The Towering Inferno（1974） - MainTitle Music

[jikan4jp2000]

アメリカってスケールでけーな、島国のサルにはこんな映画つくれ­んわ。

[antonietto1]

the movie had been released the year Wtc had been finished

[easyscore]

All time great opening title, music ,cinematography. Awesome!

[antonietto1]

@easyscore lovely comment.

[Irishfanism]

The best of the disaster movies!

[pluntze2001]

This is til one of my very favorite opening title sequences of any movie I've ever seen -- right up there with the one for "Grand Prix,""The Blue Max" and "The Shining"...

[adminelf]

When I saw this film as a kid I can remember thinking how awful that would be if it were to happen. Remembering the events of 9/11 it is horrific, This music at the time sounded triumphant. With the gift of hindsight............

[Numinous20111]

I prefer the Poseidon Adventure theme, because it is darker. I love the very start of this (ominous), but I never felt that the tone was that appropriate. I would have preferred a more slow-burning, grave tone. No criticism of Williams intended. I think producer Allen determined Williams approach. Excellent music, but too upbeat (only my opinion).

[azzarbprime1]

Great music to begin a movie...powerful, and triumphant.

[spacedogs]

78年くらいの再放映時に

小学生同士４，５人でで見に行きました。

ポール・ニューマン派とマックイーン派で割れてｗｗｗ

[MGR1900]

Can someone who is musically inclined explain to me why the notes to this song are very difficult to play on a piano? I can pick up most songs by ear but I can't do it with this. What's going on there?

[ts1depot]

@MGR1900: Maybe because it's just one of those songs that's just too complex to pick up by ear? This is a very lush, highly complex composition with several things going on at once. I can't imagine someone being able to pick it up by ear without listening to it extensively.

[zaniac100]

I like how the closing shot from The Poseidon Adventure is the opening shot in The Towering Inferno.

[Spindriftful]

John Williams was responsible for the themes and scores for three of the four of Irwin Allen's sci-fi TV shows of the 60's. Lost in Space, The Time Tunnel and Land of the Giants. All well done.

[spacepatrolman]

@Spindriftful williams is a good composer but he gets mixed up with hollywood sickos like irwin allen and speilburg allen burned lizards with cigarettes to make them fight in prehistoric movies speilburg killed vic morrow and 2 children

[truji9]

They can say whatever ... They do not make soundtracks like this.

Too bad you missed the taste for these monumental themes.

[arquicass]

Amazing song. Impressive! Love this theme.

[camlpg]

Another movie that follows this same kind of disaster theme see THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE w. Ernest Borgnine or THE HELLFIGHTERS w. John Wayne.

[gojira2006]

Another Williams classic . . . !

[CuffColl]

Love the music, love the movie. CuffColl.

[drloomis1978]

Brilliant!

[Ondrus21]

One of the most beautiful soundtracks, I´ve ever heard! This movie is also wonderful.

[MGR1900]

Can someone explain something to me. I can play practically anything by ear on piano however when it comes to this score, I can't pick up the notes at all. What's John Williams doing that makes this score so incredibly complex?

[LIVINGDAYLIGHTS1992]

ガキの頃、、

生まれて初めて、映画館で観た「アメリカ映画」。

このオープニングは永遠です・・ｗ。

[Spindriftful]

John Williams Composed and conducted the themes and scores to 3 of Irwin Allen's 60's sci-fi TV shows. Lost in Space, The Time Tunnel and Land of the Giants. Irwin Allen had him ready to score The Swarm, but he chose Jerry Goldsmith instead when JW backed out to score one of Steven Spielberg's films.

[coolwafferman]

@Spindriftful He also composed the theme to the "Today Show", and NBC "Nightly News"

[Spindriftful]

John Williams is the best of the best. When he goes, it'll be big news. I'm sure TCM will do a marathon of films with his scores.

[d4seasons]

@Spindriftful when john williams raises that stick everyone is to pay attention. the maestro is serious. my all time favorite soundtrack is SUPERMAN - THE MOVIE. ****

[TheRescorer]

@d4seasons great minds think alike (about superman)

[CrazyBoutThe70s]

THIS IS AWSOME BUT COULD U PLEASE POST THE REST OF THE SOUNDTRACK IN PARTICULAR THE END THEME?

