RIP Lalo Schifrin (Mission: Impossible composer)

[Techwright]

Sometimes, the people to mourn are not the actors playing the heroes but the composers who give energy and style to the heroic work.

 

Lalo Schifrin died Thursday, June 26 at age 93.   If the name doesn't jog the memory, undoubtedly his most famous work will:  the iconic theme song to the Mission: Impossible franchise of TV shows and movies.   Actually, I think "iconic" might be a gross understatement.  It has been adapted several times by composers as mighty as Danny Elfman, Hanz Zimmer, and Michael Giacchino.  It even was so iconic that it forced out none other than John Williams when he refused to work with the theme on the first of the movies.

 

This AP News article does a great job of enlightening one to Schifrin's work beyond Mission: Impossible, which includes several legends he worked with and shows he composed for.