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Name another soundtrack that is better than…

Howard Shore for Lord of the Rings trilogy (honourable mention to the The Hobbit)

There’s just so much depth, so much scope, so much variety. Using Enya, Liv Tyler, traditional Māori vocalists, traditional boys choir vocalists, use of Tolkien’s conlang for the lyrics, Asian, Pan-Asian, European, African, Middle Eastern influences to create a complete picture of Middle Earth…and I could go on and on. I listen to it often.

The only other motion picture soundtracks I highly rate is the one created for 2005 Pride and Prejudice by Dario Marianelli.

To be fair Japan does motion picture soundtracks incredibly well too, Ghost in the Shell 1995, Akira, and all of Joe Hishashi’s work for Studio Ghibli.

Musical scores don’t count. Who thinks there are better soundtracks?
 
For sheer epic, I'll vote for the Pacific Rim soundtrack.

And Jurassic Park: Lost World one is pretty damn good, same goes for the original one.
 

Incanus

Auror
The original Star Wars soundtrack. It enhanced the movie in exactly the right way. I can't think of one better.

I like the LotR music, but they used it too frequently. Just about every minute in the movies has music--they overdid it there. The Hobbit movies are unwatchable.
 
I will also add the soundtrack from Memoirs of a Geisha.

I’m also going to add the latest adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
 
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skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
There are so many. But for starters, how about the soundtrack to Lawrence of Arabia. Or maybe The Exorcist.

The Wizard of Oz surely deserves some credit. The Magnificent Seven.

I assume by no musical scores you mean movies that use popular songs as part of the soundtrack. That lets out quite a few.
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
The Godfather's soundtrack. Nino Rota made something truly beautiful. Gladiator's deserves to be remembered as well.
 
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pmmg

Myth Weaver
I should add the Piano.

Black Stallion so far, is cool. I could see using it. Has kind of a surreal desert type sound.
 
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I'll add a +1 to the original Star Wars soundtracks. They're as good as the LotR ones, with the exception that a few of them ended up in the public conciousness. Many people, even those who haven't seen the movies or remember them, will recognize the Imperial March. With Lord of the Rings, that's less the case.

Another great one is Pirates of the Caribean. Though I rate that below LotR and Star Wars
 

pmmg

Myth Weaver
I was never a huge fan of blade runner. It was okay... But I did not know we would arrive where we are today when it came out, where everything is just crap.

Blade Runner would be the best movie of the year if it came out today.
 
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