Born in Italy in 1963. Won Oscar for Atonement. Has worked with Joe Wright several times; his scores often rely on piano supported by an orchestra. My favorite score: Atonement.

Born in the U.S. in 1966. Best known for dark adventures and horror movies, having scored several Wes Craven films. Often uses percussion to great effect. My favorite: Scream.

Born in the U.S. in 1954. Known for his moody, brooding scores, often in collaboration with the Coen brothers. My favorite: True Grit.

1969-2018, born in Iceland. Known for his minimalistic, brooding soundscapes, the composer was at his most successful working with Denis Villeneuve. My favorite: The Theory of Everything.

Born in the U.K. in 1961. Perhaps better known as a composer of video game scores, he has nevertheless also written several effective movie scores. My favorite is The Martian.

Born in the U.S. in 1972. A very prolific composer, often hired for muscular action movies, such as the Fast & Furious franchise. My favorite: Iron Man 3.

Born in the U.S. in 1942. Won Oscar for The Right Stuff (1983). Famous for memorable TV themes as well as movie scores with soaring strings. My favorite: His themes…

1945-2006, born in the U.S. Wrote majestic orchestral scores as well as more electronic pieces; The Hunt for Red October (1990) fused the styles. My favorite: Conan the Barbarian (1982).