, it always has a function aside from just sounding cool or pretty. With this being a long time coming, here is a list that consists of my favorite scores of all time:



“There Will Be Blood”: For those who know how much I love “There Will Be Blood”, it should come to no surprise that this makes my list. The film boasts a terrific soundtrack arranged by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, whose experimentation with strings makes the score sound relevant to the time period the film resides in, while still sounding fresh. In one scene Greenwood uses strings in a fashion that one would find in a horror film (‘There Will be Blood’), while in another he uses the sound of hammers beating on pipes to create a scene that explodes with kinetic energy. Sure, those out there may say some of score is simply racket or annoying, but I find it speaks to the inner turmoil that resides in the character of Daniel Plainview, who slowly but surely loses his soul to the cold grasp of capitalism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HjWIr80ln4 ~ There Will Be Blood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqrZSYzg1GU ~ Proven Lands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSNGOpyWWOs ~ Future Markets


“Cinema Paradiso”: Where ‘There Will Be Blood’ is a cynical and often polarizing film, ‘Cinema Paradiso’ is its complete opposite as it’s about the love we hold within. The score, written and conducted by legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone, bolsters a handful of themes that not only capture the love aspect of the film, but it also captures the nostalgia and sorrow that also accompany the passage of time. Romantic and full of heart, this is one score that will always leave a lump in my throat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFFoLVRch7I ~ First Youth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB91zN_yFcM ~ Toto y Alfredo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwDf2DCX_1A ~ Love Theme


“Atonement”: Although it’s much more conventional than a film like ‘There Will Be Blood’, Atonement’s score is one that swells in the same fashion its drama unfolds. The score consists of some truly haunting pieces, especially ‘Elegy for Dunkirk’ which is set to one of the most impressive scenes you’ll ever see in a film. Yet, where the score is dark, its themes also offer up admirable auditory representations of the characters. Some are inventive, like composer Dario Marianelli’s use of a typewriter in Briony’s Theme, and some are classical compositions. In any event, if the material on the screen doesn’t tug at your heart strings, the music certainly will.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXoFtTZTJAw ~Briony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5VA4RZHyKY ~ Come Back

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnqx9RvswZs ~ Elegy for Dunkirk


"Pan’s Labyrinth":I guess if I had to use one word to describe Javier Navarette’s score for “Pan’s Labyrinth” it would be thunderous. The film itself is an extremely dark fantasy film that features more moments of terror than it does of grandeur. This would obviously explain why the score prominently features the heavy beating of drums, the shrill shrieks of strings, and a haunting choral section that makes Danny Elfman’s gothic efforts seem angelic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ju7754pXU ~ Hace, Hace Mucho Tiempo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16DPDm3veXs ~ Guerrilleros

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7ZwFuz1_lY ~ El Que No Es Humano


"Punch-Drunk Love":I remember the score for this film was one of the first scores I became completely enamored with. Composed by Jon Brion, the film features a romantic theme that mixes in chimes, an accordion, a harmonium, horns, and strings. All come together to create a sound that one would seemingly find in a fantastical French film. Yet, Brion’s score isn’t praised simply because of his love theme. It also assists the film in creating dramatic tension. Through the use of sound distortion and using mundane tools (like the sound of duct tape being used), Brion is able to draw sounds from any particular scene and use them as a means to keep the characters bounded with tension and anxiety. Also, his original song “Here We Go” is quite fantastic too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F541NG897vc Hands and Feet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVUPiEY_oZU Punch Drunk Melody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeQoOTxr_L8 Third Floor Hallway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8ZNCQTFJvs Here We Go