Watched "Lonely Are the Brave" on TCM the other night, a HUGE fan of Goldsmith's scores since "A Patch of Blue" (and truly "Chinatown" is unforgettably haunting). I watched the second half of it while taping it Wed. nite (1/24/07)and was struck by the "don't make 'em like this anymore" music which is so affecting and effective in movies of this era (Elmer Bernstein, Alfred Newman, Alex North, John Barry also come to mind). It was only when I watched the tape from the beginning last night that I saw the Goldsmith credit and thought "Of course!" And the simple fact alone of the Goldsmith credit (in those wonderful "modern" crooked block letters of that period) was enough to bring a tear to my eye. This kind of music was so thoughtful and indicative of contemplative life. These were movies that gave you something to think about and the music reflects that.

I'm also a big fan of Mr. Goldsmith's. His most recent compilation CD, 40 Years of Film Music (released in 2005,) is a must-have for any film score buff. It includes all his "greatest hits," plut a lot of the lesser known stuff.

Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams, are my favorite composers. Have quite a few soundtracks of Jerry's in my collection. I think I will listen now to his OUTLAND/CAPRICORN ONE CD.

Someday I've gotta find an affordable phonograph/cd recorder. The score for Masada on vinyl waits in my closet and nothing to play it on.

There's also Jerry Fielding, who did a stirring score for The Outlaw Josey Wales back in 1976, and John Addisons' A Bridge Too Far the year after.

Someday I've gotta find an affordable phonograph/cd recorder. The score for Masada on vinyl waits in my closet and nothing to play it on.

Several themes from Masada are also included on the aforementioned 40 Years of Film Music CD. Great stuff.

It's always cool when a composer's more obscure stuff is made available. Goldsmith's body of work is astonishing.

Goldsmith is, hands down, my favorite movie composer. His work always stood out from the crowd. I'll have to get the CD Carson mentioned.

John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith and John Barry... the Holy Trinity of late twentieth century film composers.

Agreed, Carson. When I was a wee lad hanging out with a bunch of super-8 film freaks in the 70s and 80s, we'd always steal from those three to score our productions.

John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith and John Barry... the Holy Trinity of late twentieth century film composers.

Can't stand John Williams, sorry. The antithesis of what I love about Goldsmith, Bernstein, North, Newman. Hermann.

Yeah, the scores to Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. pretty much suck. What was I thinking?

It's Goldsmith up the center with the puck, he fakes a pass to Bernstein, skates around Williams, he shoots, HE SCORES!!! GOLDSMITH SCORES!!!!

Yeah, the scores to Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. pretty much suck. What was I thinking?
:p :p :p

I will say that I've always found Goldsmith to have a less distinctive style. I think you can more easily spot a Williams score by his style. With Goldsmith, his scores were quite diverse IMHO. He could give you sweeping grandeur in one and raw tension in another. Planet of the Apes, Capricorn One, Logans's Run, Papillon, Alien, Trek: TMP, Masada, Ghost and the Darkness...what a range.

I've always found Goldsmith to have a less distinctive style. I think you can more easily spot a Williams score by his style. With Goldsmith, his scores were quite diverse IMHO.

Agreed. Then again Brett Ratner has a less distinctive style than Stanley Kubrick, and John Barry never penned a score that didn't sound like John Barry. So much for range.

John Williams doesn't need to prove anything to anyone; his work speaks for itself. Ditto Barry and Goldsmith (RIP). We all have our favorites, but singling one out as being The Best is a fool's errand IMO.

So, generally I agree with you, however you seem to be saying that because you equate Williams with Goldsmith, if others do not, it's a fools errand? Come on, we DO have our favorites? Frankly I prefer Goldsmith's body of work to Williams. That's no slam against Williams. I never said he needed to prove anything and he certainly does not.

Aaaand Glass come from the outside with a phenomenal score for The Illusionist......

(grate movie, great score)

I have to put Alan Silvestri into my top tier, as well. No piece of movie music gets in my head and stays there for days at a time more than his Back to the Future theme.

Qapla'

SSB

Bernard Herrmann could kick all their butts with one baton tied behind his back. If any of those other guys even dream about besting Herrmann, they better wake up and apologize.

So, generally I agree with you, however you seem to be saying that because you equate Williams with Goldsmith, if others do not, it's a fools errand?

