I'm a... reluctant John Williams fan. I think he has a lot of memorable melodies, the kind that define their movies. He also has a lot of filler. Prisoner of Azkaban is one of my favorites among the HP scores because it has the strong main theme as well as some other interesting parts. I love his venture into medieval styles and instruments.

I also really like his compositions for Memoirs of a Geisha, though it's certainly a repetitive score. At least it's repeating a good melody though!

I think a lot of soundtrack fans don't like Williams because he IS so popular and scores huge movies and basically has the movie soundtrack music thing down to a formula. Something contrary in us just doesn't want to add any more to his overflowing measure of success

*listens to the Conan the Barbarian theme on YouTube*

Some soundtracks I'm interested in aquiring atm are:

Son of Rambow--I've only heard this while listening to the movie, but it was so fun and the songs that weren't specifically composed for the film fit perfectly! It's not on iTunes sadly, so I probably won't get it for a while.

The Holiday--Apparently the score for this chick-flick is by Hans Zimmer. I was listening to some of it on iTunes yesterday and it's sooo pretty! Much mroe then your usual chick-flick or rom-com I think.

I Capture the Castle-- the composer for this is Dario--what's his face who did P&P and Atonement, which is enough reason to get it besides it sounding amazing.

I actually have the TTT score sitting on my desk waiting to be put onto my iPod. I just picked it up second hand a few weeks ago. Yup, I did not own a copy before this, bad me.

Adding to the John Williams discussion: I think the man has created some of the most identifiable film themes in movie score history and I greatly enjoy some of his earlier works, though I feel that he has "lost his touch" as of late. (Like James Horner)

Both Mr. Williams and Mr. Horner have composed some truly wonderful scores ( Jaws, Indiana Jones 1 & 3, Star Wars: Original Trilogy, Jurassic Park I and II, ect) but after awhile, both seem to have lost there touch with making great scores and now their music just "sounds like the same old thing". [End soundtrack rant]

To a large degree I kind of agree with you PC. Much of Williams' score for the new Star Wars films is kind of ho-hum and even forgettable. The only one I can really think of even now is Duel of the Fates (definitely the musical highlight of Episode 1). His older stuff is much better. There's not a person alive who, after hearing just a 3 second segment of Jaws, won't immediately be able to identify the music with the movie, even if they haven't seen it. That's talent.

For some reason John Williams' extremely memorable themes live in the same part of my brain as annoying cereal commercial's that get stuck in your head for the rest of your life. But that's probably just me. XD

And personally, the only scores of his I actually like are the ones for the new Star Wars trilogy. I found them to be much more impressive than anything else he's done. I also really love his music when he uses a choir. "Duel of the Fates" for example, or "Battle of the Heroes".
But then - I still dont' think I've met anyone who agrees with me. XD

Much of Williams' score for the new Star Wars films is kind of ho-hum and even forgettable.

Very true! I do think the melody for "The Meadow Picnic" (or whatever the title is) was fairly memorable as well, though.

I don't know, Mr Anderson. There are good parts, but so much of those scores is just filler, in my opinion. Some battle music is fine, but when it's nothing but that, and it's all just a cacophony of blaring brass and banging drums, it gets old very fast.

I've been listening to Doyle's famous score for Henry V and I like it. But I think his Sense & Sensibility is far better melodically.

Well I finally caved and bought the score for I Capture the Castle. I'm listening to it right now, actually. It's really lovely. Dario Marianelli is very talanted...he is probably my favorite soundtrack composer right now.

I also bought Breakfast at Tiffany's soundtrack, which is also very enjoyable.

And personally, the only scores of his I actually like are the ones for the new Star Wars trilogy. I found them to be much more impressive than anything else he's done. I also really love his music when he uses a choir. "Duel of the Fates" for example, or "Battle of the Heroes".

It's puzzling we have such opposite takes on this. After watching the new trilogy I kind of felt like Williams might be losing his touch. There was no single theme (other than Duel of the Fates) that I was able to remember enough to even hum on the way to my car in the theater parking lot. This is a heckuva far cry from the first trilogy where a bunch of us would just sit in the theater as the credits rolled because the music was so fresh, original, and frankly very catchy.

Some battle music is fine, but when it's nothing but that, and it's all just a cacophony of blaring brass and banging drums, it gets old very fast.

Hey, brass is cool! *hoists his trombone in the air like Excalibur*

I recently rewatched Gettysburg on DVD and I think it has a surprisingly nice score considering it was a made for TV movie (although one with a heaping pile of ambition). A very good movie and a very good score, composed by Randy Edelman. I detect a little synthesizer, but the rest is nicely put together stuff.

Hey, brass is cool! *hoists his trombone in the air like Excalibur*

Brass is very cool. *holds up French Horn in agreement*

But I do agree that battle songs can get very predictable.

I recently watched Enchanted and the music is absolutely amazing!!

I don't think I need to voice my love of the Narnia, PoTC or LoTR scores. We all agree on that, I think.
I also like the Gladiator soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, Kingdom of Heaven by our own Harry Gregson-Williams (there's one bit from the Night Raid that comes straight out of that score), The Boy In the Striped Pajamas (James Horner or James Newton Howard?), Defiance, The Village, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and End of the Spear. I particularly love The Passion of the Christ soundtrack by John Debney.
*Goes off humming Fiddler On the Roof music*

I don't think I need to voice my love of the Narnia, PoTC or LoTR scores. We all agree on that, I think.

Not necessarily.

I haven't really listened to anything new recently, but I did watch The Village with a group of friends last night, and one of them and I decided that the music makes that movie ten times better than it already is. I may end up listening to the soundtrack today for the hundred-and-fortieth time....

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. great soundtrack, i especially like Double Trouble. i also like most of John Williams work, he's just such a great composer. i was really happy to hear that he is comming back for Deathly Hallows, that made me happy because i didn't really like the last three, Half Blood Prince was pretty good, especially the opening, but it wasn't as good as the first three.

Well, this afternoon my parents and I went to our local mall which has an FYE store in it. While I was browsing through the soundtrack section, I came across the Batman Begins album for $14.99. After getting permission, I purchased it in a heartbeat.

It's a great album, though TDK is slightly better, but only slightly. I still dislike the track names... too confusing with all the different Latin bat names. Nice idea, but doesn't work for me. Also the liner notes could have been better, but the sound quality and the music more than make up for the short comings of the package.

A highly recommended album if you can find it!

*Side note: I checked Amazon.com after we got home and a new Begins album costs anywhere from $30 to $60 dollars!

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In other soundtrack news, I have finally discovered Ennio Moriccone. I've added The Mission and Once Upon a Time in the West to my "to buy" list....

Wow, I can't believe the BB soundtrack is that expensive. I'm glad I got it when I did. I like it, but not enough to pay $60