Mancini’s novel jazzy score for Blake Edward’s hilarious comedy remains an all time classic. Spotlighting feel good vibes and perfectly describing the often absurd misunderstandings between the main characters, Mancini is having a ball emphasizing not only the comedic aspects of the film but also its big heart. Being one of the rare occasions where the score can work separately from the film, tracks like “Royal Blue” and “Champagne and Quail” are ideal for an indoor night with a glass of wine at hand. Of course the main theme is a standout with its subtle noir hints while the “It Had Better Be Tonight” song might be a bit 60s, it remains undeniably charming.

Ennio Morricone’s swelling score for Sergio Leone’s last entry in his epic spaghetti western trilogy is a testament to the legendary composer’s skills to craft music which can elevate a film into dizzying emotional heights. Look no further than “The Ecstasy of Gold” with sweeping female vocals and beautiful piano intro that has been become legendary while “The Trio” has an undeniably heroic quality that no one has managed to match to this day in the form of a fantastic trumpet solo. No wonder why Quentin Tarantino used cues from here to dress his martial arts extravaganza “Kill Bill” (2003-2004).

Vangelis’ synth work in “Blade Runner” is still a landmark in movie scoring, a fusion of sounds for a society that in 1982 was not ready to accept such a bleak musical presentation. Before Hans Zimmer was (over)using female vocals to evoke a sense of mystery and time forgotten landscapes, Vangelis brings Ridley Scott’s vision to life with haunting female solos (“Tales of the Future“) and low frequency hums. He does not forget to include a bit of optimism in his melodies though (“Main Titles“, and the now classic “Tears in the Rain”); “Rachel’s Song” is flirts with tragic undertones while “Blade Runner Blues” is an ideal listening experience with a glass of whiskey in rainy and neon soaked night.

An epic score to end all epic scores, Basil Poledouris’ take on Robert E. Howard famous character remains easily his best. With a grand orchestra and a massive choir at his disposal, he brushes the world of Conan with distinct themes ranging from hair raising heroic gravitas (“Battle of the Mounds Pt.1 “) to exquisite dramatic depth (“Recovery“). Simply a masterpiece and a prelude if you will, for Howard Shore’s approach almost twenty years later to the small trilogy of “Lord of the Rings” (2001-2003), it is thematically rich and musically varied back when traditional scores had no ambition or scale.

James Horner’s score did not try to imitate Jerry Goldsmith’s work in the first film. Horner instead opted out to represent musically key story elements (e.g., military, guns, a mother-daughter dynamic). Adding drums and heavy percussion gives the score proper musical momentum during its several action heavy cues (“Ripley’s rescue“, “Bishop’s Countdown”) which are instant classics whereas moments of genuine suspense (“FaceHuggers“) push the musical landscape to its limits with excessive string power and interesting sounds. Yet it is the tracks that ooze with menacing atmosphere (“Atmosphere Station”, “Sub-level 3“) that stick in your head the most with their minimalistic but utterly memorable cello orchestration. A masterclass in action horror.

Another best selling album, rightfully so when Michael Mann used the combined talents of Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman to produce one of the most dramatic and memorable scores of all time. Split into two parts musically, Jones get the heavy duty here. While the main theme is outstanding, it is the lengthy “Promentory” track that will haunt you with its beautiful orchestration that really sells the on-screen tragedies (which are many), rescue attempts and mini character arcs with an underlying sadness.

Vangelis’ second collaboration with Ridley Scott after “Blade Runner” (1982) produced one of the best selling soundtracks of all time. The combination of the world renowned Greek composer’s electronic sounds with an pseudo Latin choir for the discovery of South America gives the film an anachronistic sound that to this day sounds distinctly novel. “Conquest of Paradise”, a landmark in music composition stays with you after the credits roll while tracks like “Monastery of La Rabida” and “City of Isabel” really transport you back in that era of discovery (and colonization). The hauntingly atmosphere “Moxica and the Horse” is exceptional example of Vangelis’ ability to conjure unique musical landscapes.

