When I saw the CineTV contest, I knew I had to blab a bit about one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. It took me honestly a few minutes to decide what soundtrack to talk about, as there's several contenders. I spent literal years writing nearly exclusively with the Lord of the Rings soundtrack in the background. I grew up with the original Star Wars movies and soundtracks, and then of course there's a bunch of newer movies like V for Vendetta or The Watchmen that have some pretty choice soundtracks tied to them... but, none of them make the cut of being my favorite.
In the middle of 1988, Ron Howard and George Lucas released what is to this day, my very favorite Fantasy movie of all time - Willow.
A not insignificant part of my love of this film is the amazing score by James Horner that masterfully flips back and forth from a serene and peaceful, almost magical, feel... to something threatening and intense.
Even within the opening score, we go from something dark and intense to a hopeful magical score, and then back again to heart-thumping powerfully dark music.
The entire movie is full of this back-and-forth battle of scores. Hope and despair. Good and evil. Order and chaos.
One of my favorites is the Canyon of Mazes score:
Just listen to that starting! The intensity! Fitting for Kael, the Evil Queen's own death-knight.
Not that our own Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) isn't up to the task of facing such a foe... set, of course, to an accompanying score that amplifies the tension of the entire scene fantastically.
I mean, just watch this, and listen to the score that ties it all together!
Since the very first time I watched this way back in the 90's with my dad, the score - and movie- have lived rent-free in my head. I re-watch this at least once or twice a year whenever I can. It's a masterful movie, with a stunning score, and it deserves so so much more notice than it gets.
So, if you've got nothing to do this afternoon... why not look for it, and toss it on? It's a fantastic time!
