Composer

:

Elmer Bernstein

Genre

:

Film

Style

:

Film Score

Average_duration

:

17:14

The Great Escape is a soundtrack composed by Elmer Bernstein for the 1963 American war film of the same name. The film was directed by John Sturges and starred Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough. The soundtrack was released on July 7, 1963, by United Artists Records. The soundtrack consists of 12 tracks, with a total running time of 34 minutes and 47 seconds. The first track, "Main Title," is a rousing and patriotic march that sets the tone for the film. The second track, "Premature Plans," is a tense and suspenseful piece that underscores the planning of the escape. The third track, "Cooler," is a somber and melancholy piece that underscores the prisoners' confinement in the cooler. The fourth track, "Mole," is a lively and upbeat piece that underscores the digging of the escape tunnel. The fifth track, "Hilts and Ives," is a playful and mischievous piece that underscores the relationship between two of the prisoners. The sixth track, "Blythe," is a mournful and elegiac piece that underscores the death of one of the prisoners. The seventh track, "Discovery," is a tense and dramatic piece that underscores the discovery of the escape tunnel. The eighth track, "Various Troubles," is a series of short pieces that underscore various obstacles the prisoners encounter during their escape. The ninth track, "The Chase," is a thrilling and exciting piece that underscores the pursuit of the escaped prisoners. The tenth track, "The Escape," is a triumphant and heroic piece that underscores the successful escape of the prisoners. The eleventh track, "Finale," is a reprise of the main title march, bringing the soundtrack full circle. The final track, "End Cast," is a brief piece that underscores the closing credits. Overall, the soundtrack to The Great Escape is a masterful work of film music. Elmer Bernstein's use of different musical styles and moods perfectly captures the various emotions and events of the film. The main title march is one of the most iconic pieces of film music ever written, and the rest of the soundtrack is equally impressive. The Great Escape premiered on June 20, 1963, and was a critical and commercial success.

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