What are the best motion picture scores?

[Naphtali]

I chose to have an incomplete thread title to keep it short. What I am asking is:

What are the best motion picture scores among non-musicals? I have two I rate equally "best" and two honorable mentions.

The best for me are "Tom Jones" (1964 starring Albert Finney) and "The Third Man" (1948 starring Joseph Cotton)

Honorable mentions go to "The Magnificent Seven" (1960 starring a bunch of no-names who became stars by this movie), and "Zulu" (1964 starring Stanley Baker)
***
While I appreciate the quality of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's music, I find it to be too much, as in over the top, in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938 starring Errol Flynn)
***
I can think of many other honorable mentions, but I am more interested in what would be on your list.

 

[Chuck24]

The Rock, Patton

 

[PatriotX]

The first 3 that come to mind are all John Williams' work.
1) Raiders of the Lost Ark
2) Star Wars/The Empire Strikes Back
3) Jaws

Then the spaghetti westerns, and Morricone's iconic scores

 

[Rustyt1953]

"The Last of the Mohicans."

Ken Burns' "The Civil War."

 

[ggibson511960]

It seems each era has its group first call film score composers. Today I would nominate Hans Zimmer (Lion King, Gladiator, Inception, Man of Steel, Blade Runner, The Dark Knight) and the Coen Brothers captive composer, Carter Burwell (True Grit, Miller's Crossing, The Big Lebowski). Both these guys are multiple Academy Award winners for the past 20 years. Before these two John Barry laid down an incredible string of film scores including all the James Bond flicks and the incomparable Out of Africa, my nomination for best film score.

 

[RobertJ.]

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

My favorite, anyway.

 

[Wyo]

I like pretty much all of John Barry's work. My particular nomination would be "Dances with Wolves" but I could name several others as well.

 

[LVSteve]

"Star Wars", "The Right Stuff", "Krull" and "Excalibur".

 

[Golddollar]

Blues Brothers 2000

 

[Naphtali]

You've hit on my interest. I strongly prefer movies, creatives, and production staff who are not currently active. Newer motion pictures seem to have target markets that do not include me — ray guns, robots, and rocket ships; explosions, gouting blood; gutter "humor"; and monodimensional charters.

My preferences are a gross exaggeration, of course. I cherry pick among thousands of motion pictures while newer motion picture production is extremely small.

I think politics and life styles bother me, partly because I prefer these people to remain in the entertainment business. The reassuring factor with older movies is the makers have no current nonsense. Whatever they were, they are. Now, their work is entertainment.

 

[schutz5]

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

My favorite, anyway.

Yes! I agree

 

[Chino74]

IMO Hugo Freidhofer's 'One Eyed Jacks' is a truly incredible soundtrack, he also wrote the soundtrack for 'Best Years of our Lives' and many others. Anything by Bernard Herman is tops. Any of Ennio Morricone's Italian westerns with 'The Great Silence' being my personal favorite although all of the man with no name SDs are right up there too. But honestly probably the greatest of them all is 'Superfly'. Curtis Mayfield just hit it on the bulls eye in all respects., probably the greatest soundtrack in the history of film. Mayfield was an immensely talented song writer, musician & composer, poet & visionary. Just his song titles alone 'If there's a Hell below, were all gonna go' says it all. Honorable mention 'West Side Story', Krull, too many others to mention!

 

[swsig]

"The Bad and The Beautiful", great film about Hollywood with a superb score by David Raskin. The musical theme is haunting, but not overwhelming. "The Bad and The Beautiful" won five Academy Awards, but surprisingly wasn't nominated for its score, which is now a classic. If you haven't seen it, you're in for a treat.

 

[rockquarry]

I'll be critical as I always am with anything regarding films, but few of those mentioned so far have had memorable musical scores, at least to me, but my memory may be fading. A couple not listed yet that by comparison have exceptional scores are "The Great Escape" and "Hour Of The Gun".

 

[bigmtnman]

I'll go with the first one that popped into my head..... "Dr. Zhivago" Score by Maurice Jarre. How can you go wrong with a balalaika backed by full orchestra

 

[Absalom]

I'll go with the first one that popped into my head..... "Dr. Zhivago" Score by Maurice Jarre. How can you go wrong with a balalaika backed by full orchestra

To that I'll another of Maurice Jarre's absolute classics:

"Lawrence of Arabia"

 

[soFlaNative]

I was going to nominate Lawrence of Arabia and others already mentioned but I go with one I had on as background noise this afternoon working around the house, the silly but fun flick Battleship.
Eclectic mix of tunes from Strauss, Wagner and Mancini to AC/DC, Creedence and ZZTop.

 

[Ray]

Two just came to my mind: 12 O´Clock High and Hatari by the great Henry Mancini.The opening scene score is great.
Regards, Ray

 

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

I'll go with my favorite Henry Mancini
Some of his movie scores:
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
TWO FOR THE ROAD
DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES
THE PINK PANTHER SERIES
CHARADE
HATARI
FRENZY
TOUCH OF EVIL

TV credit include
MR LUCKY
PETER GUNN
REMINGTON STEELE
NEWHART

 

[Ruger 13]

Woodstock!