The Real Oscars

I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with the Oscar winner for Best Score.  Well, at least not for a long time.  In the spirit of that, I have constructed my own list of who should have won each year.  I am also including 5 runners-up for each year for as long as I can go back.  I tried to include a variety of scores as much as possible, especially since I’ve noticed the Academy pretty much only recognizes dramas and epics.

2011: The Adventures of Tintin (John Williams) – the return to old Williams and Spielberg

            Hugo (Howard Shore), War Horse (John Williams), There Be Dragons (Robert Folk), Jane Eyre (Dario Marianelli), X-Men: First Class (Henry Jackman)

2010: How To Train Your Dragon (John Powell) – one of the best scores I’ve heard in awhile

            Alice in Wonderland (Danny Elfman), Kick-Ass (Various), The King’s Speech (Alexandre Desplat), The Wolfman (Danny Elfman), TRON Legacy (Daft Punk)

2009: Up (Michael Giacchino) – a fairly weak class of good, not great, scores

            The Young Victoria (Ilan Eshkeri), Terminator Salvation (Danny Elfman), Moon (Clint Mansell), The Time Traveler’s Wife (Mychael Danna), Star Trek (Michael Giacchino)

2008: The Incredible Hulk (Craig Armstrong) – I love the main Hulk theme

            The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Harry Gregson-Williams), The Dark Knight (James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer),   The Happening (James Newton Howard), Revolutionary Road (Thomas Newman), Wall-E (Thomas Newman)

2007: Atonement (Dario Marianelli) – the integration of typewriter into the score is genius

            Beowulf (Alan Silvestri), Ratatouille (Michael Giacchino),   Spider-Man 3 (Christopher Young), Transformers (Steve Jablonsky), 3:10 to Yuma (Marco Beltrami)

2006: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil) – this one was very tough because the climax to The Fountain is amazing

            The Fountain (Clint Mansell), The Holiday (Hans Zimmer), Lady in the Water (James Newton Howard), Mission: Impossible 3 (Michael Giacchino), Pan’s Labyrinth (Javier Navarrete)

2005: Kingdom of Heaven (Harry Gregson-Williams) – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to this, and it’s a pretty stacked field

            The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (Harry Gregson-Williams), Cinderella Man (Thomas Newman), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Patrick Doyle), King Kong (James Newton Howard), Sin City (Robert Rodriguez and Graeme Revell)

2004: Finding Neverland (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek) – a tough call, but that piano is especially memorable

            Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Jon Brion), Hellboy (Marco Beltrami), The Incredibles (Michael Giacchino), Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (Thomas Newman), The Village (James Newton Howard)

2003: Love Actually (Craig Armstrong) – a bit repetitive but some really great themes

            Finding Nemo (Thomas Newman), Girl With A Pearl Earring (Alexandre Desplat), Gods and Generals (John Frizzell and Randy Edelman), Open Range (Michael Kamen), X2 (John Ottman)

           

2002: Road to Perdition (Thomas Newman) – a slightly weak field but this one really stands out

            The Bourne Identity (John Powell), Catch Me If You Can (John Williams), The Count of Monte Cristo (Edward Shearmur), Spider-Man (Danny Elfman), Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (John Williams)

2001: Black Hawk Down (Hans Zimmer) – a great eclectic modern war score

            Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Tan Dun), Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (Elliot Goldenthal), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Apprentice (John Williams), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Howard Shore), Ocean’s Eleven (David Holmes)

2000: Dinosaur (James Newton Howard) – Gladiator is good as well, but Dinosaur is more original

            Gladiator (Hans Zimmer), Shaft (David Arnold), Thirteen Days (Trevor Jones), Unbreakable (James Newton Howard), X-Men (Michael Kamen)

1999: For Love of the Game (Basil Poledouris) – my favorite baseball score, which says a lot

            American Beauty (Thomas Newman), Galaxy Quest (David Newman), The Matrix (Don Davis), The Mummy (Jerry Goldsmith), Sleep Hollow (Danny Elfman)

1998: Saving Private Ryan (John Williams) – somewhat subdued but you cannot deny the Hymn

            Armageddon (Trevor Rabin and Harry Gregson-Williams), Godzilla (David Arnold), Rounders (Christopher Young), What Dreams May Come (Michael Kamen)

