Movie Instrumentals Spinoff - Who are your favorite cinematic composers?

Orchestral music has been around for centuries but it continues to have wide-reaching impacts in our modern culture. In no place is this more apparent in modern pop culture than in movie scores and soundtracks.

While time will tell if cinematic composers will garner the same historical notoriety as their more classical counterparts, the talent, creativity, and genius of these musical behemoths have carved a place at least in cinematic history. Their ability to not only create exceptionally beautiful music on its own but to then integrate into part of a larger work of art, invoking the full range of emotions, is nothing short of masterful. In many cases, the music becomes its own character and being within a movie. Orchestral music has been shown to increase brainwave activity and enhance learning and memory and without the men and women adding their amazing talents to a movie, many films would not have received the acclaim that they have or hold that special place in our hearts.

So, who are some of your favorite composers from film? Not looking for any kind of ranking. Just want to bring attention to these deserving individuals.

My nominations (notable films NOT all-inclusive):

John Williams
Absolute GOAT. I don't think anyone else has produced so many memorable pieces for the biggest movies.

Notable films - Star Wars, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, and too many others to list here


Hans Zimmer
Hans definitely has a style and it's a style that fits perfectly into action, suspense, and high-drama.

Notable films - Gladiator, Inception, Interstellar, Dune, Planet Earth, Top Gun: Maverick


James Horner
James has scored some of the most iconic and memorable films ever made.

Notable films - Titanic, Braveheart, A Beautiful Mind, Willow, Aliens, Star Trek, Apocalypto, Apollo 13, Avatar


Alan Silvestri
Not quite the household name as others on my list but Alan has been a part of some absolutely monster films.

Notable films - Forrest Gump, Avengers, Polar Express, Back to the Future, Cosmos (TV)


Danny Elfman
Yet another composer with a unique style all his own making his own place in cinematic history.

Notable films - Batman, Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Wednesday, Fifty Shades, Good Will Hunting


Michael Giacchino
Michael has been tapped to score quite a few animated films but has demonstrated the chops to score blockbuster live-action as well.

Notable films - The Incredibles, Coco, Mission Impossible, Jurassic World, Rouge One


Other notables
Howard Shore's work on the LotR/Hobbit Trilogies deserves recognition on its own.

Ramin Djawadi has gained fame more for his television work on GoT and HotD but has quite a few films to his credit as well. He is a "young" up-and-comer.