Las 25 mejores bandas sonoras de cine
En este artículo vamos a hablar de las consideradas mejores de la historia del cine americano, al resultar las más votadas en el año 2005 en el American Film Institute de entre la lista de 250 nominadas, que si debió ser difícil llegar hasta ese número, aún debió ser mucho más complicado reducirlo a sólo 25 títulos.
Posiblemente llame la atención a algunos (o no), que de las 250 bandas sonoras nos encontremos con SIETE compositores que aparecen en ONCE ocasiones en la lista y es que hablamos nada menos que de los grandes maestros de la historia del cine como son Alfred Newman, Elmer Bernstein, Franz Waxman, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Max Steiner y Miklos Rozsa.
Comenzamos relacionando las 250 bandas sonoras seleccionadas, agrupadas por orden alfabético de compositores, indicando además del título original de la película, el año de estreno de la misma.
| TÍTULO ORIGINAL DE LA PELÍCULA | AÑO | COMPOSITOR | |
| 1 | OF MICE AND MEN | 1939 | Aaron Copland |
| 2 | THE HEIRESS | 1949 | Aaron Copland |
| 3 | THE RED PONY | 1949 | Aaron Copland |
| 4 | FORREST GUMP | 1994 | Alan Silvestri |
| 5 | A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE | 1951 | Alex North |
| 6 | CLEOPATRA | 1963 | Alex North |
| 7 | SPARTACUS | 1960 | Alex North |
| 8 | THE MISFITS | 1961 | Alex North |
| 9 | VIVA ZAPATA! | 1952 | Alex North |
| 10 | WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? | 1966 | Alex North |
| 11 | AIRPORT | 1970 | Alfred Newman |
| 12 | ALL ABOUT EVE | 1950 | Alfred Newman |
| 13 | CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE | 1947 | Alfred Newman |
| 14 | HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY | 1941 | Alfred Newman |
| 15 | HOW THE WEST WAS WON | 1962 | Alfred Newman |
| 16 | LOVE IS A MANY-SPLENDORED THING | 1955 | Alfred Newman |
| 17 | THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD | 1965 | Alfred Newman |
| 18 | THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME | 1939 | Alfred Newman |
| 19 | THE ROBE | 1953 | Alfred Newman |
| 20 | THE SONG OF BERNADETTE | 1943 | Alfred Newman |
| 21 | WUTHERING HEIGHTS | 1939 | Alfred Newman |
| 22 | ELMER GANTRY | 1960 | Andre Previn |
| 23 | THE THIRD MAN | 1949 | Anton Karas |
| 24 | THINGS TO COME | 1936 | Arthur Bliss |
| 25 | CONAN THE BARBARIAN | 1982 | Basil Poledouris |
| 26 | FORBIDDEN PLANET | 1956 | Bebe Barron, Louis Barron |
| 27 | ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY | 1941 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 28 | CITIZEN KANE | 1941 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 29 | JANE EYRE | 1944 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 30 | NORTH BY NORTHWEST | 1959 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 31 | PSYCHO | 1960 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 32 | TAXI DRIVER | 1976 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 33 | THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL | 1951 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 34 | THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR | 1947 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 35 | VERTIGO | 1958 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 36 | ROCKY | 1976 | Bill Conti |
| 37 | THE RIGHT STUFF | 1983 | Bill Conti |
| 38 | AUNTIE MAME | 1958 | Bronislau Kaper |
| 39 | GREEN DOLPHIN STREET | 1947 | Bronislau Kaper |
| 40 | LORD JIM | 1965 | Bronislau Kaper |
| 41 | MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY | 1962 | Bronislau Kaper |
| 42 | SILVERADO | 1985 | Bruce Broughton |
| 43 | BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID | 1969 | Burt Bacharach |
| 44 | CASINO ROYALE | 1967 | Burt Bacharach |
| 45 | THE BLACK STALLION | 1979 | Carmine Coppola |
| 46 | FARGO | 1996 | Carter Burwell |
| 47 | CITY LIGHTS | 1931 | Charles Chaplin |
| 48 | MODERN TIMES | 1936 | Charles Chaplin |
| 49 | MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET | 1947 | Cyril Mockridge |
| 50 | BATMAN | 1989 | Danny Elfman |
| 51 | EDWARD SCISSORHANDS | 1990 | Danny Elfman |
| 52 | ON GOLDEN POND | 1981 | Dave Grusin |
| 53 | THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER | 1968 | Dave Grusin |
| 54 | TOMORROW NEVER DIES | 1997 | David Arnold |
| 55 | HOFFA | 1992 | David Newman |
| 56 | FOREVER AMBER | 1947 | David Raksin |
| 57 | LAURA | 1944 | David Raksin |
| 58 | THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL | 1952 | David Raksin |
| 59 | THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE | 1974 | David Shire |
| 60 | DIAL M FOR MURDER | 1954 | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| 61 | DUEL IN THE SUN | 1948 | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| 62 | FRIENDLY PERSUASION | 1956 | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| 63 | HIGH NOON | 1952 | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| 64 | LOST HORIZON | 1937 | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| 65 | THE ALAMO | 1960 | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| 66 | THE GUNS OF NAVARONE | 1961 | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| 67 | ANATOMY OF A MURDER | 1959 | Duke Ellington |
| 68 | FRIDA | 2002 | Elliot Goldenthal |
| 69 | FAR FROM HEAVEN | 2002 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 70 | HAWAII | 1966 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 71 | SUMMER AND SMOKE | 1961 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 72 | SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS | 1957 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 73 | THE AGE OF INNOCENCE | 1993 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 74 | THE GREAT ESCAPE | 1963 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 75 | THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN | 1960 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 76 | THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM | 1955 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 77 | THE TEN COMMANDMENTS | 1956 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 78 | TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD | 1962 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 79 | WALK ON THE WILD SIDE | 1962 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 80 | ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA | 1984 | Ennio Morricone |
| 81 | ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST | 1968 | Ennio Morricone |
| 82 | THE MISSION | 1986 | Ennio Morricone |
| 83 | THE UNTOUCHABLES | 1987 | Ennio Morricone |
| 84 | ANTHONY ADVERSE | 1936 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| 85 | CAPTAIN BLOOD | 1935 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| 86 | DECEPTION | 1946 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| 87 | KINGS ROW | 1942 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| 88 | THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD | 1938 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| 89 | THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX | 1939 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| 90 | THE SEA HAWK | 1940 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| 91 | EXODUS | 1960 | Ernest Gold |
| 92 | IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD | 1963 | Ernest Gold |
| 93 | SHIP OF FOOLS | 1965 | Ernest Gold |
| 94 | LOVE STORY | 1970 | Francis Lai |
| 95 | BAMBI | 1942 | Frank Churchill, Edward Plumb |
| 96 | A PLACE IN THE SUN | 1951 | Franz Waxman |
| 97 | DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE | 1941 | Franz Waxman |
| 98 | PEYTON PLACE | 1957 | Franz Waxman |
| 99 | REBECCA | 1940 | Franz Waxman |
| 100 | SAYONARA | 1957 | Franz Waxman |
| 101 | SUNSET BLVD. | 1960 | Franz Waxman |
| 102 | TARAS BULBA | 1962 | Franz Waxman |
| 103 | THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN | 1935 | Franz Waxman |
| 104 | THE NUN’S STORY | 1959 | Franz Waxman |
| 105 | THE PHILADELPHIA STORY | 1940 | Franz Waxman |
| 106 | THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS | 1957 | Franz Waxman |
| 107 | SABRINA | 1954 | Frederick Hollander |
| 108 | THE ENGLISH PATIENT | 1996 | Gabriel Yared |
| 109 | PICNIC | 1955 | George Duning |
| 110 | GANDHI | 1982 | George Fenton, Ravi Shankar |
| 111 | MOULIN ROUGE | 1952 | Georges Auric |
| 112 | A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS | 1966 | Georges Delerue |
| 113 | THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN | 1971 | Gil Melle |
| 114 | MIDNIGHT EXPRESS | 1978 | Giorgio Moroder |
| 115 | THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN | 1942 | Hans J. Salter |
| 116 | THE WOLF MAN | 1941 | Hans J. Salter, Frank Skinner, Charles Previn |
| 117 | AS GOOD AS IT GETS | 1997 | Hans Zimmer |
| 118 | GLADIATOR | 2000 | Hans Zimmer |
| 119 | BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S | 1961 | Henry Mancini |
| 120 | CHARADE | 1963 | Henry Mancini |
| 121 | HATARI! | 1962 | Henry Mancini |
| 122 | THE PINK PANTHER | 1964 | Henry Mancini |
| 123 | TOUCH OF EVIL | 1958 | Henry Mancini |
| 124 | WAIT UNTIL DARK | 1967 | Henry Mancini |
| 125 | MRS. MINIVER | 1942 | Herbert Stothart |
| 126 | THE GOOD EARTH | 1937 | Herbert Stothart |
| 127 | THE WIZARD OF OZ | 1939 | Herbert Stothart |
| 128 | THE LORD OF THE RINGS: Fellowship of the Ring | 2001 | Howard Shore |
| 129 | THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS | 1991 | Howard Shore |
| 130 | AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER | 1957 | Hugo Friedhofer |
| 131 | THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES | 1946 | Hugo Friedhofer |
| 132 | SHAFT | 1971 | Isaac Hayes |
| 133 | APOLLO 13 | 1995 | James Horner |
| 134 | BRAVEHEART | 1995 | James Horner |
| 135 | FIELD OF DREAMS | 1989 | James Horner |
| 136 | GLORY | 1989 | James Horner |
| 137 | TITANIC | 1997 | James Horner |
| 138 | THE FUGITIVE | 1993 | James Newton Howard |
| 139 | THE VILLAGE | 2004 | James Newton Howard |
| 140 | WYATT EARP | 1994 | James Newton Howard |
| 141 | THE BIG COUNTRY | 1958 | Jerome Moross |
| 142 | THE CARDINAL | 1963 | Jerome Moross |
| 143 | STRAW DOGS | 1971 | Jerry Fielding |
| 144 | THE WILD BUNCH | 1969 | Jerry Fielding |
| 145 | A PATCH OF BLUE | 1965 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 146 | ALIEN | 1979 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 147 | CHINATOWN | 1974 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 148 | L.A. CONFIDENTIAL | 1997 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 149 | PAPILLON | 1973 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 150 | PATTON | 1970 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 151 | PLANET OF THE APES | 1968 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 152 | STAR TREK – THE MOTION PICTURE | 1979 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 153 | THE OMEN | 1976 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 154 | THE SAND PEBBLES | 1966 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 155 | THE WIND AND THE LION | 1975 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 156 | SLEUTH | 1972 | John Addison |
| 157 | BODY HEAT | 1981 | John Barry |
| 158 | BORN FREE | 1966 | John Barry |
| 159 | DANCES WITH WOLVES | 1990 | John Barry |
| 160 | GOLDFINGER | 1964 | John Barry |
| 161 | OUT OF AFRICA | 1985 | John Barry |
| 162 | SOMEWHERE IN TIME | 1980 | John Barry |
| 163 | THE LION IN WINTER | 1968 | John Barry |
| 164 | ALTERED STATES | 1980 | John Corigliano |
| 165 | YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN | 1974 | John Morris |
| 166 | A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | 2001 | John Williams |
| 167 | CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE KIND | 1977 | John Williams |
| 168 | E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL | 1982 | John Williams |
| 169 | HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE | 2001 | John Williams |
| 170 | JAWS | 1975 | John Williams |
| 171 | RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK | 1981 | John Williams |
| 172 | SCHINDLER’S LIST | 1993 | John Williams |
| 173 | STAR WARS | 1977 | John Williams |
| 174 | SUPERMAN | 1978 | John Williams |
| 175 | THE COWBOYS | 1972 | John Williams |
| 176 | THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK | 1987 | John Williams |
| 177 | RAINTREE COUNTY | 1957 | Johnny Green |
| 178 | THE SANDPIPER | 1965 | Johnny Mandel |
| 179 | BULLITT | 1968 | Lalo Schifrin |
| 180 | COOL HAND LUKE | 1967 | Lalo Schifrin |
| 181 | DIRTY HARRY | 1971 | Lalo Schifrin |
| 182 | BECKET | 1964 | Laurence Rosenthal |
| 183 | THE MIRACLE WORKER | 1962 | Laurence Rosenthal |
| 184 | ON THE WATERFRONT | 1954 | Leonard Bernstein |
| 185 | EAST OF EDEN | 1955 | Leonard Rosenman |
| 186 | FANTASTIC VOYAGE | 1966 | Leonard Rosenman |
| 187 | REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE | 1955 | Leonard Rosenman |
| 188 | THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI | 1957 | Malcom Arnold |
| 189 | THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS | 1958 | Malcom Arnold |
| 190 | CITY SLICKERS | 1991 | Marc Shaiman |
| 191 | THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT | 1995 | Marc Shaiman |
| 192 | A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT | 1992 | Mark Isham |
| 193 | SOPHIE’S CHOICE | 1982 | Marvin Hamlisch |
| 194 | THE WAY WE WERE | 1973 | Marvin Hamlisch |
| 195 | A PASSAGE TO INDIA | 1984 | Maurice Jarre |
| 196 | DOCTOR ZHIVAGO | 1965 | Maurice Jarre |
| 197 | LAWRENCE OF ARABIA | 1962 | Maurice Jarre |
| 198 | RYAN’S DAUGHTER | 1970 | Maurice Jarre |
| 199 | A SUMMER PLACE | 1959 | Max Steiner |
| 200 | ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN | 1948 | Max Steiner |
| 201 | CASABLANCA | 1942 | Max Steiner |
| 202 | DARK VICTORY | 1939 | Max Steiner |
| 203 | GONE WITH THE WIND | 1939 | Max Steiner |
| 204 | JEZEBEL | 1938 | Max Steiner |
