Our final episode on Superman the Movie takes a close look at the heroic music in Metropolis, as well as the unfolding villainy of Lex Luthor. The heavy use of Superman's fanfare leitmotif is discussed, and we share thoughts from John Williams

Superman: the Music (part III)

Apr 22nd, 2020 46m 48s

In part three of our look at Superman the Movie, we examine great musical moments from the film score, starting at the beginning. Multiple versions of Krypton are compared, and we listen to more of the music from Smallville.Learn more about yo

Superman: the Music (part II)

Apr 15th, 2020 43m 1s

We continue our fly-through of Superman (1978) by listening to the love theme from the film score, and discuss a fascinating behind-the-scenes story. Other themes are analyzed and discussed, including a theme for Smallville, Lex Luthor and the

Superman: the Music (part I)

Apr 8th, 2020 51m 41s

John Williams' iconic Superman score is analyzed in context of a 3-part superhero movie: science fiction in the beginning, Americana growing up in Smallville, and a full-blown comic book in Metropolis. The main themes used in Williams' score ar

Morricone, "Spaghetti Westerns" and The Man With No Name (Part II)

Nov 27th, 2019 57m 9s

We continue our listen to Morricone's groundbreaking, stylish scores for director Sergio Leone and his "Spaghetti Westerns," including a close examination of For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The cultural impact of th

Morricone, "Spaghetti Westerns" and The Man With No Name (Part I)

Nov 20th, 2019 51m 2s

Ennio Morricone's iconic music for the "Spaghetti Westerns" of Sergio Leone had an enormous impact on western soundtracks... especially the violent and stylish trilogy of films that featured Clint Eastwood as "The Man With No Name." We analyze

Batman: the Music (1989)

Oct 23rd, 2019 1h

In 1989, Danny Elfman redefined the sound of superheroes on the silver screen. His theme for the Batman is explored, as well as his musical treatment of the Joker and Vicki Vale. Prince's music is also discussed, and we break down Elfman's use

Danny Elfman: from Boingo to Beetlejuice

Oct 16th, 2019 51m 41s

Danny Elfman's origin story is as fascinating as his music. We discuss his incredible success with Oingo Boingo, as well as his long-time collaboration with director Tim Burton. We explore the origin of his European "Doom-pah" sound, his humor,

The Goonies: the Music

Oct 9th, 2019 1h 4m

The music of The Goonies is a unique mix of classic film scoring, 80s pop, and film nostalgia, all combined with Dave Grusin's contemporary musical sensibilities. The result is a very effective film score that breathes life, adventure, and humo

Casablanca: the Music and History

Sep 25th, 2019 1h 6m

One of the greatest films to ever be produced by the classic Hollywood studio system features a song that infuriated composer Max Steiner. Regardless, he produced one of the most memorable and effective film scores of his entire career. The his

Raiders of the Lost Ark: the Music (part I)

Aug 28th, 2019 51m 45s

Our musical adventures with Indiana Jones begin by taking a close look at the inspiration behind Raiders and its film score. We break down the main musical themes, including the famous Raiders March, Marion's theme, and a theme for the Ark.Lea

The Fellowship of the Ring: the Music (Part III)

May 22nd, 2019 50m 10s

The languages of Middle Earth are more than just vital to the Lord of the Rings: They are an essential part of Howard Shore’s operatic film score.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fellowship of the Ring: the Music (Part II)

May 15th, 2019 41m 31s

We continue our look at Fellowship by discussing the beautiful and familiar music of the Hobbits, in all its permutations. The musical connections between Hobbits, the One Ring, and Gollum are explored, and we break down the theme for The Fello

The Fellowship of the Ring: the Music (Part I)

May 8th, 2019 53m 50s

Our first look at not only the film scores of Middle Earth, but also at composer Howard Shore. The creation of his music for Fellowship is examined, as is the source material for these amazing films. Themes are broken down, and the overall styl

The Empire Strikes Back: the Music Part IV

Apr 10th, 2019 49m 11s

Our final look and listen to the music of The Empire Strikes Back covers the end of the film, and its main location: Cloud City. We listen to more restored music during the lightsaber duel, explore even more themes like Boba Fett's theme and La

The Empire Strikes Back: the Music Part III

Apr 3rd, 2019 40m 43s

Our in-depth look at The Empire Strikes Back continues as we examine the middle of the film: the asteroid field, the planet Dagobah, and more. Continuous changes to the final score are discussed, and we get our first listen to an instrument tha

The Empire Strikes Back: the Music Part II

Mar 27th, 2019 43m 8s

We look at the music of the first act of The Empire Strikes Back: the planet Hoth. Multiple cues are discussed, as well as the creative process of iterating on musical ideas. We even get to hear restored music that was written and performed for

The Empire Strikes Back: the Music Part I

Mar 20th, 2019 56m 44s

When approaching the film score to The Empire Strikes Back, the sequel to the unprecedented smash hit Star Wars just three years before, John Williams made it all look easy. It wasn't. The pressure was intense, and the timeline was challenging.

Rocky: the Music

Nov 15th, 2018 48m 45s

Recorded in just three hours, this iconic score has been an inspiration to athletes all over the world for decades. We look at its creation, and how music is used to tell the story of a down-on-his luck athlete whose life changes forever. Lear

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: the Music Part I

Oct 24th, 2018 50m 8s

In our first look at the musical world of Harry Potter, we discuss the creative inspiration behind "Hedwig's Theme," "Harry's Wondrous World" and more. We then ask the question: is there a theme for Harry Potter himself? Learn more about your

Ghostbusters: the Music (Part II)

Oct 17th, 2018 48m 50s

In this episode, we'll discuss the creation and usage of some of Ghostbusters' pop songs, including Ray Parker Jr's smash number one single, and how they are an effective songscore when combined with Bernstein's orchestral magic.Learn more abo

Ghostbusters: the Music (Part I)

Oct 10th, 2018 47m 17s

In our first look at Ghostbusters, we call up an in-depth look at the musical contribution from legendary film composer Elmer Bernstein, who gives the movie a light-hearted, comedic touch ... while treating the threat of malevolent spirits very

Back to the Future, the Music (Part III)

Aug 22nd, 2018 47m 2s

In our final look at Back to the Future, we discuss how themes are used, and how often. Secondary themes are examined, taking a close listen to how they're all related. We discuss the relationships between characters, and how music functions as

Back to the Future, the Music (Part II)

Aug 15th, 2018 49m 13s

In part II of our analysis of the music in Back to the Future, we focus on how the orchestral score is presented to us, and its important relationship to the pop music in the movie. The decision to use pop music is also analyized, as we musical

Back to the Future, the Music (Part I)

Aug 8th, 2018 45m 6s

In our first look at Back to the Future, we take a deep look at the past, discussing stories that brought composer Alan Silvestri, director Robert Zemeckis, and producer Steven Spielberg together. The main themes fo Back to the Future are also