It’s been a little while since my last Best post, but I figured now is the time to start bringing out the big guns. By that, I mean I’m going to discuss film composers that have changed the face of film music and have left an indelible mark on the film industry. The first of this group will be the late James Horner, who tragically passed away last year. Born in Los Angeles, California in 1953, music has been in this man’s blood his entire life starting with the piano at the age of 5. After training in London and eventually completing his Ph.D in Music Composition and Theory, James Horner would go on to become one of the most prolific and influential film composers in the world. He has worked with some of the greatest directors in film history, including James Cameron and Ron Howard. Some of the works I will be listing here are some his most well-known and amazing pieces that have become incredibly popular.
The Rocketeer
Very few composers can properly convey emotion the way James Horner could. The Rocketeer was not only a great movie with incredible action and effects, but it also had a rousing musical score that could send your spirit soaring through the sky like the film’s namesake. It was a very emotional, exciting and powerful soundtrack that wound up being used for film trailers. This wouldn’t be his first score to do that, but it is quite possibly one of the most unique. The music did an incredible job at capturing that epic sense of adventure. From the opening sequence to the end credits, The Rocketeer had your attention for every second of the film, and James Horner was an extremely important part of that equation. This was one of the films that I grew up loving and would love to see on Blu-Ray.
Willow
Speaking of adventure: Another of my favorite childhood movies was the incredible Willow. This movie had everything: Action, suspense, thrills, comedy and romance all rolled into one. It worked because of Ron Howard’s incredible directing abilities. Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis steal the show whenever they are on the screen together, and so do the Brownies. The real standout of the film is the score from James Horner. He not only manages to capture the comedy perfectly towards the beginning of the film, he gives the character of Willow an emotionally powerful theme. The villains have a really dark and militaristic tone, while Madmartigan gets a heroic theme that is incredibly fun. Great film directors often have great film composers, and the team-up of Howard and Horner has resulted in a movie that is filled to the brim with adventure and excitement. If there’s a movie where the good guys deserve to win, it’s Willow.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
While James Horner had done work on movies before 1982, it was The Wrath of Khan that really gave the man his big break. While the music was definitely a departure from Jerry Goldsmith’s extremely memorable soundtrack to the original film, it was just as memorable with new themes. Horner also scored the film’s sequel, The Search For Spock and managed to give Spock his own theme. Both soundtracks are extremely well-made but it was Khan that had the real emotional impact when Spock died(spoiler alert for the two of you who haven’t seen the movie). Again, there is that incredible sense of adventure and action that really permeates the entire film. These are great soundtracks to great movies.
Aliens
Aliens was the first collaboration between James Cameron and James Horner. The relationship between the two became strained because Cameron didn’t give Horner the time he needed to properly write the music. As a result the two wouldn’t work together again until Titanic. That being said, what Horner accomplished in the time that he was given is nothing short of incredible. Say what you will about the movie(which is freakin’ awesome, by the way), but the music is absolutely beyond reproach. There is a highly militaristic tone to the entire soundtrack which is appropriate considering the film’s story. But there’s also the small string instruments which the mother-daughter bond between Ripley and Newt. It’s an incredibly exciting and emotional score. James Horner was nominated for an Oscar for the film’s music. He was also responsible for the most used and popular track in the film in which played during the escape from LV-426. This particular piece has been used in many action film trailers up to and including From Dusk Till Dawn. It’s phenomenal work.
The Perfect Storm
Based on true events surrounding what has been called “The Perfect Storm” of 1991, the film of the same name by Wolfgang Peterson is one of the most thrilling and spectacular disaster films of the past decade and a half. James Horner has crafted and incredibly detailed, thrilling and emotional roller-coaster of a soundtrack utilizing not only strings, but electronic guitars as well. It not only gives you the really exciting moments during the storm, but it also delivers on the tragic nature of the film, which surrounds the ill-fated crew of the Andrea Gail, which was sunk off the coast of Massachusetts during the storm. The soundtrack to The Perfect Storm is perfect indeed.
I could go on and on about James Horner’s accomplishments during his life, but his body of work speaks for itself. The man has 157 credits to his name as a composer. That is no small feat for any composer, and yet, Horner has some of the most memorable pieces of music that I have ever heard in my life. They can tell a story all by themselves. Again, it is tragic that we lost the man at age 61. I feel he had a lot more to contribute to film-making and to music. His approach to his craft was unlike anything that anybody has ever done. I am truly grateful that we have had the opportunity to listen to what he had to offer, and he offered so much.