Star Wars
Indiana Jones
Back to the Future
Superman
Robocop
Speaking less to the entire score, but man, Elfman's Spider-Man theme just nails every emotional beat from Peter Parker's story so succinctly.
Haven't seen THE WINTER SOLDIER, but I'm not impressed by any of the musical bombast in the comic book movies. I've just come to accept it as part of the form and I try to relax and enjoy it.
I remember that when STAR WARS came out in 1977, there was a general feeling that the over-hyped music was tacky. But then that went with the whole kitschy style of STAR WARS.
The funny thing is people used to complain that there was something fake about musicals, where the characters would sing their feelings. Yet the music track is trying to do the same thing in a lot of non-musical movies. It's not realistic for the music to be there. Mel Brooks made a joke out of this in HIGH ANXIETY.
But there are movies where the music is part of the story. I think in DAZED AND CONFUSED, most of the music is heard by the characters in the scene, even though it also may indicate an underlying emotion.
While the theme for Star Trek TMP is good, I find that its use in the actual movie is obnoxious. The theme blasts seemingly every time Kirk casually walks or uses the bathroom. That's on the director, not the composer. I much prefer the James Horner score of Star Trek 2 The Wrath of Khan.
https://youtu.be/TDW5-VczFHo?list=PL...R90d5NhE8cGpqv
https://youtu.be/T0V1742vwdg?list=PL...R90d5NhE8cGpqv
https://youtu.be/eoit0OdKt-I?list=PL...R90d5NhE8cGpqv
https://youtu.be/B3WG1zGAjao?list=PL...R90d5NhE8cGpqv
https://youtu.be/isNrhIEtwG0?list=PL...R90d5NhE8cGpqv
I'm totally the opposite. The fact that the themes for Back to the Future, Rocky, Batman and nearly anything with a John Williams score are so catchy and memorable is a huge part of what makes them endure in my mind. I hear the Superman theme, I can all but see a figure of blue, red and yellow streaking by me; I hear music from the Dark Knight, I look around for the massive ship docking.
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I remember that some people thought it was tacky relative to the what was usual for movies up to that point. But that could just be what I remember. I mean, STAR WARS came out after all these movies like THE GODFATHER, TAXI DRIVER, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. The first time I saw STAR WARS, with my buddies in the navy, we had to choose between it and ANNIE HALL. So I think it rubbed some people the wrong way. Sorry.