The James Horner Everything Page

Well, here's the James Horner Everything Page. Basically everything the man's ever written and comments on the availability thereof. I also state whether I have a copy or not so as to encourage readers interested in dialogue over these specific scores to go ahead and e-mail me about it. If I don't have a copy, then perhaps you'd be interested in e-mailing me YOUR thoughts and opinions on the scores.

Here's the list of Horner's Compositions in a Semi-Chronological Order, with "Liner Notes":
James Horner celebrated his 43rd birthday on August 14, last year. He was raised in California, but spent most of his his adolesence in England. He attended the Royal College of Music in London, studying under Gyorgy Ligeti, before returning to California to receive his bechelors degree in music composition at USC. He then transfered to UCLA to obtain his Master's Degree and taught whilst working on his Doctorate in Music Theory and Composition. Originally he planned to stay in academia and teach his craft, but his desire to see his music more widely heard changed that. . .
Spectral Shimmers (1978)
This was an avant guarde piece he wrote right after receiving his doctorate. He peddled it around and finally got an orchestra in Indiana booked for a one-night performance. It was never recorded, and was played in its entirety only once.
The Drought (1978)
After being dissilusioned with the reality of a contemporary "classical" composer's career, he turned to scoring films for the AFI (American Film Institute)--basically doing music for student film projects. None of these scores were ever commercially released.
Landscapes (1978)
An AFI score
Fantasies (1978)
An AFI score
Just for a Laugh (1978)
Yet another AFI score
The Watcher (1978)
The beginning of a colaboration with a low budget director who never really appreciated Horner's tallent. Roger Corman also didn't appreciate the tallent of James Cameron, who was his camera man at the time. He specialised in cheep-looking Sci-Fi and Horror flicks. This was never commercially available.
Gist and Evans (1978)
Some TV film. Not much info, never commercially released.
Norman and the Killer (1978)
Horror flick. Not much info, never commercially released.
Up from the Depths (1978)
Another Horror Flick. Not much info, neve commercially released.
Lady in Red (1979)
Not much info, never commercially released. I don't know if anyone ever saw this flick. No one seems to remember it in the slightest (not to be confused with The Woman in Red)
Humanoids From the Deep (1980)
This was the first thing ever released by Horner, though only released on LP. Very hard to find. It was released on boot with Battle Beyond the Stars in a very limited release.
Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)
Last of the Roger Corman films, again released only on LP. Many have wished to see it on CD, but for some reason Horner hates it and is embarased by it. He's said that if he has anything to do with it, it will NEVER see CD publication commercially. Aparently he thinks that the orchestra Roger Corman provided him was barely at the level of a highschool band and nothing they played sounded like what he wanted it to. Nevertheless, one can hear how stunning the music is, even if played by a low calliber orchestra. Some of the musical ideas and the thematic material blows me away still. Cowboy's theme was reused in the films: Space Raders (1983), Wizards of the Lost Kingdom (1985), and Barbarian Queen (1985). Released on LP only. Very hard to find. It was also pressed to boot with Humanoids From the Deep in May 1998 in a very limited release. One cue (rerecorded) is also available on Silva Records' Essential James Horner 2-disc set.
Angel Dusted (1980)
Another TV movie. Not much info, never commercially released.
A Few Days in Weasel Creek (1981)
TV film. Not much info, never commercially released, but a number of people in the newsgroup (rec.music.movies) said that it was a good score: apparently they saw the movie.
The Hand (1981)
Horner gets his first big break: Orion pictures decides to let him do a score for them. This, by the way, was Oliver Stone's directoral debut. A fifteen-minute suite was presented at the end of the Project X bootleg mid-1997.
Deadly Blessing (1981)
Never *commercially* released--meaning that it was released as a "promotional score". That's German for "Bootleg". There was a disc out a while ago entitled, "The Film Music of James Horner, Volume I" which had Deadly Blessing and Wolfen on it together. This bootleg has been re-pressed and is currently available (but not for long) from select individuals in Europe for about $40-$50.
Wolfen (1981)
Never *commercially* released--meaning that it was released as a "promotional score". That's German for "Bootleg". There was a disc out a while ago entitled, "The Film Music of James Horner, Volume I" which had Deadly Blessing and Wolfen on it together. This bootleg has been re-pressed and is currently available (but not for long) from select individuals in Europe for about $40-$50.
The Persuit of D.B. Cooper (1981)
There was a soundtrack album released on vinyl with songs from the country group Alabama and two cues by Horner. The two cues are GREAT bluegrass and worth the album if you can find it. Difficult to find. The best cue is also available in stunning sound quality on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg.
