Take a look (or listen) at some of his work:

Pleasantville – While the film is tracked with many pop tunes his score is under the surface and provides just the right emotional pitch when called for. The “march of progress” sound that he uses to illustrate the basketball practice is perfect in recalling all those dreadful films we saw in elementary school and at the same time portraying the confidence that the America of the fifties seemed imbued with.

Toy Story 1 & 2 – Nice little scores for a couple of vastly entertaining Disney film. I would rather watch these again then sit through Pocahontas or Hunchback the 1st time, His little army men theme when the soldiers parachute down the stairs is spot on. HERESY ALERT: Even the songs were good! When did it become a crime to put a song in a film? I would refer you to some golden age composers who were forced to have songs and they sounded awful (Don’t believe me, take a listen to Guns of Navarone with the Mitch Miller singers)! At least his song fit the movie and the style of music.

By the way, the academy award nominated (he has nine nominations) song for Toy Story II (When Somebody Loved Me) was much better than Phil Collin’s entry. How could anyone watch that movie and hear that song and not feel destroyed? A great Randy Newman song. (Not taking anything from Sarah McLachlan who makes the song live)

Ragtime – An awesome score that really spans the musical spectrum. His music conveys the sense of bundled anticipation, a new world wanting to be born. The period leading up to WWI is often considered the attic of 19th century, the final collapse of the Victorian age. This film and this music shows that a new, vibrant world was waiting in the wings. It took Randy Newman’s score, weaving under the layers of a supposedly proper and civilized world to show us what is and what is coming.

Awakenings- Here is a picture that represented a change for both Robin Williams and Randy Newman. Awakenings is a serious film score perfectly to denote not only tragedy but hope as well. A marvelous score and worth getting if only to hear a side of Randy Newman that you never knew existed.

I ask you, why is he held in low esteem when score fans almost universally lionize his cousin Thomas? I mean, do American Beauty and Erin Brockovich really sound all that different? Isn’t American Beauty a logical extension of the work he did in Shawshank Redemption?

NP. The Quiet Man

I am still interested in fans of Thomas Newman explaining why they have such a preference for his work. Its not bad, but what makes it so much better than Randy Newman's?

I have heard some of it and while I thought it was okay, it didn't really make me want to rush and buy more. So what gives, guys?

It started out with him naming off the movies he's scored...funny, but uncomfortable that skit TV is picking on film music now!

However, I totally agree with your comments on Randy's scores. He's a wonderful composer and any comparison with cousin Tom is apples to oranges. I would add that Randy is every bit as respected by his peers as is Tom. So I maybe it's not that Randy's held in lesser (or low) esteem, he's just not as "in the spotlight."

THE NATURAL blew a lot of us away when it first came out (in the days of LPs). If the other people here who haven't mentioned it are actually unfamiliar with this score, you have GOT to check it out.