47 replies to this topic

[Oikaze]

NB- As for what the theme proper of "The Wizard of Oz" is, I'll go with "Over the Rainbow" because it was used in the closing credits. Moreover, I know that "White Christmas" was used in a 1942 film called "Holiday Inn", which I have seen, but it was the theme of the 1954 movie that had the same name as the song.

My subjective feelings and limited knowledge give me this ranking, from #10 to #1, with links:

10. The Third Man (1949) "The Third Man" theme

9. A Summer Place (1959) "A Summer Place" theme

8. Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) "Bridge on the River Kwai" theme

7. Dr. No (1962) "Dr. No" theme

6. Psycho (1960) "Psycho" theme

5. Chariots of Fire (1981) "Chariots of Fire" theme

4. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" theme

3. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) "Breakfast at Tiffany's" theme

2. White Christmas (1954) "White Christmas" theme

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939) "The Wizard of Oz" theme

Of course, I had to leave off some great ones. What are your favorites?

[Glasseyelashes]

someone really awesome linked me to this page.

i've never really given themes much thought. i mean, i do have a few on my ipod, but they're not main themes. probably my all-time favorites are LOTR and memoirs of a geisha. i've never seen the movie, but the theme from black hawk down is really good too.

[Oikaze]

someone really awesome linked me to this page.

i've never really given themes much thought. i mean, i do have a few on my ipod, but they're not main themes. probably my all-time favorites are LOTR and memoirs of a geisha. i've never seen the movie, but the theme from black hawk down is really good too.

Spoiler

Thank you so much, my sweetest

I'll give those a listen to broaden my horizons.

[kantutanTayo14]

THE Best Movie Theme EVER

[Lawrence]

agreed with Jurassic park lol

also love "Hello Zepp" from Saw and pretty much anything Hanz Zimmer composes *nods*

[~asianqueen~]

How can anyone forget John William's Imperial March?!
I don't even need top say the title of the movie and whose theme it is, 'cause it's just THAT EPIC.



I remember playing this in concert.
oh gosh the flute double tonguing staring at 1:11 KILLED my section and I. We ended up alternating the bars in order to pull it off HAHHA

[Tim]

My favourite Movie soundtracks would have to be.

• Pirates of the Caribbean.
• Harry Potter.
• Lord of the Rings.
• Disney movies. Like Mulan and Lion King.

That's probably all. I really like songs that are similar to songs that two steps from hell play. Epic music.

But I much prefer video game soundtracks over movie soundtracks.

[Eeyore]

My #10 to #1... just off the top of my head... with links:

10 - Star Trek: Insurrection - the Ba'Ku Village theme
9 - Black Hole
8 - Life of Brian
7 - Dune
6 - Blade Runner
5 - FLASH! AAAAaah! Saviour of the Universe!!! (Flash Gordon)
4 - Dances With Wolves
3 - Last of the Mohicans
2 - Schindler's List
1 - Gladiator (The Battle theme)
0 - Duel of the Fates (from SW:TPM)

I'm not sure that these really are my top 10 (or 11)... I've left soooo many off: ET, Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, Saving Private Ryan, Platoon (Barber's Adagio for Strings), many of the Spaghetti Westerns, Magnificent Seven, How the West was Won...
Just soooooo many.
Star Wars and LOTR are just too obvious to really mention.

Most of Simpson & Bruckheimer movies have good themes: The Rock, Crimson Tide, Top Gun etc.
And Black Hawk Down has a great soundtrack.
So I've tried to pick less obvious ones that I like... although I think #4 to #0 are my faves... and they're not exactly less obvious.

[Oikaze]

^ I'm glad to see you went to the same obsessive-compulsive thorough lengths that I did. I'll give those a listen.

@asianqueen: I thought of the Imperial March, of course, but it isn't the theme proper of Star Wars. It's better than the theme, just as some other parts of The Godfather's soundtrack are better than its theme.

Also, if television show themes are included, my top 3 (from #3 to #1) would be these:

3. "Xena: Warrior Princess" (1995-2001) theme

2. "Mannix" (1967-1975) theme

1. "Peter Gunn" (1958-1961) theme

[Eeyore]

Best TV themes...

Chi Mai - Ennio Morricone (Life and Times of David Lloyd George)
Requiem for a Soldier - Bruce Anderson (Band of Brothers)
Paint it Black - Rolling Stones (Tour of Duty)
Le Parc - Tangerine Dream (Street Hawk)
Battle of the Planets (European version of Gatchaman)

But then there are many many more that are classics as well:
A-Team, Airwolf, Battlestar Galactica, Minder, Thundercats and soooo many more.

[Oikaze]

^ You have a vast knowledge of movies and television shows I've never even heard of.

[Eeyore]

I would say the variety comes with age... but I also have a very good memory for music - far more so than for words.
Which I think is one reason I'm comfortable in liking music like Momusu, despite not knowing a word of the language... 'cos the words just come across as tonal-music rather than lyrics.
I actually only know the lyrics to very few songs in English.

But the music... if it's good I'll listen to it... and if it's catchy I'll undoubtedly remember it.
And Tsunku knows how to write damn catchy music!!

And over the past *cough* too many *cough* years I've heard my fair share of TV and movie theme songs.
And there have been quite a few that I can recall quite easily.


The BIG question is, though, whether you think my choices are actually good... are they theme tunes / music that make you go "Oh... wow! Good music!" or do they make you go "meh!"

[Oikaze]

^ Well, your favorites, with the exception of "Paint It Black", seem to be epic in a sweeping, understated sort of way, a bit like Impressionist music (e.g. Debussy's "La Mer"), with a view more to the musical piece in and of itself than a view of themes as merely accompaniment to their movies and shows, which is how I tend to view them. I tend to prefer more driving energy and I also like the specific vocals and/or instrumentation to match the subject matter of the film or television show, plus I usually think the very best themes are vocal, with the lyrical content being clearly expressed, while you, as you note, prefer instrumentals or vocals as instrumental in substance, delivered for their sound, not their meaning.

I wouldn't venture to say which lists are "better". It is a reflection of personality and upbringing, no doubt, and if your preference is for Impressionism, mine is more for a programmatic and hence Romantic (in the artistic sense) approach, more like Richard Wagner and the like. The two ways of looking at music are equally valid.

[kantutanTayo14]

[Oikaze]

^ Excellent theme! This thread wouldn't be complete without it. I'd heard the song, of course, but I didn't know it was a movie theme.

[Nowhere Man]

Only Time- Enya




From the movie Sweet November; very inspiring and relaxing song

[Glasseyelashes]

ahh, anything from enya is awesome! i've loved her since i was about 11 years old. she also has a song from the LOTR movies, "may it be". such a beautiful song.

[Oikaze]

Honorable mentions... cinema themes...

"Singin' in the Rain" (1952) theme

"Exodus" (1960) theme

"Love Story" (1970) theme

"The Exorcist" (1973) theme

"Halloween" (1978) theme

"Titanic" (1997) theme

And television...

"Lie to Me" (2009-2011) theme

[ｍｉｃｃｈｉｐｙｏｎ☆]

Harry Potter & Disney movies. ♥

[Oikaze]

Other honorable mentions... a movie...

"The Pink Panther" (1963) theme

And a television show...

"Mission Impossible" (1966-1973) theme