Star Trek II (1982)
Now this was Horner's BIG break. Having done good work in Battle Beyond the Stars, and other sci-fi junky flicks, a major studio gives him a MAJOR project. Cues from this score have been reperformed and released on a number of compilation albums, including the amazing "Star Tracks II" with Erich Kunzel and the Cincinatti Pops Orchestra. Star Trek II is still in print by Crescendo Records, available on CD.
A Piano For Mrs. Cimino (1982)
A TV film. Not much info, never commercially released, though, again, some people who've heard it say it was good--the whole score was written for only five instruments, including guitar and piano.
Rascals and Robbers--The Secret Adventure's of Huck Finn (1982)
Another TV flick. Not much info, never commercially released.
P.K. and the Kid (1982)
Not much info, never commercially released.
48 Hours (1982)
Was never commercially released. Was a fusion-jazz oriented score. Five extremely interesting cues for this score are found on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg.
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
This was never released, to the chagrin of many. There is a bootleg tape floating around containging raw studio recording in stereo. The sound quality is sketchy. The film was recently released on laser disc, with the score isolated on an auxiliary mono track. This source was pressed to a very private release. The main titles appeared on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg mid-1998. Around the same time, a good quality (stereo) bootleg of the full score was also released.
Krull (1983)
Oringinally only released on LP, it was made available in 1987 by Southern Cross Records on CD. There was also an expanded version with over 70 minutes of music that was in limited print. It is available from various mail order outlets for around $50. There were only 2,750 of these ever pressed. Also, in mid-1998, an absolutely full-score release was made available to the public by Super Collector. Currently can be found at the usual soundtrack retailers.
Brainstorm (1983)
The score was rerecorded with the LSO for CD release. To my knowledge it is still widely available.
Gorky Park (1983)
Still availabe through Varese Sarabande.
Between Friends (1983)
An HBO movie. Scored quietly with piano as principal instrument. Never commercially released.
Testament (1983)
This just was released as a bootleg with In Country (September 1996). It's produced in Romania, and so it's hard to read the cue titles or the liner notes. About twenty minutes of music from this film is on the CD. There is also a 9-minute suite on the bootleg featuring Honey I Shrunk the Kids and another presentation of the sae=m emusic from In Country. The content of the suite is somewhat different from the content of the tracks on the Testament boot. In otherwords, I don't think it's just a re-edit. Very lonely, forlorn music.
Uncommon Valour (1983)
There was a bootleg released by Pony Boy in 1995 or so. It is VERY hard to find now. The two most exciting cues were edited into one track for the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg.
Heaven Help Us (1984)
Apparently, less and less of Horner's score actually got worked into the film. All that was on the sountrack that was released commercially was what I call "Garbage Trax". Pop/Rock Songs, basically. It was released on vinyl, but none of Horner's music made it on. This film was also released under the title, Catholic Boys.
Streets of Fire (1984)
An apparently unused score for a film I know little about. There was an all pop/rock song soundtrack issued at some time.
This is where my chronology gets messed up. Mostly, I have titles in alphabetical order according to year. If I can remember their order, I will put the scores in their proper place.
The Stone Boy (1984)
Was never comercially released. Scored with guitar and very strange, eerie voice.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Available from GNP Crescendo.
"Amazing Stories" (1985)
John Williams did the main theme to this series, but individual episodes were scored by prominant composers. The episode he did was "Alamo Jobe" I don't think this was ever published on any compilation CD's although I saw somewhere that there will be such a CD for Amazing Stories that will be released sometime next year. The actual music for this episode was quite good, as I've had a chance to hear it on a rerun. Wish I could get some of the cues by themselves on a CD, but alas. . .
Commando (1985)
Never commercially released, though the Main Titles are available on "The Greatest Themes from the Films of Arnold Schwarzenegger" as a synthesised track.
In Her Own Time (1985)
I've never heard of or seen this film until very recently. Swailand references it in his page, with no information, and Baseline's Encyclopaedia of Film also credits a score from a film with this title to James Horner. This title may be one of various mistakes with Baseline's Horner entry, as indicated by Paul Bouthillier.
Journey of Natty Gan (1985)
This was never commercially released, though Horner fans wish more than anything else that this would be released soon. But Disney is very strange with its copywrite policies, and it will probably will never happen. Doug Fake wanted to produce it, but apparently A Far Off Place was as close as he could get. One cue was available on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg in mid-1998.
