8. It Has One Of The Best Film Scores Of All Time
Hans Zimmer is one of the most successful and popular film composers of our time, having provided memorable soundtracks to many contemporary films such as Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, and the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, among others. But I believe his best and most iconic work is from the 90's, starting from the stirring score for The Lion King (that won him his first and only Oscar) and culminating in his score for Gladiator, which is nothing short of a masterpiece. In the film's opening moments Zimmer, along with the unique voice of vocalist Lisa Gerrard, establishes themes and motifs that won't come full circle until the end of the film. After a brief intro, he segues directly into the heavy fanfare and infectious leitmotifs of the battle scene, reminiscent of the finest work of John Williams but with the unique Zimmer touch. Throughout the course of the film, Zimmer takes us on a journey through different cultures and peoples, but the iconic themes remain throughout. The instrumentations are thick and layered and the themes are rousing: As a stand-alone soundtrack, Gladiator is one of the most complete and encompassing ever recorded. It is absolutely possible to follow the progression of the film just by listening to the soundtrack album. And that says it all, really.