An oddball choice, Kiwi Graeme Revell’s score for Brandon Lee’s final film feels wildly appropriate for a rain soaked and populated with rock inspired scumbags Detroit. Using a combination of ambient electronic sounds with ethic and exotic elements (e.g., Duduk, female vocals, flutes) and some occasionally heavy guitar riffs before these were a mainstream thing in any film that tried to be cool, give “The Crow“ a tragic and occasionally otherworldly approach that at that point, had not been heard before. “Inferno” capitalizes on that sentiment featuring heavy ethnic percussion and blazing guitar work but the quieter moments (“Pain and Retribution“) that describe the tragedy of Eric Draven and his girlfriend stick to you forever.

An unappreciated score for sure, it has George S. Clinton crafting something truly memorable. and bold for the 90s standards Described as a techno driven score with a few guitar riffs thrown in for good measure (by Buckethead!), Clinton emphases brilliantly otherworldly atmosphere (“Staircase“, “The Garden“) using traditional Japanese instruments (e.g., Taiko drums, shakuhachi flute) and throat monks (yes really) in almost every track, an exceptional effort for something based on a videogame. Despite the lack of thematical representation in the album (besides Shang Tsung’s soul sucking power), every track has a distinct identity (“Evening Bells”, “Liu vs Kitana“). The longest cue “Flawless Victory” is a masterpiece in Taiko orchestration that culminates into a fantastic crescendo of percussion in its last 30 seconds.

The swashbuckling score to end all swashbuckling scores, John Debney’s big blockbuster break was unfortunate enough to be part of the box office disaster that Renny Harlin’s “Cutthroat Island” (1995) was. Echoing sentiments of old school Hollywood but filled with bombastic choir arrangements especially in cues like the unforgettable “Main Title: Morgan’s Ride” and “The Battle”, Debney’s work makes use of beautiful orchestrations even in the subtlest of moments (“The Language of Romance“). Tracks such as “Dawg’s Demise” and “The Carriage Chase” are absolutely thrilling replaying the main theme in the drum-erous backdrop that requires a massive sound system to do justice to the swelling sounds of the London Symphony Orchestra. It is loud, epic and a fantastic listening exercise by itself. A masterpiece.

The film debut of Marco Beltrami is perhaps one of his three best career outputs so far. Employing a small orchestra and minimal distractions (like a female vocal solo for Sidney’s theme), Beltrami created a musical school of his own for the slasher genre by going back to the basics of 60s sound. “The Cue From Hell” is a masterclass in building tension slowly while aerie ambient sounds provide the necessary atmosphere before the sudden and intense string crescendos and drums enter the foreground. Yet the application of piano to highlight confusion and disorientation between the several killer appearances (“Bathroom“, “They are Crazy“) remains the most memorable element. Beltrami perfectly captures the tragedy behind the typical tropes of a slasher flick with emotional melodies that provide a varied and well balanced musical landscape (“Sid’s House“).

The wackiest of the score entries here, Eric Serra brings the same amount of craziness, energy, witt and humor that Luc Besson’s film has in spades. Serra utilizes whatever he can get his hands on: duduk (“Timecrash”, “Badaboom“), novel electronic sounds and beats (“Mondoshawan“, “Plavalaguna”, “Korben Dallas), Reggae styles (“Heat“), saxophone (“Mina Hinoo“), Arabic rhythms (“Akta“), piano solos (“Koolen“), and typical string orchestrations (“Leeloominai“) that seek to grab dramatic heft. Every track is instantly recognizable and with a sense of quirkiness too although for those who prefer a cohesive sound, they might be too overwhelming (“Ruby Rap“). But perhaps the number one reason that “The Fifth Element” is and will still be remembered by is the outstanding “The Diva Dance” with its high pitched operatic vocals that accompany a standout movie moment of the 90s.

