Forum > Non-Gaming Discussion > Greatest Movie Theme Song tournament - Nominations
Greatest Movie Theme Song tournament - Nominations
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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:10:56
+1

I love movie scores and especially theme songs. Sometimes in the shower instead of singing a song or something I just hum movie themes. I have always wondered what would be conisdered the greatest movie theme song of all time. So lets try to see what we think of that in an NCAA style tournament bracket. Right now lets just nominate theme songs that should be in the tourney, also this is a test to see if anyone gives a shit cause if not this can just die right here. After the nominations are done I will do the bracket and we vote round by round till we have our champion. For now just list the song, no need for a video link or anything, I will do that for the tourney.

So what is considered a movie theme, well for the purpose of this tournament lets make it the most recognizable piece of movie from a certain movie or franchise. To me what makes a great theme and what I will be judging by is how recognizable it is to that movie, is that the first thing you think of when you think of the movie, and the second thing I judge is how great the theme is. I was thinking of making it a one song per franchise limit but then the Imperial March cant be included and to me that can't be, so one song per movie it is. I want this to be scores for the most part, I dont want to do a tournament of best songs attached to a movie, but in some cases there have to be exceptions. For instance Ghostbusters the song is the theme of Ghostbusters so that is allowed but something like I Will Always Love You is more a song attached to the movie. Now if the instrumental part of a hit song is the theme throughout the movie than that instrumental version is allowed, example the music in My Heart Will Go On is the theme of Titanic so the instrumental track is allowed. For the most part we will just wing but you got an overview of what I am looking for.

Well here are my nominations, lots of John Williams. I will leave it to you guys to get the more obscure non mega blockbuster themes. No need to put the actual name of the track:

  • Star Wars Main Theme
  • Indiana Jones theme
  • ESB: Imperial March
  • Jaws theme
  • ET theme
  • Jurassic Park theme - there is a debate here, this movie has two themes, I prefer the adventure one so that is what I nominate unless you guys object.
  • Back to the Future theme
  • Terminator theme
  • Braveheart theme
  • Ghostbusters song
  • Gladiator "The Battle" theme
  • Tim Burton Batman theme
  • Nolan Batman theme
  • Pirates of the Caribbean theme
  • Superman theme
  • LOTR Fellowship: The Bridge of Khazad Dum (The fellowships theme)
  • LOTR Two Towers: Rohan theme
  • LOTR RoTK: Gondor theme
  • Robocop theme
  • Conan theme
  • Beverly Hills Cop theme
  • Mortal Kombat song
  • Gone with the Wind theme song
  • Bridge of the RIver Kwai whistle song
  • Casablanca theme
  • Exorcist theme
  • Halloween theme
  • Nightmare on Elm Street Theme
  • Psycho theme
  • Bettlejuice theme
  • Titanic theme instrumental
  • Aliens: Bishop's Countdown
  • Predator theme
  • James Bond theme
  • Independance Day theme
  • Inception theme
  • Godfather theme
  • 2001 Space Odyssey theme
  • The Naked Gun theme

Thats good for now, add your own guys

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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:21:36
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Good choices.  Let me add the Chariots of Fire theme.
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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:34:12
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Spirited Away - One Summer's Day
The Great Escape theme
The Good the Bad and the Ugly theme

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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:04:20
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Out of epic mainstream film scorers, I often like Hans Zimmer's music for films personally:

Black Hawk Down

Thelma and Louise

Thin Red Line

Inception

Tears of the Sun

Last Samurai ...

and loads of others

Slightly more understated film music I enjoyed was by Michael Nyman:

The Piano

Gattaca

Drowning by Numbers

Nurenberg

Man on Wire

The Cook the Thief His Wife and her Lover

and others

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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:30:51
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Sweet nice ones guys.

Some really easy ones I forgot:

Rocky theme
Close Encounters theme
Star Trek motion picture theme
Escape from New York theme
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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:40:38
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And after all those we don't have the movie theme with the best-selling soundtrack of all-time.

The Bodyguard - I Will Always Love You

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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:41:23
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MOAR

The Natural theme
Toy Story - You've Got a Friend in Me
Homeward Bound the Incredible Journey Theme
Cape Fear Theme
Edited: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:45:41

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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:46:09
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Also love the Amelie soundtrack.  Yann Tiersen's music makes me feel like a child



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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:49:33
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And if you're not too sick of it from being used in every advert and TV spot.  Clint Mansell's Lux Aeterna from Requiem for a Dream is pretty emotionally powerful too.



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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:52:37
Yodariquo said:
And after all those we don't have the movie theme with the best-selling soundtrack of all-time.


The Bodyguard - I Will Always Love You

I thought you were going to say that Titanic one Grinning .  Had forgotten about Bodyguard

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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:43:14
I have never seem the movie, is that song used as a theme or a song attached the credits. For instance ghostbusters is the theme, same as you got a friend in me. I Will Always Love You I think is more like a song attached to a movie and that is a whole different category. For instance Danger Zone is just a song in Top Gun while the theme of Top Gun is the famous instrumental song.

Speaking of which Top Gun theme is added. Oh and Gremlins, can't believe I almost forgot that.

Yoda amazing pick with Homeward Bound, I think that can go far in the tournament.
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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:46:07
bugsonglass said:

And if you're not too sick of it from being used in every advert and TV spot.  Clint Mansell's Lux Aeterna from Requiem for a Dream is pretty emotionally powerful too.





YES! There are a ton of themes that become more famous as songs used in trailers and commercials, this I feel is one of them. First time I heard it was with the Two Towers trailer and I remember thinking this is the greatest trailer music ever.
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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:13:13

My brain doesn't work in a way to easily remember music on demand. But great lists gents.

I'd have to go with the Rocky Theme.

One memorable gaming theme that I find myself humming all the time, is the theme from Mercenaries:


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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:23:59

And the Crimson Skies Theme was great too.

Maybe someone who knows something about music can draw the correlation between the two themes for me, like what makes them similar in terms on influence etc...

Also, how could Kevin Kline and Teri Hatcher not sue for their likeness being used?





I guess there is a clear connection to Indiana Jones, particularly Meryl's Theme (I think it was called).

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Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:31:31

Seriously:

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Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:32:35

I couldn't listen to most of this without the context of the film. Film music very rarely stands on its own for obvious and deliberate reasons.

Edited: Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:32:52

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Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:34:54
Foolz said:

I couldn't listen to most of this without the context of the film. Film music very rarely stands on its own for obvious and deliberate reasons.

But themes do. Tell me you dont feel anything when you hear the Star Wars theme, the Indiana Jones theme, Jaws theme. These songs become instant links to the movie, just a few notes from them bring all the memories and emotions of that movie.

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Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:41:30
Dvader said:
I have never seem the movie, is that song used as a theme or a song attached the credits.

It's played through the final scene over a few minutes and ends in the credits.  There is a separate instrumental theme you could call the main theme, though.

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Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:42:37
Yodariquo said:

It's played through the final scene over a few minutes and ends in the credits.  There is a separate instrumental theme you could call the main theme, though.

Ok perfect.

We have about 60 already, I dont want any more than 64 so lets get that last few that needs to be in this tournament.

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Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:43:32
Despite the numerous songs in the movie, I think this qualifies as the theme

The Lion King - This Land

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