he was a musical treasure of modern
cinema welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’re counting down our picks for
the top 10 James Horner scores
for this list we’re focusing on the most
brilliant scores of feature films
composed by this composer and conductor
number ten glory
based on the Union Army’s first
african-american unit of the Civil War
this film was lent a heavy dose of
emotion thanks to the poignant score of
a young Los Angeles composer whether it
was the Battle marches of the soldiers
or the personal dynamics between Colonel
Robert Gould Shaw
and his troops Horner offered just the
right amount of drama without
overreaching
it’s no easy task to compose music for a
war film especially one of this nature
and the Foreign Press acknowledged
Horner’s polished work with a Golden
Globe nomination
number nine cocoon
not even 32 years old at the time of the
release of this sci-fi fantasy flick
James Horner teamed up with an even
younger cinematic prodigy by the name of
Ron Howard to make cocoon
together the two future legends brought
a childlike wonder two elderly
characters that found themselves
reinvigorated by the extra-terrestrial
on e5 this magical score reminded us
that life is what you make of it and
even if you’re kicking back in
retirement there’s always a new
adventure awaiting
kou-kun also marked the first of many
collaborations between Horner and Howard
number eight a beautiful mind
the mind truly is a beautiful thing and
james horner channeled the cerebral
kaleidoscope of John Nash to produce his
Academy award-nominated score
corner symbolically connected the dots
of a life in turmoil thus establishing a
powerful musical backdrop for the
heartbreaking story of a legendary
mathematician
nearly 15 years after the release of A
Beautiful Mind
both Nash and Horner would pass away
within 5 weeks of each other but their
paths will always be connected through
this poetic composition
number seven The Rocketeer
though this superhero film is proof that
Disney does occasionally stumble at the
box office it nonetheless managed to
stand the test of time thanks to the
playful soundtrack of James Horner
partly truth and mostly fiction The
Rocketeer was set in 1938 Los Angeles as
an airborne man earns the attention of
both Howard Hughes and the Nazis
number six an American tale
as the most successful non-disney film
of its time this animated Steven
Spielberg Don Bluth flick introduced a
promising new composer to an
international audience
with a focus on young fievel mousekewitz
and his arduous journey from Russia to
the United States James Horner joined
forces with the London Symphony
Orchestra for a score that ultimately
triumphed above all
in fact a song composed specifically for
Linda Ronstadt somewhere out there later
won the Grammy Award for song of the
year number five avatar
when James Cameron began working on his
long-awaited sci-fi epic it was only
natural that he reached out to an old
friend
in fact James Horner proclaimed avatar
to be the most difficult project of his
career and he actually worked with an
ethnomusicologist to establish a musical
history for a fictional alien race
former X Factor contestant Leona Lewis
was tapped to perform the theme song
which later earned a Golden Globe
nomination
while avatar went on to earn a few
billion dollars
number four aliens
nearly 25 years before the cultural
phenomenon that was avatar Cameron and
Horner worked together on a chaotic
collaboration for a classic sci-fi
sequel no one expected they’ve ever
worked together again
without an approved final cut just a
mere six weeks before release Horner was
concerned about meeting his deadline
but like the true musical magician that
he was he locked himself down at Abbey
Road Studios and finished the score in
only four days
while Horner wasn’t entirely satisfied
with the hectic finish he still managed
to earn his first Academy Award
nomination for his work
number three Star Trek to the Wrath of
Khan
as the first prominent theatrical work
of his career
this film propelled a 28 year-old James
Horner into the realm of big-budget
Hollywood productions
already known for his versatility and
ability to think outside the box
Horner provided each main character with
a subtle motif thus providing depth to
both Spock and captain james t kirk
along with their superhuman nemesis its
shatner screen that’s most remembered
however it was Horner’s inventive
musical bed that set the tone complete
with a 91 piece Orchestra every one
grasper
number two Braveheart
political freedom and musical ecstasy
these two forces met in Mel Gibson’s
acclaimed historical drama as William
Wallace fought for Scotland’s
independence let me take our wife
but they’ll never take radon
yet another score performed by the
London Symphony Orchestra Horner’s
creative chemistry with Gibson shines
through the extravagant notes and given
the monumental nature of the film the
composer produced a heroic soundtrack
for one of the decades most respected
films
once again a collection of nominations
was bestowed upon Horner although
Braveheart was just another example of a
man doing what he loved most
before we unveil our number one pick
here are some honorable mentions
you
number one Titanic
believe it or not the iconic theme song
for James Cameron’s 1997 film was never
supposed to be after being instructed
that vocals should not be included on
the soundtrack James Horner secretly
wrote my heart will go on with Will
Jennings and approached his friend
silenzio
about lending her voice
when the timing was right the track was
unveiled to the stern director and the
rest is history
then again it was the chilling vocals of
sizzle that accompanied the composer’s
elegant musical framework for the
majority of the film
Titanic further established James
Horner’s reputation as one of
Hollywood’s most brilliant composers and
his legacy will continue to reach beyond
the realm of cinema
do you agree with our list hey what’s
your favorite james horner movie score
for more mind-blowing top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com oh yeah
