Rachel Portman: Oliver Twist

Rachel Portman's edgy score was a highlight of Roman Polanski's take on the Dickens classic released to critical acclaim in 2005, but we still can't help but feel it lacks a rousing chorus of 'Oom pah pah'.

Released: 2005
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Barney Clarke, Harry Eden

The Film: Roman Polanski delivers a dark yet delightful remake of  Dickens' classic tale of innocence and corruption. Abandoned at an early age, the loveable Oliver Twist is lured into London's crime underworld by evil Fagin and his chief rogue, the Artful Dodger. But when a kind gentleman rescues Oliver from his life of crime, Fagin and his gang see an opportunity which they can't fail to exploit.

Composer: Rachel Portman's soundtrack for Oliver Twist is the perfect foil to Polanski's dramatic screenplay - one minute it's dark and foreboding, the next its edgy with lots of surprising twists and turns, completely different in mood for each of the different scenes. Portman also wrote the scores for Chocolat (2000) and Emma (1996), which won her an Oscar - making her the first female composer to win a little golden statuette.