Carter Burwell

Though known primarily as the one-and-only composer to have worked with Joel and Ethan Coen, Carter Burwell amassed an impressive resume that included some of Hollywood's biggest films of the 1990s and 2000s. After launching his career with the haunting score for "Blood Simple" (1984) and the loopy banjo-laced compositions for "Raising Arizona" (1987), Burwell wrote music for a wide and varied slate of films that included everything from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1992) and "Wayne's World 2" (1993) to "Conspiracy Theory" (1997) and "In Bruges" (2008). Though in demand by Hollywood studios, Burwell and his quirky sensibilities fit best with directors like the Coen Brothers and Spike Jonze. From Norwegian folk songs in "Fargo" (1996) to the off-kilter tones of "Being John Malkovich" (1999) to fusing Beethoven sonatas with his own piano work in "The Man Who Wasn't There" (2002), Burwell often delivered his finest work for the Coens and Jonze. But while the directors earned numerous awards and critical acclaim, Burwell was typically left uncounted when nominations came rolling in. That all changed in 2009 when he finally received the recognition he deserved by way of his first Golden Globe nomination for his music in "Where the Wild Things Are" (2009), which seemed to promise greater things to come.