Which one of these movie/tv theme composers...

morkinva

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 1999
3,656
0
71
is the best? I know, I know, there are lots more (alan silvestri, danny elfman, hans zimmer, lalo schifrin, yadda yadda) -- but in my book these are the top 3, and some of their fine work. Judge by the ones you've heard:

john williams
Minority Report (2002)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
74th Annual Academy Awards, The (2002) (TV)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Jurassic Park III (2001) (themes)
Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)
Patriot, The (2000)
Unfinished Journey, The (1999)
Angela's Ashes (1999)
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Amistad (1997)
Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
Lost World: Jurassic Park, The (1997)
Rosewood (1997)
Sleepers (1996)
Long Kiss Goodnight, The (1996) (theme from "The Long Goodbye")
Nixon (1995)
Sabrina (1995)
Schindler's List (1993)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Far and Away (1992)
JFK (1991)
Hook (1991)
Home Alone (1990)
Presumed Innocent (1990)
Stanley & Iris (1990)
Always (1989)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Accidental Tourist, The (1988)
Empire of the Sun (1987) (BFA)
Back to the Beach (1987) (from "Superman (1978)")
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) (themes)
Jaws: The Revenge (1987) (from "Jaws (1975)")
Witches of Eastwick, The (1987)
SpaceCamp (1986)
Empire Strikes Back,(1980)")
Goonies, The (1985) (from "Superman (1978)")
River, The (1984)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Star Wars: The Arcade Game (1983) (VG) (from "Star Wars (1977)")
Superman III (1983) (from "Superman (1978)")
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Aliens From Another Planet (1982) (TV) (theme) (as Johnny Williams)
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1982) (VG) (from "Star Wars: Episode V (1980)")
Monsignor (1982)
Yes, Giorgio (1982)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) (BFA)
Heartbeeps (1981)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Superman II (1980) (from "Superman (1978)")
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1941 (1979)
Dracula (1979)
Superman (1978)
Jaws 2 (1978)
End, The (1978) (from "Eiger Sanction, The (1975)")
Fury, The (1978)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Star Wars (1977)
Black Sunday (1977)
Midway (1976)
Missouri Breaks, The (1976)
Family Plot (1976)
Eiger Sanction, The (1975)
Jaws (1975)
Towering Inferno, The (1974)
Earthquake (1974)
Conrack (1974)
Sugarland Express, The (1974)
"Cowboys, The" (1974) TV Series
Cinderella Liberty (1973)
Paper Chase, The (1973)
Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, The (1973)
Long Goodbye, The (1973)
Images (1972/I)
Pete 'n' Tillie (1972) (as John T. Williams)
Poseidon Adventure, The (1972)
Screaming Woman, The (1972) (TV)
Cowboys, The (1972)
"NBC Nightly News" (1970) TV Series
Jane Eyre (1970)
Storia di una donna (1970)
Reivers, The (1969)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969)
Heidi (1968) (TV)
"Land of the Giants" (1968) TV Series (also theme)
Sergeant Ryker (1968)
Code Name: Heraclitus (1967) (TV) (theme song)
Fitzwilly (1967) (as Johnny Williams) (also song "Make Me Rainbows")
Valley of the Dolls (1967)
Guide for the Married Man, A (1967) (as Johnny Williams)
Not with My Wife, You Don't! (1966) (as Johnny Williams)
Penelope (1966) (as Johnny Williams)
"Time Tunnel, The" (1966) TV Series (also theme) (as Johnny Williams)
"Tammy Grimes Show, The" (1966) TV Series
Plainsman, The (1966) (as Johnny Williams)
How to Steal a Million (1966) (as Johnny Williams)
"Kraft Summer Music Hall, The" (1966) TV Series
Rare Breed, The (1966) (as Johnny Williams)
Katherine Reed Story, The (1965)
"Lost in Space" (1965) TV Series (as Johnny Williams) (also theme)
None But the Brave (1965) (as Johnny Williams)
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home (1965)
Nightmare in Chicago (1964) (TV)
Killers, The (1964) (as Johnny Williams)
"Gilligan's Island" (1964) TV Series
"Kraft Suspense Theatre" (1963) TV Series
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" (1963) TV Series
Gidget Goes to Rome (1963) (as Johnny Williams)
"Big G" (1962) TV Series
Diamond Head (1962)
Flashing Spikes (1962) (TV)
"Wide Country, The" (1962) TV Series
"Virginian, The" (1962) TV Series
Bachelor Flat (1961)
Secret Ways, The (1961) (as Johnny Williams)
Stark Fear (1961)
"Checkmate" (1960) TV Series
Because They're Young (1960)
I Passed for White (1960)
Daddy-O (1959)
My Gun Is Quick (1957) (uncredited)
"M Squad" (1957) TV Series (as Johnny Williams)
"Wagon Train" (1957) TV Series
"Bachelor Father" (1957) TV Series
"Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957) TV Series
"Playhouse 90" (1956) TV Series
"General Electric Theater" (1954) TV Series
"Today" (1952) TV Series (1985-????)


