Movie composers worth listening to, part 4

This list continues from part 3.

Peter Best

Best may have retired, as he hasn’t scored a movie since 2004. His Crocodile Dundee soundtrack is, like the movie, unique and wonderful.

  • Crocodile Dundee
    • Opening Titles
    • Theme from Crocodile Dundee
    • Overture from Crocodile Dundee

Mychael Danna

When directors want something a little different in their music, they call Danna. He sometimes collaborates with his brother Jeff. He’s done several scores for Atom Egoyan and Ang Lee. He also wrote music for Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse. The Sweet Hereafter soundtrack also has several songs sung by Sarah Polley. Upcoming work includes Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.

  • The Good Dinosaur (with Jeff Danna)
    • Run with the Herd
  • The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (with Jeff Danna)
    • Tango Amongst the Lilies
  • Monsoon Wedding
    • Baraat
    • Fuse Box
  • The Sweet Hereafter
    • The entire soundtrack, especially Procession
  • Water
    • House of Widows

Patrick Doyle

Doyle’s music is very symphonic, and I would undoubtedly like more of it if I listened to it. He has a great relationship with Kenneth Branagh. Upcoming work includes B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations and Murder on the Orient Express.

  • Brave
    • Merida’s Home
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
    • Potter Waltz
  • Henry V (1989)
    • ‘The Day Is Yours’
  • Thor
    • Earth to Asgard
  • Wah-Wah
    • Please Forgive Me

Ilan Eshkeri

Eshkeri is a young composer who’s been scoring movies since 2000. Upcoming work includes Measure of a Man and Breathe.

  • Stardust
    • Prologue (Through the Wall)
    • Septimus

John Ottman

Ottman has a great relationship with Bryan Singer. His theme from X2: X-Men United became the signature X-Men theme. He’s also a film editor — and has occasionally, incredibly, edited and scored the same film. Upcoming work includes 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

  • X2: X-Men United
    • Suite from X2
  • X-Men: Days of Future Past
    • Hat Rescue
  • X-Men: Apocalypse
    • You’re X-Men / End Titles

Randy Newman

Newman has a great relationship with Pixar (I heard several of these themes at this concert). He also writes and sings lots of songs outside of movies. Upcoming work includes Cars 3 and Toy Story 4.

  • Awakenings
    • Awakenings
  • A Bug’s Life
    • The Flik Machine
    • Return to Colony
  • Maverick
    • Runaway Stage
    • Maverick
  • Monsters, Inc.
    • Monsters, Inc.
    • Walk to Work
    • Sulley and Mike
  • Pleasantville
    • Real Rain
    • A New Day
  • Toy Story
    • You’ve Got a Friend In Me
    • Andy’s Birthday
    • Infinity and Beyond
  • Toy Story 2
    • The Cleaner
  • Toy Story 3
    • So Long

Nicola Piovani

Piovani has scored many Italian movies. He has a great relationship with Roberto Benigni. You might not want to listen to the Life is Beautiful soundtrack all at once as it repeats a couple of themes over and over — but they’re orchestrated differently and interestingly each time.

  • Life is Beautiful
    • The entire soundtrack, especially Abbiamo Vinto

Rachel Portman

Like Patrick Doyle’s music, Portman’s is very symphonic — often focusing on woodwinds and strings. Upcoming work includes American Selfies.

  • Benny & Joon
    • Benny & Joon
  • Chocolat
    • Minor Swing
  • The Lake House
    • Mailbox
    • Sunsets
    • Alex’s Father
  • Never Let Me Go
    • We All Complete
  • One Day
    • One Day Main Titles
    • We Had Today

Leonard Rosenman

Rosenman’s score for Star Trek IV might not be quite as good as a Jerry Goldsmith or James Horner score but it has its moments.

  • Battle for the Planet of the Apes
    • Main Title
  • Beneath the Planet of the Apes
    • Main Title
  • Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
    • The entire album, especially Home Again: End Credits

Marc Streitenfeld

Streitenfeld is a young composer who’s been scoring movies since 2006. He has a great relationship with Ridley Scott. The Prometheus soundtrack is mostly Streitenfeld’s with a couple of tracks by Harry Gregson-Williams.

  • Prometheus
    • A Planet
    • Invitation
  • Robin Hood (2010)
    • Fate Has Smiled Upon Us
    • Godfrey

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 16th, 2016 at 11:34 am and is filed under My thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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