No relation to Leonard Bernstein, American film composer Elmer Bernstein was a graduate of the prestigious Juilliard School of Music. He dabbled in all aspects of the arts (including dance) before devoting himself to composing; his first major stint was for United Nations radio. In the early '50s, Bernstein was willing to take any job available just to establish himself -- which possibly explains why his name is on the credits of that "golden turkey" Robot Monster. The composer's big breakthrough came with his progressive jazz score for The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), after which he switched artistic gears with his Wagnerian orchestrations for DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1956). Bernstein's pulsating score for The Magnificent Seven (1960) has since become a classic -- so much so that Bernstein is often mistakenly credited for Jerome Moross' similar theme music for The Big Country (1958). As film tastes changed in the late '60s and early '70s, Bernstein's over-arranged compositions seemed a bit anachronistic, a fact that the composer himself apparently realized, as witnessed by his semi-satirical score for National Lampoon's Animal House (1978). Bernstein remained active throughout the '90s, rearranging Bernard Herrmann's original score for the 1991 remake of Cape Fear, underlining the innate romanticism of such films as Rambling Rose (1991), and earning Oscar nominations for his work on The Age of Innocence (1993) and Far From Heaven (2002). In 1967, Bernstein won his only Academy Award for Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which he wrote only the background music and none of the individual songs.
| Title | Year | Editors' Rating | User Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic
Featured Music, Interviewee |
2004 | |||
|
Far From Heaven
Composer (Music Score) |
2002 | |||
|
Chinese Coffee
Composer (Music Score) |
2000 | |||
|
Keeping the Faith
Composer (Music Score) |
2000 | |||
|
Bringing Out the Dead
Composer (Music Score) |
1999 | |||
|
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Composer (Music Score) |
1999 | |||
|
The Deep End of the Ocean
Composer (Music Score) |
1999 | |||
|
The Magnificent Seven: Season 02
Composer (Music Score) |
1999 | |||
|
Wild Wild West
Composer (Music Score) |
1999 | |||
|
Digging To China
Musical Arrangement |
1998 | |||
|
The Magnificent Seven: Season 01
Composer (Music Score) |
1998 | |||
|
Twilight
Composer (Music Score) |
1998 | |||
|
Buddy
Composer (Music Score) |
1997 | |||
|
Hoodlum
Composer (Music Score) |
1997 | |||
|
The Rainmaker
Composer (Music Score) |
1997 | |||
|
Bulletproof
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
| 1995 | ||||
|
Devil in a Blue Dress
Composer (Music Score) |
1995 | |||
|
Frankie Starlight
Composer (Music Score) |
1995 | |||
|
Roommates
Composer (Music Score) |
1995 | |||
|
Search and Destroy
Composer (Music Score) |
1995 | |||
|
Canadian Bacon
Composer (Music Score), Songwriter |
1994 | |||
|
I Love Trouble
Composer (Music Score) |
1994 | |||
|
Fallen Angels, Vol. 1
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
Lost in Yonkers
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
Mad Dog and Glory
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
The Age of Innocence
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
The Cemetery Club
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
The Good Son
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
Music for the Movies: Bernard Herrmann
Participant |
1992 | |||
|
The Babe
Composer (Music Score) |
1992 | |||
|
A Rage in Harlem
Composer (Music Score) |
1991 | |||
|
Cape Fear
Musical Direction/Supervision |
1991 | |||
|
Oscar
Composer (Music Score) |
1991 | |||
|
Rambling Rose
Composer (Music Score) |
1991 | |||
|
The Field
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
The Grifters
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
My Left Foot
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1989 | |||
|
Slipstream
Composer (Music Score) |
1989 | |||
|
A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon
Composer (Music Score), Songwriter |
1988 | |||
|
Da
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Funny Farm
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Stars and Bars
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
The Good Mother
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Amazing Grace and Chuck
Composer (Music Score) |
1987 | |||
|
Leonard, Part 6
Composer (Music Score) |
1987 | |||
|
Legal Eagles
Composer (Music Score) |
1986 | |||
|
Three Amigos!
Composer (Music Score) |
1986 | |||
|
Gulag
Composer (Music Score) |
1985 | |||
|
Marie Ward
Composer (Music Score) |
1985 | |||
|
Spies Like Us
Composer (Music Score) |
1985 | |||
|
The Black Cauldron
Composer (Music Score) |
1985 | |||
|
Bolero
Composer (Music Score) |
1984 | |||
|
Ghostbusters
Composer (Music Score) |
1984 | |||
|
Class
Composer (Music Score) |
1983 | |||
|
Prince Jack
Composer (Music Score) |
1983 | |||
|
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone
Composer (Music Score) |
1983 | |||
|
Trading Places
Composer (Music Score) |
1983 | |||
|
Airplane II: The Sequel
Composer (Music Score) |
1982 | |||
|
Five Days One Summer
Composer (Music Score) |
1982 | |||
|
An American Werewolf in London
Composer (Music Score) |
1981 | |||
|
Genocide
Composer (Music Score) |
1981 | |||
|
Going Ape!