cinema welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’re counting down our picks for
the top 10 James Horner scores
for this list we’re focusing on the most
brilliant scores of feature films
composed by this composer and conductor
number ten glory
based on the Union Army’s first
african-american unit of the Civil War
this film was lent a heavy dose of
emotion thanks to the poignant score of
a young Los Angeles composer whether it
was the Battle marches of the soldiers
or the personal dynamics between Colonel
Robert Gould Shaw
and his troops Horner offered just the
right amount of drama without
overreaching
it’s no easy task to compose music for a
war film especially one of this nature
and the Foreign Press acknowledged
Horner’s polished work with a Golden
Globe nomination
number nine cocoon
not even 32 years old at the time of the
release of this sci-fi fantasy flick
James Horner teamed up with an even
younger cinematic prodigy by the name of
Ron Howard to make cocoon
together the two future legends brought
a childlike wonder two elderly
characters that found themselves
reinvigorated by the extra-terrestrial
on e5 this magical score reminded us
that life is what you make of it and
even if you’re kicking back in
retirement there’s always a new
adventure awaiting
kou-kun also marked the first of many
collaborations between Horner and Howard
number eight a beautiful mind
the mind truly is a beautiful thing and
james horner channeled the cerebral
kaleidoscope of John Nash to produce his
Academy award-nominated score
corner symbolically connected the dots
of a life in turmoil thus establishing a
powerful musical backdrop for the
heartbreaking story of a legendary
mathematician
nearly 15 years after the release of A
Beautiful Mind
both Nash and Horner would pass away
within 5 weeks of each other but their
paths will always be connected through
this poetic composition
number seven The Rocketeer
though this superhero film is proof that
Disney does occasionally stumble at the
box office it nonetheless managed to
stand the test of time thanks to the
playful soundtrack of James Horner
partly truth and mostly fiction The
Rocketeer was set in 1938 Los Angeles as
an airborne man earns the attention of
both Howard Hughes and the Nazis
number six an American tale
as the most successful non-disney film
of its time this animated Steven
Spielberg Don Bluth flick introduced a
promising new composer to an
international audience
with a focus on young fievel mousekewitz
and his arduous journey from Russia to
the United States James Horner joined
forces with the London Symphony
Orchestra for a score that ultimately
triumphed above all
in fact a song composed specifically for
Linda Ronstadt somewhere out there later
won the Grammy Award for song of the
year number five avatar
when James Cameron began working on his
long-awaited sci-fi epic it was only
natural that he reached out to an old
friend
in fact James Horner proclaimed avatar
to be the most difficult project of his
career and he actually worked with an
ethnomusicologist to establish a musical
history for a fictional alien race
former X Factor contestant Leona Lewis
was tapped to perform the theme song
which later earned a Golden Globe
nomination
while avatar went on to earn a few
billion dollars
number four aliens
nearly 25 years before the cultural
phenomenon that was avatar Cameron and
Horner worked together on a chaotic
collaboration for a classic sci-fi
sequel no one expected they’ve ever
worked together again
without an approved final cut just a
mere six weeks before release Horner was
concerned about meeting his deadline
but like the true musical magician that
he was he locked himself down at Abbey
Road Studios and finished the score in
only four days
while Horner wasn’t entirely satisfied
with the hectic finish he still managed
to earn his first Academy Award
nomination for his work
number three Star Trek to the Wrath of
Khan
as the first prominent theatrical work
of his career
this film propelled a 28 year-old James
Horner into the realm of big-budget
Hollywood productions
already known for his versatility and
ability to think outside the box
Horner provided each main character with
a subtle motif thus providing depth to
both Spock and captain james t kirk
along with their superhuman nemesis its
shatner screen that’s most remembered
however it was Horner’s inventive
musical bed that set the tone complete
with a 91 piece Orchestra every one
grasper
number two Braveheart
political freedom and musical ecstasy
these two forces met in Mel Gibson’s
acclaimed historical drama as William
Wallace fought for Scotland’s
independence let me take our wife
but they’ll never take radon
yet another score performed by the
London Symphony Orchestra Horner’s
creative chemistry with Gibson shines
through the extravagant notes and given
the monumental nature of the film the
composer produced a heroic soundtrack
for one of the decades most respected
films
once again a collection of nominations
was bestowed upon Horner although
Braveheart was just another example of a
man doing what he loved most
before we unveil our number one pick
here are some honorable mentions
you
number one Titanic
believe it or not the iconic theme song
for James Cameron’s 1997 film was never
supposed to be after being instructed
that vocals should not be included on
the soundtrack James Horner secretly
wrote my heart will go on with Will
Jennings and approached his friend
silenzio
about lending her voice
when the timing was right the track was
unveiled to the stern director and the
rest is history
then again it was the chilling vocals of
sizzle that accompanied the composer’s
elegant musical framework for the
majority of the film
Titanic further established James
Horner’s reputation as one of
Hollywood’s most brilliant composers and
his legacy will continue to reach beyond
the realm of cinema
do you agree with our list hey what’s
your favorite james horner movie score
for more mind-blowing top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com oh yeah
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