I am not a wide-range listener like many of you on this board are, so I was wondering what many of you consider effective villain themes (most of all, if there are any effectively creepy).

The only thing that really comes to mind right now is John Williams's original theme for Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. But of course, I haven't listened to a huge amount of film scores, so there is probably much I've missed.

I'm very interested in hearing your opinions!

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Originally posted by Dinko:
Probably the most famous of them all: The Darth Vader Theme/The Imperial March from Star Wars.

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Voldemort's theme is much more threatening. Jaws is spot on. Klingon's are misunderstood too, though the theme is more quirkely menacing than anything. How about Goldsmith's theme for Imhotep? That was pretty darn on target.

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Originally posted by Jeron:
Vadar's theme isn't all that effective I don't think. I mean, yes - it's great. But it just makes him seem misunderstood. It's not very threatening - if anything, Vadar's theme sorta makes you just want to take him out for a beer and see what's got him all wound up. That said, is it really HIS theme? It is called the Imperial March, after all. I think it functions much better in terms of a macro-level theme for the Empire.

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Who's "Vadar?"

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They are a bunch of A-hole's, after all.

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Are they Major A-holes?

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Originally posted by Jeron:
Vadar's theme isn't all that effective I don't think. I mean, yes - it's great. But it just makes him seem misunderstood. It's not very threatening - if anything, Vadar's theme sorta makes you just want to take him out for a beer and see what's got him all wound up. That said, is it really HIS theme? It is called the Imperial March, after all. I think it functions much better in terms of a macro-level theme for the Empire. They are a bunch of A-hole's, after all.

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C-R-A-C-K-H-E-A-D.

And yes, it's THE theme for Darth Vader. ALL the Star Wars CD's I own with it read: "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)." (I'm sure Williams would tell you, too, that the theme was conceived for Vader; isn't that also why it rounds off "Anakin's Theme"!?) It's a powerful theme and suits his character so perfectly it's insane, you're comments are outrageous, Jeron.

Uhhh... Who cares about Harry Potter, moving on now...

And still, I insist on calling out Imhotep's theme.

Jeron the Outrageous

Jeron, I still disagree, Vader is a towering character and needs a HUGE musical presence, as there is nothing subtle about him and since he is a Sith Lord (one of 2!), than I'd argue he's pretty MACRO when it comes to the Empire and not just some minor player in the Star Wars universe. The theme becomes "campy"? In what way? Isn't it common knowledge that Star Wars films are supposed to take-off after the 1950s serials that inspired Lucas for that and Indiana Jones, and so the music in-turn brilliantly follows suit, being in your face and up-front: I believe even Williams himself has stated this, that these films allow him to get away with writing such bold and bellicose themes that are in-your-face, especially for the villains: The Empire, Vader, the Emperor, the Nazis, etc. If that's the case, and it is (just go through your Indiana Jones and Star Wars extra features with Williams), than I don't see any other path really being viable or acceptable: He got it right and that's really all there is to it. Jeron, you crazy fool, I think you just wanna' zig here when everyone else zags.

Who's Vadar? Is he an enemy of Hairy Poopper?

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Originally posted by Jeron:
I honestly do not know, Kevin. Is that what they call the radar on an Imperial Destroyer?

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LMAO! O.K., I have too much time on my hands this evening...

Specs for Star Destroyer SENSORS:

=Com-Scan (Unknown model)
=Dozens of directional long-range electro-photo receptors and over 100 full-spectrum transceivers. A score of broadband transceivers monitor all communications from comlink and subspace bands to radionics frequencies, searching for transmissions "hidden" under natural X-ray emissions or background static.
=Crystal Gravfield Traps, most CGTs within the Imperial Fleet are found aboard ISDs, due to its rarity and expense, only a handful ISDs possess them.
Passive : 50 Space Units/1D
Scan : 100 Space Units/3D
Search : 200 Space Units/4D
Focus : 6 Space Units/4D+2

Specs for Super Star Destroyer SENSORS:

Passive : 75 Space Units/1D+2
Scan : 150 Space Units/3D+2
Search : 300 Space Units/5D
Focus : 8 Space Units/6D+2

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Originally posted by sean:
Well, one of my personal favourite villain themes is Hans Zimmer's theme for Deakins (John Travolta) in Broken Arrow played on baritone guitar by none other than Duane Eddy!, it's genius and beautiful.

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Originally posted by sean:
He got it right and that's really all there is to it.?

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Never said otherwise! Just putting some thoughts out there to bat around. I think you just having something against taking Darth Vader out for a beer. Give in to the Dark Side, Sean. Just once.

Zig Zig Zig Zig

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Originally posted by Jeron:
Never said otherwise! Just putting some thoughts out there to bat around. I think you just having something against taking Darth Vader out for a beer. Give in to the Dark Side, Sean. Just once.

Zig Zig Zig Zig

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"Who cares about Harry Potter?"
Well, regardless of what your personal opinion is, the final book is already the fastest selling book in history and has broken amazon records when it hasn't even been out for a month...obviously it's doing something right, even if it is looked down upon because it is a children's book. But we're not hear to talk books. The musical themes are at least memorable to the majority of the public, whether you like them or not.