Surviving (1985)
This was a long TV movie about teen suicide starring Molly Ringwald. Horner's score was sparce and somewhat minimalist when it was present. The suicide scene itself was scored very well, and it reminded me of some of his other strange string harmony work, like in Once Around. Horner's music certainly did it's job when required--that is, pulling the heart strings. There was never a release of this music.
Volunteers (1985)
Again, never commercially released.
Cocoon (1985)
One of the most beautiful themes ever written. Went out of print long ago, and it was one of THE most sought-after scores out there. I heard a copy went for $500 once, though it usually went for between $200 and $300--before Pendulum Entertainment Group rereleased it in mid-1997. Now it's available from all the usual soundtrack retailers.The "Theme from Cocoon" is available on the Kunzel-Telarc collaboration disc "Star Tracks II".
Where the River Runs Black (1986)
Electronic score, available from Intrada Records in San Francsico for about $14.00.
The Name of the Rose (1986)
Electronic/Vocal score; WAY out of print in the states, but the German label TELDEC produced it with the name "Der Name der Rose". Screen Archives may have a copy for 26 bucks; copies have been known to float around in England.
Captain EO (1986)
You know, that Disneyland-Disneyworld/Michael Jackson/3-D thing. Of course the music will never be released commercially.
American Tail (1986)
Horner's first attempt at a score for an animated feature--EXCELENT JOB! "Somewhere Out There", which he wrote, was nominated as best song in both the Oscars and Golden Globes. He won two Grammy's for Song of the Year and Best Song from a Motion Picture. A great score, and I highly recomend it. It is available in record stores, though no longer in print.
Off Beat (1986)
Not much info.Never commercially released.
Aliens (1986)
Horner recieved Acadamy Award and Grammy nominations for it; it is still available by Varese Sarabande.
Project X (1987)
Bootleg made available in mid-1998, coupled with a 15-minute suite from The Hand. Official Commercial release available in December 2001. Available at online soundtrack retailers.
*batteries not included (1987)
There was a commercial release for the score, but is no longer available and VERY difficult to find.
Coccon: The Return (1988)
As good as the original with much of the same material, this score is out of print and difficult to find, though Screen Archives ocassionally has a few copies for sale at around $18.00.
Red Heat (1988)
Fusion Jazz score. Out of print, though the specialty mail order places may have copies.
Vibes (1988)
This was a selection produced by Varese Sarabande's mail order club. There were a rediculously low number of these ever pressed. One cut is available on the James Horner compilation album, Heart of the Ocean.
Willow (1988)
Again, one of Horner's most notable scores. Very Powerful, and I would recomend it to anyone just starting a Horner collection. There is a recording of Willow's Theme on a Kunzel-Telarc collaboration called "The Great Fantasy-Adventure Album". Willow is out of print and hard to get in the states, but easy to find in Europe.
Land Before Time (1988)
It is out of print, but still available in stores and most distributors still have it in stock. Look for it.
In Country (1989)
This was just (September 1996) released as a bootleg from Romania, coupled with Testament. The two, though different moods completely, work very well together on one disc. Unfortunately, it is presented as a "suite" on the disc. Each track is a full cue, but no cue names are given. There is about half-an-hour of music from this film on the CD. Pretty much the same half hour of music is also presented on the bootleg featuring the score from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, this time with cue titles.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Horner's most intensely wacky score--a mixture of the fast-paced stuff from *batteries not included and all the wildest stuff from We're Back. Horner was strongly influenced by Raymond Scott's "Powerhouse", and Nino Rota's Amarcord. Due to legal problems, the score will never see a commercial release, though an incredible bootleg with In Country was released in mid-1998 with a limited run of only 500 copies. The main titles were also included on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg album.
Dad (1989)
A touching score for a touching film. Out of print and hard to find. Mostly synthesised, but some orchestral stuff, too.
Field fo Dreams (1989)
A must-have. Horner recieved both Acadamy Award and Grammy Nominations. Out of print, but still available in stores.
Glory (1989)
Another must-have. Horner was honoured with a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture. It is out of print, but still available in stores.
Tales from the Crypt (1989)
He did an episode called "Cutting Cards" There's a Tale from the Crypt CD out there, with various scores on it, including Horner's. It's still available, but hard to find in stores. The track also appeared on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg.
Tummy Trouble (1990)
Drom a Roger Rabbit short that they stuck in front one movie or another. If anyone remembers the film, e-mail me. The score for this short really was quite unremarkable and barely discernable from the sound effects and voice-overs.
I Love you to Death (1990)
Never commercially released, though the end titles are absolutely remarkable...which happen to be the cut offered on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg.
