Top 10 Television and Movie Scores that Were Influenced by Classical Music

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope - John Williams

It was clearly influenced by Mars, the Bringer of War and Venus, the Bringer of Peace by Gustav Holst from his Planets suite. You can hear elements of Mars in the opening sequence and when Luke Skywalker blew up the Death Star. Additionally, The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky is evident when the stormtroopers ran on the Death Star, during Darth Vader's interrogation of Leia Organa Solo, and when C3PO walked on Tatooine's dune sea and got onto the sand crawlers.
A bit was influenced by the Arabian dance from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet. Plus, the Requiem Dies Irae by Mozart influenced the death of Luke Skywalker's aunt and uncle. The main theme was influenced by many pieces, including the theme of King's Row by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The ending has apparent influence from Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back - John Williams

The love theme was a dominant part of this and was influenced by Violin Concerto #2 by Tchaikovsky. As with all Star Wars episodes, the main theme was influenced by many pieces, including the theme of King's Row by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - John Williams

The opening soundtrack clearly had a nod to Neptune, the Mystic by Gustav Holst from the Planets. The Ewoks encounter track was influenced by the Romeo and Juliet suite by Saint-Saëns from Carnival of the Animals.
As with all Star Wars episodes, the main theme was influenced by many pieces, including the theme of King's Row by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - John Williams

The bike theme was influenced by Dvorak's Piano Trio #4 and Serenade for String Orchestra in E Major. The main theme was influenced by the Romantic Symphony by Howard Hanson. The final soundtrack has elements heard in the finale of Respighi's Pines of Rome, though two keys higher.

Jurassic Park - John Williams

The main theme was clearly inspired by the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky, though the melody was different to sound more fresh. The fight soundtracks were influenced by Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, which ironically showed dinosaurs in Fantasia.

Jurassic World - Michael Giacchino

Just like John Williams' soundtrack for Jurassic Park, the main theme used inspiration from Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

Home Alone - John Williams

The opening theme, which also played when a tree branch knocked the power out, was heavily influenced by Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from his Nutcracker ballet. Furthermore, Somewhere in My Memory has elements from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas cover of Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel. This is more obvious when Kevin saw other families celebrating Christmas, and also in We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
Additionally, there's the soundtrack heavily influenced by the Trepak dance from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - John Williams

Just like the first Home Alone film, this had inspirations from Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Trepak dance from the Nutcracker ballet, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

The Last of the Mohicans - Trevor Jones & Randy Edelman

The soundtrack during the massacre scene was obviously influenced by O Fortuna by Carl Orff.

Gladiator - Hans Zimmer

The battle soundtrack was obviously lifted from Mars, the Bringer of War by Gustav Holst. Hans Zimmer was sued for plagiarism after admitting the influence of Holst.

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Harry Gregson-Williams

One of the soundtracks contains nods to Dvořák's New World Symphony.

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas - James Horner

The ending sounds like an obvious nod to O Fortuna from Orff's Carmina Burana.
Who knew such a dark classical piece would make a good Christmas soundtrack?

Raiders of the Lost Ark - John Williams

The main theme was apparently influenced by Beethoven's 9th Symphony, while the map room soundtrack was obviously influenced by Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age by Gustav Holst from his Planets suite.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - John Williams

The first soundtrack was apparently influenced by Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, especially during the Battle of Utapau. Like Episodes I and II, it also featured Duel of the Fates, which was influenced by Dvořák's New World Symphony and Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. These influences are especially evident in the scenes depicting the departure from Coruscant to Mustafar and the battle between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The soundtrack during Vader's immolation scene was influenced by the Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg, while the score for Vader's rebirth drew from Neptune, the Mystic by Gustav Holst, Chopin's Funeral March, and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, which also played during Padmé Amidala's funeral. Additionally, the ending seems to carry influences from Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - John Williams

The opening soundtrack during the Battle of Jakku was apparently influenced by Beethoven's Symphony of the Fates as well as Egmont. Additionally, the soundtrack during the Rathtar attack scene was inspired by Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. You can also hear Mozart's Dies Irae, which played in A New Hope, when Rey and Ben Solo (Kylo Ren) start their duel.
As always, the ending has apparent influence from Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

A Christmas Story - Carl Zittrer & Paul Zaza

The film includes renditions of classical pieces like Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev, the Grand Canyon Suite by Grofé, and Footsteps of Horror by William Merrick Farran (which was first used in Camp Lazlo). It also features popular Christmas songs like Jingle Bells by The Andrews Sisters.
The score that plays when Scut Farkus chases the kids appears to be influenced by the finale of Rossini's William Tell Overture and Offenbach's Gallop Infernal (Can-Can) from Orpheus in the Underworld. These tracks follow similar patterns and share the same main key.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones - John Williams

The soundtrack included Duel of the Fates, which was influenced by Orff's O Fortuna and Dvořák's New World Symphony.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace - John Williams

The soundtrack during the scenes in Otoh Gunga on Naboo was clearly influenced by the Aquarium movement of Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals, as well as Neptune, the Mystic by Holst from The Planets.
Of course, Duel of the Fates was included, which was influenced by Orff's O Fortuna and Dvorak's New World Symphony. As expected, the ending has apparent influence from Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - Hans Zimmer

The Kraken theme was based on Bach's Toccata and Fugue. It was indeed an interpolation.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - Klaus Badelt

The main theme, He's a Pirate, was apparently influenced by Beethoven's Symphony #7 in A Major, which was a perfect idea for the uptempo mood.

Samantha: An American Girl Holiday - Chris Hajian

The theme has apparent inspiration from Pachelbel's Canon in D.

Schindler's List - Itzhak Perlman & John Williams

The track I Could've Done More was influenced by Ase's Death from Edward Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite.

Downton Abbey - John Lunn

The track where the characters had nothing to forgive was reportedly influenced by Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto No. 2.

Avatar: The Way of Water - Simon Franglen

The score has apparent influences from O Fortuna by Carl Orff. This is a reminder that James Horner will never be matched or replaced. Rest in peace, James (1953-2015).

How to Train Your Dragon 2 - John Powell

The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Alan Menken

Apparently, the theme was influenced by O Fortuna by Carl Orff from the Carmina Burana opera. It shows the impact of classical music on Disney entertainment.

The Addams Family - Vic Mizzy

The melody had apparent inspiration from Dukas's L'Apprenti Sorcier (The Sorcerer's Apprentice). After all, the TV series did feature supernatural settings.
R.I.P. Vic Mizzy (1916-2009).