Music is a critical part of any film. Perhaps more than any other aspect of a movie, the music sets the emotional tone, influencing how the audience feels about the events on screen. A weak soundtrack can undermine an otherwise strong movie; a great one can take a decent film from solid to spectacular.
With this in mind, Redditors recently got together onr/movies, the largest film subreddit, to discuss the movies with the best theme music of all time. They came up with some fantastic picks from a range of genres. Their selections include some of the most iconic — not to mention beautiful — pieces of music in cinema history.
10’Cape Fear' (1991)
Cape FearisMartin Scorsese’s classic thriller about a criminal (Robert De Niro) who seeks revenge against his lawyer (Nick Nolte) for the shoddy defense that landed him in prison for 14 years. The film pays homage to the works ofAlfred Hitchcock, including title credits by Hitchcock collaboratorSaul Bassand a reworked version of the original 1962 film’s score by Hitchcock composerBernard Hermann.
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ComposerElmer Bernsteinretains the essence of Hermann’s music, but adds his own flourishes, updating it for a new era. “When I was thinking about my favorite theme music, I immediately thought ofCape Fear’s theme music,” saidRedditor maxwell-cady.
9’RoboCop' (1987)
“Anything byBasil Poledouris, but especiallyConanand thenRoboCop. Man loved his drums and horns,” saidRedditor SaulsAll. “Yes,RoboCopscore is amazing!” agreeduser bugxbuster. Poledouris had also provided the score forPaul Verhoeven’s earlier filmFlesh and Blood, but he took a different tack forRoboCop.
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Poledouris combined orchestral music with synthesizers, reflecting the mechanical nature of the titular crime-fighting cyborg. The result is a unique and intriguing sound that was ahead of most other soundtracks of that era.
8’The Terminator' (1984)
Brad Fiedelcomposed the score forThe Terminatoron synthesizer. The theme music is dark and experimental, with a simple and memorable melody and unusual rhythm. The rest of the soundtrack is consistent with the main theme, helping to provide a cohesive feel to the project.
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“Brad Fiedel used those ’80s synthesizers to create the perfect theme! Sounds very futuristic which I assume was what he was trying to achieve,” saiduser VenomFox93. “I love the irregular heartbeat every timeArnoldis onscreen. So foreboding,” addedRedditor Tylerdurden389.
7’The Magnificent Seven' (1960)
Cape Fear’s Elmer Berstein also handled the score for this classic Western.The Magnificent SevenreimaginesAkira Kurosawa’sSeven Samuraiin a Mexican village. The locals, tormented by the brutal raids of a bandit named Calvera (Eli Wallach), enlist seven gunslingers to protect them.
The theme tune is one of the most famous in Western history. It has been used in a number of other movies since, includingMoonraker,Fahrenheit 9/11,The Ringer, andHardcore Henry. “It’s one of those songs that is almost universally recognized,” saiduser Stingerc.
6’Blood on Satan’s Claw' (1971)
Blood on Satan’s Clawis a cult British horror movie and aninfluential entry in the folk horror subgenre. Set in a rural English village during the 18th century, the story centers on a group of young villagers who stumble upon a mysterious buried skull, which they believe to be a part of a demon’s body.
The music byMarc Wilkinsonis unique and effective, serving to establish the atmosphere and ratchet up the tension. “Film theme music needs to set a mood. [This is] my favorite,” saidRedditor WillysJeepMan.
5’Atonement' (2007)
Based on the novel byIan McEwan,Atonementis a powerful drama about the far-reaching consequences ofa young girl’s impulsive actions. The soundtrack was helmed byDario Marinaelli, who won an Oscar for his efforts.
The music suits the period setting and themes, with the piano featuring prominently. “Atonementhas that interesting clickety-clack typewriter music that drives the score and it’s such a good way to show that it’s a little more contemporary than you might expect,” saiduser bugxbuster.
4’The Rock' (1996)
The RockisMichael Bay’s thriller about a renegade group of U.S. Marines led by the formidable General Francis Hummel (Ed Harris) who take control of Alcatraz Island and threaten to launch deadly chemical weapons on San Francisco unless their demands are met.
The music was a team effort byNick Glennie-Smith,Harry Gregson-Willians, and the inimitableHans Zimmer. “The opening theme fromThe Rockgives me goosebumps, especially in how it lines up with the start of the movie,” saidRedditor BoredNLost.
3’The Pink Panther' (1963)
Few title tunes are more memorable thanHenry Mancini’s “Pink Panther Theme,” written for the 1963 film starringPeter Sellers. The song was immediately successful, garnering Grammy nominations and sending the soundtrack album to the top 10 of the Billboard pop albums chart.
Audiences also fell in love with the animated title sequence that accompanied the theme music, so much so that the cartoon Pink Panther later got its own TV show. “None will beat [Mancini’sPink Panthertheme music],” saiduser 111llllilll11.
2’The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001)
The entire score ofThe Lord of the Rings, courtesy ofHoward Shore, is legendary, but “Concerning Hobbits,” the theme music of the first film, has a unique charm. It’s a peaceful piece of music, performed by a large symphony orchestra, that we first hear during the early Shire scenes.
The music is now synonymous withTolkien’s hairy-footed heroes and ranks among the most iconic pieces of 21st-century film music. “‘Concerning Hobbits.’ Is it a safe and conservative choice? Yes. But, goddammit, is Howard Shore’s theme for the Hobbits so f—ing good,” saiduser Marty-the-monkey.
The Good, the Bad, and the Uglymight have the most famous theme music of all time, a simple yet effective tune which has become a stand-in for the entire Western genre. It was written byEnnio Morricone, a giant of film scoring.
The theme song was not only acclaimed but commercially successful: the soundtrack albumhit number four on the Billboard pop albumschart in 1968. It spawned a legion of imitators, but none ever quite recaptured its magic. “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly[theme] is beyond epic,” saidRedditor angelvvitchsimply.
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