By Steve Wright
Lalo Schifrin, the Argentine-born composer whose innovative fusion of jazz, classical, and Latin elements reshaped the landscape of film and television music, has died at the age of 93.
Best known for his iconic Mission: Impossible theme—arguably one of the most instantly recognisable cues in television history—Schifrin leaves behind a legacy as one of the most original and versatile voices in 20th- century.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1932, Schifrin studied classical piano in his youth before immersing himself in jazz, a duality that would shape his distinctive style. After studying at the Paris Conservatoire and working with jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Schifrin moved to the United States, where he began scoring films in the early 1960s. His breakthrough came with 1965’s Once a Thief, but it was his propulsive, rhythmically daring music for Mission: Impossible in 1966 that vaulted him to international acclaim.
Schifrin’s scores stood out in a Hollywood then dominated by lush orchestral romanticism. He brought an urban edge, an improvisational energy, and a rhythmic complexity that gave action and crime films a modern, dangerous pulse. His work on films like Bullitt (1968), Dirty Harry (1971), Enter the Dragon (1973), and Cool Hand Luke (1967) didn’t just underscore scenes—they elevated them. The car chase in Bullitt, now legendary, owes much of its breathless suspense to Schifrin’s jagged jazz orchestrations and sense of controlled chaos.
A prolific composer, Schifrin scored over 100 films and numerous television shows. His music could be sleek and stylish, as in The Cincinnati Kid, or atmospheric and eerie, as in Amityville Horror. He also composed concert works, including symphonic suites and a number of jazz-classical crossover pieces, underscoring his breadth as a composer beyond Hollywood.
In a career spanning six decades, Schifrin earned six Academy Award nominations, four Grammy Awards, and an honorary Oscar in 2018 recognizing his lifetime contribution to the art of film music. He influenced generations of composers, particularly those who sought to break genre boundaries and infuse cinema with a more eclectic, global sound.
Despite his success in the commercial realm, Schifrin remained committed to musical integrity and experimentation. “I never wrote music just to fit the scene,” he once said. “I always tried to create something that had its own structure, its own life.”
Lalo Schifrin’s music made audiences feel the heartbeat of a scene before a single line was spoken. In doing so, he redefined the possibilities of the film score—melding intellect, instinct, and international sensibility. He is survived by his wife, sons, and a legacy of music that will continue to thrill, surprise, and inspire.