| 205 | JOHNNY BELINDA | 1948 | Max Steiner |
| 206 | KING KONG | 1933 | Max Steiner |
| 207 | NOW, VOYAGER | 1942 | Max Steiner |
| 208 | THE INFORMER | 1968 | Max Steiner |
| 209 | THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE | 1948 | Max Steiner |
| 210 | ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES | 1991 | Michael Kamen |
| 211 | SUMMER OF ‘42 | 1971 | Michel Legrand |
| 212 | THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR | 1968 | Michel Legrand |
| 213 | A DOUBLE LIFE | 1947 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 214 | BEN-HUR | 1959 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 215 | DOUBLE INDEMNITY | 1944 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 216 | EL CID | 1961 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 217 | IVANHOE | 1952 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 218 | KING OF KINGS | 1961 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 219 | MADAME BOVARY | 1949 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 220 | QUO VADIS? | 1951 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 221 | SPELLBOUND | 1945 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 222 | THE LOST WEEKEND | 1945 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 223 | THE THIEF OF BAGDAD | 1940 | Miklos Rozsa |
| 224 | THE GODFATHER | 1972 | Nino Rota |
| 225 | WAR AND PEACE | 1956 | Nino Rota |
| 226 | MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | 1993 | Patrick Doyle |
| 227 | SENSE AND SENSIBILITY | 1995 | Patrick Doyle |
| 228 | THE HOURS | 2002 | Philip Glass |
| 229 | IN COLD BLOOD | 1967 | Quincy Jones |
| 230 | IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT | 1967 | Quincy Jones |
| 231 | CHOCOLAT | 2000 | Rachel Portman |
| 232 | THE CIDER HOUSE RULES | 1999 | Rachel Portman |
| 233 | AVALON | 1990 | Randy Newman |
| 234 | RAGTIME | 1981 | Randy Newman |
| 235 | THE NATURAL | 1984 | Randy Newman |
| 236 | EQUUS | 1977 | Richard Rodney Bennett |
| 237 | MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS | 1974 | Richard Rodney Bennett |
| 238 | CAT PEOPLE | 1942 | Roy Webb |
| 239 | NOTORIOUS | 1946 | Roy Webb |
| 240 | SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE | 1998 | Stephen Warbeck |
| 241 | 25TH HOUR | 2002 | Terence Blanchard |
| 242 | AMERICAN BEAUTY | 1999 | Thomas Newman |
| 243 | THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION | 1994 | Thomas Newman |
| 244 | BLADE RUNNER | 1982 | Vangelis |
| 245 | CHARIOTS OF FIRE | 1981 | Vangelis |
| 246 | AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS | 1956 | Victor Young |
| 247 | FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS | 1943 | Victor Young |
| 248 | SAMSON AND DELILAH | 1949 | Victor Young |
| 249 | SHANE | 1953 | Victor Young |
| 250 | LOUISIANA STORY | 1948 | Virgil Thompson |
Seguro que a mucha gente le faltará alguna y les sobrarán otras, pero hay que estar de acuerdo en que se le pueden poner pocos peros a esta selección. Por último relacionamos las que se convirtieron en las VEINTICINCO MEJORES de la historia del cine americano hasta el 2005, según la AFI (American Film Institute).
| TÍTULO ORIGINAL | AÑO | COMP0SITOR | |
| 1 | Star Wars | 1977 | John Williams |
| 2 | Gone with the Wind | 1939 | Max Steiner |
| 3 | Lawrence of Arabia | 1962 | Maurice Jarre |
| 4 | Psycho | 1960 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 5 | The Godfather | 1972 | Nino Rota |
| 6 | Jaws | 1975 | John Williams |
| 7 | Laura | 1944 | David Raksin |
| 8 | The Magnificent Seven | 1960 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 9 | Chinatown | 1974 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 10 | High Noon | 1952 | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| 11 | The Adventures of Robin Hood | 1938 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| 12 | Vertigo | 1958 | Bernard Herrmann |
| 13 | King Kong | 1933 | Max Steiner |
| 14 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | 1982 | John Williams |
| 15 | Out of Africa | 1985 | John Barry |
| 16 | Sunset Boulevard | 1950 | Franz Waxman |
| 17 | To Kill a Mockingbird | 1962 | Elmer Bernstein |
| 18 | Planet of the Apes | 1968 | Jerry Goldsmith |
| 19 | A Streetcar Named Desire | 1951 | Alex North |
| 20 | The Pink Panther | 1964 | Henry Mancini |
| 21 | Ben-Hur | 1959 | Miklós Rózsa |
| 22 | On the Waterfront | 1954 | Leonard Bernstein |
| 23 | The Mission | 1986 | Ennio Morricone |
| 24 | On Golden Pond | 1981 | Dave Grusin |
| 25 | How the West Was Won | 1962 | Alfred Newman, Ken Darby |
Os dejamos con un video de John Williams dirigiendo un homenaje a la música de cine arreglado por el mismo
