"Titanic" director James Cameron had not wanted a love song in his epic but James Horner, who scored the film's soundtrack, contacted Dion on his own.

CNN: The 'ultimate diva'

That said, these intense sequences are offset by moments of whimsy and humor, by Caleb Deschanel's beautiful cinematography, James Horner's warm score and the benign presence of old pros like Strathairn and Joan Plowright.

CNN: Review: 'Spiderwick' is worthwhile journey

But for the men who make each syllable of "blockbuster" ring with jaw-cracking sound -- Powell, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, James Horner and others -- "It's not as easy as it seems, " Powell laments.

CNN: Helping 'Bourne' rise to the occasion

James Horner wrote the overbearing music.

NEWYORKER: All the King's Men