I think you’re a little Williams-heavy, but dammit, he IS good, ain’t he.

And I guess Howard Shore’s LOTR extravaganza is going to be a bit too nouveau for you… but man, did he ever paint an audioscape of Middle Earth. It’s simply stunning how he evokes a world we’ve never seen. That is the key, with these composers who are trying to bring viewers/listeners in to a completely different world.

I considered adding ABTF to the list for all the reasons you state. A great march in the tradition of Col. Bogey as well as some achingly beautiful scoring during the lulls in battle.

Agree about the movie too.

And I agree about Glass.I see from his filmography that he did Kundun and The Truman Show also. Good movies and excellent scores.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Alford

I generally don’t care for Philip Glass’ music but his score for “Mishima” is outstanding.

Say what you will about the movie, star-studded flop or rousing war flick, the soundtrack to this was awesome. John Addison, himself a veteran of the Arnhem battle from the XXX Corps, created moving and poignant music to accompany the unfolding scenes of the operation and battle of the largest airborne attack ever attempted. Disaster ensues. The film’s director, Sir Richard Attenborough noted: “the music for A Bridge Too Far is, therefore, in one sense [Addison's] requiem for those who fought beside him.”

The stirring march of the overture plays often, in differing tempo throughout the film, very effectivly in “March of the Paratroopers.” One of the great moments of the score is in “Airlift” as the massive air armada takes flight. More somber, but affecting tones are sounded in “Arnhem Destoryed” and “Retreat.” One of the best musical moments sadly is not on the soundtrack. It is where the Germans advance upon wounded and dying Brits in their most bitter hour of defeat. These guys held the Germans at bay to buy time for the able-bodies to escape. Having spent their last ammo and laid down their arms, awaiting inevitable capture, they humbly sing the hymn “Abide With Me.”

Under-appreciated flick, but kickarse music. Addison won an Oscar for “Tom Jones,” but this score by too far (pardon the pun) was his best work.

BTW, personally, I loved the movie. Some of the best in the acting business at their prime — Redford chewing scenery, Sean Connery sublime as the doomed General Urquhart, Sir Anthony Hopkins before he got too full of himself, Sir Laurence Olivier pleading with German General Maximillian Schell for a brief cease-fire to take the wounded from the streets and then “you can kill us as much as you like.” Shout out to Gene Hackman as Polish General Sosabowski (if you do not know his story, google it). Watch this movie in concert with “Band of Brothers” episodes 4 & 5, it makes a nice complement.

/R

Forbes editors take a look at the year ahead in retailing.

Of course he’s relatively young. Give him a few years and he may surprise us.

And what? No Elfman on teh list? I think that Danny Elfman is going to be considered the Mancini of my generation. (that happens to be the generation that came right after you, Rick, what with you being an old man and all:D)