Top 10 James Horner Scores

he was a musical treasure of modern

he was a musical treasure of modern cinema welcome to watchmojo.com and

cinema welcome to watchmojo.com and

cinema welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for

today we’re counting down our picks for

today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 James Horner scores

for this list we’re focusing on the most

for this list we’re focusing on the most brilliant scores of feature films

brilliant scores of feature films

brilliant scores of feature films composed by this composer and conductor

based on the Union Army’s first

based on the Union Army’s first african-american unit of the Civil War

african-american unit of the Civil War

african-american unit of the Civil War this film was lent a heavy dose of

this film was lent a heavy dose of

this film was lent a heavy dose of emotion thanks to the poignant score of

emotion thanks to the poignant score of

emotion thanks to the poignant score of a young Los Angeles composer whether it

a young Los Angeles composer whether it

a young Los Angeles composer whether it was the Battle marches of the soldiers

was the Battle marches of the soldiers

was the Battle marches of the soldiers or the personal dynamics between Colonel

or the personal dynamics between Colonel

or the personal dynamics between Colonel Robert Gould Shaw

Robert Gould Shaw

Robert Gould Shaw and his troops Horner offered just the

and his troops Horner offered just the

and his troops Horner offered just the right amount of drama without

right amount of drama without

right amount of drama without overreaching

it’s no easy task to compose music for a

it’s no easy task to compose music for a war film especially one of this nature

war film especially one of this nature

war film especially one of this nature and the Foreign Press acknowledged

and the Foreign Press acknowledged

and the Foreign Press acknowledged Horner’s polished work with a Golden

Horner’s polished work with a Golden

Horner’s polished work with a Golden Globe nomination

not even 32 years old at the time of the

not even 32 years old at the time of the release of this sci-fi fantasy flick

release of this sci-fi fantasy flick

release of this sci-fi fantasy flick James Horner teamed up with an even

James Horner teamed up with an even

James Horner teamed up with an even younger cinematic prodigy by the name of

younger cinematic prodigy by the name of

younger cinematic prodigy by the name of Ron Howard to make cocoon

together the two future legends brought

together the two future legends brought a childlike wonder two elderly

a childlike wonder two elderly

a childlike wonder two elderly characters that found themselves

characters that found themselves

characters that found themselves reinvigorated by the extra-terrestrial

reinvigorated by the extra-terrestrial

reinvigorated by the extra-terrestrial on e5 this magical score reminded us

on e5 this magical score reminded us

on e5 this magical score reminded us that life is what you make of it and

that life is what you make of it and

that life is what you make of it and even if you’re kicking back in

even if you’re kicking back in

even if you’re kicking back in retirement there’s always a new

retirement there’s always a new

retirement there’s always a new adventure awaiting

kou-kun also marked the first of many

kou-kun also marked the first of many collaborations between Horner and Howard

the mind truly is a beautiful thing and

the mind truly is a beautiful thing and james horner channeled the cerebral

james horner channeled the cerebral

james horner channeled the cerebral kaleidoscope of John Nash to produce his

kaleidoscope of John Nash to produce his

kaleidoscope of John Nash to produce his Academy award-nominated score

corner symbolically connected the dots

corner symbolically connected the dots of a life in turmoil thus establishing a

of a life in turmoil thus establishing a

of a life in turmoil thus establishing a powerful musical backdrop for the

powerful musical backdrop for the

powerful musical backdrop for the heartbreaking story of a legendary

heartbreaking story of a legendary

heartbreaking story of a legendary mathematician

nearly 15 years after the release of A

nearly 15 years after the release of A Beautiful Mind

Beautiful Mind

Beautiful Mind both Nash and Horner would pass away

both Nash and Horner would pass away

both Nash and Horner would pass away within 5 weeks of each other but their

within 5 weeks of each other but their

within 5 weeks of each other but their paths will always be connected through

paths will always be connected through

paths will always be connected through this poetic composition

though this superhero film is proof that

though this superhero film is proof that Disney does occasionally stumble at the

Disney does occasionally stumble at the

Disney does occasionally stumble at the box office it nonetheless managed to

box office it nonetheless managed to

box office it nonetheless managed to stand the test of time thanks to the

stand the test of time thanks to the

stand the test of time thanks to the playful soundtrack of James Horner

partly truth and mostly fiction The

partly truth and mostly fiction The Rocketeer was set in 1938 Los Angeles as

Rocketeer was set in 1938 Los Angeles as

Rocketeer was set in 1938 Los Angeles as an airborne man earns the attention of

an airborne man earns the attention of

an airborne man earns the attention of both Howard Hughes and the Nazis

as the most successful non-disney film

as the most successful non-disney film of its time this animated Steven

of its time this animated Steven

of its time this animated Steven Spielberg Don Bluth flick introduced a

Spielberg Don Bluth flick introduced a

Spielberg Don Bluth flick introduced a promising new composer to an

promising new composer to an

promising new composer to an international audience

with a focus on young fievel mousekewitz

with a focus on young fievel mousekewitz and his arduous journey from Russia to

and his arduous journey from Russia to

and his arduous journey from Russia to the United States James Horner joined

the United States James Horner joined

the United States James Horner joined forces with the London Symphony

forces with the London Symphony

forces with the London Symphony Orchestra for a score that ultimately

Orchestra for a score that ultimately

Orchestra for a score that ultimately triumphed above all

in fact a song composed specifically for

in fact a song composed specifically for Linda Ronstadt somewhere out there later

