How Legendary 'Mission: Impossible' Soundtrack Creator Changed the World

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The man who created the soundtrack to all our liveshas died. At the age of 93, Lalo Schifrin has passed away. Most famous as the composer of the jauntyMission: Impossibletheme song,Schifrin was also the man behind the music of countless TV series and iconic films. Without his ear and creativity for major and incidental music, the world would be a much darker place.

Schifrin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1932, but visited New York City in 1956, where he met jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie.Schifrin's fusion of Latin music with American jazz is arguably what led to a new kind of cinematic sound, a sonic mashup that changed the world forever.

Though he scored everything from Enter the Dragonto Bullitt,to theDirty Harryfilms, to the first George Lucas movie, THX 1138, his music for the 1966 action series Mission: Impossibleis his crowning achievement. Other than John Barry and Monty Norman's James Bond theme, the Mission: Impossibletheme remains one of the most unforgettable action soundtrack themes of all time.

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For those who have only experienced the various remixes and rearrangements of Schifrin's Mission: Impossiblescore, the original arrangement is hard to beat. The soundtrack to the early series also features various themes beyond the main theme, which are equally propulsive and gripping.

You can check out the full 1966 Mission: Impossiblescore from Lalo Schifrin here:

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The original Mission: Impossible TV series streams on Paramount+.

How Legendary 'Mission: Impossible' Soundtrack Creator Changed the World first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 27, 2025