Raymond Walker5 said:He’s probably the only musician out there who can pull a tear from your eyes with hundreds of different pieces—unlike everyone else who just can't manage it, not even once... maybe only Badalamenti. Morricone is the kind of composer who managed to bridge almost everything... emotional themes, pure melody, atonality, jazz, fusion, experiments, you name it. Hans Zimmer is a huge Ennio fan, so it honestly surprises me that he has such a completely different philosophy and approach when it comes to scoring films. To be honest, I don't think Zimmer can really hold a candle to Ennio on any level, even though Zimmer isn't bad—not by a long shot.
Zimmer is fine, I guess, but he’s probably the most overrated film composer of all time.
Raymond Walker5 said:He’s probably the only composer who can pull a tear out of you with hundreds of his different tracks, whereas everyone else just struggles to do it once... maybe with the exception of someone like Badalamenti. Morricone was this master who somehow managed to bridge everything together... those deeply emotional pieces, pure melody, atonal stuff, jazz, fusion, experimental bits, you name it. Hans Zimmer is such a huge Ennio fan, so it’s actually pretty wild to me how he has such a completely different philosophy and way of approaching film scoring. Honestly, I don't think Zimmer can really hold a candle to Ennio on any level, even though Zimmer isn't bad—not by a long shot.
Zimmer is fine, I guess, but he’s probably the most overrated film composer to ever exist.
Raymond Walker5 said:One instance where the music actually managed to outlive the movie—which, honestly, almost nobody remembers anymore—is "Magdalena" from 1971. That’s where we first heard the legendary "EMI" track, and even its interesting alternative version. It gained traction later on through some commercials, and also via the 1981 series "The Life and Times of David Lloyd George". I think that was 1981 when that longer version actually surfaced for the first time, featuring those richer harmonies that really drive the melody along. Then, back in '81, Jean-Paul Belmondo insisted that "EMI" be included in the film "Leon: The Professional," even though Morricone had already composed "The Wind, The Scream," which was musically very similar. So, both ended up in the final cut. And "Come Magdalena" also survived from that same "Magdalena" film.
It’s also pretty wild to think that "Deborah's Theme" was actually composed way back in 1970, but it was rejected. It wasn't until 1984 that it finally found a home in "Once Upon a Time in America," though even then, Leone was hesitant to use it because it reminded him too much of the main theme from "Once Upon a Time in the Wild West."
That's interesting... I actually didn't know that.
Raymond Walker5 said:One way music manages to stick around, even when the movie it was written for is almost totally forgotten, is through pieces like the track from "Maddalena" back in 1971. That's where the iconic "Chi Mai" first showed up, along with that really interesting alternative version. It eventually gained traction again because of some commercials, and also through that 1981 series "The Life and Times of David Lloyd George." If I recall correctly, 1981 was actually when that longer version—the one with the richer, more layered harmony—first surfaced. Then, in that same year, Jean Paul Belmondo basically demanded that "Chi Mai" be included in the film "Le Professionnel," even though Morricone had already composed "Le Vent, Le Cri," which was musically very similar, so they ended up using both. And "Come Maddalena" also survived from that same "Maddalena" soundtrack.
It’s also pretty wild to think about how "Deborah's Theme" was actually composed as early as 1970, but it was passed over. It didn't get used until 1984 in "Once Upon a Time in America," and even then, Scorsese—well, Leone—was hesitant to embrace it because it reminded him too much of the main theme from "Once Upon a Time in the Wild West."
That's interesting. I actually hadn't heard that before.
So, here’s a scene for you. Personally, I’ve always found the Beatles' version of "Yesterday" to be a bit much—kind of grating if I'm being honest—but Ennio Morricone completely transformed it here. He made it something special. It follows that brilliant "Cockey's Theme," too.
The focus here should be onPoverty, one of my absolute favorite themes.
