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)
You certainly have better taste than the Academy, that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteBut of course I have my own opinions. So I'll just name a few discrepancies that jumped out at me:
2010's best score was James Newton Howard's "The Last Airbender".
2009 - "Inception" is the clear winner in my heart. "Avatar" deserves to be on that list as well.
2007 - John Murphy's "Sunshine".
2004 is entirely John Debney's "The Passion Of The Christ"! Also Vangelis' "Alexander" was magnificent!
2003 is missing Hans Zimmer's "The Last Samurai". But Howard Shore's "Return Of The King" must not be deprived!
1999 - Jerry Goldsmith's "The 13th Warrior". (You really like Basil Poledouris' "For The Love Of The Game" better than Randy Newman's "The Natural", James Horner's "Field Of Dreams" or Elliot Goldenthal's "Cobb"?!)
1998's best score, for me, was clearly "The Thin Red Line" from Hans Zimmer. Follwed closely by Thomas Newman's "Meet Joe Black" and "The Horse Whisperer". I also really like Trevor Jones' "Dark City".
1997 - An astonishingly strong year, but I think my favorite would have to be between Michael Nyman's "Gattica" and Ennio Morricone's "Lolita". Also really loved Howard Shore's "The Game", Carter Burwell's "Conspiracy Theory" and John Powell's "Face/Off". John Williams' "Amastad" ought to get some love as well. And "Titanic" really is undeniable.
1996 - I'd find a place for Daniel Lanois' "Sling Blade", Randy Edelman's "DragonHeart" and "The Rock" from Nick Glennie-Smith, Harry Gregson Williams and Hans Zimmer.
1994 - James Newton Howard's "Wyatt Earp" is, to my mind, substantially better than Randy Newman's "Maverick". I'm also a big fan of Thams Newman's "The War" and Stewart Copeland's "Rapa Nui".
1993 is sorely lacking Randy Edelman's "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story". Also Bruce Broughton's "Tombstone".
1992's "JFK is the winner by a landslide! Also where's Vangelis' "1492: Conquest Of Paradise" and James Horner's "Sneaker"? While absolutley great music, "Last Of The Mohicans" derives too much from Scottish singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean's "The Gael" from his 1990 album "The Search". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v8pM7cHrT8
1991 - Thomas Newman's "Fried Green Tomatoes" was rapturous!
1989 - Danny Elfman's "Batman" score was undeniably great but it also, most ironically, borrowed heavily from another film Elfman would later go on to score the remake to: 1941's "The Wolf Man" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6tQUNNnrKA . Even though James Horner's score from "Glory" is also heavily influenced from the classical compositions of Carl Orff, I feel it is so emotionally resonant and majestic the it must be the best score! Hans Zimmer's "Driving Miss Daisy" was a revelation as well! As was Zimmer's "Black Rain".
1988 - Hans Zimmer's "Rain Man" was pretty great also!
1987 - Harold Faltermeyer's "The Running Man" is better than Christopher Young's "Hellraiser".
1967 is ALL Lalo Schifrin for "Cool Hand Luke"!
1962 - Elmer Bernstein's best score "To Kill A Mockingbird".
Anyway, I'll just stop there - but I agree with much of your selections! Good job!:)
1999 - "Snow Falling On Cedars" by James Newton Howard - incredible!
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