THE TOP TEN

THE ECSTASY OF GOLD

(THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, 1966)

Ian: “Morricone’s masterpiece starts slow and small on piano and clarinets, and builds to a euphoric, shattering crescendo. A worthy winner.”

ARMONICA

(ONCE UPON A TIME

IN THE WEST, 1968)

Chris: “Brooding, magnificent — enter Chuck Bronson, playing his own theme.”

GABRIEL’S OBOE

(THE MISSION, 1986)

Helen: “Hauntingly lovely, this demonstrates that Morricone could embrace baroque if he wanted.”

LOVE THEME

(CINEMA PARADISO, 1988)

Ian: “A heart-melting ode to love, friendship, the power of movies and nostalgia itself. Sublime.” THE STRENGTH OF THE RIGHTEOUS

(THE UNTOUCHABLES, 1987) Helen: “Pure, nerve-jangling tension and a racing heartbeat.

MAIN THEME

(THE GOOD, THE BAD

AND THE UGLY, 1966)

Amon: “Surely among the most iconic opening 25 seconds of any track in the history of cinema.”

HUMANITY PART II

(THE THING, 1982) Chris: “A neat blend of Carpenter’s doom-laden bass and Morricone’s invidious strings.”

MAIN THEME

(ONCE UPON A TIME

IN THE WEST, 1968)

Ian: “A beautiful hymn for the dying West and a dying genre.”

ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

(THE MISSION, 1986)

Ian: “A mash-up of all The Mission’s best themes. Thrilling.”

L’ARENA

(THE MERCENARY, 1968)

Amon: “Most famous for its reuse by Tarantino in Kill Bill Vol. 2, the slow, tension-filled build-up is great.”