Composer (Music Score) |
1981 | |||
|
Heavy Metal
Composer (Music Score) |
1981 | |||
|
Honky Tonk Freeway
Composer (Music Score) |
1981 | |||
|
Stripes
Composer (Music Score) |
1981 | |||
|
The Chosen
Composer (Music Score) |
1981 | |||
|
Today's FBI
Composer (Music Score) |
1981 | |||
|
Airplane!
Composer (Music Score) |
1980 | |||
|
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones
Composer (Music Score) |
1980 | |||
|
Moviola: This Year's Blonde
Composer (Music Score) |
1980 | |||
|
Saturn 3
Composer (Music Score) |
1980 | |||
|
The Blues Brothers
Composer (Music Score) |
1980 | |||
|
The Secret Love of Marilyn Monroe
Composer (Music Score) |
1980 | |||
|
Charleston
Composer (Music Score) |
1979 | |||
|
Meatballs
Composer (Music Score), Songwriter |
1979 | |||
|
The Chisholms
Composer (Music Score) |
1979 | |||
|
The Great Santini
Composer (Music Score) |
1979 | |||
|
Zulu Dawn
Composer (Music Score) |
1979 | |||
|
Little Women
Composer (Music Score) |
1978 | |||
|
National Lampoon's Animal House
Composer (Music Score) |
1978 | |||
|
Powers of Ten
Composer (Music Score) |
1978 | |||
|
Billy Jack Goes to Washington
Actor, Composer (Music Score) |
1977 | |||
|
Blood Brothers
Composer (Music Score) |
1977 | |||
|
Seventh Avenue
Composer (Music Score) |
1977 | |||
|
Slap Shot
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1977 | |||
|
The 3,000 Mile Chase
Composer (Music Score) |
1977 | |||
|
The Rhinemann Exchange
Composer (Music Score) |
1977 | |||
|
Captains and the Kings
Composer (Music Score) |
1976 | |||
|
From Noon Till Three
Actor, Composer (Music Score) |
1976 | |||
|
Once an Eagle
Composer (Music Score) |
1976 | |||
|
Serpico: The Deadly Game
Composer (Music Score) |
1976 | |||
|
The Incredible Sarah
Composer (Music Score) |
1976 | |||
|
The Shootist
Composer (Music Score) |
1976 | |||
|
Ellery Queen
Composer (Music Score) |
1975 | |||
|
The Old Curiosity Shop
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1975 | |||
|
Gold
Composer (Music Score) |
1974 | |||
|
McQ
Composer (Music Score) |
1974 | |||
|
Men of the Dragon
Composer (Music Score) |
1974 | |||
|
Report to the Commissioner
Composer (Music Score) |
1974 | |||
|
The Trial of Billy Jack
Composer (Music Score) |
1974 | |||
|
Cahill: United States Marshal
Composer (Music Score) |
1973 | |||
|
Nightmare Honeymoon
Composer (Music Score) |
1973 | |||
|
Incident on a Dark Street
Composer (Music Score) |
1972 | |||
|
The Amazing Mr. Blunden
Composer (Music Score) |
1972 | |||
|
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1972 | |||
|
Big Jake
Composer (Music Score) |
1971 | |||
|
Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law
Composer (Music Score) |
1971 | |||
|
See No Evil
Composer (Music Score) |
1971 | |||
|
The Rookies
Composer (Music Score) |
1971 | |||
|
A Walk in the Spring Rain
Composer (Music Score) |
1970 | |||
|
Cannon for Cordoba
Composer (Music Score) |
1970 | |||
|
Doctors' Wives
Composer (Music Score) |
1970 | |||
|
The Liberation of L.B. Jones
Composer (Music Score) |
1970 | |||
|
Guns of the Magnificent Seven
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1969 | |||
|
Midas Run
Composer (Music Score) |
1969 | |||
|
The Bridge at Remagen
Composer (Music Score) |
1969 | |||
|
The Gypsy Moths
Composer (Music Score) |
1969 | |||
|
Tops
Composer (Music Score) |
1969 | |||
|
True Grit
Composer (Music Score), Songwriter |
1969 | |||
|
Where's Jack?
