Composing Greatness: #4. James Horner - "Apollo 13" (1995)

Scene from Apollo 13

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Series Composer: James Horner

Entry: Apollo 13(1995)

Collaborators (If Available): N/A

Nomination: Best Original Score

Did He Win: No

Other Nominees:
-The Postman (Luis Bacalov)*winner
- Braveheart (James Horner)
-Nixon (John Williams)
-The Shawshank Redemption (Thomas Newman)

Additional Information

This is to help provide perspective of where each composer is in their Oscar-nominated life as it related to the current entry.

Oscar Nomination: 4

Oscar Wins: 0

Track List

1. "Main Title"
2. "Lunar Dreams"
3. "The Launch"
4."Docking"
5. "Master Alarm"
6. "Into the L.E.M."
7. "The Darkside of the Moon"
8. "Carbon Dioxide"
9. "Manual Burn"
10. "Four More Amps"
11. "Re-Entry & Splashdown"
12. "End Credits"

Note: Listen to here.

Exploring the Music

The area of the column where I will explore the music in as much detail as I see fit for each entry.

Theme Exploration:

"Main Title"

This isn't the first time that James Horner has been to outer space, but this is one of the first times that he's managed to make it feel more... grounded. The marching drums combined with the horns mix patriotism with a sense of adventure. The swelling strings create an epic scope that makes one wonder what lies beyond the atmosphere. It's an example of how he has evolved as a composer, managing to mix atmosphere with more conventional themes and making a score that is wholly engaging and mesmerizing. From the opening notes, there is a desire to explore outer space that is undeniable, and this romanticized take fits the film like a glove. Beyond that, it's still one of the best scores of the era simply by how accomplished it all is.

Interesting Standout:
"Master Alarm"

For the most part, outer space is fairly romanticized as something big and breathtaking. However, Apollo 13's other achievement is its ability to take history and make it a horror story. One has to wonder how they will survive, and this is the point where everyone's heart races and suddenly there's uncertainty. James Horner does a phenomenal job of capturing the feeling of uncertainty with aggression that plays through every instrument. Everything's on the verge of breaking down, and it's perfectly reflected through a piano melody that barely holds together. By the end, it's merely jumbled notes that are a bit uncomfortable. For as beautiful as every other track is, this one comes across as the most beautiful form of ugly that music could get. It fills the listener with dread as well as the characters in the film.

Best Moment:
"Re-entry & Splashdown"

Leave it to James Horner to achieve a triumphant finish to his score. While there's plenty to love in the first half, there's something about the conclusion that is transcendent. This nine-minute track, in particular, builds to something breathtaking. The strings come together in a brilliant note of joy, and it reflects in five seconds what made Horner such an essential composer. He not only managed to make scores that encompassed different (literal) atmospheres, but he could bring power in the instrumentation that is undeniable. It's pure cinema, and this track, in particular, shows how he builds to a moment and lets it resonate. 

Did This Deserve an Oscar Nomination?:
Yes

While it has been discussed and proven that James Horner's earlier work is quite an achievement, the mid-'90s is easily the point where he ascended to greatness. In this double-nominee year, he produced a wide variety of score that has a power that is purely cinematic. Apollo 13 made space sound beautiful and scary at the same time, making one long to know its secrets. His use of instrumentation is also clever and explores depth just in how a piano shifts notes or where the strings decide to swell up. This is an excellent example of how music can impact a film and makes it one of the best of the year and Horner's bigger career. 


Up Next: Best Original Score - Braveheart (1995)

Best Theme

A ranking of all themes composed by James Horner.

1. "Main Title" - Apollo 13 (1995)
2. "The Cornfield" - Field of Dreams (1989)
2. "Main Title" - Aliens (1986)

Best Song

A ranking of all songs composed by James Horner.

1. "Somewhere Out There" - An American Tail (1986)