[xaraxen]

@CrazyBoutThe70s

Try this one: /watch?v=Eib_V9y6v6E&feature=r­elated

It's called "The Architect's Dream"

[CrazyBoutThe70s]

@xaraxen

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT....YOU MADE MY DAY :-))))

[ketsukarei2]

ジョン・ウィリアムスの映画音楽は大好きです。

昔スター・ウォーズ、未知との遭遇、スーパーマン、ETとレコー­ドの

サウンド・トラック盤を買いました。

[theoryg]

What a travesty, whyd they cut the opening?

[solarphonic]

The absolute grand daddy of all opening sequences, beautifully scored and aerial sequences were worth the work and timing! Fantastic!

[67mrblack]

wow remember seeing this at the villa theatre....1974...i was 7 i was amazed!....pure nostalgia for me!

[HaabenHooben]

Sounds like the magnificent seven score @ 2:25

[SuperSmiler2]

The sort of music the cinema was made for. Unsurpassable.

[Callingyourname100]

CLASSIC

[easyscore]

GREATEST OPENING TITLE IN MOVIE HISTORY. AWESOME.

[roquefortfiles]

If this does not put the hair up on your neck that something....INCREDIBLE.. is in store you don't know what the movies are and don't know what a good score is. I LONG for these days at the cinema again. Truly the last of the Golden Age at the movies. The 70's!!

[bumphilosopher]

Who wants to play in the movie Posiden Adventure or the 5th Titanic?

[cinescopefilms]

a classic!

[irkhanbasc]

A stirring introduction to probably the best disaster film of the 1970s.

[CrazyBoutThe70s]

THIS MUSIC IS SO EXCITING AND MAKES THE MOVIE EVEN MORE EXCITING TOO :)))

[DrGlitterhouse]

I remember seeing this at the Americana in Southfield, Michigan December 27, 1974. I think it was the first movie I'd seen in a theatre in over a year. Is anyone else amazed that the same writer and director were responsible for Shaft in Africa the year before?

[neweast1]

imagine walking up the world trade center not knowing what was coming next but doing it. anyway to help others.never forget

[katzenjammer1979]

helicopter - sea - john williams... jurassic park, anyone?

[MiloDC]

P.S. This recording of the main title cue would have matched the video perfectly if you'd started the music three seconds later.

[MiloDC]

I am just now hearing this after being a raving John Williams fanatic for over thirty years. He and Jerry Goldsmith are my biggest heroes. This is a STUPENDOUS main theme, and his unique style is as immediately identifiable here as anywhere else (*especially* at 01:08 - 01:34!). So lush, so opulent, so melodic, so proud, so edifying, so John Williams.

[roquefortfiles]

@MiloDC Beautifully said. I agree 100% I long for the days when a score would put the hair up on my neck in anticipation. Movies SUCK today. There are no more "Show men" anymore. Just this little tease intro got you going, anticipating.. wanting!! Then we could ease in to the story...

God i miss those days i really do!!!

[victoriaman1961]

my favorite is Robert wagner i use to watch this movie when i was 16 years old

[wintercat2]

I don't think a better movie will ever be made. Still my favorite of all time.

[MeBenHalpin]

This is one of the best movies of the 70's, with its all star cast and explosive storyline.

[CajunGypsy]

Not many people remember today that John Williams wrote the music for this one at the same time he was doing his much better known themes for films like STAR WARS, SUPERMAN etc. It's great to see this theme get some love.

[jeffs1000]

San Fran Sicko

[UFOSPACE1999]

what a bad version...I will stick to theoriginal..this is pure crap...including the horrible missed note...trash all the way...NEVER BUY CITY OF PRAGUE SHIT....

[HunterMann]

Great theme, superb opening footage, and of course this film has an impressive ensemble cast!

[MCP2012]

Yeah, but this AIN'T the actual SOUNDTRACK! As not-bad as this is, the actual soundtrack is even better!

[harleykman]

Watching people die horrendous deaths

.

Ahhh good fun in the 70s

.

[k66shogun]

Thanks! I am looking for this.

[laylisbonita]

i see this movie in the year 1979..

[w9gb]

Always like this opening sequence for this movie (and the John William music) ... sweeping vista of northern California, Golden Gate and then San Francisco (and the Glass Tower).

Poseidon Adventure and this movie in 1970s were Irwin Allen's best productions.

What other movie can you get Steve McQueen and Paul Newman as co-billing leads?

