Apollo 13 by James Horner

Continuing our James Horner theme, we look at his score for Apollo 13. With his solo trumpet theme, Horner totally captures the American pioneering spirit which is so well portrayed by the cast of Ron Howard's film. More...

The Muppets - original soundtrack

In The Muppets, Kermit, Miss Piggy and company return with a witty screenplay, and songs including "Man or Muppet" which won the Best Song oscar. Truth be told all of the songs are winners in a soundtrack which is wonderfully silly, subversive and often hysterically funny. More...

The Hunger Games: James N. Howard

Avoiding heroic action and bombast, James Newton Howard has taken a more subtle approach in The Hunger Games. His score is subtle, following the dystopian future depicted in the books and director Gary Ross' satirical vision. The result sets the scene for what may be a great film series. More...

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Continuing our John Williams theme, we look back at Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. This 2nd outing for Indy is a frenetic roller-coaster ride, whose score is one of the most complex in the composer's canon. More widely available since 2008 this soundtrack is absolutely worth a closer look. Take a deep breath... More...

MI:Ghost Protocol by Michael Giacchino

Michael Giacchino returns for the latest Mission Impossible film Ghost Protocol. Both film and soundtrack are the best in the series to date, the music swinging between moments of nail-biting tension and all-out action, cleverly integrating Schifrin's much-loved television theme. More...

The Rum Diary by Christopher Young

Christopher Young is known mainly for his horror scores, but he is a versatile composer. The Rum Diary is a jazz-based soundtrack which is full of fun-loving music, often led by saxophone with a live sound and feel-good warmth. More...

John Williams' The Adventures of Tintin

The beginning of John Williams' The Adventures of Tintin (his first animation score) is character-driven with some whimsical orchestration and a Gallic flavour. Yet before long its rich thematic material and boundless energy will carry you headlong into mystery and adventure. More...

Ennio Morricone: The Thing

For John Carpenter's The Thing, composer Ennio Morricone's music paints a bleak picture of isolation and "alienation". As we approach Halloween, we review this classic horror score. More...

Patrick Doyle: Rise / Planet of the Apes

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the latest score in a busy year for Patrick Doyle. His music is often dark and brooding with good use of electronic sounds and African rhythms, yet lending the apes a sympathetic warm nobility. More...

James N Howard: Water for Elephants

The music for Water for Elephants is a beguiling and hugely attractive effort by James Newton Howard, blending soothing melodies and darker sections in one smoothly melodious package. One of this year's great scores. More...

Tortured Souls: Gothic Music in Films

Exploring Gothic soundtracks, mixing classical score, alternative rock, metal, choral and electronic music. The dark moods of these soundtracks tell us so much about the characters and their motivations, and convey a poorly concealed obsession with what lurks in the shadows. More...

Titanic by James Horner

100 years after the ship sank, things connected to The Titanic are still making a splash. We review James Horner's music for Titanic, now re-released in a couple of special editions to mark the centenary. Though the synth sections seem dated, the score works well dramatically. More...

The Right to Love: An American Family

The Right to Love: An American Family is a documentary film about a gay family who present their daily lives on Youtube. Composer Edwin Wendler approaches the subject with a light yet layered touch, creating a wonderful score. More...

Gremlins by Jerry Goldsmith

The Gremlins score has an anarchic mix put together by master composer Jerry Goldsmith - synths and sound effects augmenting a traditional orchestra, with Christmas Carols and Ragtime. It's a strange mix but so is the movie, so they go together perfectly. More...

War Horse by John Williams

In War Horse composer John Williams bridges from the idyllic countryside of Devon to the ravages of war-torn France. His multi-faceted score balances sentimentality with a genuine yet understated sympathy for the many characters caught up in this "war to end all wars". More...

Best Film Scores of 2011

Let's kick off 2012 with a look at film music released last year. 2011 was a strong and varied year for film scores. Check our Best Film Scores of 2011. Will "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" win a place in the top 10? More...

Alex North: A Streetcar Named Desire

With his moody soundtrack to A Streetcar Named Desire composer Alex North completely rewrote the rulebook, making an important turning point in the history of film music. His ground-breaking score was the first to use jazz, and was a major influence on later composers. More...

Elliot Goldenthal: Titus

The Shakepearean adaptation Titus is one of Elliot Goldenthal's best collaborations with partner Julie Taymor. His music mimics the production's anachronistic mixing of cultures. Goldenthal is an expert at this, and the classical, bombastic and jazzy mix is one of his best film scores to date. More...

Bernard Herrmann: Psycho

Continuing our Horror Theme for Halloween, we look at that most iconic horror film score Psycho by Bernard Herrmann. Herrmann's strings-only approach mirrors Hitchock's black and white palette, proving that less can be more. More...

The Great Miracle by Mark McKenzie

An animated religious movie seems an unlikely film for beautiful music, but composer Mark McKenzie has clearly poured his heart and soul into The Great Miracle and created a lush, sweeping, spiritual masterpiece. More...

Haunted by Debbie Wiseman

Based on a James Herbert novel, Haunted is a ghost story with strong emotional threads of romance and regret. Composer Debbie Wiseman focusses her music on these elements with gorgeous melodies tinged with sadness. More...

Captain America by Alan Silvestri

Captain America the latest Marvel superhero has a gloriously old fashioned score by Alan Silvestri. The film has a nostalgic retro feel as it explores the character's origins and Silvestri's music grows the heroic theme as the story unfolds. More...