Hollywood Film Composers & Scores (Plus Some Historical Information)

Composers

100

This composer scored the first entirely computer-animated feature film. (Hint: He's also the nephew of another composer we studied.) 

Randy Newman

200

This composer is credited with bringing back the symphonic film score with the 1977 release of a film whose main title theme was inspired by Erich Korngold.

John Williams

300

In the film we studied by this French film composer, the kithara and electronic ondes Martenot enhance the aural landscape.

Maurice Jarre

400

This composer composed a film score with at least 85 leitmotifs, comprising the largest catalogue of leitmotifs in the history of film.

Howard Shore

500

This composer is known for his use of motifs associated with Celtic music.

James Horner

Which Decade? (1950s-1970s)

100

In this decade, two revolutionary photographic processes were introduced: wide-screen film process (Cinerama) and natural vision (three-dimensional process of filming). 

1950s

200

Multiplexes in or near shopping malls were launched during this decade in an effort to boost movie theater attendance.

1970s

300

During this decade, there was a gradual replacement of radios as the principal means of in-home entertainment by network TV (ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.), which steadily decreased the number of moviegoers to theaters.

1950s

400

This decade saw the rise of made-for-TV films, due to the high cost of buying broadcast rights to major films.

1960s

500

This decade was one of the 20th century's most turbulent times with riots, protests, the Vietnam War, the beginning of the controversial presidency of Richard Nixon, etc. 

1960s

Which Decade? (1980s-2000s)

100

This decade was full of technological revolutions, including personal computers widely used in the workplace and home and the development of the video tape machine.

1980s

200

The World Wide Web and computer-to-computer connection (the "Internet") arrived during this decade.

1990s

300

This decade saw the resurgence of time-honored film genres like epic films, musical films, and comic-book hero adaptations.

2000s

400

Several small movie companies emerged during this decade, which led to a growing interest in promoting films through festivals in major cities and resort areas. 

1990s

500

"Sequel fever" caught on in the 1970s and became an epidemic during this decade.

1980s

Composers

100

This composer, along with Elmer Bernstein and others, pioneered the inclusion of jazz elements in late romantic orchestral film and TV scoring and became a pianist and arranger for big band groups like the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Henry Mancini

200

This composer has often collaborated with Tim Burton.

Danny Elfman

300

This composer became a master of the ostinato technique, in addition to James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer.

Jerry Goldsmith

400

This composer has collaborated extensively with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

John Williams

500

This German composer has designed synthesizer programs and is well known for incorporating electronic sounds in his film scores.

Hans Zimmer

Terminology

100

In The Lord of the Rings, Howard Shore incorporates ~85-110 of these in his film score. 

Leitmotifs

200

This is the term used for music or sounds actors can hear in a film.

Diegetic 

300

The main theme of Jaws contains a short repetitive two-note pattern. This is a characteristic of what compositional technique? 

Ostinato

400

What is the term used to describe how fast or slow music is played? 

Tempo

500

This is the term used to describe music or sounds actors cannot hear in a film.

Non-diegetic