[MeBenHalpin]

@w9gb Never knew Tower Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure had same producer, still two wonderful films and your right Steve Mcqueen and Paul Newman, two of the best actors in the same movie.

[Baldenlong77]

@MeBenHalpin

The producer Irwin Allen, also produced the TV show "Lost in Space". Look up "Irwin Allen's promo for the Towering Inferno" on YouTube. His outfit is pure 70s cheese!

[MeBenHalpin]

@Baldenlong77 Alright thanks, will do.

[brett1051]

one of the great adapters of the classics for film music. "Can You Read My Mind" (Superman) Strauss's Death and Transf,Star Wars theme many from Korngold symps,My favorite lift is Harry Potter main title, my all time fav composer Samuel BarberLOLPeace

brett

[neweast1]

its great to have this back what happen to it for awhile it was gone,what a great theme to so so movie.........

[musicaeduardo]

exelente

[ponkosama]

映画のオリジナルはタイトル登場時にシンバルの一撃が入りますね­。

これとサントラ盤は削除しています。

[kangaroosbraun]

pino donaggio is cool aswell

[floooky1]

They didn't even show the building at the end of the helicopter sequence.

I'd like to see a remake. The building won't look like a plastic model.

[budders2001]

This isn,t the original Main title i will put on later

[prosen0]

old school john williams made these classics..from this to superman to close encounters,imagine these movies without these scores!!

[wingingerd]

災害映画音楽専門みたいな時期のジョン・ウイリアムズの代表作で­すね。

[EmpireLS56KW]

Nice thats out on Bluray cant wait to get my hands on six-track DolbyTrue copy!

[sfxjames]

I can really imagine a remake of this classic with sam neil in the helecopter, a kind jurrasic park kind of beginning.

[remedialy]

If you view that from a perspective view..Its Steve Mcqueen comes first, Pual newman was just in a background w/ due respect...

[andres1963]

I was 13 years old when was played in Santiago-Chile and on a Christmas day. I felt in love with the music. Wow!! a 13 year old who likes this type of music. From then on, I became a sucker for everything that John Williams would compose. I am his biggest fan; a real National Treasure and he should be considered among the greatest, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart... etc.

[mrslinarcos]

John Williams, the best there is...we'll never see the likes of his classic music like this again. I have the complete set of John Williams music from both The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno. He knew how to do it right.

[McLarenMercedes]

0:18 Paul Newman's name was first from the top, and Steve McQueen's name was first from the left

Steve McQueen didn't like himself being the second name after Paul Newman so he was satisfied with this sollution.

In my eyes, it's Steve McQueen's name first.

[anubisammon]

Outstanding I am a big Steve McQueen fan.

[anubisammon]

LOL I was 10 when this came out I went with my parents to see it.

[FunkhouserMemorial]

In the movie, why didn't the building collapse from the intense heat melting the steel frames like the WTC?

[Flamdar]

Probably the best disaster movie ever made.

The music by John Williams is great. There are not too many movie title themes like this anymore.

[PungiFungi]

They don't make great movie music anymore. As with popular music nowadays, cinema music are CRAP.

[GGbreizh]

@PungiFungi What???????? Memoirs of a geisha is a lot better than Williams first works in my opinion. And Revenge of the Sith is a lot better than Towering inferno.

Even if you don't agree with me, you must admit that Williams nowadays work are more mature than in the 70s.

[PungiFungi]

@GGbreizh , how do you define "mature"? His score for Memoirs of a Geisha and even Revenge of the Sith (most of which he built from his past iconic themes from past Star Wars movies) are not on the same level as his past themes such as Jaws, and the first two original Star Wars movies, and even the Poseidon Adventure. Movie themes hit their highs in the 1970s. It has been downhill ever since and is certainly at their nadir now.

[GGbreizh]

@PungiFungi His works are more refined now. Although he used old theme in ROTS, he created a lot of new leitmotivs. Battle of the Heroes is as powerful (if not more) as the Imperial March.

And now, his works are bolder (the last Indiana Jones), and less inspired by others composers.

And I think I prefer him composing concertante works (Schindler's list, Memoirs, Seven years in TIbet) rather than symphonic works.