1997: Contact (Alan Silvestri) – a bit of a surprise for me in a strong grouping

            Air Force One (Jerry Goldsmith and Joel McNeely), As Good As It Gets (Hans Zimmer), Good Will Hunting (Danny Elfman), L.A. Confidential (Jerry Goldsmith), Starship Troopers (Basil Poledouris)

1996: The Ghost and the Darkness (Jerry Goldsmith) – my favorite underrated Goldsmith

            Broken Arrow (Hans Zimmer), Independence Day (David Arnold), Michael Collins (Elliot Goldenthal), Scream (Marco Beltrami), Star Trek: First Contact (Jerry Goldsmith)

1995: Braveheart (James Horner) – quite simply the greatest year for movies and scores

            Apollo 13 (James Horner), Cutthroat Island (John Debney), Rob Roy (Carter Burwell), Sense and Sensibility (Patrick Doyle), Waterworld (James Newton Howard)

1994: Legends of the Fall (James Horner) – Horner at his best

            Forrest Gump (Alan Silvestri), Maverick (Randy Newman), The Shadow (Jerry Goldsmith), Shawshank Redemption (Thomas Newman), Stargate (David Arnold)

1993: The Fugitive (James Newton Howard) – it’s hard to rate this over Schindler’s List, but it’s more memorable for me

            Jurassic Park (John Williams), Much Ado About Nothing (Patrick Doyle), Rudy (Jerry Goldsmith), Schindler’s List (John Williams), Tombstone (Bruce Broughton)

1992: The Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman) – slightly over played by non-scorophiles but good nonetheless

            Alien 3 (Elliot Goldenthal), Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Wojciech Kilar), Far and Away (John Williams), JFK (John Williams), Patriot Games (James Horner)

1991: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (Michael Kamen) – I’ve detailed before how much this score means to me

            Backdraft (Hans Zimmer), Hook (John Williams), The Rocketeer (James Horner), Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Cliff Eidelman), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Brad Fiedel)

1990: Edward Scissorhands (Danny Elfman) – Elfman’s best, and possibly Burton’s as well

            Dances With Wolves (John Barry), Dick Tracy (Danny Elfman), Home Alone (John Williams), The Hunt for Red October (Basil Poledouris), Total Recall (Jerry Goldsmith)

1989: Batman (Danny Elfman) – THE Batman score, it’s influence is undeniable

            Field of Dreams (James Horner), Glory (James Horner), Hellbound: Hellraiser II (Christopher Young), Henry V (Patrick Doyle), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (John Williams)

1988: Die Hard (Michael Kamen) – the great action score for the great action movie

            Rambo III (Jerry Goldsmith), Willow (James Horner), Beetlejuice (Danny Elfman), Return to Snowy River (Bruce Rowland), Scrooged (Danny Elfman)

1987: Empire of the Sun (John Williams) – marvelous, but what do you expect?

            Lethal Weapon (Michael Kamen), The Untouchables (Ennio Morricone), Hellraiser (Christopher Young), RoboCop (Basil Poledouris), Predator (Alan Silvestri)

1986: The Mission (Ennio Morricone) – the oboe is shiver-inducing

            Highlander (Michael Kamen), Aliens (James Horner), The Fly (Howard Shore), Top Gun (Harold Faltermeyer), The Delta Force (Alan Silvestri)

1985: Silverado (Bruce Broughton) – one of the all-time great western scores

            Rocky IV (Vince DiCola), Rambo: First Blood Part II (Jerry Goldsmith), King Solomon’s Mines (Jerry Goldsmith),     Cocoon (James Horner), Back to the Future (Alan Silvestri)

1984: The Natural (Randy Newman) – simply iconic

            The River (John Williams), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (John Williams), Supergirl (Jerry Goldsmith), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (James Horner), The Last Starfighter (Craig Safan)

1983: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (John Williams) – Williams dominates

1982: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (John Williams)

1981: Raiders of the Lost Ark (John Williams)

1980: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (John Williams)

1979: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Jerry Goldsmith) – this or Alien, either way Goldsmith wins

1978: Superman (John Williams)

1977: Star Wars (John Williams)

1976: Rocky (Bill Conti) – yes I took away Goldsmith’s only Oscar

1975: Jaws (John Williams)

