Music is one of the most important aspects of a film. When the movie’s score is good, it can heighten emotion and tension, but when it’s bad, it can completely destroy the atmosphere. Film scoring has evolved into an art form in its own right, with the best modern film composers comprehending the relative value of music and medium, and being able to enhance the film’s world with their work.
John Williams is arguably the most well-known modern film composer. Williams is known for his ability to create iconic themes for films such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T., Superman, and Jurassic Park. His work is known for being dynamic, with a strong emphasis on brass instrument sections. He has received five Academy Awards and 45 additional Oscar nominations over the course of his six-decade career.
The Newman family has a long and illustrious history in Hollywood filmmaking, spanning several generations. Randy and Thomas Newman, cousins, are frequently cited as two of the greatest modern film composers. Randy Newman began his professional career as a singer/songwriter in the 1960s. Randy Newman, known for his distinctive singing voice and lyricist abilities, has had a lot of success scoring children’s films, most notably the early Pixar Animation Studio films. Randy famously received 15 Oscar nominations for composition and songwriting without winning until 2001, when “If I Didn’t Have You” from Monsters Inc. won an Academy Award for Best Song.
Thomas Newman debuted as a composer in 1994, earning two Academy Award nominations for his work on Little Women and The Shawshank Redemption. American Beauty earned him a Grammy Award for his distinctive use of lyrical percussive instruments such as piano and marimba. Thomas Newman has composed scores for two Pixar films, Finding Nemo and WALL-E, following in the footsteps of his cousin Randy. Newman has been similarly unlucky at the Oscars, with eight nominations and no wins.
Not all film composers leave award shows empty-handed; Alan Menken has won eight Academy Awards, the majority of them for his work on Disney animated films. Menken is known for his phenomenal work in reviving the Disney animated feature, frequently collaborating with other film composers such as Tim Rice and Stephen Schwartz. For his work on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, he won Oscars for Original Score and Original Song in 1989, 1991, and 1992.
Film composers are sometimes regarded as lesser artists than those who compose solely for their own projects, according to some critics. However, film composition necessitates a great deal of patience, empathy, and understanding. The world of modern film composers appears to be brimming with genius, which benefits both the films and the audience. Take a moment after the movie ends to watch the credits and honor the film composer’s work.