Internationally recognized as a hub of classical music, Austria is celebrated for the timeless compositions of Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, and more. Surprisingly, few connect the country with the realm of film music. Nevertheless, Austria excels at a global level in this genre. The frequently highlighted distinction between so-called E-music (“serious music”) and U-music (“entertainment music”) for the grand cinematic temples of the time doesn’t hold water. Pioneers of Austrian film music, having received classical education, crafted symphonic works before venturing to Hollywood, where they achieved fame. This film spans the arc from the beginnings of musical accompaniment for silent films to the creation of the film score for “King Kong” by Austrian composer Max Steiner in 1933. It further delves into the crisis faced by the film music industry during the 1990s. Steiner, known as the “father of film music”, set off for Hollywood in 1929, composed around 200 soundtracks, was nominated for 24 Oscars and won three of them. Other giants of the genre had to go into exile because of their Jewish origins: Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Hanns Eisler, a student of Arnold Schönberg, and Erich Zeisl. In 1938, the Synchronhalle was established in Vienna, a facility where music was composed for all propaganda films produced under the Nazi regime.