Top 10 Original Movie Scores by Elmer Bernstein | TheTopFilmScore

What is your favorite score composed by Elmer Bernstein?
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[@jeanettesmith765]

What a talented man who gave us some of the most beautiful film music. My favorite will always be 1965's The Sons of Katie Elder.

[@Richard-b5r9v]

Yes. The Sons of Katie Elder is very similar to The Magnificent Seven theme

[@FernandaZambelli]

The Age of Innocence soundtrack and the movie itself deserve so much more respect and glory. Master piece!

[@jsaproductions5]

Yeah- I had forgotten that one- Lovely

[@michaelquillen2679]

Elmer Bernstein has been my favorite film score composer since I began in music, back in 1965. I dreamed of being a film score composer for several years. However, there came the time when I discovered I'd starve in the business as I was slow in doing compositions. Maybe it's because I live in Wyoming, but I've always enjoyed his composing for westerns, and the combination of his work with John Wayne's "bigger than life" on-screen persona was the perfect combination. I thought the score to the movie, The Shootist, was a masterpiece...the seriousness in the music reflecting a man facing death, yet bold statements of past glory and action. Magnificent!

[@smpadda]

Well said!

[@Harringtonml54]

This series of Top 10s is one of the very best I've found on KZbin. Thanks for your hard work and the superb results.

[@LeoMattMan]

Magnificent Seven has to be Elmer Berstein's best score ever! It never gets old and I could listen to it forever!! Amazing!

[@r.c.c.10]

Wonderful. Thank you.

[@RickWolfff]

Elmer Bernstein's score for Animal House is oddly perfect in its earnestness, in spite of all the on-screen lunacy. Just like John Landis requested. Surprised it's not here.

[@tonypassaretti]

My 2 favorites are To Kill a Mockingbird and The Magnificent 7-shows the great range of Mr. Bernstein's talent RIP maestro.

[@Finarphin]

The Great Escape. I think it's not just the best score by Elmer Bernstein, but the best original score for any movie (not counting Fantasia, of course, since it's not original). I'm not talking just about the main title, but the whole score, which blends seamlessly with the visuals all the way through.

[@jacklynrothenberger1419]

Love hawaii. Gives me chills from its beauty

[@pauldicioccio8840]

Kudos and THANKS for putting this together...LOVE IT!

[@Borella309]

Fantastic work putting these videos together - maybe not everyone will agree on the order, but I'm sure everyone will agree these videos are fantastic!

[@Lgevirtz]

A prolific genius.

[@k.a.harding6037]

Elmer's themes were the best! You can hear his influence in John Williams music. Williams was part of Bernsteins' orchestra.

[@veganvocalist4782]

oh my gosh these are GORGEOUS ;D

[@Richard-b5r9v]

The theme to Hawaii is my favourite

[@Kevinwall-u8l]

I agree that To Kill a Mockingbird should be rated higher. And not even a notable mention for Zulu Dawn 1979. Truly an epic score.

[@jsaproductions5]

Tough to pick 10 out of 140 - we probably all have different lists

[@peace-now]

For me, the big three are The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape and The Ten Commandments.

[@jamessalzman4369]

The Great Escape should have been rated much higher.

[@gregmichael8473]

Agree. Although the selected track does show Bernstein's range as a composer. A film score is more than just the main title.

[@grahamhill6340]

TOP TEN of anything, it's all subjective depending on such things as how old you were when you first heard a particular track, whether you saw the movie or just ever heard it on a CD... ELMER BERNSTEIN is a great composer just like Jerry Goldsmith, John Barry and so many others, the likes of we don't have anymore. Today's composers are not as iconic or prolific, and not likely to have 50 year careers... I didn't like so much several of his later scores, but I would've chosen to replace them - THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, KINGS OF THE SUN and maybe TRUE GRIT!

[@smpadda]

The composers today do not have Elmer's or Jerry's or John's background. Most are unable to conduct their own compositions.