[MiloDC]

@PungiFungi I totally agree. I've been listening to Williams since 1980 (ESB, his single best work, was the first Williams soundtrack of which I owned a copy), and his 70's to mid-80's works are easily his best. I'd love to read how GGbreizh defines maturity, as well; most of the time, all that's needed to impress maturity upon someone is to add dissonance, refrain from orchestral tuttis, cut down on bombast, and avoid major keys and leitmotifs. A lot of music that does that is still awful.

[PungiFungi]

@MiloDC , agreed. Want proof that cinema music have gone to hell in a hand basket? Look at the James Bond movies.

[MiloDC]

@PungiFungi Yeah! The James Bond soundtracks haven't been jack since John Barry stopped scoring them. Even the pop song intros have been trash since at least the mid 80s (the last decent one was Duran Duran's for A View to a Kill, and the last really good one was Sheena Easton's for For Your Eyes Only). We were so fortunate to have Williams, Goldsmith, and Barry all scoring movies at the same time back in the 70's to late 80's/early 90's. Now two of them are gone.

[GGbreizh]

@MiloDC I couldn't explain it, but I can give you an exemple.

The reviewd version of Williams Violin Concerto (1998). Williams deleted some parts of the concerto wich was superficial (in my opinion), he improved the orchestration...

This is just my opinion, but John Williams made some of his best works recently (Schindler's List, The Five Sacred Trees, Sabrina, Star Wars, Cello Concerto).

But I also love his old works like Close Encounters of the Third Kink, The Essay for Strings.

[GGbreizh]

@PungiFungi I respect the opinions of the other, but you lack total respect to composers including John Williams (I don't really care about the others...), and although to all people who like nowadays music.

[oldclassicmovies]

Great opening for a movie.

THIS MOVIE IS GREAT!!!!

If anyone is interested in seeing this movie, it is on my channel.

[peteboy1113]

well said.now if they could only make movies like this now, and have actors like in this movie.its these old movies that keep me alive.

[IntermittentSprocket]

Over the region 2 DVD Dolby 2.0 or pro-logic the opening doesnt have some of the lower end scale frequency hard edge it seems to lack slightly on the mix. Here I can feel impacts of the musical score on the JBL sound system practically the JBL 4645 18 sounds wicked it accompanies the LCRS nicely.

[Bestmanme08]

Paul Newman: the Dream Has ended! is a great new bio and it's for sale at amazon!

[epaubel]

That´s John Williams... wow. I miss this kind of music on screen.

[JeddtheJedi]

He still composes terrific music to this day.

[ParkJongBum]

soundtrank is terrific. 1. Rocky 2. Airport 3. Airport 1975 4. The towering inferno 5. Superman 6. The naked gun 7. 007 8. Macgyver 9. A team 10. ??? I think these soundtrack are good. Well, the ranking is NOT important. Just index.

[fito65]

Hello.

In 10. - you can write "The Cowboys" soundtrack, by John Williams.

It``s a great movie with John Wayne.

Regards.

[Youngstown529]

Star Wars

Indiana Jones

Jurassic Park

ET

[peteboy1113]

yes mr park, well said. these movie themes to me are hits on there own.

[cecil7]

williams is the best ever

[AlexDeLarge90]

Ennio Morricone is the best ever.

But John Williams is right up there.

[mikemanners11]

On seeing this clip the second time.....I realize that no sane chopper pilot would fly that close to the ground or the ocean as this pilot did in this opening segment....

[mikemanners11]

Paul Newman RIP God Bless You

Movies will never be the same

[rickram1961]

As always another great score written by the terrific John Williams.

[keserapasera]

I watched this movie and became a firefighter.

[solecfrance]

Now that is what I call having an effect on someone! Keep up the good work and thanks for being a firefighter

[tmap92]

Wow......that's actually pretty cool, and we as a society in general possibly got one hell of a firefigher because of it. Congrats!

Have you ever had to fight a fire in a tall building like that? Just Curious.

[Toracube]

That's how you score a movie!!!!!

Bring back those 70,s disaster epic soundtracks. Swooping violins. Ah. Bliss!!!!

[CrazyBoutThe70s]

awsome music..totally agree with you!

[PungiFungi]

@Toracube , agreed. There hasn't been a memorable movie score since Titanic.

[MiloDC]

@PungiFungi Er, Lord of the Rings??

[PungiFungi]

@MiloDC , Lord of the Rings? Pheewww!

