Favorite Film Composer?

[w_tanoto]

John Williams
Alan Menken

[fighter4luv]

Here is my small list of composers, who's music has totally made the movie awesome. Listed in brackets are the movies that had the great music.

Danny Elfman (Batman Returns, Spider-man)
Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean)
John Williams (Indiana Jones)
Jerry Goldsmith (Star Trek First Contact)
Bob Summers (Sailor Moon )

[Clark Kent]

John Williams, though I also like Goldsmith a great deal.

[davcole]

Ok some of my favorites:

Jerry Goldsmith
James Horner
Harry Gregson-Williams
James Newtown Howard
Hans Zimmer
Thomas Newman
Alex North
Bernard Herrmann

not normally a fan of Howard Shore but the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy is an epic work!!

[tranzishun]

my favorites are:

John Williams
James Horner
Danny Elfman
Carter Burwell
Angelo Badalamenti
John Barry
Klaus Badelt
James Newton Howard
Trevor Jones
Alan Silvestri
Bernard Herrmann
Jerry Goldsmith
Randy Edelman
Basil Poledouris
John Debney
Mark Isham
Patrick Doyle
Rolfe Kent
Mark Snow
Thomas Newman
Harry Gregson-Williams

[Kirsty_Mc]

I have to say John Barry.

For IMO his best work look to a movie called "The Black Hole"... a flawed movie but the score is perfect in every way... atmospheric, brooding when it needs to be and heroic when it fits. Watch the movie as the giant spaceship turns towards it's heading, the order is given to fire the engines and the hiuge reactors fire up into life... the score is just perfect. If you close your eyes and just listen you can picture it in your head.

... and he did quite a few other movies too

[Rob J in WNY]

Alan Silvestri has made some very memorable film scores. Unforgettable movies such as The Polar Express, Cast Away, Back to the Future (all 3, of course), Contact, and others. Silvestri and Robert Zemeckis are quite the team when it comes to moviemaking.

Alexandre Desplat, who created the score for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, is a current favorite of mine.

[iamsparticus9]

I thought John Ottman did a fantastic job w/ superman returns. He perfectly incorporated Williams theme while making a powerful soundtrack of his own.

I know he's not a big name but Christopher Franke's music for the finale of babylon 5 still chokes me up. It was perfect. he did wonderful music for that show.

[Fighter]

Jerry Goldsmtih

[Fighter]

I mean 'Goldsmith'

[Lord_Stewie]

Hans Zimmerman all the way.

[RatedRstar]

Michael Giacchino. His Medal of Honor scores are amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFwmj...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjpcl...eature=related

John Debney.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTCvuLB8P_4

[Sussudio]

James Horner, followed by James Newton Howard, followed by Clint Mansell. All amazing composers imo (and I got to meet Howard, very cool guy )

[Gone2HiDef]

Been a big John Williams for decades now, starting with Star Wars and Superman, of course, following him through the geek flicks he scored through the 80's before learning he composed music for my favorite geek TV shows, like Land of the Giants and Lost in Space.

Of course, Star Trek: The Motion Picture introduced me to Jerry Goldsmith, who ultimate became a mainstay in the current day Trek musicverse. I also love his music for Patton, Supergirl, Soarin' Over California at Disney's California Adventure and the theme to Barnaby Jones!

Alan Silvestri composed the awesome music for the Back to the Future trilogy; the music from Part III is my favorite of the trilogy.

Then, there's Bruce Broughton's Silverado soundtrack that I never get tired of, along with Danny Elfman's music for Batman, Dick Tracy, The Simpsons and The Flash.

Finally, I end with Michael Giacchino, who's been kicking major @$$ lately. I've been scooping up his CDs and downloads one right after the other: Alias, Mission: Impossible III, The Incredibles, Cloverfield, Ratatouille, Speed Racer, Up, and Star Trek. Even the latest ride music to Space Mountain at Disneyland is his!

[Kryptonic]

Basil Poledouris
John Williams
Jerry Goldsmith

Those are the big three for me.

Ottman, Giacchino, and Zimmer are the heirs to the throne.

[Mahatma]

Think Michael Kamen was a very good composer.Also like Angelo Badalamenti's work for D.Lynch.(Only work I've heard him I think.....)

[Clark Kent]

John Williams of course, but many other fine composers have been previously named in the thread. I love when a dvd or Blu-ray includes the instrumental soundtrack as an audio option. Batman: The Movie (60's version) features an awesome score as an extra.

[zombie63]

Ok trying to pick one is impossible but ill pick my favourite composers and the score which, to me anyway, I regard as their best work.

Ennio Morricone - Once upon a time in the West
Jerry Goldsmith -Planet of the Apes
John Williams - E.T - the extra terrestrial
John Barry - On her Majestys Secret Service
Bernard Herrman - Vertigo
Miklós Rózsa - Ben Hur
Max Steiner - Gone With the Wind
Elmer Bernstein - The Magnificent Seven
Maurice Jarre - Lawrence of Arabia
James Newton Howard - King Kong
James Horner - Glory
Alan Silvestri - The Abyss
Brad Fiedel - Terminator 2 - Judgement Day
Nino Rota - The Godfather

[dvd_mazter]

My Favs:

John Williams - Star Wars / Superman
Hans Zimmer - The Dark Knight / Kung Fu Panda (Great Score)
Danny Elfman - Batman / Spider-man 2
Brad Fiedel - The Terminator / True Lies
Michael Giacchino - The Incredibles / Ratatouille

[Gone2HiDef]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

John Williams of course, but many other fine composers have been previously named in the thread. I love when a dvd or Blu-ray includes the instrumental soundtrack as an audio option. Batman: The Movie (60's version) features an awesome score as an extra.

That's Nelson Riddle of "Route 66" fame. That's another fave score for me (naturally since I'm a big Batman comic book fan), but to be fair, he wouldn't be among my most favorite composers. But thanks you to you, your post reminds that I need to add Henry Mancini to my list. He cranked out pop scores for 60's films and memorable TV themes in the 70's and 80's…Pink Panther, Moon River, Peter Gunn, NBC Mystery Movies, The Great Mouse Detective, and Lifeforce.