james horner
Soul Calibur (2002)
Four Feathers, The (2002)
Windtalkers (2002)
Iris (2001)
Beautiful Mind, A (2001)
From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking (2001) (V)
Raptor (2001) (V)
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Krull: Marvel Comics Video Adaptation (2000) (V)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Perfect Storm, The (2000)
Freedom Song (2000/I) (TV)
Bringing Down the House (1999) (V)
Bicentennial Man (1999)
Epic Journeys: The Great Migrations (1999)
Mighty Joe Young (1998)
Mask of Zorro, The (1998)
Deep Impact (1998)
Titanic (1997)
Devil's Own, The (1997)
Ransom (1996)
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (1996)
Courage Under Fire (1996)
Spitfire Grill, The (1996)
Balto (1995)
Jumanji (1995)
Jade (1995)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Casper (1995)
Braveheart (1995)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Pagemaster, The (1994)
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Pelican Brief, The (1993)
Bopha! (1993)
Man Without a Face, The (1993)
Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
Hocus Pocus (1993) (song)
House of Cards (1993)
Once Upon a Forest (1993)
Jack the Bear (1993)
Far Off Place, A (1993)
Swing Kids (1993)
Sneakers (1992)
Unlawful Entry (1992)
Patriot Games (1992)
Thunderheart (1992)
"Fish Police" (1992) TV Series
Norman and the Killer (1991)
American Tail: Fievel Goes West, An (1991)
Rocketeer, The (1991)
Class Action (1991)
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991)
Once Around (1991)
Wow! (1990) (V) (from "Willow (1988)")
Extreme Close-Up (1990) (TV)
Another 48 Hrs. (1990)
I Love You to Death (1990)
"Tales from the Crypt" (1989) TV Series (episode "Cutting Cards")
Glory (1989)
Dad (1989)
In Country (1989)
Tummy Trouble (1989)
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Field of Dreams (1989)
Cocoon: The Return (1988)
Land Before Time, The (1988)
Vibes (1988)
Die Hard (1988) (from "Aliens (1986)") (uncredited)
Red Heat (1988)
Willow (1988)
P.K. and the Kid (1987)
*batteries not included (1987)
Project X (1987)
Where the River Runs Black (1986)
American Tail, An (1986)
Name der Rose, Der (1986)
Captain Eo (1986)
Aliens (1986)
Off Beat (1986)
Black Fire (1985)
In Her Own Time (1985)
Let's Go (1985)
Commando (1985)
Journey of Natty Gann, The (1985)
Volunteers (1985)
Cocoon (1985)
Surviving (1985) (TV)
Heaven Help Us (1985)
Stone Boy, The (1984)
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Gorky Park (1983)
Testament (1983)
Uncommon Valor (1983/I)
Dresser, The (1983)
Brainstorm (1983)
Between Friends (1983) (TV)
Krull (1983)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
48 Hrs. (1982)
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Piano for Mrs. Cimino, A (1982) (TV)
Hand, The (1981)
Pursuit of D.B. Cooper, The (1981)
Few Days in Weasel Creek, A (1981) (TV)
Deadly Blessing (1981)
Wolfen (1981)
Angel Dusted (1981) (TV)
Humanoids from the Deep (1980)
Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)
Lady in Red, The (1979)
Up from the Depths (1979)
Watcher, The (1978)