Linda Ronstadt somewhere out there later

Linda Ronstadt somewhere out there later won the Grammy Award for song of the

won the Grammy Award for song of the

won the Grammy Award for song of the year number five avatar

when James Cameron began working on his

when James Cameron began working on his long-awaited sci-fi epic it was only

long-awaited sci-fi epic it was only

long-awaited sci-fi epic it was only natural that he reached out to an old

natural that he reached out to an old

natural that he reached out to an old friend

in fact James Horner proclaimed avatar

in fact James Horner proclaimed avatar to be the most difficult project of his

to be the most difficult project of his

to be the most difficult project of his career and he actually worked with an

career and he actually worked with an

career and he actually worked with an ethnomusicologist to establish a musical

ethnomusicologist to establish a musical

ethnomusicologist to establish a musical history for a fictional alien race

former X Factor contestant Leona Lewis

former X Factor contestant Leona Lewis was tapped to perform the theme song

was tapped to perform the theme song

was tapped to perform the theme song which later earned a Golden Globe

which later earned a Golden Globe

which later earned a Golden Globe nomination

while avatar went on to earn a few

while avatar went on to earn a few billion dollars

nearly 25 years before the cultural

nearly 25 years before the cultural phenomenon that was avatar Cameron and

phenomenon that was avatar Cameron and

phenomenon that was avatar Cameron and Horner worked together on a chaotic

Horner worked together on a chaotic

Horner worked together on a chaotic collaboration for a classic sci-fi

collaboration for a classic sci-fi

collaboration for a classic sci-fi sequel no one expected they’ve ever

sequel no one expected they’ve ever

sequel no one expected they’ve ever worked together again

without an approved final cut just a

without an approved final cut just a mere six weeks before release Horner was

mere six weeks before release Horner was

mere six weeks before release Horner was concerned about meeting his deadline

but like the true musical magician that

but like the true musical magician that he was he locked himself down at Abbey

he was he locked himself down at Abbey

he was he locked himself down at Abbey Road Studios and finished the score in

Road Studios and finished the score in

Road Studios and finished the score in only four days

while Horner wasn’t entirely satisfied

while Horner wasn’t entirely satisfied with the hectic finish he still managed

with the hectic finish he still managed

with the hectic finish he still managed to earn his first Academy Award

to earn his first Academy Award

to earn his first Academy Award nomination for his work

number three Star Trek to the Wrath of

number three Star Trek to the Wrath of Khan

as the first prominent theatrical work

as the first prominent theatrical work of his career

of his career

of his career this film propelled a 28 year-old James

this film propelled a 28 year-old James

this film propelled a 28 year-old James Horner into the realm of big-budget

Horner into the realm of big-budget

Horner into the realm of big-budget Hollywood productions

already known for his versatility and

already known for his versatility and ability to think outside the box

ability to think outside the box

ability to think outside the box Horner provided each main character with

Horner provided each main character with

Horner provided each main character with a subtle motif thus providing depth to

a subtle motif thus providing depth to

a subtle motif thus providing depth to both Spock and captain james t kirk

both Spock and captain james t kirk

both Spock and captain james t kirk along with their superhuman nemesis its

along with their superhuman nemesis its

