236 replies to this topic

[MSM]

This score doesn't seem to be getting a lot of love. More the opposite, or so it seems. I feel like currently moviegoers expect scores to consist of random piano key strikes, pounding electronic percussion, horns playing long sustained notes and repetitive string ostinatos. Lush symphonic scores are dead to the masses.

Ironically, this is more and more how Williams tend to write these days. I feel his music becomes more and more generic (track 13 sounds just like Hans Zimmer). I don't blame him though, I blame the directors and the quality of the movies made today.

[Jason LeBlanc]

Just got my disc yesterday. Initially I thought , ‘what a lovely score’. Light and brilliant at the first half for the obvious reasons, dark on the second half. I thought the battle music was handled fantastically and there is a bit on track 9 I think where it’s the heaviest I heard Williams write in years.

And then track 19 kicked in. And something happened when the piano theme came on.
It proceeded to the string part of the same theme, and then it came back in the end of ‘The Homecoming’.

At that point my chest cracked open and my heart was ripped out. Bloody hell, what a wonderful, lovely theme!!!

It was imbedded in my brain (and still is) for the rest of the day within seconds after hearing it.
Absolutely stunning. It just felt like ‘it was meant to be’.

This guy just never ceases to amaze me.

Well said!

[Datameister]

Indeed! That finale theme initially left me slightly cold in the theater, but I quickly realized how amazing it is. It's been running through my head constantly for the last few days.

[Jason LeBlanc]

Mine too!

[Incanus]

Mine too!

It is a theme that to my ears sounded somewhat un-Williams-like when I first heard the radio show preview but then after a couple of listens it completely clicked with me and after hearing the whole album it has become all the more powerful.

[Jason LeBlanc]

It's all about the middle portion of the theme. Very emotional

[Incanus]

I guess despite accusations of being saccharine and manipulative Williams is trying genuienly convey the emotions of the final scenes with this thematic idea, friendship, a bond between friends, homecoming and closure and I think it works very well in the film and moreover is beautiful and emotional music on its own.

[Thor]

I haven't really participated in any of the topics in this sub-forum, but I'll just chime in here with my views on both film and score:


I saw the film last week. It has some serious flaws, mostly related to script, but also to casting. The scene with the French girl is disastrous (horribly acted), the main boy looks too teary-eyed and charisma-less and so on.

That being said, whenever Spielberg gets to use his genius filmmaking skills (whether scene transitions, framings, lighting w/Kaminski and so on), it's absolutely marvelous! All the war scenes were spectacular.

So I'm a BIT divided on the film, but MOSTLY positive.

Williams' score -- which I just now received on CD -- is also incredible. Some Ralph Vaughan Williams, some Copland, some nice scherzos for the horse, beauty for the character drama and suspense for the horrors of war as they are mirrored in Joey's face.

I've been playing it non-stop recently, and it's really a score that beats TINTIN to a pulp! THIS is the Williams sound I love and that made me such a fan of his in the first place.

[Datameister]

I've been playing it non-stop recently, and it's really a score that beats TINTIN to a pulp!

[Chaac]

It doesn't.

[Thor]

It doesn't.

Yes, it does.

[Chaac]

Oh! You used an emoticon! I've been defeated!

[Thor]

[Incanus]

[Mr Big]

Tintin gets better with time.

[E.T. & Elliott]

Horse is more soulful and heartfelt, Tintin is more of a bouncy, lighthearted and adventurous affair. They're too different to compare.

[Hlao-roo]

I guess despite accusations of being saccharine and manipulative Williams is trying genuienly convey the emotions of the final scenes with this thematic idea, friendship, a bond between friends, homecoming and closure and I think it works very well in the film and moreover is beautiful and emotional music on its own.

It's far too earnest and literal-minded. Ironic detachment and urbane sophistication are what movies need today. Reznor's pioneering work may be sneered at by the self-styled film music cognoscenti at this message board, but his genius will be appreciated in time.

[Thor]

Horse is more soulful and heartfelt, Tintin is more of a bouncy, lighthearted and adventurous affair. They're too different to compare.

it's not about comparing them, it's about which you connect to the most. For me, that's easily WAR HORSE.