jerry goldsmith
Sum of All Fears, The (2002)
Drawing First Blood (2002) (V)
We Get to Win This Time (2002) (V)
Imagining Total Recall (2001) (V)
Soarin' Over California (2001)
Visions of Mars (2001) (V)
Last Castle, The (2001)
Along Came a Spider (2001)
Hollow Man (2000)
Haunting, The (1999)
13th Warrior, The (1999)
Mummy, The (1999)
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Small Soldiers (1998)
Mulan (1998)
U.S. Marshals (1998)
Deep Rising (1998)
Edge, The (1997)
Air Force One (1997)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Fierce Creatures (1997)
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Ghost and the Darkness, The (1996)
Chain Reaction (1996)
Executive Decision (1996)
City Hall (1996)
Powder (1995)
First Knight (1995)
Congo (1995)
"Star Trek: Voyager" (1995) TV Series (main title theme)
I.Q. (1994)
River Wild, The (1994)
Shadow, The (1994)
Bad Girls (1994)
Angie (1994)
Six Degrees of Separation (1993)
Malice (1993)
Rudy (1993)
Dennis the Menace (1993)
Vanishing, The (1993)
Matinee (1993)
Forever Young (1992)
Love Field (1992)
Mr. Baseball (1992)
Mom and Dad Save the World (1992)
Basic Instinct (1992)
Medicine Man (1992)
Machurrucutu II: Haz lo incorrecto... o Cómo nos la ingeniamos para hacer un documental sobre la Escuela de Teatro (1991) (uncredited)
Brotherhood of the Gun (1991) (TV) (theme)
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
Not Without My Daughter (1991)
Russia House, The (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
"H.E.L.P." (1990) TV Series
Warlock (1989)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Leviathan (1989)
'burbs, The (1989)
Criminal Law (1988)
Rent-a-Cop (1988)
Rambo III (1988)
Lionheart (1987)
"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987) TV Series (from "Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)") (main title theme)
Innerspace (1987)
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1987) (theme) (uncredited)
Police Story: The Freeway Killings (1987) (TV) (theme)
Extreme Prejudice (1987)
Hoosiers (1986)
Aliens (1986) (from "Alien (1979)") (uncredited)
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
Link (1986)
King Solomon's Mines (1985)
Legend (1985) (European version)
Explorers (1985)
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Baby... Secret of the Lost Legend (1985)
Runaway (1984)
Supergirl (1984)
Gremlins (1984)
Lonely Guy, The (1984)
Under Fire (1983)
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Psycho II (1983)
Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E., The (1983) (TV) (theme)
Dusty (1982)
First Blood (1982)
Challenge, The (1982)
Secret of NIMH, The (1982)
Poltergeist (1982)
Night Crossing (1981)
Salamander, The (1981)
Raggedy Man (1981)
Outland (1981)
Inchon (1981)
Final Conflict, The (1981)
Caboblanco (1980)
Players (1979)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Alien (1979)
First Great Train Robbery, The (1979)
Magic (1978)
Boys from Brazil, The (1978)
Capricorn One (1978)
Swarm, The (1978)
Damien: Omen II (1978)
Coma (1978)
Damnation Alley (1977)
MacArthur (1977)
Contract on Cherry Street (1977) (TV)
Islands in the Stream (1977)
High Velocity (1977)
Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977)
Cassandra Crossing, The (1976)
Omen, The (1976)
Logan's Run (1976)
Ransom (1975)
Breakheart Pass (1975)
Reincarnation of Peter Proud, The (1975)
Babe (1975) (TV)
Take a Hard Ride (1975)
"Medical Story" (1975) TV Series
Medical Story (1975) (TV)
"Adams of Eagle Lake" (1975) TV Series
Girl Named Sooner, A (1975) (TV)
Wind and the Lion, The (1975)
Breakout (1975)
"Archer" (1975) TV Series
S*P*Y*S (1974) (US version)
Chinatown (1974)
"QB VII" (1974) (mini) TV Series
Winter Kill (1974) (TV)
Tree Grows in Brooklyn, A (1974) (TV)
Don Is Dead, The (1973)
