Settling the Score

This time, Jon and Andy go on and on about James Horner’s score for the 1997 epic disaster romance Titanic. What pop artist did director James Cameron originally want to score the movie? What powerful chord change is a keystone of both the score and the movie’s famous song? And, just how many famous paintings … Continue reading "#40 – Titanic"

Let’s cut to the chase – this episode is about Lalo Schifrin’s score to the 1968 detective thriller Bullitt. What does it really mean to be “cool?” Were the late 1960s a “dark age” for film music? And, just how many TV dinners did Steve McQueen eat every week?

So you want us to talk about Mark Knopfler’s score for the 1987 fairy tale adventure The Princess Bride? As you wish. How is this score sensitive to the twists and turns of the dire straits in which our heroes find themselves? Can a movie have a good score without having good music? And, when … Continue reading "#38 – The Princess Bride"

It’s lined up in our sights and we’re ready to pull the trigger on Ennio Morricone’s score for the 1966 iconic Spaghetti Western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. How did he arrive at the combination of ingredients that created such a memorably distinctive sound? Is the main theme meant to evoke an animal … Continue reading "#37 – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"

It’s time once again to find out who Jon and Andy are wearing on the Oscar red carpet! How does this crop of nominees for Best Original Score stack up to previous years’? What did each movie want from its music? And, what stupid schtick did they put at the beginning of this one?

Yo! In this corner is Bill Conti’s score for the 1976 boxing drama Rocky! How did this whole movie wind up punching above its weight? How do some chords that start out weak later find themselves getting strong now? And, how many times as long as the score is this episode? (Answer: 5)

I am an episode about Spartacus! I’m an episode about Spartacus! There’s a lot for Jon and Andy to grapple with in Alex North’s score for this 1960 swords-and-sandals epic. Is this the “most composed” score ever? How much can it, should it, and does it add to the picture? And, would the podcast be … Continue reading "#34 – Spartacus"

Just in time for Halloween, this episode is all for you! Hear what Revelations are in store as Jon and Andy discuss Jerry Goldsmith’s score to the 1976 horror flick The Omen. Should a horror film’s music know that it’s in a horror film? Where are all these voices coming from? And, is Neil Diamond … Continue reading "#33 – The Omen"

Holy film score discussion, this time it’s Batman! Join Jon and Andy in Gotham City as they talk about Danny Elfman’s classic 1989 score. How does Elfman sell the sound of a dark comic book world? What peculiar path led him to film music in the first place? And, is this the best movie theme … Continue reading "#32 – Batman"

Jonesing for a fix of score analysis? This time Jon and Andy lock themselves in a room with Elmer Bernstein’s score for the 1955 noir drama of drug addiction, The Man with the Golden Arm. How did its use of jazz influence the sounds of the subsequent decades? How is that jazz able to suggest … Continue reading "#31 – The Man with the Golden Arm"

Some inexorable interdimensional force seems to have drawn Jon and Andy to talk about Hans Zimmer’s score for the 2014 outer space epic Interstellar. Why was a pipe organ such an unusual but apt choice for Zimmer? How does he sculpt tonal colors that range from quite delicate to maybe-too-loud? And, what would happen to … Continue reading "#30 – Interstellar"

The first score the fates have assigned to Jon and Andy, as their voyage continues past the AFI’s list, is Thomas Newman’s score for the 1999 Oscar-winning dramedy American Beauty. What interesting and powerful hybrid compositional process does Newman employ? What kooky instruments does it include? And, how much worse is Jon’s acting than Wes … Continue reading "#29 – American Beauty"

After finishing their task of discussing and reordering the American Film Institute’s Top 25 Scores, Jon and Andy kick back and take stock of what they’ve done. What did they learn? What did they get wrong? How in the world did Andy expect Jon to recognize the clips he chose for his quiz? And, what … Continue reading "#28 – AFI Wrap-Up"

A long time ago… Jon and Andy started working their way down the AFI’s list of the Top 25 Scores, and they’ve finally reached #1 – Star Wars! This Star Destroyer-sized episode tackles such questions as: What were our hosts’ origin stories as film music nerds? Can you name that tune in fewer notes than … Continue reading "#27 – Star Wars"

Jon and Andy try for their own EGOT – Episode Glutted with Oscar Talk – as they hit the red carpet and present their takes on this year’s nominees for Best Score. The field includes one repeat customer, and four composers making their debuts on the podcast. Who will win? Who should win? Who shouldn’t … Continue reading "#26 – 2019 Oscars Special"