1974: The Sugarland Express (John Williams) – yikes

1973: Papillon (Jerry Goldsmith)

1972: The Cowboys (John Williams)

1971: Big Jake (Elmer Bernstein)

1970: Patton (Jerry Goldsmith) – Tora! Tora! Tora! another strong Goldsmith showing

1969: True Grit (Elmer Bernstein)

1968: Planet of the Apes (Jerry Goldsmith)

1967: The Jungle Book (George Burns)

1966: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (Ennio Morricone)

1965: The Agony and the Ecstasy (Alex North)

1964: The Fall of the Roman Empire (Dimitri Tiomkin)

1963: The Great Escape (Elmer Bernstein)

1962: Lawrence of Arabia (Maurice Jarre)

1961: El Cid (Miklos Rozsa)

1960: The Alamo (Dimitri Tiomkin) – almost impossible to pick between this, Spartacus, and The Magnificent Seven

1959: Ben-Hur (Miklos Rozsa) – North By Northwest deserves a mention here

1958: The Vikings (Mario Nascimbene) – yes, over Vertigo, Hitchcock’s most overrated movie

1957: The Bridge on the River Kwai (Malcolm Arnold)

1956: The Searchers (Max Steiner) – barely over The Ten Commandments

1955: To Catch a Thief (Lyn Murray)

1954: King Richard and the Crusaders (Max Steiner) – tough choice over Prince Valiant

1953: Peter Pan (Oliver Wallace)

1952: The Quiet Man (Victor Young) – very difficult choice over Scaramouche and Ivanhoe

1951: Quo Vadis (Miklos Rozsa)

1950: Rio Grande (Victor Young)

1949: Champion (Dimitri Tiomkin)

1948: Adventures of Don Juan (Max Steiner)

1947: Captain from Castile (Alfred Newman)

1946: It’s a Wonderful Life (Dimitri Tiomkin)

1945: The Bells of St. Mary’s (Robert Emmett Dolan)

1944: Going My Way (Robert Emmett Dolan)

1943: Casablanca (Max Steiner)

1942: The Black Swan (Alfred Newman)

1941: Sergeant York (Max Steiner)

1940: The Sea Hawk (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)

1939: Alexander Nevsky (Sergei Prokofiev) – much better than Gone With The Wind

1938: The Adventures of Robin Hood (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)

1937: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Frank Churchill, Paul J Smith, and Leigh Harline)

1935: Captain Blood (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)

1933: King Kong (Max Steiner)

John Williams Top 25 Themes

John Williams is by far and away my favorite composer, and I would argue the greatest composer of all time (yes, even better than Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, etc).  If I made a list of his greatest themes it could probably be nearly 100 strong.  So this list was especially difficult to narrow down.

I did make this list with a few rules.  First, only themes from movies would be considered.  This means no Olympic Fanfare, no NBC News theme, and no Lost in Space.  Second, I would only include one theme from each movie.  Without that rule this list would be nearly all Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Superman.  I am trying to spread the love.

25. Prologue from JFK

            Perhaps a surprise to make this list with all of Williams’ great themes, but I’ve always liked it.  Great drum work accompanied by a haunting trumpet.  It’s militaristic yet presidential.

24. The Keeper of the Grail from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

            There’s not an easy way to find the Grail statement in the score, but this is the closest.  You can almost hear the ancient sounds in a rather simple theme.  This is also a great example about how any of these themes could be number one for just about any other composer.

23. Theme from Sabrina

            Perhaps another surprise.  I love the piano in this theme, and I’m a sucker for good piano music.  And yes, it does make me think of Paris.

22. Hatikvah (The Hope) from Munich

            Now we’re getting into some serious stuff.  I still cannot believe this movie does not get more attention.  It’s almost a slightly grown up version of the theme from Schindler’s List, though not quite as haunting.  It still gets the job done.

21. Short Round’s Theme from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

            An underrated score, if that exists in Williams’ repertoire.  It’s a great sound and really places you in China/India.  Plus it’s just one step away from Indy’s theme, which we might see later.

20. Across the Stars (Love Theme from Attack of the Clones)

            Here’s a theme that’s miles better then the dialogue in the movie (one of the hokiest love stories ever).  There are better Star Wars themes, but this struck a chord for some reason.