Another 48 Hours (1990)
The jazz fusion/rock sound gone awry. Four cues are available on the soundtrack album released by Scotti Bros. It's still out there in stores.
Universal Pictures Fanfare (1990)
I'm not possitive as to the year, but as reported by Paul Bouthillier, Horner wrote a substantial (on the order of 30 seconds) music for Universal for their 75th Anniversary studio logo opener for films they produced that year. The music has been heard in other, truncated forms in the past six years.
My Heros Have Always Been Cowboys (1991)
The soundtrack had mostly country songs onit, but two Horner cues made it through. Again this is a Horner oddity. The two cues were synth, and one in particular was very triumphant and enjoyable. It's rather difficult to find. The sme two synth cues can also be found on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg.
Once Around (1991)
Several cues are available on the soundtrack album--one wing piece and the rest slow and plodding string work. Out of print but still available.
Class Action (1991)
The Father-Daughter courtroom drama. A good film--an OK score. Mostly electronic. Out of print and hard to find.
American Tail: Feivel Goes West (1991)
Another Must-Have. I loved this score very much. I think it was even better than the first. Great variations on old themes, making minor themes of the first film into the main themes for this one, and a lot of Copland imitation. Horner had a lot of fun with this one. It is out of print, but still available.
The Rocketeer (1991)
A great Score, and I list it as a must-have. It was out-of-print and all but impossible to find anywhere. The epliogue and End Titles are the Kunzel-Telarc collaboration, "The Great Fantasy Adventure Album". I had a copy of this in my hands at one time, but decided to buy it later--there was no later. . . until I made a trade with someone in Finland--now I have my very own copy (after searching desperately for two years). Of course, a few months after that transaction, it was re-released, and everybody is happy. Now if they'd do that with Cocoon... Oh, that's right--they did!
Unlawful Entry (1992)
OK opening and end titles, but the rest is just synthesisers making loud rhythmic noises.
Thunderheart (1992)
An Electronic/Vocal Ensemble. An interesting excercise in rhythm more than anything else. It's alright, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it. Available through Intrada.
Sneakers (1992)
A really good score. I don't know if it's out of print or not, but it is still available.
Patriot Games(1992)
A good score--a lot of shukuhachi, but then many of Horner's scores utilise the instrument. Also, Maggy Boyle's voice graces the score very nicely. Still available, though probably out of print.
"Fish Police" (1992)
This was apparently a Saturday morning cartoon, to which James Horner wrote the Main Title. Elsewise, I have little information regarding this work.
We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993)
A absolutely wonderful score for another animated film. Still in print, and still available.
Swing Kids (1993)
Has both Swing songs and cues from Horner's score. Some really moving orchestral pieces in there plus in my opinion the best performance of "Sing, Sing, Sing" found anywhere. I don't know if it is out of print or not, but I know it's still available.
Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
A great score--a lot of piano, and heavy bass that will rattle your house when played loud. Not a very noisy score, just...moving. It just went out of print and I recommend getting as soon as you can before it is no longer so easy to find.
The Pelican Brief (1993)
Has some beautiful movements, and then, some noisy ones too. This one also just went out of print. I've seen it everywhere, in used CD bins, though.
A Far Off Place (1993)
I hear there were limited copies available. You could get a copy through Intrada. It's a fair score all around, with some truly great moments.
Once Upon A Forest (1993)
Another Animated Film for Horner. Another amazing score. Tracks 9-11 just knock my socks off with their complexity. I think it's out of print, but I keep seeing it everywhere.
The Man Without a Face (1993)
Another moving score. What can I say? Lonely and stirring. Mostly written in the minor key. It was only released summer of '94, and I think it's out of print already.
Jack the Bear (1993)
Never originally commercially released. The end titles are presented on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg. Full score treatment was released in December 2001.
House of Cards (1993)
Wonderful score along the lines of Vibes/Where the River Runds Black. A meldoic figure from Jack the Bear appears here, as well as the wind motif from Natty Gann. The main titles appear on the James Horner Suites and Themes bootleg.
Bopha! (1993)
An elctronic score that is so-so. The main title is great though--it is traditional Zulu music. It all sounds very off-key to our western ears, and for this reason I like Horner better than Zimmer (Power of One, Lion King) when it comes to the African milieu--Horner doesn't cop out to what we think should sound right. I think it is out of print, and may be hard to find now, though many collectors are selling their copies.
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
A very big score, flashy and brassy. Fanfares mixed in with the rock sound, shukauhachi, and a Latin American sound with these frequently surfacing, short trumpet solo's. I liked it. Still available, and I have a copy.
