Reply To: FSM # 20: Final scores – best and worst?

#8377

Yes, it sometimes requires a bit of “homework” (looking them up online etc.), if the final scores aren’t famous. It’s also possible to add an extra part to this query – not only what their final score was like, but also what YOU consider their last great score was. Again, it might require some googling in some cases. 🙂

So to use your examples, Max Steiner’s final film score appears to be THOSE CALLOWAYS (1965), which I’ve never seen or heard. I was never a big Steiner fan to begin with, so hard to say what I consider his last great score. I simply haven’t heard enough. Maybe THE CAINE MUTINY (1954).

Alfred Newman’s final film score was famously AIRPORT (1970). I like the score as an album, but it was quite odd in the film. Many Golden Age sentiments in it that makes it sound like it was composed in the 50s, and somewhat at odds with the time period in which it was produced. Even the jazzy love theme. But here’s probably a case where I also consider his final score the last great score.

Henry Mancini’s final film score is THE SON OF PINK PANTHER (1993), which I haven’t heard. But I really like his second-to-last, TOM & JERRY: THE MOVIE (1992).

Another example which I mentioned in the first post: James Horner’s final score was THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (2016), released posthumously, but I never liked that much. I consider his last great score to be WOLF TOTEM (2015).