19. Somewhere In My Memory from Home Alone

            It is impossible to hear this and not think of Christmas.  You can definitely hear the influence on Hook the following year.  It still stands alone as the best Christmas movie theme.

18.  Granny Wendy from Hook

            Speaking of Hook…  It was hard to pick just one of the themes from Hook to highlight, but this is my favorite.  It’s has an innocence about it, old and refined yet young and adventurous, much like its subject.

17. Catch Me If You Can Main Titles

            The precursor to The Adventures of Tintin.  It really highlights Williams’ jazz past.  There are few other themes that evoke a certain aspect of the 50s and 60s like this one.

16.  Hymn to the Fallen from Saving Private Ryan

            A beautifully subdued tribute to the military and in particular those who served in World War II.  Not surprisingly a major influence on Giacchino’s Medal of Honor theme (at least that’s what I think).  All subsequent WWII scores and movies will be compared to this, which makes it hard to rank it this low.

15. Main Title from The Cowboys

            I’m a sucker for great western movie scores.  It’s not the best of the genre, but it’s wonderfully bombastic.

14. Luke and Leia from Return of the Jedi

            It starts off so innocent, then just pulls at your heart strings as it crescendos.  This is my favorite Star Wars score, partly because of its use of the earlier themes and partly because this theme just puts it over the top.

13. Theme from Schindler’s List

            It’s nearly impossible to hear this and not have your heart strings pulled.  Probably the most haunting theme I’ve ever heard.  It was very hard not to have this in the top 10.  It’s only this low because that’s the power of Williams.

12. Wild Bill from 1941

            What a contrast from Schindler’s List, from Spielberg’s best movie to his worst.  This theme is the lone shining spot in an otherwise dreadful attempt at comedy.  It’s a wonderful example of twisting the militaristic drums and brass to something in your face fun.  Genius.

11. Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter

            A Harry Potter movie without this theme front and center is certainly lacking a major part of the franchise.  While I like some of the other music from this series, this series would be another Twilight without this theme.

10. Cadillac of the Skies from Empire of the Sun

            Something about this theme just gets to me every time.  I guess because I can envision flying when I hear it.  I think it’s one of Williams’ most underrated scores.

9. Wild Signals from Close Encounters of the Third Kind

            Perhaps not technically a theme, the five-note riff is one of his most memorable pieces.  I probably don’t appreciate the movie as much as I should, but this scene is made by the music.

8. Main Title from Jaws

            We are deep (pun intended) in the iconic Williams themes here.  I think just about anyone can hear the first few notes and immediately know its source.  This is also probably the score that really put Williams on the map, so it’s extra historically important.  For that reason it probably deserves to be ranked higher, but I just could not do it.

7. Midway March

            The greatest non-Souza military march ever written.  It may be the Aggie in me, but I absolutely love this theme, and it’s remarkably missing from the meat of the score.

6. Theme from Jurassic Park

            This may be a little high for this theme, but it’s one of the truly formative scores from my life.  It’s chill-inducing.  I can’t see dinosaurs and not hear this theme.

5. Star Wars Main Title

            Iconic main theme 101.  The brass and strings just go all out.  The fact that I have this ranked #5, when it’s arguably the most famous theme of all time, says a lot for the strength of Williams’ music.

4. Main Title March from Superman

            Elfman’s Batman theme may be more influential, but this is still the first and the best superhero score.  Any time you hear a score-geek bemoaning the lack of a stand-out theme in a superhero movie, it’s all thanks to this genre-shaping music.

3. End Credits from E.T.

            I mentioned before about my love for piano, and this takes the cake.  Nobody does crescendos like Williams, and this is perhaps my favorite example.  It evokes childhood like few other scores.

2. The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme) from Empire Strikes Back

            Anyone who knows how much I love Star Wars might be surprised that this is only #2 on my list.  A theme so awesome every villain since has prayed for something approaching its grandeur.  And one of the few themes played in baseball stadiums across the country that everyone instantly recognizes.

1. Raiders March from Raiders of the Lost Ark

            The only theme that could possibly top Star Wars.  I love Star Wars, but Indy is probably my favorite movie character ever.  Strings are great, but I think I’ll always be a brass guy at heart, which is the biggest difference between #1 and #2.  Sometimes I still wish I had chosen to be an archeologist just so I could step out to that brass.

What say you?