Superman: The Movie (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)

In the span of a barely over a year composer John Williams forged the Hollywood film music equivalent of the Triple Crown via Star Wars, Close Encounters and this rich orchestral elegy for director Richard Donner's take on the comic world's Man of Steel. Williams' Oscar-nominated score bristles with a heroism that's the equal of his work for George Lucas' space operas, yet finds considerable soul in the heart-stirring themes that evoke the grace of Superman's flight and bittersweet romance with Lois Lane. Williams' triumphant "Superman March" remains nothing less the musical heart of the entire franchise, an epochal symphonic touchstone that's so indelible it inspired a whole new generation of filmmakers to use it in reviving the superhero's legacy nearly three decades later.