I happen to think Voldemort's theme is very threatening and effective. Chill-worthy in the dark.

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Originally posted by StarlessWinter:
"I'm a big ruler and I will crush you" theme.

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But wouldn't that be the greatest example?

Of course I wasn't serious in calling Jeron a crackhead (even though in real life he does actually smoke it), and he knows it and I'm certain he thought it was pretty funny: It's just friendly banter, no need to worry about it. Anyway, that wretched hive of scum and villainy is of minor importance, but what is of major ****ing importance is this: I'm renowned throughout the galaxy for disliking the Harry Potter franchise, even though the score for The Prisoner Of Afghanistan is not too bad. Jeron is a staunch and wild supporter of that franchise and hates Brian for locking himself in his dorm to read the latest book for the ENTIRE WEEKEND!!!! That's just preposterous.

As for Harry Potter, I think one good thing everyone can agree on is that it got kids reading again. Nothing wrong there My problem with Potter has to do with the final book (therefore, with the overall plot, or lack of one). I loved Harry Potter for a reason that was never there, something I expected was happening throughout the entire series that never actually did, which was basically that it would tie up all the books into one amazing "master plan". There's a mood to go along with that idea that the last book and the film franchise never captures, so my respect for it really has gone down. Still, it doesn't take away from the joys, if flawed, from the previous novels.

Williams' score for Potter vaguely captured that feel with the Voldemort theme and especially with the three note "mysterious" theme heard regularly throughout the first score, as if it were saying "this little detail will be important later on". Everything else was like "didn't we just hear that 30 seconds ago?"

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Originally posted by StarlessWinter:
I happen to think Voldemort's theme is very threatening and effective. Chill-worthy in the dark.

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Originally posted by NeoVoyager:
I agree. I actually like the "counterpoint" Voldemort theme or whatever you would call it best... it is heard prominently at 1:55 in "The Face of Voldemort." IMO, this is even better than the three note theme.

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Yes! Talk about a creepy villain theme....especially since even in its most prominent form, it's not an "in your face" theme; it's much more effective that way.

Dunh-dun-DUNH (swoosh!), dunh-dun-DUN (if you've seen the film, you'll know what the hell I'm on about)

I agree with almost all these, but, ironically enough, a few weeks ago I was contemplating that the "bad guy" themes of Dimitri Tiomkin are much better than the music he composes for the protagonists.

For example, his theme for the Santa Ana and the Mexican Army (not to mention 'The Deguello') in "The Alamo" is better than any of the themes for the "good guys."

Meanwhile, his theme for the "Boxers" in "55 Days at Peking" is about the best piece of music on that CD.

And the excellently sinister and creepy Mr. Wynt & Mr. Kidd theme by John Barry from Diamonds Are Forever....now that's a proper villains theme

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Originally posted by NeoVoyager:
[quote]Originally posted by StarlessWinter:
I happen to think Voldemort's theme is very threatening and effective. Chill-worthy in the dark.

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I agree. I actually like the "counterpoint" Voldemort theme or whatever you would call it best... it is heard prominently at 1:55 in "The Face of Voldemort." IMO, this is even better than the three note theme.[/B][/QUOTE]

Maybe I do know what you mean as far as the 'official' Voldemort theme... that would be the one I mentioned starting at about 1:55 in "The Face of Voldemort" - a sequence of dotted quarter notes tied to eighths in a long ascending and then descending theme with tons of accidentals. Good stuff whatever it's called.

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Originally posted by sean:
Of course I wasn't serious in calling Jeron a crackhead (even though in real life he does actually smoke it), and he knows it and I'm certain he thought it was pretty funny: It's just friendly banter, no need to worry about it.

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Just because Jaws is an animal doesn't mean he's not evil. In context. I mean, I love animals, but Jaws is just freak-of-nature evil. (Again--in context. Man vs. Animal. The animal may symbolically represent something to everyone...to Quint, it's the demons of the past...to Brody, it's fear of the unknown...to Richard Dreyfuss...maybe it's just a big fish with teeth....) But the Jaws theme is really the ominous encroachment of evil sneaking up on the unknowing, unsuspecting person immersing themselves in the ocean.

(Sure, "Jaws" has the unfortunate side-effect of giving all sharks a bad reputation, but...that's just human fear which must be overcome. I think even Peter Benchley would agree, no?)

But...more "villain themes"...

The March of the Villains from "Superman"...not ominous as much as mischevious. Not a deadly-serious theme, but effective.

Same with the "Gilderoy Lockhart" theme from "Chamber of Secrets". (Yes, it's true, no one does pompous-comic villany quite like John Williams. Not that Lockhart is a villain, either...just that he's an antagonistic force in the ultimate forward movement of the plot.)

Vince DiCola's "Unicron" theme for the animated "Transformers" film is a hissing-breathing mechanical motif over a some building chords and an electrical bass-line--even the Decepticons don't get as heavy a musical-evil treatment.

Changing paces: