Favourite TV/Film Themes

[Ralph]

There's far too many sensible threads on here so I hope you don't mind if I lower the tone as it were - I've checked but I don't think anyones done a thread like this so far.

Perhaps some other enthusiasts can share their faves too

First up "The Persuaders!" an amazing theme from John Barry for this 1971 series that starred Roger Moore and Tony Curtis :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykLCAfVa410

And of course Space 1999! - a highlight of the programme itself. surely one of the most exciting themes ever! :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WZW4groJro

Not surprisingly to some.. another fave tune of mine, "The Saint" a classic of the 60s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phvZf...eature=related

And finally for now "book em Danno" with this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepyG...eature=related

All very cheesy but they knew how to make some good tunes back then

[Stephen Morgan]

We could all mention many of the televison theme tunes of the sixties and seventies. Among them Department S and Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased). And Didn't Ron Grainer write a fair few popular theme tunes in his time? Among them The Prisoner, Steptoe And Son, Tales of the Unexpected and something called Dr. Who. But I think my all time favourite TV theme has to be I Claudius. There's something about those opening bars that always sends a shiver down my spine.

[SiHart]

The I, Claudius theme is particularly good. One of my favourites.

I suppose it's predictable to say but Doctor Who is my favourite TV theme ever. It's just everything you could possibly, memorable, menacing, other worldly and yet it can also be upbeat, adventurous, rocky even. Very versatile piece of music.

But other favourites of mine are Blake's 7 for being so very Dudley Simpson, Crossroads for being a perfect soap theme, Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) (Both versions!), Words and Pictures (for it's wibbly wobbly Radiophonic goodness) and Hustle which has a marvellously cool theme and great titles to go with it.

Si xx

[Wayne]

Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) (Both versions!)

Agreed!

I've got loads of favourites, but these would be in my Top 20.

The Tomorrow People (Dudley Simpson again)
Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)
U.F.O. (love the totally different end music as well)
Department S (Not the original, but i especially love this version)
Captain Scarlet
Blake's 7
The Sweeney (Great end version of the theme as well)
Mission Impossible
Star Trek: The Animated Series (Dunno why, but i like it better than the original).
Columbo

Bubbling under:

Dr Who (anyone ever heard of that?)
The Avengers (not the famous Laurie Johnson one, but the original one before that by Johnny Dankworth)
The New Avengers
Softly Softly
The Persuaders
The Saint
Star Trek
The Avengers (The Laurie Johnson one)
Cannon
M Squad

Loads of others!

[Antony Cox]

Ooh - I love TV Themes!

Faves are:

Doctor Who (obviously!)
Tommorow's World (all versions but the John Dankworth original in particular)
'Allo 'Allo
Tales of the Unexpected
Black Beauty
All Creatures Great And Small
This Is Your Life
The Avengers (all versions but the Laurie Johnson is my fave)
Randall & Hopkirk
Blake's 7

...and loads of others!

[SiHart]

The very best themes are the ones you can sings the name of the show too! Go on, try it!

I can't believe I missed The Avengers and The Prisoner off my list! And The Tomorrow People too! I wasn't concentrating!

I see Ant put Tomorrows World on his list. I loved the mid 80s theme that had the big blue CGI ball at the start and the one by The Divine Comedy in the mid-late 90s too.

Si xx

[Wayne]

Tommorow's World (all versions but the John Dankworth original in particular)

And here it is.

Also:
Here's the first Avengers Theme composed by John Dankworth.

And here's the M Squad Theme composed by Count Basie. (very 'Naked Gun')

These versions are by the Johnny Gregory Orchestra.

[Antony Cox]

And here it is.

I've got the 1973 full-length version on the Dankworth LP 'Lifeline'.

Also:
Here's the first Avengers Theme composed by John Dankworth.

I really like that version too - there's some really creepy bits in the middle!

[Ralph]

I love "The Survivors" Theme it really captures the end of civilsation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNjjn...eature=related



and the closing sequence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbZM8...eature=related

[Ralph]

I think the UFO theme was a good warm up for Space 1999. I'm not fussed about the firts Avengers theme it seemed a bit poor to me.

Do you not think this one is far superior?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tvmgrn...eature=related

meantime this is one of my all time fave film themes - the intro on "Fistful of Dollars"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDavbqqRPyQ

The intro theme from "Where Eagles Dare" is one of my favourite War film themes - I think it has a wonderfully stirring momentum to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1TowvCSIVA

[Wayne]

I'm not fussed about the firts Avengers theme it seemed a bit poor to me.

Do you not think this one is far superior?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tvmgrn...eature=related

That's the Laurie Johnson theme Raph. As listed earlier, i like them both, but i like the original best myself. It's different, but certainly not 'poor'. It has different qualities, which i prefer.

Will get to some fave film themes tomorrow, but yeah 'Where Eagles Dare' is great! Well described there!

[Ralph]

Another great John Barry theme that captures the mood of the film: Zulu!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2xQN...eature=related

[Kaybee Bailey]

I adore the 'Bergerac' theme... no idea why although I believe that my Grandpa watched 'Bergerac' repeats most afternoons after he picked me up from school when I was little, so I think it became ingrained. Also like the 'Blake's 7' and 'Tenko' themes, but on drama and impact alone the most memorable themes that come to mind are 'The Secret Army' and 'The World at War'.

[Alex]

The just lush and lovely theme from Twin Peaks is my favourite - it's sumptuous to listen to, as is much of the soundtrack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oDuGN6K3VQ

And I also love the Buffy theme, it's not normally my kind of thing, but the way it has the cute spooky opening and then kicks off in style and thrashes around through the credit always makes me smile, and gets me in the mood for the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EamzQe-m-k

[Ralph]

here's the classic Pink Panther theme from Henry Mancini

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnLhvMStUWU



And I reckon "Dallas" is the the best Soap Opera theme:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0BGh...eature=related


How about this for best music/visual sequences in a movie?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prjWY0rwM_U

must have been amazing on the big screen!


and this one is specially for the Waynester

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H39CxyNfNOM