Movies - Superman music

Home > Listing Index > Movies > Superman music

	Movies - Superman music

Superman: The Movie
and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace scores were composed by John Williams. Superman II
and Superman III
score was composed by Ken Thorne (using Williams' themes), Superman Returns
will feature a score by John Ottman also using Williams' compositions.

Principal leitmotifs

First appearance in Superman: The Movie

Superman Fanfare. A short motif mostly played just before the Main Theme.
Superman March or Superman Main Theme.
Can You Read My Mind or the love theme. A magnificent theme for the love between Lois and Clark.
Krypton fanfare.
Krypton crystal motif or the Secondary Krypton motif. This theme is associated with the green crystal matter of the planet Krypton.
Clark Kent motif.
Smallville theme. A gentle theme for Smallville and its habitants.
The March of the Villains or Lex Luthor's theme. A comedic march associated with the villain Lex Luthor and Otis.

First appearance in Superman II

Ken Thorne contributed a cue called "Honeymoon Hotel" corresponding to the first scene in Niagara Falls.

First appearance in Superman III

According to the score analysis at supermancinema.co.uk, Ken Thorne contributed 66% of new material for the film (the other 34% being John Williams' themes). Lois Lane's theme is not present because Lois is not in the film for more than five minutes (the result of a clash between Margot Kidder and Producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind).

The 66% in question involves themes for Ross Webster and Gus Gorman, an erotic cue for the scene in which Lorelie Ambrosia has an implied sex scene with Superman, and the climactic fight between Clark Kent and Evil Superman, among others.

First appearance in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Two new themes were composed for the film, for the characters Lacy Warfield and Nuclear Man. Since the themes are considered below John Williams' usual level of quality, rumors have surfaced that it was Alexander Courage (who adapted Williams' themes for the film) who wrote them, but it has been confirmed that Williams himself wrote the new themes.

Diegetic (or original source) music

Luthor's Luau (Superman I). An Hawaiian-themed cue heard in the background in Lex Luthor's secret hideaway the day after Superman super-rescues around the city.

Concert suites

The March of the Villains (Superman I). A concert version of the villains' theme.
Love Theme from Superman (Superman I). A beautiful concert version of the love theme.
Theme from Superman (Superman I). This concert suite includes Superman Fanfare, Superman March and the Love Theme.

The soundtracks

===Superman: The Movie===

First release on LP by Warner in 1978. Track listing for this release:

SIDE 1:
 1. Theme From Superman (Main Title) (4:24)
 2. The Planet Krypton (4:45) 
 3. Destruction of Krypton (5:58) 
 4. The Trip to Earth (2:23) 
 5. Growing Up (2:34)


SIDE 2:
 1. Love Theme From Superman (5:00) 
 2. Leaving Home (4:48) 
 3. The Fortress of Solitude (8:29) 


SIDE 3:
 1. The Flying Sequence (4:16)
 2. Can You Read my Mind (3:54) 
 3. Super Rescues (3:24) 
 4. Lex Luthor's Lair (2:52)
 5. Superfeats (5:00) 


SIDE 4:
 1. The March of the Villains (3:33) 
 2. Chasing Rockets (7:33) 
 3. Turning Back the World (2:01) 
 4. End Title (6:24) 


Total Time:

2000 release by Rhino including the complete recordings for the first time. Track listing for this release:

DISC 1:
 1. Prelude and Main Title March (5:29) 
 2. The Planet Krypton (6:39) 
 3. Destruction of Krypton (7:52) 
 4. Star Ship Escapes (2:21)
 5. The Trip to Earth (2:28) 
 6. Growing Up (2:34) 
 7. Death of Jonathan Kent (3:27) 
 8. Leaving Home (4:49) 
 9. The Fortress of Solitude (9:17) 
 10. Welcome to Metropolis (2:11) 
 11. Lex Luthor's Lair (4:48) 
 12. The Big Rescue (5:55) 
 13. Super Crime Fighter (3:20) 
 14. Super Rescues (2:14)
 15. Luthor's Luau (Source music) (2:48) 
 16. The Planet Krypton (Alternate) (4:24) 
 17. Main Title March (Alternate) (4:38)


Total Time: 75:18[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Superman music ]

Some related entries: Grosvenor Resort | References to M*A*S*H | Night of the Living Dead | Demon Seed | A Long Ride From Hell | Danger!! Death Ray | Marnie | The Beach | Bad Boys | The Miracle of Kathy Miller | Robert Wiene
This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Superman music; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Searches on eBay