Thursday, December 6, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #1

I believe this is Thursday Thirteen #1. I have thought of ideas through the year and while driving, but I never get the chance to type them out. So here you go, my Thirteen most recognized movie composers. They may not be my favorite, but you can tell who wrote it in about a measure or two. In no particular order.

1. John Williams- If you can hear this guys music, then you are asleep in a hole in Pakistan somewhere. You probably hear this guys music from E.T. Indiana Jones series, oh there was this one trilogy called Star Wars...Catch me if you can, He has never requested to write music for any movie, except for one: Memoirs of a Geisha. the guy has 136 films to his credit, and that is not including the TV credits.


2. Howard Shore- Most recently The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mrs. Doubtfire, Seven, The Aviator, and Silence of the Lambs.

3. Micheal Nyman- This guy only has one movie that was popular, the piano. I remember this movie coming out when I was in high school, and I bought the sound track on cassette. it was so good. I can still hear it in my head, as well as seeing the scene where Holly hunter gets her finger chopped off. (sorry for the spoiler)

4. Jerry Goldsmith- Another Star trek reference, he composed almost all the star trek themes, Rudy, as well as the Twilight zone, Basic instinct, the Waltons theme. Quite the array of movies and TV shows.

5. James Horner- Perfect Storm, Radio, Apollo 13, Glory, Aliens, Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games, oh there was this one movie with a big boat in it that sank, I can't seem to remember what it was... Leo somebody was in it. I'll remember it soon.

6. Danny Elfman-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Sissorhands, Beatlejuice, Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure, almost every single Tim Burton film he has composed the music. He also composed the Simpson Theme song as well.

7. Randy Newman- can we say Pixar? Toy Story, Monsters, Inc.... When he sings it is almost as bad as a migraine.

8. Thomas Newman- Shawshank Redemption, American beauty, Green Mile, Nemo, Fried Green Tomatoes, Road to Perdition. This guys music all sounds the same to me. It is orchestrated the same way each time, no matter what the movie is.

9. Hans Zimmer-Pirates of the Carribean, sound familiar? Lion King? Driving Miss Daisy.

10. Basil Poledouris- He's just on here because he composed the music to Conan the Barbarian. argh, argh ,argh, (best Tim Allen impression I can do) and he has the first name as a spice. Starship troopers, and Free Willy, oh, and Red Dawn, I liked that movie.

11. Alan Silvestri- Back to the future series.. Forest Gump ( Michelle's Fav), Who framed Roger Rabbit? Any Robert Zemeckis film there is.

12. John Ottman- X2, Superman returns, Rise of the silver surfer. He's up and coming I guess. but I can tell when his music is playing.

13. Bruce Broughton-My favorite film is Tombstone, he also did Silverado. He has done a lot of TV in the '70s and '80s, Buck Rogers in the 25th century sound familiar? Knots Landing? Thursday night soap opera I think.

8 comments:

Rian Fike said...

Sweet list. You did movie music, I did movie lovers. Synchronistic, indeed.

13 Love Scenes: http://fullbodytransplant.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/thursday-thirteen-the-love-scene/

jayedee said...

a bit out of the ordinary here. excellent list. happy tt!

Samantha_K said...

Ah, you're into the music. I could do a list like this on cinematographers.
Happy Thursday!

tickledpink.nicole said...

Interesting. I've seen a documentary on adding music soundtracks, and this added a new piece it. Nice food, or should I say music, for thought.

Malcolm said...

Danny Elfman is one of my favorite movie/TV composers. Three other ones that I really like are Curtis Mayfield, Henry Mancini, and Anton Karas.

DrillerAA said...

Great lists.
Randy Newman has been writing what can be best descrived as ecrintric forever.

Happy TT

Scribbit said...

I've thought that too about JOhn Williams and Randy Newman--have the Michael Nyman classic too

But can I say that I think some guy named Klaus B-- (something German) did the music for Pirates. I could be off, but I'm sure I saw someone else's name on my ipod. . .

Nicholas said...

I've heard of John Williams and Randy Newman, but the others are new to me.

Good list. Welcome to TT!