Film scores are extremely important when it comes to setting the overall tone of a film. A fast-paced score with harsh tones can indicate that the film is a thriller/horror and it gives you a constant sense of dread and anxiety. A slow paced score with soft tones could indicate a romantic film or a comedy that gives you a more relaxed and happy feeling. There are many talented film composers in the industry and one of the greats is Alan Silvestri.

His name may not be as recognizable as John Williams and Hans Zimmer, but you may recognize some of the films he's worked on. Films such as "Predator," "Forrest Gump," "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?," "The Bodyguard," "Castaway," "Lilo & Stitch," "The Polar Express," and the entire "Back to the Future" trilogy are just a handful of great movies he's composed for. However, the ones that have stayed with me the most are the ones he's made for superhero films.

As of now, Silvestri has composed scores for four superhero films; "Captain America: The First Avenger," "The Avengers," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Avengers: Endgame." The scores for these four films have been some of the best that the genre has ever seen. This is most likely due to the fact that Silvestri is a master at conveying the essence of "grand heroism" through music.

Some of the most memorable music in superhero films over the last decade has been the scores for the "Avengers" films. Silvestri understands that these heroes carry a "larger than life" quality to the theme and he conveys this by playing up the grand scale of the events.

These scores make great use of strings, brass, and percussion to convey a massive battle between powerful forces of good and evil that will decide the fate of the planet. It conveys the scope and heroic fervor found in films like "Star Wars" and "Superman," which makes sense considering he takes a lot of inspiration from John Williams.

Another thing Silvestri does better than anyone composing scores for superhero films is the theme. One of the most memorable themes in superhero films (besides John William's "Superman" theme and Danny Elfman's "Batman" theme) is "The Avengers" theme. The theme uses powerful strings, memorable beat, and brass to convey a sense of triumph and, like always, a sense of scale and meaning.

Silvestri also knows how to take things like period and surrounding into account. For example, in his score for "Captain America: The First Avenger" he conveys many of the same feelings of scope and grand heroics that can be found in the scores for the "Avengers" films. However, many of the themes use horns and percussion to make it sound more like a military parade, especially one that may have existed during World War II.

Most recently, Silvestri was able to enhance some of the more emotional scenes during "Avengers: Endgame." When a certain hero dies (I won't spoil who it is if you haven't seen "Endgame" yet) the theme carries the same heroic with the strings and horns, but it is played to a slower, reflective, and more melancholy beat. That is until, at this hero's funeral, the camera moves to show all of the heroes and people who knew this person, the music swells and, while still sounding sad, conveys a sense of grand meaning. The people at the funeral are the ones he saved and fought alongside with, showing the meaningful things his sacrifice achieved.

Silvestri has made some of the most memorable pieces of film music in history. From the lighthearted, but epic "Back to the Future" theme to the "cartoony" film noir sound in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?," Silvestri is great at conveying the tone and genre of any film he's worked on. You could probably just listen to the score, without seeing the film, and accurately guess the what kind of film it is. I dare you to listen to Silvestri's "Avengers" score and not have the word "heroic" come to mind. That's why they are some of the best superhero film scores ever.