One Little Indian (1973)
Papillon (1973)
"Hawkins" (1973) TV Series
"Police Story" (1973) TV Series
Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies (1973)
Police Story, The (1973) (TV)
Red Pony, The (1973) (TV)
Hawkins on Murder (1973) (TV)
Shamus (1973)
"Barnaby Jones" (1973) TV Series (theme)
Lights Out (1972) (TV)
Man, The (1972)
Pursuit (1972/I) (TV)
"Adventurer, The" (1972) TV Series
Other, The (1972)
"Anna and the King" (1972) TV Series
"Waltons, The" (1972) TV Series (theme) (some episodes)
Crawlspace (1971) (TV)
Going Up of David Lev, The (1971) (TV)
Mephisto Waltz, The (1971)
Do Not Fold, Spindle, or Mutilate (1971) (TV)
Last Run, The (1971)
Wild Rovers (1971)
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
Step Out of Line, A (1970) (TV)
Traveling Executioner, The (1970)
Rio Lobo (1970)
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)
Brotherhood of the Bell, The (1970) (TV)
Ballad of Cable Hogue, The (1970)
Patton (1970)
Justine (1969/I)
"Room 222" (1969) TV Series
Chairman, The (1969)
100 Rifles (1969)
Illustrated Man, The (1969)
Nick Quarry (1968) (TV)
Sebastian (1968)
Bandolero! (1968)
Detective, The (1968)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Hour of the Gun (1967)
Flim-Flam Man, The (1967)
In Like Flint (1967)
Warning Shot (1967)
"Run Buddy Run" (1966) TV Series
Spy in the Green Hat, The (1966) (theme)
Sand Pebbles, The (1966)
One of Our Spies Is Missing (1966)
Seconds (1966)
"Jericho" (1966) TV Series
"Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The" (1966) TV Series
One Spy Too Many (1966) (from '"Man from U.N.C.L.E., The" (1964)')
Blue Max, The (1966)
Stagecoach (1966)
Trouble with Angels, The (1966)
Our Man Flint (1965)
Prologue: The Artist Who Did Not Want to Paint (1965)
Patch of Blue, A (1965)
Spy with My Face, The (1965) (theme only)
Morituri (1965)
Agony and the Ecstasy, The (1965) (prologue)
"Loner, The" (1965) TV Series (also theme)
"Legend of Jesse James, The" (1965) TV Series
Von Ryan's Express (1965)
Satan Bug, The (1965)
In Harm's Way (1965)
Rio Conchos (1964)
Fate Is the Hunter (1964)
Shock Treatment (1964)
"Man from U.N.C.L.E., The" (1964) TV Series
To Trap a Spy (1964)
"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1964) TV Series (as Michael Hennagin) (two episodes)
Seven Days in May (1964)
Lilies of the Field (1963)
Prize, The (1963)
Take Her, She's Mine (1963)
Stripper, The (1963)
Gathering of Eagles, A (1963)
List of Adrian Messenger, The (1963)
Expendables, The (1962) (TV)
Lonely Are the Brave (1962)
Freud (1962)
Spiral Road, The (1962)
Crimebusters, The (1961)
General with the Cockeyed Id, The (1961)
"Ben Casey" (1961) TV Series
"Dr. Kildare" (1961) TV Series (main theme)
"Cain's Hundred" (1961) TV Series
"Pete and Gladys" (1960) TV Series
Studs Lonigan (1960)
"Thriller" (1960) TV Series
"Full Circle" (1960) TV Series
City of Fear (1959)
"Twilight Zone, The" (1959) TV Series
Face of a Fugitive (1959) (as Jerrald Goldsmith)
"For Better or Worse" (1959) TV Series
"Peck's Bad Girl" (1959) TV Series
"Black Saddle" (1959) TV Series (as J. Michael Hennagin)
"Wagon Train" (1957) TV Series
... aka "Major Adams, Trail Master" (1957)
Black Patch (1957)
"Have Gun Will Travel" (1957) TV Series
"Playhouse 90" (1956) TV Series
"Gunsmoke" (1955) TV Series
 

Spike

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2001
6,770
1
81
williams has my vote. The others are very talanted (I own about 200 soundtracks and they are pretty evenly split between these guys and elfman) but the thing, IMO, that gives williams the win is that he has more instantly recognizable themes. There are very few people who could not recognize Jaws, Jurrassic park, Hook (less known, but still very recognizable), ET, Indiana Jones (specifically the "Raiders March") and of course, Star Wars.