along with their superhuman nemesis its shatner screen that’s most remembered

shatner screen that’s most remembered

shatner screen that’s most remembered however it was Horner’s inventive

however it was Horner’s inventive

however it was Horner’s inventive musical bed that set the tone complete

musical bed that set the tone complete

musical bed that set the tone complete with a 91 piece Orchestra every one

political freedom and musical ecstasy

political freedom and musical ecstasy these two forces met in Mel Gibson’s

these two forces met in Mel Gibson’s

these two forces met in Mel Gibson’s acclaimed historical drama as William

acclaimed historical drama as William

acclaimed historical drama as William Wallace fought for Scotland’s

Wallace fought for Scotland’s

Wallace fought for Scotland’s independence let me take our wife

independence let me take our wife

independence let me take our wife but they’ll never take radon

yet another score performed by the

yet another score performed by the London Symphony Orchestra Horner’s

London Symphony Orchestra Horner’s

London Symphony Orchestra Horner’s creative chemistry with Gibson shines

creative chemistry with Gibson shines

creative chemistry with Gibson shines through the extravagant notes and given

through the extravagant notes and given

through the extravagant notes and given the monumental nature of the film the

the monumental nature of the film the

the monumental nature of the film the composer produced a heroic soundtrack

composer produced a heroic soundtrack

composer produced a heroic soundtrack for one of the decades most respected

for one of the decades most respected

for one of the decades most respected films

once again a collection of nominations

once again a collection of nominations was bestowed upon Horner although

was bestowed upon Horner although

was bestowed upon Horner although Braveheart was just another example of a

Braveheart was just another example of a

Braveheart was just another example of a man doing what he loved most

before we unveil our number one pick

before we unveil our number one pick here are some honorable mentions

believe it or not the iconic theme song

believe it or not the iconic theme song for James Cameron’s 1997 film was never

for James Cameron’s 1997 film was never

for James Cameron’s 1997 film was never supposed to be after being instructed

supposed to be after being instructed

supposed to be after being instructed that vocals should not be included on

that vocals should not be included on

that vocals should not be included on the soundtrack James Horner secretly

the soundtrack James Horner secretly

the soundtrack James Horner secretly wrote my heart will go on with Will

wrote my heart will go on with Will

wrote my heart will go on with Will Jennings and approached his friend

Jennings and approached his friend

Jennings and approached his friend silenzio

silenzio

silenzio about lending her voice

when the timing was right the track was

when the timing was right the track was unveiled to the stern director and the

unveiled to the stern director and the

unveiled to the stern director and the rest is history

then again it was the chilling vocals of

then again it was the chilling vocals of sizzle that accompanied the composer’s

sizzle that accompanied the composer’s

sizzle that accompanied the composer’s elegant musical framework for the

elegant musical framework for the

elegant musical framework for the majority of the film

Titanic further established James

Titanic further established James Horner’s reputation as one of

Horner’s reputation as one of

Horner’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s most brilliant composers and

Hollywood’s most brilliant composers and

Hollywood’s most brilliant composers and his legacy will continue to reach beyond

Top 10 James Horner Scores

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply