Jon Brion - I Heart Huckabees, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Magnolia The RZA - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai and Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2 David Holmes - Out Of Sight, Ocean's Eleven & Twelve and Buffalo Soldiers Kevin Shields - Lost in Translation

john williams & bernard hermann

Ennio Morricone has to take it for "The Mission" its unbelievable. I think cameron crowe/nancy wilson did a great job in almost famous (they wrote the stillwater tunes) does this count for music selection too? cos there are some inspired pieces of music in that film, "sparks" when he finds his sisters record collection, "tiny dancer" on the bus, "cover of the rolling stone" in NY, great movie.

Jerry Goldsmith for "Chinatown" alone. Also "Alien" and a million other movies you've seen. Thomas Newman (all Sam Mendes' films) and lots of others.

Also, Carter Burwell, composer of choice for the Coens. If you're gonna include people that put the soundtracks together rather than compose 'em, you have to include Robbie Robertson for Scorcese's movies. Goodfellas, etc...

The dude who wrote The Imperial March, williams was it? legend

He writes all Spielberg's stuff too. Ever since Jaws if I'm not mistaken.

Just becasue of the influence he had on some of my favourite childhood films I'm going with Williams; Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Superman, great stuff.

Mark Mothersbaugh He's done some great stuff for the likes of The Life Aquatic, Rushmore, Happy Gilmore, The Royal Tenembaums and Welcome to Colinwood... And Herbie..Fully Loaded!!

some ennio morricone stuff is timeless giorgio moroder for the 80's buzz nino rota for the godfather

What about the Kronos Quartet for ' Requiem for a Dream' and whoever did the soundtrack to ' Grosse Point Blank'

david byrne-young adam..actually theres another scottish film,wilbur wants to kill himself..joachim holbek did the music,its very pretty..

Ennio Morricone hands down for me.

John Barry would be the one for me - did all the bond movies + out of africa & dances with wolves + many, many more

phillip glass too

Liza Gerrard - Music From Gladiator and some of Heat & most of The Insider James Horner - Enemy at the Gates (truly beautiful film score) Ennio been mentioned - too many movies to remark on Vanilla Sky had great moments too whoever did that

Of course, John Williams and Ennio Morricone are two of the best. But I always look out for Cameron Crowe movies as his and Nancy Wilson's choice cuttings are always interesting. 'Fast Time At Ridgemount High' is good, 'Say Anything' is good, 'Singles' is of its time, 'Jerry Maguire' is good in parts, 'Almost Famous' is one of the best soundtracks around, 'Vanilla Sky' is top quality and the new one for 'Elizabethtown' looks and sounds pretty good too. That probably isn't an impressive list to many but the way Crowe uses music throughout his movies is impeccable. Darragh mentioned some scenes from 'Almost Famous' but that entire movie is littered with good music, as is 'Vanilla Sky' - from Jeff Buckley to Radiohead to R.E.M. to Paul McCartney. His selection of music used give his movies a momentum that allows the characters to develop and relax at the same time, while always keeping the audience entertained both visually and musically. For these reasons, I propose Cameron Crowe as one of the best film composers around today. By the way, does anyone know who does all the scores on Sergio Leone's films?