I had to cast my vote for the majority of Leonov's films; at the end of the day, he really knew how to leverage Ennio Morricone's talent. I honestly think both Once Upon a Time soundtracks are among the best ever made.
Tracks like Jill's Theme, Deborah's Theme, or Gabriel's Oboe are some of the most beautiful pieces of music ever composed. Playing Love is just stunning, too.
And the soundtrack from Le Professionnel is legendary—just top-tier stuff.
Ennio Morricone truly understood the craft. He could dial up the drama like he did with Man with a Harmonica or Ecstasy of Gold, create pure terror like in The Thing, or write something lighthearted. He could do it all.
Most of these I already knew from various lists, but I recently stumbled upon the great Moscow Farewell 👍
To me, Morricone is hands down the greatest film composer out there. He can hit any note, capturing every possible spectrum of emotion and mood you could imagine.
I remember watching an interview with him before one of his big shows in New York. They asked him about his process—how he actually composes. He mentioned that real musicians have the whole thing mapped out in their heads first, and then they just write down the notes, rather than playing things out and trying to transcribe them later. I really think he's onto something there; I feel the same way about music.
So, I’m diving back into his absolute masterpieces, and I'll be posting some detailed thoughts on my favorites soon.
It really should have been Poverty, one of those themes you just can't stop thinking about.
I ended up voting for the majority when it comes to Leone's films—I mean, nobody understood how to weave Ennio’s music into the story quite like he did. Personally, I think both of the "Once Upon a Time" soundtracks are some of the best ever put to film.
Tracks like Jill's Theme, Deborah's Theme, or Gabriel's Oboe... man, those are some of the most beautiful pieces of music ever composed. And Playing Love? Just stunning.
Then there's the soundtrack from Le Professionnel, which is iconic and just top-tier.
Ennio truly mastered everything. He could dial up the tension perfectly, like with the Man with the Harmonica or Ecstasy of Gold, or pivot to pure horror, similar to the vibes in The Thing. He could do fun, he could do drama—he could do it all.
Most of these I already had on my playlist, but I recently stumbled upon the greatness of Moscow Farewell 👍
To me, Morricone is hands down the greatest film composer ever. He can hit any note, capture any single emotion or mood you throw at him.
I remember catching this interview with him right before one of his big shows in New York City. They asked him about his process—how he actually puts music together. He mentioned that for true musicians, everything is already fully formed in their head before they even touch an instrument; they just write the notes down rather than playing and transcribing as they go. I think he’s spot on there. It's like having the whole blueprint ready before you even pick up a hammer.
So, I'm diving back into his absolute best work today. I'll probably get lost in it for a while, then come back and break down my favorites in detail.
jadedrifter17 said:On another note, I’d totally rewrite the end of that first season of True Detective. Honestly, how they wrapped it up... it just wasn't worth talking about. It felt like they just threw everything out the window after everything they had built up. It’s one of those moments where you just lose faith in prestige TV again.
I feel the exact same way. Lately, it seems like almost every show released in the last few years is just overrated hype that isn't actually worth the time. I was genuinely getting excited about True Detective, too, and then they just go and ruin the whole thing right at the finish line.🤦
jadedrifter17 said:I’d write it so the President actually had some sort of healing gaze—you know, one look and the little girl is cured. Then you’d cut to a close-up of the father, the mother, the doctor... just pure relief on all their faces. Finally, you pan to the President, who gives this subtle, knowing little smirk and goes, "Sorry, I've got to run. There are still so many other kids out there waiting to be saved." Then you fade in the Star-Spangled Banner, the flag waving in the wind, and a long shot of the President walking off into the distance...
Axl Rose walked away from a ton of shows. It wasn't some huge deal to him when he'd just cut a concert short, even back when they were at the absolute peak of their fame. Like, what kind of conspiracy theory are we talking about here? He just had his issues with the crowd and things happened.
That’s just interesting trivia, clearly not some deep-seated conspiracy theory. ☕