Okay, since Piao asked, I’ll do up a list of 20 or so all time favorite soundtracks. I’m a soundtrack freak. Most of my CD collection consist of soundtracks. I like Hans Zimmer more than I like U2. You know. Nerdy stuff.
Just a disclaimer here. There are two ways to rate a soundtrack. Firstly, you can rate them according to how effective the music is in a particular film, if it’s served its purpose well. Secondly, you can rate it as a CD listening experience. Some soundtracks work very well only within the context of the film but fare horribly as a listening experience (ala Batman Begins) while some are pure joys on speaker but pointless on film (Hannibal). Here my rating is a mix and match. Just off the top of my head.
In no particular order:
1. Princess Mononoke – Joe Hisaishi
2. Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith – John Williams
3. Backdraft – Hans Zimmer
4. The Hours – Phillip Glass
5. Hannibal – Hans Zimmer
6. Ned Kelly – Klaus Badelt
7. Edward Scissorhands – Danny Elfman
8. The Usual Suspects – John Ottman
9. Schindler’s List – John Williams
10. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Howard Shore
11. The Lion King – Hans Zimmer
12. The Village – James Newton Howard
13. Hero – Tan Dun
14. 2046 – Shigeru Umebayashi
15. Spirited Away – Joe Hisaishi
16. Jurassic Park – John Williams
17. Shakespeare in Love – Stephen Warbeck
18. Crimson Tide – Hans Zimmer
19. The Mummy Returns – Alan Silvestri
20. Die Another Day – David Arnold
I must say this list is very subjective. It’s 12am now, so I’m missing out a lot of titles. And you might think I’m biased by including for Zimmer titles. Well. I’m a fan, what can I say.
yayyyy glad to see something finally related to LOTR here.
LIked Backdraft.
Die another day?!!!??!?!!?!?!?!??!!??!
Hello, my friend sent your blog URL to me. I see that you are an avid soundtrack fan too!
It’s rare to find someone like you
I love Han Zimmer! Especially Black Hawk Down OST, Matchstick Men OST and Pirates Of The Caribbean OST series.
John Williams… well he’s great in Star Wars and Indy Jones, but IMHO his capabilities seem rather limited compared to Zimmer who can change his mood and style according to the situation.
Steve Jablonsky’s also great, but that’s mainly Transformers OST and SteamBoy OST I guess.
Take care.
Interesting list. Have you heard The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’s soundtrack? I believe it satisfies your criteria.
John Williams? Limited?? AHAHAHAHAHA
Pleease. John Williams was doing awesome cinematic scores since before you were born. The only reason his stuff seems similiar is because he has done SO much.
Hans Zimmer’s stuff kinda sounds very similiar movie to movie as well. If you really think about it.
Personally I think Howard Shore’s theme from LOR Fellowship of The Ring blows most others away. I love the fellowship them.
Don’t forget Jerry Goldsmith…like John Williams, he has done some of the most awesome scores
I also like movie soundtrack and make some myself…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb5cu0pASck
where’s howl’s moving castle?? where’s howlllllllll
hey i love soundtrack oso…collecting hans zimmer..mainly songs dat is kinda military like… the rock, hunt for the red october, n black hawk down… looking for game soundtrack..hehe..from bill brown(rainbow 6, n ghost recon soundtrack)