The Most Recognizable--Finally!

Compiled by Jeff Bond

After our first onslaught of Recognizable Film Themes reader analysis came the inevitable period of grief, self-doubt and recriminations. Here, then, are the results of a few weeks of careful reconsideration from our readers:

Robert (John) Griffin (GRIFFINR@wmich.edu) writes:

Regarding the most recognizable movie music, I would like to add The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly by Ennio Morricone. I think most people would know that theme instantly. Another famous movie theme is Henry Mancini's The Pink Panther, although most of the younger people might recognize it from the cartoon series.

In addition, two other well-known John Williams scores that might be included are Superman and, to a lesser extent, Jurassic Park. Danny Elfman's Batman theme is another possibility, but again, kids might recognize it more from the animated series than the movies.

Finally, I do not think that The Magnificent Seven is as recognizable as the others previously mentioned. There are definitely quite a few people who would not know either the movie or the theme.

Keep up the excellent work on the site and the magazine. I always look forward to my next issue.

Ennio's Good, Bad & Ugly motif is an oft-quoted western signature (the equivalent of Goldsmith's Patton trumpet triplets for military glory--has anyone mentioned that one?), and everyone suddenly remembered Mancini's Pink Panther theme this time around. I'm still not convinced Jurassic Park is instantly recognizable outside of the films; I think people may find it familiar without actually remembering what it's from. Elfman's Batman theme shows up everywhere--I think this theme is invented at least once a decade since the '40s, where it shows up in the score to The Wolfman. Incidentally, Shirley Walker wrote her own (quite good) theme for that show--check out Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. As for The Magnificent Seven, that recently passed the Ultimate Recognizability Test when my wife recognized it, although she didn't know what movie it was from. People tend to forget that Bernstein's theme was played for many, many years in television commercials for Marlboro cigarettes (it was essentially the "Marlboro country" theme and was even released as an album of "Music from Marlboro Country"...you can't get much more high-profile than commercial jingles).

Todd China (china@scf-fs.usc.edu) writes

Hi, Besides the Indiana Jones theme, I would like to add Danny Elfman's theme for Batman and Alan Silvestri's theme to Back to the Future for most recognizable film themes ever. These two film pieces are so incredibly popular, and with good reason--they're awesome! As for the latter, every time I play the song, people ask me, "Is that 'Back to the Future'?" Never fails!

James Southall (ma6jes@bath.ac.uk) writes:

Um, ahh... Bond theme? They don't come much better-recognized than that, surely. I'd also have to put Mancini's Pink Panther theme, and maybe even the Peter Gunn theme (the former probably more famous because of the cartoons than the film, the latter definitely more famous because of the Blues Brothers).

From recent years, the only one that seems to have entered into pop culture, as it were, is Jurassic Park--the two main themes from that are very popular. Also, I think I'd include "Back to the Future" by Alan Silvestri, surely his best theme. And, had it been in a decent film, I'm sure Jerry's main theme from "King Solomon's Mines" would be very famous by now. Such a pity that Jerry seems to have this amazing knack of picking the most detrital films imaginable to score.

I've always had the sneaking suspicion that Goldsmith's Alan Quartermain theme was some kind of in-joke jumble made from Williams's Indiana Jones theme...I'm still not convinced that Back to the Future has such a high audience profile, but it's surely Silvestri's most recognizable melody. How everyone collectively forgot the Bond theme is beyond me...

David A. Koran (David_A_Koran@xn.xerox.com) writes:

Arrrghhh! You forgot the most recognized of all time! "James Bond Theme!" It's so popular and recognizable, it's not always the first to come up, but you listen to the first seven notes, and viola, you know what's going to happen. Arrrgh, I can't believe us music buffs missed this after 18 movies. It doesn't even have to be based with an accompanying song... heck, most of the title songs try to separate themselves from this Barry theme. But, to world popularity and an the ability to recognize this theme from generation to generation to generation (and way into the future) this I think is hands down the best and, probably if you even asked an African bushman to whistle something he'd come up with it, most recognizable piece of film music of yesterday, today and tomorrow. It's timeless, and for Barry's credit, priceless!

Count on a Xerox employee to duplicate the comments of the previous writer. Maybe African bushmen would be more familiar with Barry's Zulu score. Cool...I've stereotyped two demographic groups...

Tom DeMary (demary@arlut.utexas.edu) writes:

That's an easy one. It the theme from The Lone Ranger. It transcends all generations in Movies, serials, radio, TV, cartoons ...it's everywhere. I heard it in some new TV show last night as I was surfing cable. (a.k.a The William Tell Overture by G. Rossini).