[MiloDC]

@PungiFungi LotR is mostly filler, for sure, but there are some memorable moments in the trilogy.

[DrGlitterhouse]

@PungiFungi The Dark Knight, Hellboy, Babel, Michael Clayton, The Kingdom, Casino Royale, and The Illusionist all have great scores. Then there's the theory that you don't you really notice a great score.

[PungiFungi]

@DrGlitterhouse , the only movie you mentioned that I have seen is Casino Royale because I am a Bond fan. But then again, David Arnold's score is 3/4 noise and 1/4 actual coherent themes. How about the theory that movie scores nowadays SUCK big time?

[mariomguy]

@DrGlitterhouse Michael Giaccino makes incredible scores (Medal of Honor, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up). Apperantly Pixar wanted the same guy who scored James Bond to score The Incredibles, but gave Giaccino the job when the former declined to score an animated film. Giaccino's score wound up winning an Oscar.

[DrGlitterhouse]

@mariomguy I don't see anything on IMDb about Giaccino winning an Oscar for his score to The Incredibles. If he had, I'd be shocked, considering how imitative it is of John Barry's Bond scores from the '60s. I like his music on "Lost," but, as far as music scores go, I'm a lot more impressed with the work John Powell, Mark Ishaim, and James Newton Howard.

[mariomguy]

@DrGlitterhouse I heard somewhere that Giaccino's score won good awards. Sorry if it wasn't the Oscar... but it was well deserving of one!

[gayrage2000]

@Toracube Amen to that! I mean I wasn't even born then (2010 I'm 33) but I love to watch all this classics, I wish some day they could like dedicate week ends to play all these wonderful movies again in theaters. For newer generations that appreciate all these movies will be terrific to watch them like that the way they were once upon a time when they were the summer big hit

[eimb1999]

@Toracube : Yeah, now you get uninteresting durges of electronic noise or you get that filthy "rap" crap

[peteboy1113]

@Toracube -and the actors too, not the hollywood trash of today.

[namohc]

とても懐かしく感じました。当時中学生の私にはとても思い出深い­大作映画の名作として記憶されています。

[antonietto1]

One of the best "beginning" music in a movie.

[ta4586]

it's cool to hear john williams before he made it big.

[rightnow1212]

I am not a specialist on film music but, even though the film shows tragedy, this opening music represents freedom, achievement, aspiration and possiblity. The Best Ideals of a Free Society in a Great Country but

Icarus is there too.

[robinoi]

exactly, hubris

[jkygogo]

Native

[FromFireIsland]

Brilliant music. Always thought it was one of Willams' best. Good clip, too, until the end. I thought I was going to see the whole main title sequence.

[keevanhotshot]

oops! this is not the intro!

[1967ball]

not just the beginning of the music.

it represents the suspense ahead

[tompennock]

Irwin Allen's Epic Masterpiece!!! Spectacular Score By John Williams!!!

[BrachioInGen]

eek... some intonation issues... but I LOVE this piece... Love it love it. I love this whole score. Its a shame that gems such as these were so poorly taken care of

[CrazyBoutThe70s]

brilliant music,brilliant clip...briliant film...thanx for posting!

[tvfella]

Fantastic score. One of my absolute faves by John Williams.

This performance is by The Royal Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by John Debney and is available on Varese/Sarabande's label

[UFOSPACE1999]

ONE of those bad boys, either silva, or rspo has a BLARING NOTE OUT OF PLACE!!!!

[cag1970]

It sounds like the RSPO version is playing in over top of the original orchestration. After reading this note, I didn't think I had heard the RSPO's interpretation like this. Now I know why, because there's discord in the two pieces.

[Paulosoy]

Irvin Allen the master of disasters!. Great opening, it gives you the feeling of a big adventure is about to happen. It reminds me to the music score of Jurassic Park.

[althrox]

Nice catch. It's the same composer.

[CreoleCW]

John Williams started out as Irwin Allen's composer for his TV shows, like "Lost In Space." He scored both of Irwin Allen's big disaster films, as well as "Earthquake," and various Spielberg films including "Jaws" (this put Williams on the map), "E.T.," "Close Encounters", "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List," "Minority Report" and others.

[mikwalen]

Hi! What a beautiful recording of the overture! I have the vinyl LP, and it does NOT sound like this!!! Is this by any chance a "new" recording of this piece? I noticed little differences here and there from the LP.