The ominous, two-note theme of a man-eating shark in Jaws, recognized by children and swimmers everywhere, even if they haven't seen the film. The triumphant first chords of the Star Wars theme, a staple of the playlist of every laser tag arena and space-themed party in the galaxy. These are just a few of the most famous examples of film music helping a movie become even more iconic than just the action on screen. In addition to these well-known film scores, I have been lucky enough to be exposed to several more incredible scores through a class I took this semester about music in film. Because of the class assignments, I have found countless new amazing scores that I love to study to, or even just listen to when I need a break from lyrics. Without further ado, my top three favorite film scores of all time.
Black Panther (2018) by Ludwig Goransson
As if the movie itself wasn't amazing enough, the score alone is a marvelous journey through the world of instrumentation. This score has everything, from traditional African drums and other instruments to western brass and electronic instruments. This score is one of my favorites to study to because the drumming and intense nature of many of the songs drives me to work faster. However, my favorite piece on the whole album is "A New Day," because it is calming and beautiful, a welcoming addition to the stress of my daily life.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) by John Williams
John Williams is already composition royalty, with his powerful score for Star Wars being the first music many people think of when asked about film scores, but his score for Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a masterpiece unlike any other. A concise, haunting five-note-phrase fills the movie, several of the pieces harken back to this melody, and it is eventually morphed into an incredible symphonic piece towards the end of the film. Along with this melody, a familiar Disney melody is worked into the final, hope-filled moments of the film, which I think is genius.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) by Howard Shore
My favorite film series of all time would not be complete without the beautiful score by Howard Shore. The melodies match each character brilliantly and add to the adventures of both the fictional characters and the audience. My favorite thing about this score is the fact that it doesn't "sound like" any other film scores. There is something exquisitely unique about the hopeful Shire theme and the haunting themes of the elves. I love to study to this soundtrack because it reminds me of something I love every time I listen, as well as being amazing music.