Hmmm...do we eliminate themes that are just re-used pieces of classical music? And if we do, do we eliminate themes that are ripped off from pieces of classical music? Woe is us.

Mark Bagby (bagby@calcot.com) writes:

Sin of sins! How can I have left out The Pink Panther?! Mancini probably had more crossover success than anybody before or since...and the Peter Gunn theme, which made it into films...as did Mission: Impossible. Chariots of Fire seems so obvious, that's another one that's hard to have forgotten. Which I guess rather proves the point, doesn't it? I tried a little experiment here at my office...I asked a couple of co-workers to hum a tune from a movie, any movie, and both did movie songs. When I hummed, or played, music for them from scores, they could identify the movies. So what's to be learned from this admittedly unscientific approach? It comes down to the issue of whether we are talking about fans of films, film scores or the general public, who may or may not be able to name that tune or the film. And lastly, speaking of Steiner, let's not forget "As Time Goes By," which though he didn't write it, certainly made it famous. Built a whole score around it, in fact, though he apparently didn't like the tune and wanted to write one of his own.

For those who may be confused by Mr. Bagby's comments: Henry Mancini wrote the Peter Gunn theme, Lalo Schifrin wrote the Mission: Impossible theme.

R. Mike Murray (recrdman@ican.net) AKA Recordman writes:

I tend agree with writers who implied that remembrance of film music will be defined by the non-film score audience, i.e. everyone who does NOT read FSM and the past or future fan score magazines. As hot as Williams has been for the last twenty years, the general audience will remember Star Wars theme only and the "da-da-da-dah" part of Jaws [but they won't know who did it, or what film it's from, but laugh anyway]. Close Encounters 3K is already memory-reduced to the five note signal theme. Perhaps the Indiana Jones theme intro has been pounded in enough through the trilogy to survive for awhile. Williams has become the Mancini of the times, cursed by his own popularity and expected to continually reproduce his past.

What music survives in the popular mind will be directly proportional to the popularity of the film and its availability for future generations...these will be the blockbuster films we already know, or will know, and others have already named, including also Lawrence of Arabia [Main title], Ben-Hur [March of the Charioteers] and Dr. Zhivago [Lara's Theme]; John Barry for the "Bond" music only and of course, any major Disney animated film, past, present or future, which reach new generations by design every seven to eight years. Alas, heresy, but in the popular mind, "Jerry who?"

Mike's heresy has been pretty much proven true in this feature, in which not a single Goldsmith tune has been mentioned, except for maybe the Star Trek: The Motion Picture march, which has had the good fortune to be associated with Star Trek: The Next Generation for many years and has received continued play in the Trek features The Final Frontier and First Contact. I still think that trumpet triplet from Patton will stick in people's minds for a while.

Khalid Zahid (efkays@cyber.net.pk) writes:

In Pakistan the most recognized Hollywood movie music looks like this: a. Superman "March" b. Theme from "Love Story" c. Theme from "Jaws" d. Theme from "Chariots of Fire" e. Raider's March" f. Star Wars March g. Baby elephant music from "Hatari" h. The Last of the Mohicans. Jeff Bond said: "Movies in the 30s and 40s were like the Big Three television networks were in the 60s: there was no competition, and just about everybody watched them." Well, up to 1988 there was only ONE TV channel in Pakistan, so everybody watched everything! I grew up watching & listening to soap operas which had often been tracked with music from "Chariots of Fire" and "Love Story". I never knew who composed these and which film they were taken from until I was bitten by the soundtrack Bug. However, later on one piece of music that I was HORRIFIED to learn was actually composed by John Barry from GOLDFINGER!

I can't help but take that last comment as an attack on either John Barry or the Goldfinger song.

Mark A. Cuventas (mcuventa@ix.netcom.com) writes:

One theme that comes to mind is Halloween. Its eerie piano theme certainly brings some fond memories among horror music. Another similar theme is the main title to the Twilight Zone.

James Robertson (ifriday@earthlink.net)

Surprisingly there was no mention of Mancini's "Pink Panther." I can't think of any other theme that is as instantly recognizable as this one is. The first "note" gives it away. What other theme does that?

Well, maybe the first TWO notes...

Scott McCulloch (cnbr115@lismore.cc.strath.ac.uk) writes:

With regard to your "Most Recognizable Movie Score Theme" topic on the web site, I would suggest that it would be between the CE3K 5 note sequence and the Jaws shark motif. If I were a betting man I would put my money on Jaws simply because it was commercially the more successful picture, and I suspect with non-film score fans has more of an instant recognition factor.

