Final Exam People

Elvis Presley

1935-1977, 31 films, Rock and roll, early pop, blues-influenced

D.A. Pennebaker

associated with cinéma vérité documentary style, capturing real performances

Stanley Kubrick

1928-1999, director of the 2001: A Space Odyssey, preferred to use previously recorded music over original scores

Martin Scorsese

Director of Goodfellas and uses compilation scores (popular songs) instead of original scoring

Miklós Rózsa

1907-1995, born in Hungary, Lush orchestral scores for historical epics, His style influenced later epic film scoring like Gladiator.

Hans Zimmer

born 1957 and is self taught. Hybrid orchestral + electronic, minimalistic motifs, He is the composer of gladiator also scored the lion king and kung fu panda

Lisa Gerrard

Her vocals in Gladiator add a spiritual, timeless quality, enhancing the film’s emotional and historical atmosphere.

Elmer Bernstein

Composed the original True Grit (1969); represents the classic Western sound—heroic, melodic, and straightforward.

Dimitri Tiomkin

Grand, dramatic orchestral scores for Westerns and epics, Helped define the sound of classic Westerns, influencing films like True Grit.

Carter Burwell

Minimalist, subtle, atmospheric scoring, Composed the 2010 True Grit—his music is more restrained and somber, reflecting the film’s darker, more realistic tone compared to older Westerns.

Alexandre Desplat

Light, whimsical, highly melodic orchestration, Composer of The Grand Budapest Hotel—his quirky, Eastern European–inspired score matches the film’s playful, stylized aesthetic.

Nicholas Britell

Blend of classical, hip-hop, and chopped/screwed techniques, Composer of Moonlight—his music mirrors the film’s emotional depth and identity themes, using distorted classical sounds.

Barry Jenkins

Collaborates closely with composers; favors emotionally expressive, nontraditional scoring, Director of Moonlight—uses music to shape mood and identity, especially through Britell’s score.

Spike Lee

Often uses jazz, hip-hop, and culturally rooted music, His films provide context for African American cinema leading into Moonlight, where music also reflects cultural identity and experience.