Perhaps the most traditional score of the bunch and directly inspired by the sheets of classical composition, Masamichi Amano’s work on “Battle Royale” is phenomenal. Without relying on an edgy or novel for that matter approach besides using a large orchestra and a big choir, Amano composes and conducts his score like he is performing live employing variations of classic pieces (“Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem”, “Franz Schubert’s Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen D. 774“) that complement the bloody (and frequently tragic) proceedings in an effective way. You would never listen to Bach’s “Air“ the same way again for sure. As for the original material, “Battle Royale” does not disappoint. Amano’s approach is a wonderful blend of action, horror and drama. “Teacher and Students/Final Battle” in typical Japanese fashion make all the witnessed carnage pointless in its poignancy.

John Debney’s other masterful and Oscar nominated work (besides “Cutthroat Island” (1995)) is a fantastic and tragic musical trip during the last 24 hours of Jesus. Debney avoids using cliché uplifting religious music and dress the sometimes tough to watch final moments of Jesus with a remarkable restraint that invokes a great case of sadness (“Mary Goes to Jesus” - the centerpiece of the score) due to some exceptional female vocals. By the time you hear the final “Resurrection” track, you will have been embarked on a trip back in time while simultaneously understand the inner conflict and tremendous amount of pain/agony that an individual bore for the sake of humanity.

Japanese composers are renowned for mixing together different music genres and Nobuo’s work in this direct sequel to the videogame smash hit “Final Fantasy VII” (1997) sees the successful marriage of thrash metal and traditional orchestrations. A spectacular display of musical prowess, it is driven by exceptional guitar work and electronic beats (“The Chase of Highway“) and haunting moments of grief (“The Promised Land“) backed by crisp sound mixing. Yet the superb piano melodies that highlight several themes of melancholia (“Sign“), optimism (“Tifa’s Theme”), redemption (“Aerith’s Theme“) and even action (“Those Who Fight“) much to the pleasure of classical composers from Vienna are the ones that really stick the landing. By the time “Advent: One Winged Angel” drops, you realize that this track single-handedly bears the film’s musical identify with a thunderous choir, crazy guitar solos, intense drum work and an army of strings and cellos to a pulse pounding effect which Hollywood can only dream of.

The “Star Wars” score to end all “Star Wars” scores boasts several themes that range from epic heroic acts to Greek like tragedy. By far the most personal work of Williams in the “Star Wars” saga, “Battle of the Heroes” captures perfectly the emotional tension between Obi-Wan’s and Anakin’s duel on Mustafar while tracks such as “Padme’s Ruminations” and “Palpatine’s Teachings” bring a more intimate touch in the Skywalker journey with throat singing and female whisper like vocals. Bringing together other themes across now six films was a daunting job and John Williams really walks the extra mile and as usual delivers a standout score.

Daft Punk’s work on “Tron Legacy” really came out of nowhere. Showing an exquisite gusto in arranging strings and crafting memorable themes for the return in the world of Tron, their music here is one for the ages. Every single track is musically distinct and in one of the rarest occasions in soundtrack history, there is a complete absence of filler music. The score ranges from sweeping epic tracks (“Recognizer“, “Fall“) that would make Hans Zimmer blush with their intensity to electronic infused beats (“End of Line“, “Derezzed“) with a dash of faded 80’s sound, a choice that later on was copied to a much less effective degree by an army of imitators. And all of this with amazing production value. A modern achievement.

A film that travels across several continents and even more countries, requires respectively a rich and culturally diverse score. Michael Stearns, Lisa Gerrard and Marcello de Francisci seem to be up for this task employing top notch production values and maximizing Gerrard’s vocal talents to deliver pieces that bear a tremendous sense of sadness (“Geisha”, “Jerusalem“). Yet, there are uplifting moments (“Modern Life“) full of fascinating notes and sounds. Better to be described as a vast musical canvas as opposed to a thematically consistent album, the score can be served as an introduction guide a variety of styles and a perfect example of ambient music that explores the nature of humanity.