I got asked today: what are the best original film soundtracks of all time? And it got me thinking. I came up with some off-the-cuff replies.

Initially I mentioned films like American Graffiti, the Lost Boys, Fright Night and The Graduate – all of which have great soundtracks. Several of which (incidentally) are also vampire films. I could have gone on… The Goonies, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Breakfast Club… and what about The Third Man, Casablanca, or The Deer Hunter?

But then I realized these were movies with either a single great theme or lots of different songs. But what about an actual soundtrack? It got me thinking. So here for your entertainment are what I think are the top 10 best soundtracks of all time.

And I’m sorry, but if I see Pulp Fiction or The Bodyguard in anyone’s list I do not believe they have watched any films made before 1990. We aim for a higher level of appreciation here, folks. So without further ado, here is my top 10 (for today anyway. I’ll probably change my mind tomorrow) in no particular order…

1. Paris, Texas (1984) by Ry Cooder

The score to this mesmerizing minimalist movie is just as minimal and profoundly moving. A terrific theme by Ry Cooder resonates throughout this movie about a man trying to find and reconnect with his estranged wife and son after a catastrophic family breakdown. Ry Cooder’s haunting bottleneck guitar tunes give this movie a mythic and yet profoundly American quality that only its German director Wim Wenders could have come up with… a movie that feels both quintessentially American and yet dreamlike. A mythic story set in a modern world.

2. Blade Runner (1982) by Vangelis

Much has been said about the visuals of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi masterwork (although I think it is a failure in storytelling terms, and no that still doesn’t mean I dislike it. I love this movie. But more on that in another post). However, not enough has ben said about Vangellis’s ethereal, epic score. The beautiful strains of the opening theme give way to delicate orchestral moments like Memories of Green and Middle-Eastern flavoured elegiac pieces like Damask Rose, then the sublimely techno-noir end theme. It’s a hodge-podge that works as a coherent whole, creating a stylized, stylish atmosphere that (much like the film itself) has often been imitated but never bettered.

3. Zulu (1964) by John Barry

English composer John Barry is known as the man behind James Bond films such as Goldfinger (although the familiar opening them was composed by Henry Mancini). He also composed many other memorable films such as Out of Africa and Somewhere In Time. However, it is in Zulu that he really delivers an iconic and unique score. His relentless, rhythmic action theme captures the unstoppable war machine of the Zulu nation. It’s a wonderful, Boy’s Own adventure of a movie, and the music plays an integral part, especially in the scene where the Welsh soldiers start a singing contest against 10,00 African tribesmen. Goosebumps.

4. Superman (1979) by John Williams

What, you say? How can you prefer this over Star Wars or Jaws, or E.T. or even Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Well, in all these films the familiar John Williams music is an integral part – with all of its epic, richly textured and strongly melodic grandness. However, it is in Superman where the music truly becomes part of the action. Every time we here the Superman theme it calls out to something happening in the visuals. From the Holst-like dreaminess of the opening on Krypton to Superman’s first appearance in costume, to the now-familiar drums signalling that Superman is about to put in an appearance, this music is part of the actual story. There are unexpectedly beautiful moments too, like the scene where Clark Kent bids farewell to his mother in a rolling sea of golden wheat. Superhero films never sounded so good.

5. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966) by Ennio Morricone

I admit this one was close. It was either this or Once Upon A Time in the West. The other Dollar films are pretty good too. But this is probably the greatest and most recognizable Western theme tune of all time. Throughout the movie, it is used to signal a plot twist. And this movie is full of those. The plot twists even involve the genre of the film, which changes from Wild West crime caper to sorrowful war movie. And the theme changes to match this, giving us one of the most memorable moments in the whole movie as we witness the human cost of war. Then we are back for the iconic closing scene where the music just keeps building and building to a rattling climax and ends on a high note along with the main character!

6. Flash Gordon (1980) by Queen

Although some might argue that British rock-pop band Queen’s greatest soundtrack is the score to Highlander (1985), the soundtrack to pulp/camp sci-fi action romp Flash Gordon will always be the better score to me because it not just a collection of songs but incidental music that helps generate atmosphere and suspense. The over-the-top rock royalty of Queen guitarist Brian May is ideal for the technicolour marvel that is the planet Mongo in this reimagining of the 1930s pulp comic strip. Just like the movie and Brian Blessed’s acting, the music is larger than life. From the moment the avant-garde pounding opening theme starts, to the dreamlike space rocket sequence, to the arena-filling rock finale, the music compliments the action and remains a unique element of this film.

7. Near Dark (1987) by Tangerine Dream

German electronic music pioneers Tangerine Dream scored several movie soundtracks in their time, but none beats this unusual, trancelike score for Kathryn Bigelow’s understated modern vampire film. The pulsating synthesizers combine with monastic chanting to summon up the image of immortal vampires pretending to be redneck drifters. The music changes throughout the film to reflect the trails the main characters go through. A unique blend of 80s electro-pop, horror and movie soundtrack. One of the best OSTs I’ve ever heard.

8. Koyaanisqatsi (1982) by Phillip Glass

This is not your typical film. This non-fiction movie contains no dialogue. It is an impassioned plea to humans to stop civilization destroying the planet by showing juxtaspositions of the desert with a modern-day American city in slow motion and speeded up shots. The director was a former monk. This has been copied a million times by adverts and student films with its hots of blurred car headlights trailing ribbons of light across freeways. But its the hypnotic Philip Glass score that stands out today, the repetitiveness gaining new meaning as the film progresses. We go from optimism to chaotic energy to despair then finally to a thoughtful conclusion. The soundtrack lingers in your memory long after the visuals of the film have faded,

9. Suspiria (1977) by Goblin

Goblin are more well-known for their seminal theme for Dawn of the Dead (1978) George A Romero’s second zombie movie. However, Dario Argento’s witchcraft-in-modern-day-Italy film is where the band truly shine. The music is pounding, aggressive and in-your-face, just like the colour-drenched visuals of the film. Both are equally designed to offend good taste and make you feel that anything could happen. At time the score threatens to drown out the action. But that’s a good thing, as the music is far more suggestive and unsettling than any visuals could be. One of the best horror film soundtracks ever made.

10. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) by James Horner

The Lord of the Rings movies are a true blockbuster, but in choosing James Horner director Peter Jackson punched way above his weight. With modern special effects and a host of character actors it could be aid that it wad impossible to fail in this fist live-action adaptation of JRR Tolkein’s fantasy epic. But Horner rises to the occasion, weaving his own magic spell and giving us a score that feels both modern and far-away. Each segment of the film has its own defining tunes, complimenting the action without overpowering it. A solid, great, all-round score.

So there you go. What do you think? Do you disagree? If so let me know in the comments.