The mysterious skye@clarityconnect.com writes:

I was surprised no one mentioned Bill Conti's Rocky as being among the most recognizable film music. Among the things I recall about the pre-Star Wars 70s (yes, such an era existed) are smily faces, girls in Dr. Scholl sandals, sweathog lunch boxes...and the Rocky theme *constantly* playing on radios and portable 8-tracks (the DVD of their day). Rocky is commonly thought of a "70s pop score," but it was more than that. Certainly it had a beat and an electric guitar, but it was not an attempt at commercialism--it was perfect for the film, exciting, inspiring, even majestic, and holds up pretty well today. Aside from that it was highly popular. So popular in fact that my mother (normally a classical buff) actually asked for the soundtrack as a birthday present (I was happy to oblige since I wanted it too)!

LAWMANJCL@aol.com writes:

Regarding the "most recognizable film tune ever": Although it is certainly not my favorite, a few days ago I listened to an arrangement of "Born Free" and realized that it had been a long, long time since I had heard the tune; and then I realized that this may be one of the first pieces of music I associated with a film (I was only 2 years old when the film was released). On the other hand, it was only within the past five years that I realized the elevator-friendly tune, "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," was actually a movie tune.

There are many who would still debate that last point, but I make it a point never to argue with anyone named LAWMAN. I have very ancient memories of Born Free, too, since my parents owned an 8-track of the score.

Justin Doring (BMW750iL@pacbell.net) writes:

Concerning the most recognizable film score, unfortunately I find that the choices are dominated by John Williams. This is coming from an 18 year-old college student's perspective. I've attempted to survey my friends and relatives ages 10 through 80. I've found that the older generations recognize mostly songs from movies, such as Breakfast at Tiffany's, etc., but for "score scores," older people know Steiner's "A Summer Place," Alford/Arnold's "Bridge on the River Kwai" and even Waxman's "Peyton Place." "Gone With the Wind" wasn't mentioned at all, even among the older people, and I feel it must be out because I never recognized and rarely heard Tara's Theme until I became a film music lover. Anyone younger than 50 that I interviewed doesn't recognize the above mentioned scores. Among children, young adults, adults, the middle-aged, and the elderly (in other words, all age groups), I've found that everybody knows John Williams. He is the modern day Tiomkin, only much more popular. Unlike Tiomkin, however, Williams is known for his scores and not songs. Williams provides film music for the masses. He never disappoints and always gives us an exciting score that thoroughly enhances the movie experience. His themes are easily recognizable and are hummed and whistled everywhere, especially when exiting the theater. Of course Williams' scores are anything but original, the enduringly popular "Star Wars" is merely Williams' version of Korngold's "King's Row," but that's besides the point for this particular subject. Something doesn't have to be original to be popular. Part of the reason Williams' scores are so popular is that they are for movies that everybody of all ages love. Who doesn't enjoy and remember the excitement of "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" and the magic of "E.T." and "Jurassic Park?" Yes, John Williams is the composer who's scores will live for a long time, not for their greatness or originality but because they are fun and the masses know and love the movies they're from. Therefore the top three recognizable film scores, in my opinion based on people of all ages I've interviewed, are: 1.) "Star Wars" and sequels 2.) "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and sequels 3.) "E.T." Runners up to these scores include the five note motif to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," the synthesized "Chariots of Fire," Mancini's "The Pink Panther" and even Bernstein's spectacular western "The Magnificent Seven." Also a score, or rather theme, that came up many times was the Barry/Norman James Bond Theme.

Robert Cooper (r-cooper@ihug.co.nz) writes:

I just had a thought about the most memorable film theme ever--The Twilight Zone. Both for the TV Series and the movie. Nearly every one will recognize this theme. Even the people of my generation who have never seen the show know it well. I was wondering who came up with it ? I know both Jerry Goldsmith and Bernard Herrman worked on episodes.

Bernard Herrmann wrote the first title theme used in The Twilight Zone, a hypnotic, gently swaying piece for harp, woodwinds, brass and double basses. The familiar, agitated Zone theme with its repeating four note ostinato was written by Marius Constant, but it was actually edited together from two different pieces of avant garde music the French composer had written for something else. Similarly, Lalo Schifrin's famous Mission: Impossible theme was actually taken from a chase scene in the show's pilot episode and grafted onto the main titles by the show's producers.

OK, folks: THE END! Let's put this one to rest for now, unless someone actually wants to go through the above and make a list of what actually are, according to readers, the most famous bits of movie music. See you tomorrow with something cool!