[@randyerwin6016]

May I nominate Rachel Portman.

[@mr.safecharliedefensivedri9741]

The maestro,powerful.

[@PoofOfLogic]

Right there with John Williams.... Soundtracks of my childhood. Love Bernstein....Btw, no Heavy Metal??

[@Keralite29]

The Age of Innocence theme is incredible, as is pretty much everything else here. I've never even seen any of these films apart from Mockingbird, yet the music alone is powerful enough.

[@greg7656]

Magnificent Seven is great, but should have been #2 - Mockingbird is far and away Bernstein's best. In fact, it's the best musical score ever, with Sophie's Choice a close second

[@jsaproductions5]

Like 140 scores by Elmer- [not counting about 5 scores that were rejected and he was replaced - welcome to Hollywood] - always liked the score to Hawaii - the thing was that he was a Chameleon- From "To Kill a Mockingbird - to Sons of Katie Elder, The magnificent Seven, the Great escape to....Ghostbusters, Animal House, Meatballs, The Hallelujah Trail- the guy had serious range - listen for some Copeland - he did- he studied with him actually

[@smpadda]

He was going to be a concert pianist. Lucky for us he entered film composition.

[@Norma_Ro]

The ten commandments is just amazing ❤

[@mr100b]

Some Came Running (1958)!!

[@gerardoduqueavila]

Sr.tiene mucha razon,es muy cierto.

[@christophercarter7291]

I wouldn't agree with the order of these scores, but a true talent was Elmer.

[@jimmorgan5612]

Don't forget "Robot Monsters" 1953 with George Nader

[@po2313]

Magnificent 7 and the original True Grit score.

[@stephenwidlak9196]

I'd like to add "Flim Flam Man" starring George C Scott to the list.

[@gabteorias3830]

Can you please do a top 10 original movie scores by Steve Jablonsky?

[@jajones-ford2226]

I really like the theme from THE GRIFTERS

[@respighi3]

These 4 words in the opening credits of any movie---"Music by ELMER BERNSTEIN"---make that movie better than it otherwise would have been. Although "To Kill a Mockingbird" is my personal favorite, I think "Airplane" is the true measure of the man's talent. To compose intentionally---not merely funny---but downright corny music is a rare skill. Every time I hear that "love theme" I want to puke, it's so bad. Then I remember: That's the idea! It's the musical equivalent to Edward Bulwer Lytton's excessive "It was a dark and stormy night..."

[@chandlerswain704]

No "The Man With the Golden Arm"?

[@mgman6000]

Scalphunters

[@raymonrodrigues2019]

Where are Miklos Rosza and Ron Goodwin?

[@epotty21]

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and TRUE GRIT....

[@_ag_-ol8oy]

I like Wild Wild West

[@willroberts336]

I always have really enjoyed his scores to a couple of lesser known films: Amazing Grace and Chuck & Heavy Metal.

[@randolphstephenson]

Sorry Atticus.❤😮 SOME PEOPLE_______?

[@jslasher1]

Steve Jablonsky! Who he?

[@maestroclassico5801]

Wow Mag 7 is only an Honorable Mention and Ten Commandments is not #1? Needless to say I disagree with this list! No HALLELUJAH TRAIL or True Grit?

[@bhuelbig]

The Magnificent Seven is #1.

[@maestroclassico5801]

@@bhuelbig Hey agreed that it's definitely higher than honorable mention!

[@gregmichael8473]

I''d forgotten about the Hallellujah Trail. Thanks for reminding me.

[@maestroclassico5801]

@@gregmichael8473 The film itself was on here for free last month complete with Elmer's Overture, Entr'acte and Exit Music... I'd check it out

[@jhungoyone1703]

❤❤❤🎉

[@retiredmom2947]

Good, but NO Thomas Neuman. 😀

[@cindernubblebutt1340]

That GHOSTBUSTERS and the MAGNIFICENT SEVEN have the same composer. I would just sit back and say, YEAH!