The Five Best John Barry Film Scores

It's fortunate that John Barry had a modest career as a British pop star with his band, the John Barry Seven. Otherwise, he might never have become one of the most successful film composers in the history of cinema. Despite writing some of the screen's most memorable scores, he won only five Oscars: Best Song for Born Free and Best Original Score for Born Free, The Lion in Winter, Out of Africa, and Dances with Wolves. Today, we rank our picks for the five best John Barry scores:

1. Body Heat. Barry's haunting, sax-infused music sets the perfect tone for Lawrence Kasdan's stylish 1981 film noir. In his book Neo-Noir, Ronald Schwartz calls Barry's score "ravishing...it belongs in the canon of great noir and neo-noir film music. Barry's score punctuated the visuals with lyrical sensuality." Interestingly, the initial soundtrack album was remixed without Barry's approval. His original soundtrack recording was unavailable until Film Score Monthly released a deluxe two-disc set in 2012.

 2. Out of Africa. John Barry won the fourth of his five Oscars with this sweeping, romantic score. The American Film Institute ranked it No. 15 on its 2005 list of the top 25 film scores (AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores). Incredibly, it's the only Barry soundtrack on the list, although all five scores on this list were included as AFI nominees. As a stand-alone musical composition, Out of Africa may be my favorite among Barry's works.

3. Somewhere in Time. I've been a fan of this time travel romance since I saw it theatrically in 1980. Although it was neither a critical nor boxoffice hit in the U.S., Somewhere in Time has become a cult favorite (and a huge success in Japan). Much of the film's impact can be attributed to Barry's score which incorporates the 18th variation of Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," performed as a piano solo by Chet Swiatkowski with a string accompaniment. Barry's enchanting title theme is equally beautiful. In fact, the only reasonable explanation for this score being ignored at the Oscars is that perhaps it wasn't deemed "original" based on Barry's use of the Rachmaninoff piece.

4.  Born Free. The title song won a 1966 Oscar (beating Alfie and Georgy Girl) and pianist Roger Williams' recording went to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That makes it John Barry's most successful song. However, the lovely title tune (with lyrics by Don Black) was part of a superb soundtrack that's alternately playful and majestic. Like Body Heat, the music plays an integral role in this fact-based tale of a couple in Africa who raised a lion cub and later set her free.

5. Goldfinger. Shirley Bassey's bold, brassy live rendition of "Goldfinger" was the highlight of the 2013 Oscars, which is a tribute to both the song and Ms. Bassey. It was the biggest hit from a Sean Connery 007 film, peaking at No. 8 in Billboard. John Barry composed the scores for twelve James Bond movies from Dr. No (1962) to The Living Daylights (1987). In 1997, the Sunday Times published an article alleging that John Barry also composed the famous "James Bond Theme," which is credited to Monty Norman in the closing credits of each film. Norman subsequently won a libel suit against the Times.

Honorable Mentions:  Dances With Wolves; The Lion in Winter; and Midnight Cowboy.

The 5 Best Movies to Watch on a Summer Day

Looking for that perfect movie to watch on a hot, leisurely summer day? Here are my picks for your five best bets (click on blue titles to read a film review):

Paul woos Joanne.

1. The Long, Hot Summer – Everyone speaks in a slow Southern drawl, sips ice-cold lemonade, and wipes perspiration from their foreheads (well, the ladies dab it with a hankie). Plus, Orson Welles does a fine “Big Daddy” imitation, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward generate real-life sparks, Richard Anderson plays a wussy “gentleman,” Angela Lansbury wants boiled icing, and Jimmie Rodgers sings the lovely title song. Want more? Some of the townsfolk think Paul’s handsome drifter is a barn burner!

Marta Kristen as a mermaid.

2. Beach Blanket Bingo - Well, it’s the name of the game! Go to the beach with Frankie, Annette, and the gang and catch some big waves. Donna Loren sings her best song. Frankie tries to make Annette jealous with Deborah Walley, while Annette tries to make Frankie jealous with John Ashley. Bonehead dates a pretty mermaid while Linda Evans’s Sugar Kane calls him Boney. Paul Lynde cracks jokes while South Dakota Slim just acts creepy. And, best of all, there’s Eric Von Zipper, who tells Sugar that he likes her—and when Eric Von Zipper likes someone, they stay liked!

3. Picnic – Another handsome drifter—this time played by William Holden—wanders into a small town to see old chum Cliff Robertson…and inadvertently steals his girlfriend Kim Novak. Kim’s Mom is mad because Cliff is rich. Rosalind Russell’s desperate spinster wants to get married. Kim and William slow dance at an eventful picnic to the rapturous “Love Theme from Picnic.” Oh, and did I mention it was based on a play by the fabulous William Inge?

Troy and Sandra discover young love.

4. A Summer Place – Former lovers Richard Egan and Dorothy McGuire rekindle their love during a vacation at a summer retreat. It’s too bad they’re both married to other people…a situation that worsens when their teen children (Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue) develop an attraction. The stunning locales and rich Max Steiner music bring Delmer Daves’ first-rate soap opera to life. As a bonus, Constance Ford plays one of the worst mothers in screen history!

5. Body Heat – It’s the sweatiest movie ever made. Kathleen Turner wants her husband dead. Third-rate lawyer William Hurt wants Kathleen. Can you say Double Indemnity…with Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke tag-teaming in the Edward G. Robinson role? Lawrence Kasdan’s modern film noir hits all the right notes, with musical ones being provided by John Barry’s slinky, haunting music score.

Honorable mentions: The Parent Trap, Dirty Dancing, and State Fair.

What would be on your best list for movies to watch on a summer day?