Basil Poledouris
He composed some of cinema's most muscular and memorable scores, from the primal drums of Conan to the heroic themes of Red October.
1945–2006 (age 61)·American composer·Birthday: August 21·The Silent Generation
Biography
Basil Poledouris composed not just music, but sonic landscapes. A surfer and a musician from Kansas City by way of California, he brought a physical, almost visceral energy to film scoring. His breakthrough came with his childhood friend John Milius on 'Conan the Barbarian', for which Poledouris created a monumental, brass-and-choral masterpiece that defined the sword-and-sorcery genre. He was a chameleon of intensity: the patriotic, synthesizer-punched fanfare of 'Red Dawn', the sleek, cold futurism of 'RoboCop', and the stirring, submarine-hunting tension of 'The Hunt for Red October' all bore his distinct signature—a blend of classical orchestration with a powerful, rhythmic drive. He could pivot to warmth, as heard in the uplifting themes for 'Free Willy'. Poledouris approached each score as a character in the story, his music often acting as the emotional spine of films that prized action and myth. His work remains a benchmark for how to make a film feel epic.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Basil was born in 1945, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Basil Was Born
The biggest hits of 1945
#1 Movie
The Bells of St. Mary's
Best Picture
The Lost Weekend
Basil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1945Born
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1950Started school
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1958Became a teenager
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Could drive
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1963Could vote
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Turned 21
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1975Turned 30
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 40
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 50
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 60
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2006Died at 61
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
Key Achievements
- Composed the iconic, fully orchestral score for 'Conan the Barbarian', a landmark in film music.
- Created the suspenseful, patriotic score for 'The Hunt for Red October', featuring the famous 'Hymn to Red October'.
- Provided the electronic and orchestral blend for Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi satire 'RoboCop'.
- Scored the family film 'Free Willy', including the hit song 'Will You Be There' performed by Michael Jackson.
Did You Know?
He was a champion surfer in his youth and even worked as a lifeguard.
He and director John Milius were close friends from their time at the University of Southern California.
He originally studied to be a director and cinematographer before focusing on composition.
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