Month: June 2018

In Part One, I examined some of the movies and film scores of the 1960’s and 1970’s. In the process, I set aside some of my most treasured films in favor of others I realized may be more deserving of being labeled the best in regard to the most outstanding blend of storytelling and music. I also overlooked others that may have made a run at the finalists in my view, such as Fiddler on the Roof. Oh my God! This time around, I’m tackling the 1980’s and 1990’s. So many movies, so little time.

The pool to draw from in the ’80’s is astounding. Just to name a dozen, look at this list that excludes way too many great films: Back to the Future, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Star Wars sequels, The Breakfast Club, Rain Man, Dirty Dancing, Chariots of Fire, Alien, The Princess Bride, Airplane, Field of Dreams, Amadeus, The NeverEnding Story, Good Morning Vietnam, The Color Purple…I couldn’t even stop at a dozen and I could go on and on.

The quality of the music is undeniable. I think that in the years since John Williams came on the film score scene, the music backing the on screen images has been elevated. The composers aren’t just copy cats, though. The originality and diversity of the music is tremendous. I believe the important factor above all in putting together an assessment of the movies/music blend is determining what speaks to me most profoundly in terms of the film content and presentation, then reflecting back on the music that is most memorable after all the dust of the decades settles. I have studied these scores and refreshed myself on contending movies, all of which is helpful to sift out the quality from the flash, but what touches me most is what my heart tells me is the best in my universe. It will be different for many of us, but it’s wonderful how we each are touched in our personal region of the collective consciousness.

With that in mind, I narrow down the qualifiers from the ’80’s to these. Amadeus–how can a delightful story about Mozart be left out? Chariots of Fire–an inspirational, motivational movie with music that complements it perfectly. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark–groundbreaking film making and more John Williams unforgettable, uplifting accompaniment. And Back to the Future, which some say is the perfect movie. The score and the popular music blend fantastically to stimulate us from one end of the musical spectrum to the other. My choice is Raiders of the Lost Ark, mainly because I couldn’t have enjoyed a movie more and the music was perfect for it.

What stands out most in the ’90’s, again taking the film and the score/soundtrack as a whole? Another incredible decade, by the way. Here are my initial thoughts. Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Edward Scissorhands, Braveheart, Titanic, Dances With Wolves, The Nightmare Before Christmas are all amazing movies with amazing music. One of the soundtracks that affected me most is from Natural Born Killers. contrast between what I was seeing on the screen and what I was hearing was positively surreal at times, but the theme and content of this film are disturbing and unnecessary in a world filled with violence and insanity. I can’t consider it one of the great films of the decade. The soundtrack on it and Forrest Gump as well as Pulp Fiction draw largely from popular music in various genres, which I enjoy. However, does the score or the theme of these stand out in my memory. Negative.

Schindler’s List has a beautiful and moving score that takes the listener through the emotional roller-coaster of the film in a perfectly fitting manner. I have a feel for it, but don’t really remember it well. Jurassic Park is more of the brilliance of John Williams. Great sci-fi and a score that makes it so grand. I notice I have two Tim Burton films in my nominees. I really enjoyed both Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas, both of which take us away to fantasy realms that attract and repel simultaneously. Danny Elfman’s soundtracks are masterful for their musical genius and playful imagination. Braveheart’s soundtrack is strong and brings a touch of Scottish traditional music to always welcome ears in my case. The same composer, James Horner, brought us the soundtrack of Titanic. Few movies have had the impact on me that Titanic did and the film score filled my heart in the same way. The poignancy and grand flavor of the soundtrack for Dances with Wolves truly captured the theme of the story, giving proper respect to the American Indians and one man who had a different perspective on his role in their world. All that said, Titanic is my selection for the 1990’s. They are all so great, but I’m most spellbound by the James Cameron masterpiece.

I’m inspired to see some of these films again, which is unusual for me. I hope you’re caught up in the magic yourself.

In my most recent post, I touched on the concept of being able to blend two or more art forms with high quality in each. I’ve come back to this idea repeatedly in my thoughts since. For me, the most prominent examples  with the most social impact are films and the music that underscore them. The problem I’ve encountered is my realization–with just a small measure of research–that I know very little on a subject with which I thought I had a firm command. I haven’t seen nearly enough movies and studied them in depth to make judgments with any true expertise, but I do pay attention and have a substantial appreciation of movies and music, having written some in both fields. If I only could, I would make this an interactive discussion and allow everyone to throw a hat into the ring.

I think it’s obvious the art of film has evolved, as has music for film. There’s a tendency to think the latest is the best, whether it’s in this medium, television, sports or whatever. Sometimes respect for the classic form is dismissed in contemporary surveys. I’ve found lists of the best in the last 25 years, taking us back to the age-encrusted year of 1993. On the flip side, the American Film Institute pays tribute to the finest film scores back as early as 1933 in its top 25. King Kong got the nod from AFI in this case. My intention is to list the best movie and music combination in the last 50 years, for it is in the intertwining of the two that I find the most magic. Reaching back only to 1968 isn’t really adequate for a full study, but it acknowledges a healthy respect through a large chunk of film and music history. I’ll also consider the soundtracks with compilations of popular music apart from a film score, for I have been more deeply touched by some of those than I have by brilliant composition made to draw the most out of the visual effect on the screen.

So let’s get to the heart of this venture. I welcome comments in the spirit of fun, lively discussion. Maybe my opinion will miss the mark on some. The list, after all, should be gads longer. But it’s the cream we’re skimming here, taking a teaspoon from a tanker.

From the decade of the 1960’s, the nominees are Lawrence of Arabia, Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Pink Panther, and The Sound of Music. Although the scope of Lawrence of Arabia and Magnificent Seven as films and their grand music are tremendous, I don’t find them as compelling as the other candidates. I hate to rule out The Pink Panther because the music is precious to me, but again the comedic shenanigans–brilliant as they are–don’t rise to the level of the story lines of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Sound of Music. The beauty of the music and the heart-wrenching tale of To Kill a Mockingbird are nearly impossible to discount. I can’t. From a personal perspective, though, I have to reluctantly choose The Sound of Music as the best of the 60’s because of the iconic music, the illustrious colorful beauty of the cinematography and the gravity of the story it tells. Not that Mockingbird takes a back seat to any film or book for value to humanity. It is on the other factors stated above that Sound of Music edges out Mockingbird.

In the ’70’s, there were some phenomenal breakthroughs in scoring film. 1972 brought us The Godfather, inseparable from its music. Chinatown in ’74 brought us classic film noir with fresh faces and fresh music that graced us with fine jazz transcended by other appropriate blends of suspense and the macabre. John Williams teamed with Steven Spielberg to scare the hell out of us with Jaws in ’75, leaving an indelible stain on beaches and Great White Sharks everywhere. Then in ’77, Williams and George Lucas changed everything in the marrying of film and music. Star Wars was and is a cultural phenomena unparalleled in its broad appeal and the Williams score was a signature piece fans recognize today, four decades later. I can’t go on without mentioning at least Five Easy Pieces, Taxi Driver, and American Graffiti as another few movies that carry great impact visually and musically. I want badly to tab Star Wars as the best of the decade, but I’m influenced by public opinion that The Godfather may be the best movie of all time. The film score did nothing to detract from such high honors either, so I must bow to the filmmaker and composer who put together this artistic masterpiece.

Come back to the theater soon and I’ll tear your tickets to the succeeding four decades.