The Pagemaster (1994)
Another Animated Feature. Simply wonderful score, though the dynamics are very jarring from time to time--soft to loud suddenly, etc. Still in print.
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Another Big Horner Score. Loud and flambouyant. Reuses some material from Far Off Place and Patriot Games. Maggy Boyle's voice is featured here, as well. Still available.
Casper (1995)
This was released the same day as Braveheart. The score has three tones: swing, lullaby, and reckless. Very enchanting. I liked it a lot. It is still available.
Braveheart (1995)
A Really Big Score for a Scottish Epic with tons of Graphic Mideival Battles. Pipes and Trumpets. Boys choir in the emotional moments. Need I say more? Still available.
Apollo 13 (1995)
Please check out the page dedicated to the availabilty of this score in the Features page of this site. There are many releases of this CD; the American standard commercial release was a fiasco. Radio promos were sent to radio DJs but are a rare find. Very convincing duplicates of the Radio Promo can be found at places like Screen Archives and the likes for in excess of $40.
Jade (1995)
Horner wrote only a few minutes of original score to this film, basically connective tissue to works written by Loreena McKinett ("The Masque and The Mirror") and Stravinsky (Rite of Spring). This was not released, though one 5-minute suite was made available on a compilation album somewhere (one of Edel's many comp albums, perhaps?).
Jumanji (1995)
This came out November 1995. It worked very well in the context of the film. It's taken nearly a year to develop any appreciation for this score at all. It is still avaialalbe and in stores.
Balto (1995)
This, I felt was a wonderful score, though it referenced Peter and Wolf more often then it should have. No shukauhachi anywhere!! Out of print, but still in stores, though rumour has it, it's becoming difficult to find.
Care of a Spitfire Grill (1996)
An absolutely lovely score for a very special film. I list this score before Courage Under Fire because Horner wrote the score for this film when it was still an independent film, titled "Care of The Spitfire Grill". The score was released on August 23, 1996 and is available and in stores.
Courage Under Fire (1996)
Directed by Ed Zwick, with whom Horner collaborated on Legends of the Fall and Glory. Another good score. mostly along the lines, texturally, of Legends of the Fall. Released in early August, 1996. Still available.
To Gillian on her 37th Birthday (1996)
One of Horner's most sublime efforts. Much in the same vein as Searching For Bobby Fischer and Field of Drams. It was released October 1, 1996.
Ransom (1996)
Though Howard Shore was originally slated to score this film, Horner accepted the assignment with no more than two weeks to compose, rehearse, and record. The music, in my opinion, reflects this, though the end titles have an amazing fanfare. Half of the disc some gawd-awful sub-industrial "music" by Billy Corgan.

The Devil's Own (1997)
Released April 1, 1997. In stores now.

Titanic (1997)
Horner's first effort with James Cameron since the Aliens incident. Originally due on July 4th, this film with a bloated budget had been pushed back to a November 18, 1998 release, a month before the film's release. Horner won two Golden Globes and two Oscars for this effort, and the record sold umpteen million copies and was number one on Billboard for 15 weeks. I think this album will never go out of print.
Deep Impact (1998)
Released May 6, 1998. In stores now.
Mask of Zorro (1998)
Released July 6, 1998. In stores now.
Mighty Joe Young (1998)
Released December 1998. In stores now.
Epic Journeys: The Great Migrations (1999)
Original score for IMAX film distributed by the Houston Museum of Natural History. The film and its score have never been released for home entertainment.
Bicentennial Man (1999)
Released December 1999.. In stores now.
Freedom Song (2000)
Though this film was never in theaters, the score recieved a commercial release, due to the fact that the director's wife, Carly Simon, performed the title track. Half the album features the women's a capella group, Sweet Honey on the Rock, who co-composed some of the music with Horner. Released February 27, 2000. In stores now.
The Perfect Storm
Released June 2000. In stores now.
Mask of Zorro (1998)
Released July 6, 1998. In stores now.
Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Released December 2000. Half the album is contemporary tracks by various artists featured in the film. In stores now.
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Released February 2001. In stores now.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Oscar Nominated score; featured solo work by soprano Charolette Church. Released December 2001. In stores now.
Iris (2001)
Featured solo violin by Joshua Bell. Released December 2001. In stores now.
Windtalkers (2002)
Released May 2002. In stores now.
Four Feathers (2002)
Released September 2002. In stores now.
Well, that is my list of "Everything Horner's Ever Done (114 works to date), with availability notes".

Take me back to the main Horner page.