James Newton Howard

James Newton Howard

James Newton Howard (born June 9, 1951) is an American film composer and music producer. He has scored over 100 films and is the recipient of a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, and nine nominations for Academy Awards. His film scores include Pretty Woman (1990), The Fugitive (1993), Space Jam (1996), Peter Pan (2003), King Kong (2005), The Dark Knight (2008) which he composed with Hans Zimmer, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016). He has collaborated extensively with directors M. Night Shyamalan and Francis Lawrence, having scored eight of Shyamalan's films since The Sixth Sense (1999) and all of Lawrence's films since I Am Legend (2007).

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James Newton Howard
  • Ep. 240 - James Newton Howard's 'The Nutcracker'

    "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms," a 2018 fantasy film, offers a reimagining of the classic holiday tale and Tchaikovsky's ballet. James Newton Howard's score serves as a bridge between the traditional and the modern, drawing upon Tchaikovsky's iconic melodies while injecting contemporary symp...

  • Ep. 221 - James Newton Howard's 'The Devil's Advocate'

    'The Devil's Advocate' is a psychological thriller that explores the dark side of human nature, where the line between good and evil is blurred. One of the most notable aspects of the film is its haunting and memorable score composed by James Newton Howard. The music is used to great effect in em...

  • Ep. 170 - James Newton Howard's 'The Sixth Sense'

    In another snapshot featuring the genius relationship between James Newton Howard and M. Night Shyamalan, we are going to focus this one on the first feature film that sparked their creative relationship for many years to come.

    This scene in particular comes at the end of the film when Malcolm (...

  • Ep. 154 - James Newton Howard's 'Snow White & The Huntsman'

    Regardless of what you think of Rupert Sanders' 'Snow White and the Huntsman', we love James Newton Howard's work in the film. This scene in particular is one of our favorites, when Eric the Huntsman professes his regret for not being there to save Snow White, who is lifeless from eating the pois...

  • Ep. 118 - James Newton Howard's 'Michael Clayton'

    Tony Gilroy's 2007 legal thriller is one of our favorite films for the performances, direction, and score by James Newton Howard (which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Score!).

    This scene in particular is a great example of Howard's 'pulsating' rhythm contrasting with the dead, mono...

  • Ep. 108 - James Newton Howard's 'The Village'

    As you probably know, we are huge fans of M. Night Shyamalan's work - especially the films where he collaborated with the incredible James Newton Howard. This score is nothing short of gorgeous, and in fact was nominated for an Academy Award in 2004.

    This clip features two snapshots from differ...

  • Ep. 100 - Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard's 'The Dark Knight'

    Nothing compares to 'The Dark Knight'. The epic performances, 70mm film sequences, practical effects, and the incredible score is just a small portion of what makes it a nearly perfect film. Scored by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, this snapshot is at the end of the movie, when Gordon tells...

  • Ep. 70 - James Newton Howard's 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire'

    James Newton Howard's work never fails to impress us, which is why there are so many Film Music Snapshots celebrating his work. Interestingly, Howard approached the animated film as a live-action movie, and created different musical themes for the cultures of the surface world and Atlantis. There...

  • Ep. 71 - James Newton Howard's 'The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep'

    In a second tribute to James Newton Howard this week, we are featuring his incredible score to the 2007 film, "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep". We really love this score, mainly because of the dynamic and emotional themes throughout. Similar to the last Snapshot, Howard's ability to score ac...

  • Ep. 59 - James Newton Howard's 'Wyatt Earp'

    We absolutely love this classic James Newton Howard score, which is filled with beautiful orchestral swells and adventure motifs. "The Wagon Chase" is wonderful in that it goes from a poignant moment between young Wyatt and his father (the great Gene Hackman) to a present day wagon chase getaway....

  • Ep. 34 - James Newton Howard's 'A Hidden Life' (4K HDR)

    There are very few directors that are marked by broad philosophical and spiritual overtones, but Terrence Malick has truly stood out from the crowd and become one of the most well known directors alive as a result.

    Featuring a score by James Newton Howard that he considered a 'spiritual' explora...

  • Ep. 33 - James Newton Howard's 'Lady in the Water'

    Featuring the 91-piece Hollywood Studio Symphony, this is another great score by James Newton Howard, continuing his collaboration with director M. Night Shyamalan. There are two vastly different cues from the score in this sequence that fit so perfectly together. There is such simple and swellin...

  • Ep. 14 - James Newton Howard's 'Signs'

    Enjoy this masterful score by James Newton Howard from the 2002 film SIGNS, directed by M. Night Shyamalan. This is an incredible set of cues because of the simplicity of the three note motif that forms the foundation for the entire emotional journey one experiences with the characters. It's one ...

  • Ep. 11 - James Newton Howard's 'Treasure Planet'

    James Newton Howard's score for the 2002 animated film 'Treasure Planet' was able to capture the emotion and adventurous spirit of the main character, Jim Hawkins. It's a beautiful theme that starts out simple but swells into something magnificent, not only listen to, but also to experience, as t...

  • Ep. 7 - James Newton Howard's 'Hidalgo'

    Enjoy this masterful score cue by James Newton Howard from the 2004 film, Hidalgo. Within this cue you get to experience a variety of emotions, from the thrill of the race, the fear, tension, and ultimately the unspoken bond between Frank T. Hopkins and his horse. By the time the scene ends, you ...

  • Ep. 14 - James Newton Howard's 'The Fugitive'

    In this week’s episode, Justin talks about James Newton Howard’s dynamic, fun, and jazzy score to one of the most riveting thrillers of the early 90’s - The Fugitive. Directed by Andrew Davis, the 1993 American action thriller film was a major success, and was nominated for seven Academy Awards i...