Monday, January 31, 2011

Obit: John Barry, R.I.P.

John Barry, the acclaimed film composer who was probably best known for his scores to Born Free, The Ipcress Files, Body Heat, Midnight Cowboy, and the majority of James Bond films between 1963's From Russia With Love and 1987's The Living Daylights, passed away Sunday at age 77.

Among his many memorable musical scores were the themes to Space: 1970 favorites Starcrash (1978):


And The Black Hole (1979):



Barry was a versatile and influential composer, and will be greatly missed.

6 comments:

  1. Aw, damn.

    John Barry composed a major portion of the soundtrack of my life. Not just Bond, The Black Hole, and Starcrash, but High Road to China, and Hanover Street, and Raise the Titanic, and loads more.

    Thank you, Mr. Barry, for an important part of my life.

    Tex
    (just damn)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Barry_%28composer%29

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  2. Next to Jerry Goldsmith and Ennio Morricone, he was my favourite film composer. His theme to 'The Knack' just sweeps you away into another universe, it is so wonderful. Love all his Bond music, particularly 'O.H.M.S.S.'. Wish he'd scored 'Never Say Never Again' though. R.I.P. John Barry.

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  3. His core for The Black Hole is one of my favorites. Upon hearing it you felt yourself in deep space and in the presence of something ominous. Great stuff.

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  4. The action theme from O.H.M.S.S. was used in some of the later movies too. I find that I remember it more than any other track from the Bond films.

    And the Black Hole music is a favorite of mine too. Man, this guy really did a good job.

    In many ways Star Crash wasn't worthy of such wonderful music -- but I'm glad it's running in the background (even with all of the bad acting).

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  5. Not a Sci-Fi theme, but this is a nice tribute to the O.H.M.S.S. movie and score that Barry did. Man, I forgot how good it was.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5OCxwZI7YA

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  6. John Barry too! Ugh, where have I been?

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