Composer (Music Score) |
1969 | |||
|
A Computer Glossary
Composer (Music Score) |
1968 | |||
|
I Love You, Alice B. Toklas
Composer (Music Score) |
1968 | |||
|
The Scalphunters
Composer (Music Score) |
1968 | |||
|
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Composer (Music Score) |
1967 | |||
|
Will Penny
Composer (Music Score) |
1967 | |||
|
Cast a Giant Shadow
Composer (Music Score) |
1966 | |||
|
Hawaii
Composer (Music Score) |
1966 | |||
|
Return of the Magnificent Seven
Composer (Music Score) |
1966 | |||
|
Seven Women
Composer (Music Score) |
1966 | |||
|
The Silencers
Composer (Music Score), Songwriter |
1966 | |||
|
Baby, the Rain Must Fall
Composer (Music Score) |
1965 | |||
|
The Hallelujah Trail
Composer (Music Score) |
1965 | |||
|
The Reward
Composer (Music Score) |
1965 | |||
|
The Sons of Katie Elder
Composer (Music Score) |
1965 | |||
|
Westinghouse in Alphabetical Order
Composer (Music Score) |
1965 | |||
|
Four Days in November
Composer (Music Score) |
1964 | |||
|
The Carpetbaggers
Composer (Music Score) |
1964 | |||
|
The World of Henry Orient
Composer (Music Score) |
1964 | |||
|
Hud
Composer (Music Score) |
1963 | |||
|
Kings of the Sun
Composer (Music Score) |
1963 | |||
|
Love with the Proper Stranger
Composer (Music Score) |
1963 | |||
|
Rampage
Composer (Music Score) |
1963 | |||
|
The Caretakers
Composer (Music Score) |
1963 | |||
|
The Great Escape
Composer (Music Score) |
1963 | |||
|
A Girl Named Tamiko
Composer (Music Score) |
1962 | |||
|
Birdman of Alcatraz
Composer (Music Score) |
1962 | |||
|
Hollywood: The Fabulous Era
Composer (Music Score) |
1962 | |||
|
To Kill a Mockingbird
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1962 | |||
|
Walk on the Wild Side
Composer (Music Score) |
1962 | |||
|
2n
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
By Love Possessed
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
Eratosthenes
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
Hollywood: The Golden Years
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
Something About Functions
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
Summer and Smoke
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
Symmetry
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
The Comancheros
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
The Young Doctors
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
Topology
Composer (Music Score) |
1961 | |||
|
From the Terrace
Composer (Music Score) |
1960 | |||
|
The Magnificent Seven
Composer (Music Score) |
1960 | |||
|
The Rat Race
Composer (Music Score) |
1960 | |||
|
Johnny Staccato [TV Series]
Composer (Music Score), Musical Performer |
1959 | |||
|
The Miracle
Composer (Music Score) |
1959 | |||
|
The Story on Page One
Composer (Music Score) |
1959 | |||
|
Anna Lucasta
Composer (Music Score) |
1958 | |||
|
Desire under the Elms
Composer (Music Score) |
1958 | |||
|
God's Little Acre
Composer (Music Score) |
1958 | |||
|
Kings Go Forth
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1958 | |||
|
Saddle the Wind
Composer (Music Score) |
1958 | |||
|
Some Came Running
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1958 | |||
|
The Buccaneer
Composer (Music Score) |
1958 | |||
|
The Expanding Airport
Composer (Music Score) |
1958 | |||
|
The Information Machine
Composer (Music Score) |
1958 | |||
|
Drango
Composer (Music Score) |
1957 | |||
|
Fear Strikes Out
Composer (Music Score) |
1957 | |||
|
Men in War
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1957 | |||
|
Sweet Smell of Success
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1957 | |||
|
The Tin Star
Composer (Music Score) |
1957 | |||
|
Toccata for Toy Trains
Composer (Music Score) |
1957 | |||
|
The Naked Eye
Composer (Music Score), Conductor |
1956 | |||
|
The Ten Commandments
Composer (Music Score) |
1956 | |||
|
It's a Dog's Life
Composer (Music Score) |
1955 | |||
|
Storm Fear
Composer (Music Score) |
1955 | |||
|
The Eternal Sea
Composer (Music Score) |
1955 | |||
|
The Man With the Golden Arm
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1955 | |||
|
The View from Pompey's Head
Composer (Music Score) |
1955 | |||
|
House: After Five Years of Living
Composer (Music Score) |
1954 | |||
|
Make Haste to Live
Composer (Music Score) |
1954 | |||
|
Miss Robin Crusoe
Composer (Music Score) |
1954 | |||
|
S-73 (Sofa Compact)
Composer (Music Score) |
1954 | |||
|
Silent Raiders
Composer (Music Score) |
1954 | |||
|
Cat Women of the Moon
Composer (Music Score) |
1953 | |||
|
Robot Monster
Composer (Music Score) |
1953 | |||
|
Battles of Chief Pontiac
Composer (Music Score) |
1952 | |||
|
Never Wave at a WAC
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision |
1952 | |||
|
Sudden Fear
Composer (Music Score), Musical Direction/Supervision, Songwriter |
1952 | |||
|
Boots Malone
Composer (Music Score) |
1951 | |||
|
Saturday's Hero
Composer (Music Score) |
1951 |