I think you misunderstood my comment. Of course we all have our faves. I'm just not big on the whole "best" thing -- particularly given the present context.

I do happen to think Williams has demonstrated a great deal more range than he's generally granted credit for, but of the three composers we've been discussing my favorite (if I had to name one) is probably the notably range-deficient John Barry. So whadda I know.

Yeah, the scores to Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. pretty much suck. What was I thinking?

So true! Sorry, not my cup of tea. I know, we all love SF and fantasy and comics, that's why we're here on this board, but when it comes to the music for such, mainly it ain't happening for me. I do like "Alien" and "Blade Runner" and others, but not the music for the above mentioned movies.

The guy's either like a hammer with an unrelenting one-note-Charlie "sense of excitement" - reminds me of John Philips Sousa type military marching noise, very irritating - or cloying and insincere sounding with sweeping grandiosity in a one-note-Charlie "sense of wonder" - all very bombastic - really, the perfect composer for Spielberg.

Howard Shore I like better for fantasy. And in that more beautiful vein, Miyazake's composers have been wonderful.

How about Barry Gray. He did a lot of kids TV shows, but there's great music in there. Hate Space 1999 theme though.

I was lucky enough to have Jerry Goldsmith as one of my commencement speakers when I graduated from Berklee College of Music. Cool and very blunt guy. He started out by saying that 95% of us would never make it in the music business! Hahaha, boy that got a gasp from the crowd let me tell ya.

Wake-up call. Kind of like all the college sports players dreaming of going pro.

Agreed on the Illusionist.

Carson - John Barry? Well, if you must... :)

How about Barry Gray. He did a lot of kids TV shows, but there's great music in there. Hate Space 1999 theme though.

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (Doppleganger): Drop-dead GORgeous score!!

Carson - John Barry? Well, if you must... :)

Hey I'm a Barry fan and proud of it. I'd go so far to call him the father of the modern film score, the man writing great music for the Bond films back when lil' Johnny Williams was still writing toilet-paper jingles for the boys on Madison Ave. Barry was the first guy to make motion-picture scores sexy, and his influence reverberates to this day.

Look up J.B.'s credits on IMDB, and then tell me I should regard him as no more than a guilty pleasure. Go on, I dare you. :)

Anyone here a big Albert Glasser fan? :lol:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006100/

Anyone here a big Albert Glasser fan? :lol:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006100/

Dude! Now you're talkin'!

How about Barry Gray. He did a lot of kids TV shows, but there's great music in there. Hate Space 1999 theme though.

Just checked on him in imdb - thank you terryr! "Aqua Marina" from Stingray (and the Stingray theme itself) is worth the price of admission by itself.

I've loved that song since I was 5 years old but haven't heard it since the 60s. I'd sure like to get some of that!

Just bought the set on Amazon for $47. Couldn't help it! I was sucked in!

Look up J.B.'s credits on IMDB, and then tell me I should regard him as no more than a guilty pleasure. Go on, I dare you. :)

Down boy, just joshin'
:p

Just checked on him in imdb - thank you terryr! "Aqua Marina" from Stingray (and the Stingray theme itself) is worth the price of admission by itself.

I've loved that song since I was 5 years old but haven't heard it since the 60s. I'd sure like to get some of that!

The song or Marina? A beautiful woman who doesn't speak. What's not to like?

In the 80's I sent away to Britian for the soundtracks to those shows. I had a tear of joy in my eye as they played.

The song or Marina? A beautiful woman who doesn't speak. What's not to like?



I duuno, I always thought the actress was kinda wooden.

How does she manage to stay underwater?

I've IMDb'd Jerry Goldsmith. He has done quite diverse soundtracks. In Like Flint, Room 222, Have Gun Will Travel, Alien, LA Confidential....and Rambo IV: Pearl of the Cobra.

Jerry Goldsmith's score for Planet of the Apes (1968) is perfect - otherworldly and alien with great percussion and "vocalizations".
I'd say Danny Elfman's score of the newer version is very derivative of it. BTW, Elfman is another favorite of mine.

Also, it's fun to check out scores on older TV shows to see whose name pops up - like "Johnny Williams"...

Planet of the Apes is certainly in my top 10 favorite scores. Maybe top 5. :thumbsup:

I've always wondered why Russell Garcia didn't do more feature film music. His scores for George Pal's The Time Machine and Atlantis, the Lost Continent are among the best in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, IMHO.