A lot of things truly make a movie; the techniques used by the director, the choice of cast members and setting. But one thing that really brings movies to life is the music. Some of the most famous movies in the world are recognised by their breathtaking score.
A movie without music lacks life and lustre, but films with beautifully composed music exist as the most memorable, and their composers are recognised through their individual instrumental techniques. Here is a list of the most influential composers in the movie world and their unmistakable sounds that have brought the genre of classical music to the forefront of popular culture.
John Williams
Possibly one of the most well known movie composers, John Williams has scored many films directed by Steven Spielberg including harrowing Holocaust film Schindler’s List and adventure classics Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park.
The techniques that Williams uses in his music are distinctly recognisable, transferring certain sections from other pieces of music whilst still managing to create a completely different sound.
The composer has been nominated for 50 Academy Awards and is the second most nominated person after Walt Disney! He also has a nomination for this year’s awards for his composition in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Danny Elfman
Known for composing more macabre movies, Danny Elfman regularly teams up with Tim Burton in his films. Classics include soundtracks from movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice, but he has also composed themes for many TV shows including the unmistakable opening credits to The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives.
Elfman entered the movie industry as an actor, but now exists as one of the best movie music composers in the world.
James Horner
Even though he sadly passed away in 2015 at the age of 61, James Horner’s music still lives on in some of the most iconic movies of our time. Compositions include the soundtrack for Titanic, which bagged two Oscars for Best Score and Best Song as Celine Dion released the hit My Heart Will Go On which used Horner’s instrumental.
Other songs that Horner composed were for films Avatar, Troy, Aliens and Braveheart.
Movies without music take away all the magic, which is why composers are often just an important as directors to really bring the story to life! However, some movies, such as the ones you’ve made at home, speak for themselves. At Video2DVD, we specialise in transferring old formats of your home videos, including VHS, Betamax and mini DV to DVD for perfect preservation and easy watching. For enquiries into our services, contact us at 0800 592 433 to see what we can do for you.