The greatest film soundtrack is...

[BruceH]

And how about "Sweet Smell of Success"!

A big favorite of mine from the great Elmer Bernstein. And, along with Man With the Golden Arm, one of the first examples of a jazzy score in a Hollywood film (and as a film, I'd say it holds up rather better than MWGA.)

[BruceH]

when I hear the word "Soundtrack" I usually think of Elmer Bernstein, Bernard Herrmann, Joseph Kosma and the like.

I'm partial to Joseph Kosma's score for Jean Renoir's 'La Grande Illusion'.

I'm partial to any of Joseph Kosma's film scores

Me too!

Coincidentally, I rewatched Grand Illusion recently and was struck by Kosma's score. He composed the music for Children of Paradise too. I'd say that makes him one of the all-time greats.

[king ubu]

Max Steiner (Vienna 1888 - Hollywood, CA 1971)

- his page on IMDB

- wiki

- article on Steiner

[brownie]

Coincidentally, I rewatched Grand Illusion recently and was struck by Kosma's score. He composed the music for Children of Paradise too. I'd say that makes him one of the all-time greats.

Kosma wrote only some of the score for 'Children of Paradise'. The film was made in 1943 and Kosma being jewish was not allowed to work in those WWII days.

When released, the film score was credited to Maurice Thiriet.

[MoGrubb]

when I hear the word "Soundtrack" I usually think of Elmer Bernstein, Bernard Herrmann, Joseph Kosma and the like.

I'm partial to Joseph Kosma's score for Jean Renoir's 'La Grande Illusion'.

I'm partial to any of Joseph Kosma's film scores

Me too!

Coincidentally, I rewatched Grand Illusion recently and was struck by Kosma's score. He composed the music for Children of Paradise too. I'd say that makes him one of the all-time greats.

Me too too!

I wonder if "Easy Rider" was the first flick to insert pop tunes as a soundtrack? It's the first that I can recall.

[BruceH]

Then there's Roy Webb. Not terribly famous, but he did some first-rate work. Did the scores for Notorious, Cat People, Murder My Sweet, and Out of the Past. Also for I Remember Mama and Mr. and Mrs. Smith (the old Hitchcock comedy, not the Brad Pitt movie.)

[Shawn]

I wonder if "Easy Rider" was the first flick to insert pop tunes as a soundtrack? It's the first that I can recall.

I'm pretty sure it goes back farther than that, Blackboard Jungle used Rock Around The Clock (if my memory is correct).

[MoGrubb]

I wonder if "Easy Rider" was the first flick to insert pop tunes as a soundtrack? It's the first that I can recall.

I'm pretty sure it goes back farther than that, Blackboard Jungle used Rock Around The Clock (if my memory is correct).

I believe you're correct. [Man! Was that movie a prevue of things to come, all over.....]

[BruceH]

Then there's Maurice Jaubert. I liked the music he did for Port of Shadows (or Quai des Brumes)---also scored Zero de Conduite, L'Atalante, and Le Jour Se Leve.

[brownie]

Maurice Jaubert, mais oui

François Truffaut who worshiped Jean Vigo (Zéro de Conduite, L'Atalante) was a great fan of Jaubert's scores and used his music in four of his films 'L'Histoire d'Adèle H', 'L'Argent de Poche', 'L'Homme Qui Aimait les Femmes' and 'La Chambre Verte' (one of Truffaut's most personal film and one of his very best).

[porcy62]

A couple of great collaborations among composer and director that produced some great soundtracks.

Eleni Karaindrou with Theo Angelopoulos

Goran Bregović with Emir Kusturika

[Larry Kart]

I remember being very impressed by Alex North's score for "The Far Country" and Johnny Mandel's for "Point Blank."

[AllenLowe]

Miles Davis praised North, as I recall -

[Christiern]

Then there is source music, where it emanates from an obvious source rather thin air. I find that to be effective in the same way that the use of natural language is effective (i.e. German soldiers, Jesuses, et al do not speak mid-western American). The 1964 Abbey Lincoln/Ivan Dixon film, "Nothing But a Man," which is among my favorite black movies, used source music, Motown recordings from radios, etc.

I agree with those who feel that film music is most effective when it seamlessly blends with the visual.

[AllenLowe]

great film - the director, Michael Roemer, also made an excellent movie called "The Plot Against Harry," about a Jewish mobster - interesting guy, I met him when I was in school circa 1979 -

[Larry Kart]

There's a soulful version of Alex North's theme song for the movie "The Long Hot Summer" on Walt Weiskopf's Album "A World Away" (Criss Cross). The vocal version from the actual soundtrack can be heard here:

http://www.varesesarabande.com/details.asp...L%2D0202%2D1005

The strings and singer Jimmie (or is it Jimmy?) Rodgers may not to be the taste of many, but I think you can hear through that to the song's potent dialogue between pedal-point accompaniment and flowing (near modal?) melody. Weiskopf certainly did.

[BruceH]

great film - the director, Michael Roemer, also made an excellent movie called "The Plot Against Harry," about a Jewish mobster - interesting guy, I met him when I was in school circa 1979 -

I recall The Plot Against Harry was rediscovered and re-released (or finally released at all) in 1989 or '90. I really enjoyed it and used to drag friends to see it.

[AllenLowe]

hey, that same Jimmy Rodgers (not to be confused with the Singing Brakeman) gave us memorable versoins of Kisses Sweeter than Wine and the theme song on the old commercial for Spaghetti-os ("Uh oh, Spaghetti-oh's") -

so let's have a little respect -

Edited December 17, 2007 by AllenLowe

[skeith]

I'd put "Knife in the Water" and "Last Tango in Paris" high on the list

[Michael Weiss]

If there is another "generic" film soundtrack thread please direct me there - I couldn't find it.

That said, while it doesn't necessarily merit "best " or "greatest" accolades, I was recently knocked out by Brian Easdale's solo piano pieces from "Peeping Tom." Would LOVE to get my hands on that music! Easdale also wrote the score to The Red Shoes.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Michael Weiss

[Free For All]

I've always liked the opening music to Glengarry Glen Ross. A great piece (featuring Wayne Shorter) to set the mood for a dark film.

[Ted O'Reilly]

This may seem plebeian to some, but Henry Mancini wrote some pretty damn good scores...original music, and lifted out to become pop hits, and good quality pop hits at that. "Two For The Road" is one of the best songs of the last half of the 20th century, imho.

[BillF]

As this is a jazz discussion site, I feel I have to mention Ellington's music for An Anatomy of Murder. When I saw the film on release, there was a fifteen-minute intermission to allow additional music from Ellington's score to be played!

Edited January 18, 2009 by BillF

[BillF]

On the same theme, let's not forget Shorty Rogers' and Lief Stevens' music for The Wild One and Gerry Mulligan's for I Want To Live.

[BruceH]

It may have been mentioned before, but one of my favorite soundtrack albums has to be Sonny Rollins's for Alfie---though I think it was music inspired BY the film score, but whatever.