Afishionados,

I love movie soundtracks. Quite often, the music is better than the actual film itself. I’ve selected, for your audible pleasure, a collection of 8 songs that I like from various movies. The majority of these movies aren’t all that great, but something about their soundtracks is superb.

Simply click on the WFSH image above to launch the Radio player and hear the complete versions of all the songs listed below. The player will launch in a new window, and may not work if you have pop-up blockers installed. If that is the case, here is the direct link in case you have to manually open the player in a separate window.

Please note that the player has a scroll button on the right side. You’ll have to scroll down in order to see all the songs listed.

http://www.oldfishandlemonade.com/flash_mp3_player/wfsh.html

I believe that James Horner is the greatest composer when it comes to modern day cinema. His use of choir is the best in the world. My personal favorite soundtrack by him is the Titanic soundtrack, closely followed by Braveheart. Say what you will about the Titanic movie, but Sissel‘s vocals are undeniably powerful and it’s in this soundtrack where Horner truly shines. He’s also one of the few composers who can make bagpipes sound good. Because I like him the best, I’ve put Horner first on the list.

1. James Horner – Casper – Casper’s Lullaby

One of Horner’s lesser known soundtracks is Casper. I think this soundtrack is also Horner’s most underrated. His use of piano and choir in this song, the movie’s main theme, is pure magic.

2. Steve Jablonsky – The Island – My Name is Lincoln

I’ve never seen The Island, but I’m willing to bet it’s a flop. Fortunately, this song’s not. I like how the song builds up to the theme and really takes off at the end.

3. Rachel Portman – The Cider House Rules – Main Titles

I enjoyed the The Cider House Rules movie more than the book, and this soundtrack is probably the one I listen to most often. The piano is never intrusive or distracting, and I’ve done some of my best Photoshopping to Portman’s music. If you like her work, I also highly recommend the soundtrack to Chocolat.

4. David Newman – The Mighty Ducks Theme

The Mighty Ducks is not one of Disney’s timeless classics and will most likely be forgotten as time goes on. I feel like this soundtrack, especially the main theme, was wasted on this film and should have been used on something bigger, better, and more powerful. My favorite part is when the “victory theme” takes off around 2:35, followed by the horn solo of the same music.

5. Bruce Broughton – Homeward Bound – End Credits

Another decent children’s movie with a first-rate soundtrack that’s far better than the film. I saw this movie for the first time when I was around 12 years old and I’ve been able to hum the theme ever since. This soundtrack, more than any other, has been stuck in my head more times than I can count and I don’t know why. Unfortunately, the CD has long been out of print and finding a copy for an affordable price is proving difficult (All I have is an MP3 format).

6. Craig Armstrong – Love Actually – Prime Minister’s Love Theme

Any movie with Keira Knightley is worth my time, and Love Actually is no exception. Arguably my favorite “chick flick” and one I watch every Christmas. Only two songs of Craig Armstrong’s are on the soundtrack, and this one is my favorite of the two.

7. Alan Silvestri – The Parent Trap – The Parent Trap Suite

Alan Silvestri’s best music is Back to the Future, but his work on The Parent Trap is top notch. Like Horner, I believe this is Silvestri’s most underrated work (and Lindsay Lohan’s best). The suite features all the various themes used throughout the film.

8. Klaus Badelt – The Time Machine – Godspeed

The Time Machine is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. It’s also one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard. I’m pretty sure the Eloi at the end of the song are saying “We’re glad this movie is over and we apologize we charged you money to see it. In fact, we apologize for making it.”

Hollywood, you can keep chugging out crappy movies one after another. Just make sure that a couple of them have really good soundtracks.