[indy4]

Horse is more soulful and heartfelt, Tintin is more of a bouncy, lighthearted and adventurous affair. They're too different to compare.

If they were both similarly successful in achieving their intentions it would be difficult to compare, but for me (while I really like Tintin) War Horse is easily better at moving me than Tintin is at exciting me.

[Olivier]

I received the CD this week-end and played it yesterday, and loved it.
It may have been mentioned already, but I have not read this thread yet: I was happy to hear little bits (tracks 5 and 16) that reminded me of The River, which i love; I haven't heard this from Williams since that score, which i hope will soon get the Deluxe treatment;

[Bellosh]

A couple things I noticed

2:33-2:36 of "The Auction" is really similar if not the same as the Marshall College intro music in Raiders, Last Crusade and KOTCS.

2:44-2:48 of "Bringing Joey Home, and Bonding" is straight up from the Fellowship of the Ring --- "in the dark I hear a call..."

[Faleel]

and part of heading north from the Lost World is similar to Two Towers "look osgilliath burns"

[Bellosh]

and part of heading north from the Lost World is similar to Two Towers "look osgilliath burns"

Well I was just keeping it thread specific, and honestly I don't care if those parts sound familiar. Just making an observation.

I don't have the Lost World so I'll have to check out that bit at some point.

[Alexander]

A couple things I noticed

2:33-2:36 of "The Auction" is really similar if not the same as the Marshall College intro music in Raiders, Last Crusade and KOTCS.

2:44-2:48 of "Bringing Joey Home, and Bonding" is straight up from the Fellowship of the Ring --- "in the dark I hear a call..."

You're right.

[Joe Brausam]

...Really? We're picking out 3-4 second chunks?

[Alexander]

There's one cue title we know of now:

7m73 Version 3 Returning to Dartmoor

[Luke Skywalker]

i suppose 7m71 and 7m72 would be other two versions...

because 73 is a high number to be a cue, isnt it?

[Miles Prower]

Not always - sometimes cue numbers ascend regardless of reel, so instead of 2m7 and 3m1, you might have 2m14 and 3m15.

[Luke Skywalker]

there should be strict rules for naming cueereels!

[Alexander]

Well, first there was:

R (number) P (number)

R: Reel P: Part

Example: R1P2

Then came:

(number) M (number)

First number: reel second number: cue

For example: 5m6

Now there is:

(number) M (number)

The difference in this one is that the cue numbers continue, regardless of the reel number

Example: 5m26

[Maurizio]

The difference in this one is that the cue numbers continue, regardless of the reel number

Example: 5m26

That's because nowadays films are hardly splitted into 10-12 minutes reels, as it became useless with digital projection.

[Jason LeBlanc]

There's one cue title we know of now:

7m73 Version 3 Returning to Dartmoor

How do we know that?

[Alexander]

There's one cue title we know of now:

7m73 Version 3 Returning to Dartmoor

How do we know that?

That excerpt from the score featurette.

[Ro Sajooc]

I've found some pics from the recording sessions. Apparently, the first cue is 1m1 Dartmoor.

http://4.bp.blogspot...00/IMGP0269.JPG
http://1.bp.blogspot...00/IMGP0266.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot...00/IMGP0273.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot...00/IMGP0271.JPG
http://1.bp.blogspot...00/IMGP0267.JPG

[Alexander]

Source?

[Ro Sajooc]

Source?

I can read the letter D.

[Alexander]

No, i mean the source of the pictures.

This score doesn't seem to be getting a lot of love. More the opposite, or so it seems. I feel like currently moviegoers expect scores to consist of random piano key strikes, pounding electronic percussion, horns playing long sustained notes and repetitive string ostinatos. Lush symphonic scores are dead to the masses.

Ironically, this is more and more how Williams tend to write these days. I feel his music becomes more and more generic (track 13 sounds just like Hans Zimmer). I don't blame him though, I blame the directors and the quality of the movies made today.

I disagree, Hans Zimmer's music is MUCH different.