Hey zoobs I saw it in the movies when it came out too (eek, just about to graduate from h.s.) and loved it. It was my first Pacino flick. Dog Day next. Got a connection to the latter; there was a doctor scene and I was operated on by the real life doctor many moons later. Knee thing, NOT a Leon thing.
Please share your thoughts on long movies with short scores and on SERPICO if you wish.'>
Few Lumet films have distinguished scores (I shudder when I think of Cy Coleman's Family Business e.g.), but he lavished an entire chapter of his book on film direction on music.
I think Sidney Lumet was keenly aware of what film music is and can do. His own films did not need much music, but in order to make movies with little to know scores, you still have to be absolutely aware of the function of film music.
“The Longest Day” at @ 178 minutes has but a few minutes of music, scored by Maurice Jarre. The Main Theme was penned by Paul Anka, who is also in the movie.
Quentin Tarantino movies seem to rarely use a ton of film scores if memory serves me right. He usually uses mainstream music for a lot of his scenes. Ironic because he's been said to be a big film score fan.
