100 Essential Film Scores of the 20th Century
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A list of memorable scores from films released
between
the 1930s and 1990s.
No musicals or movie songs are included on this list
since they are
a separate category.
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Now available exclusively on this website is the 9th edition,
published by PineTree Press.
The title page (shown above) has a personally autographed signature
by film composer, John Williams.
This film music book was written by film music historian and critic,
Roger L. Hall.
It is
recommended for classroom teachers and students,
flm researchers,
and writers, and any film lovers who enjoy film music.
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A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC - Songs and Scores
100 Essential American Film Scores of the 20th Century
Selected
by Roger Hall
Managing Editor, Film Music Review (FMR)
and
Member of the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA)
Preparing any survey of film scores presents a difficult problem.
Which ones to choose and which ones to leave out.
This is my list 100 essential scores released
between 1933 and 1993 in English.
No foreign produced films (other than British) are included,
such as Italian produced films with music by Ennio Morricone,
who would be included if the list was larger.
More than 50% of the titles are in
the so-called Golden Age (1930s-1950s).
I believe that the most respected and beloved films were made
during those three decades.
There have been significant films
made in later decades as well,
only not as many.
Naturally some people will not agree with my choices.
It is not possible to please everyone.
These film scores on the list are the opinion of one person -
ME.
I have first listed my Top 10 film score list.
All the other film scores I have selected
are listed alphabetically.
This list is intended to help recall
many
of the memorable film scores from
the years -- 1933 (KING KONG) to 1993 (SCHINDLER'S LIST).
Each film score was chosen as
representative of significant originality.
All the numbers have film title, date,
and the film composer's name.
This list was first posted in 2006
and has been revised each year.
Latest update: January 2026
Here are my choices for
Top Ten American Film Scores:
10. +CHINATOWN (1974) - Jerry Goldsmith
9. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) - John Williams
8. +TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) -- Elmer Bernstein
7. +HIGH NOON (1952) -- Dimitri Tiomkin
6. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946) -- Hugo Friedhofer
5. +KING KONG (1933) -- Max Steiner
4. THE SONG OF BERNADETTE (1943) - Alfred Newman
3. +VERTIGO (1958) -- Bernard Herrmann
2. +BEN-HUR (1959) -- Miklos Rozsa
+ = American Film Institute's 100 Years of Film Scores - Top 25 = 12 films
And the top film score is from what is regarded by many
as the greatest American film
from the Golden Age
and the incredible first film score
by
one of the best film composers from the past
...
1. CITIZEN KANE (1941) -- Bernard Herrmann
The remaining 80 film scores are listed in alphabetical order:
+ = American Film Institute's List -- "100 Years of Film Scores - Top 25"
+THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938)--Erich Wolfgnag Korngold
THE ALAMO (1960) -- Dimitri Tiomkin
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1956) -- Victor Young
THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952)-- David Raksin
BATMAN (1989) -- Danny Elfman
THE BIG COUNTRY (1958) -- Jerome Moross
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (1961) -- Henry Mancini
THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935) -- Franz Waxman
THE CARDINAL (1963) -- Jerome Moross
CASABLANCA (1942) - Max Steiner
CLEOPATRA (1963) -- Alex North
DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990) -- John Barry
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951) -- Bernard Herrmann
THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER
(original title: ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY, 1941)-- Bernard Herrmann
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965) -- Maurice Jarre
DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) -- Miklos Rozsa
DUEL IN THE SUN (1946) -- Dimitri Tiomkin
EL CID (1961) -- Miklos Rozsa
+E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) -- John Williams
FAHRENHEIT 451 (1966) -- Bernard Herrmann
FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (1964) -- Dimitri Tiomkin
FIELD OF DREAMS (1989) - James Horner
THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1946) Bernard Herrmann
+THE GODFATHER (1972)-- Nino Rota
GOLDFINGER (1964) -- John Barry
GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) - Max Steiner
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (1965) -- Alfred Newman
HATARI (1960) -- Henry Mancini
THE HEIRESS (1949) -- Aaron Copland
HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1940) -- Alfred Newman
+HOW THE WEST WAS WON (1963) -- Alfred Newman and Ken Darby
THE HURRICANE (1937) -- Alfred Newman
THE INFORMER (1935) -- Max Steiner
ISLANDS IN THE STREAM (1976) -- Jerry Goldsmith
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) -- Dimitri Tiomkin
IVANHOE (1952) -- Miklos Rozsa
+JAWS (1975) -- John Williams
JURASSIC PARK (1993) -- John Williams
KING OF KINGS (1961) -- Miklos Rozsa
KINGS ROW (1942) -- Erich Wolfgang Korngold
+LAURA (1944) - David Raksin
+LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) -- Maurice Jarre
THE INFORMER (1935) - Max Steiner
THE LOST WEEKEND (1944) - Miklos Rozsa
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) - Elmer Bernstein
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (1955)-- Elmer Bernstein
THE NATURAL (1984) -- Randy Newman
PATTON (1970) - Jerry Goldsmith
+PLANET OF THE APES (1968) - Jerry Goldsmith
NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) -- Bernard Herrmann
NOW VOYAGER (1942) -- Max Steiner
OBSESSION (1975) -- Bernard Herrmann
THE OMEN (1976) -- Jerry Goldsmith
ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) -- Leonard Bernstein
OUR TOWN (1940) - Aaron Copland
+OUT OF AFRICA (1985) -- John Barry
+PLANET OF THE APES (1968) - Jerry Goldsmith
PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE (1952) -- Miklos Rozsa
+PSYCHO (1960) - Bernard Herrmann
THE QUIET MAN (1952) -- Victor Young
QUO VADIS (1951) -- Miklos Rozsa
+THE PINK PANTHER (1964) -- Henry Mancini
A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951) -- Franz Waxman
RAINTREE COUNTRY (1957) -- Johnny Green
THE RED PONY (1949) -- Aaron Copland
RED RIVER (1948) -- Dimitri Tiomkin
RIO BRAVO (1959) -- Dimitri Tiomkin
THE ROBE (1953) -- Alfred Newman
THE RUSSIA HOUSE (1990)-- Jerry Goldsmith
THE SAND PEBBLES (1966) -- Jerry Goldsmith
SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) - John Williams
THE SEARCHERS (1956) -- Max Steiner
THE SEA HAWK (1941) -- Erich Wolfgang Korngold
SHANE (1953) -- Victor Young
SINCE YOU WENT AWAY (1944) -- Max Steiner
SPARTACUS (1960) - Alex North
SPELLBOUND (1945) -- Miklos Rozsa
+STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (1977) - John Williams
+A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951) -- Alex North
SUMMER AND SMOKE (1961) -- Elmer Bernstein
+SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) -- Franz Waxman
SUPERMAN (1978)-- John Williams
TARAS BULBA (1962) -- Franz Waxman
TAXI DRIVER (1976) - Bernard Herrmann
+THE MISSION (1985) - Ennio Morricone
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) -- Elmer Bernstein
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1940) -- Miklos Rozsa
TOUCH OF EVIL (1958) -- Henry Mancini
THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948) -- Max Steiner
TRUE GRIT (1969) -- Elmer Bernstein
WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939) -- Alfred Newman
By Decade:
1930s = 7
1940s = 23
1950s = 23
1960s = 25
1970s = 11
1980s = 5
1990s = 6
Film composers with 3 or more scores
on the Essential Film Scores list:
Bernard Herrmann = 10
Miklos Rozsa = 9
Max Steiner = 8
Jerry Goldsmith = 7
Alfred Newman = 7
Dimitri Tiomkin = 7
John Williams = 7
Elmer Bernstein = 6
Henry Mancini = 4
Franz Waxman = 4
John Barry = 3
Erich Wolfgang Korngold = 3
Aaron Copland = 3
Alex North = 3
Victor Young = 3
List updated: January 2026
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