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And it was directed by Yates. nuff said.

It feels like the cinematic world of Harry Potter has been held hostage for over 10 years. I’ve forgotten what being truly excited for a new Potter film feels like.

Yeah, what was Williams thinking... wearing a baseball shirt, at a baseball game. Actually, what I really like about it is he still managed to keep his black turtleneck on underneath.

Yeah @Chewy, "Spaceship Chase" is great. This moment is my favorite: Always felt kinda Williams-y to me. Not in the sense that I could ever imagine Williams actually writing something like this - more that it seemed like the kind of orchestral craziness he would write if he was more up-to-speed on modern synths. While I agree with KM and others that Valerian was somewhat weak and disorganized thematically, I still think it was a very well-done score. And Desplat clearly works incredibly hard on his scores. He generally conducts his scores himself, and, as far as I know, never uses "additional music" composers (only a few orchestrators). And his smooth, European romantic style is quite distinctive in modern Hollywood. Really?! I can understand Avengers ... but this?

I actually really admire how much John Williams streamlined the score (not just necessarily in terms of orchestral layers) to adjust to the pacing of the film. He's said numerous times that the rhythm of everything is his first concern when scoring a film, and his mastery, experience really show in his choices made with The Force Awakens.

Valerian is a brilliant score, each time I listen to it, I feel a little better about the film. On the news of the possibility of Williams and Giacchino scoring the theme park, great! I think Lucasfilm and Disney were obviously impressed with Giacchino's work and the chance for him to jump back into Star Wars sounds good too!

Jesus How is this bad?

FULL REVIEW: http://dapsmagic.com/2018/09/maestro-john-williams-celebrates-40-years-since-making-conducting-debut-at-the-hollywood-bowl/

Oh lord, imagine the sheer contrast in the PR photos if this is actually happening...John Williams, looking all elegant and congenial in his minimal, understated dark turtlenecks and slacks, standing next to Michael Giacchino, looking all....

No period instruments? It’s one of the biggest, most eclectic collection of instruments ever in a musical work. As for sounding ancient, I find that the use of Maqam Hijaz more for Lorien and especially the deep male vocals for the Dwarves to be very evocative of the ancient. As for the medieval - TOLKIEN’S WORLD ISN’T MEDIVEAL. It actually doesn’t correspond to any particular time period of our world, because the travel through Middle Earth is as much a travel through time as it is through space: we start at the cusp of modernity at The Shire, through late Middle Ages with Bree, the Dark Ages with Rohan and classical antiquity with Gondor, with prehistoric glimpses with the likes of the Druedain. As for the supposedly Irish elements, let’s see which instruments Tolkien describes: in the more anachronistic The Hobbit (again, consistent with the Shire’s aesthetics) he describes fiddle, viol, harps (clearly a small, Celtic-style harps and lyres), flute (more along the lines of recorders and whistles than a concert flute), clarinet and drums - all well within the celtic palette. Shore’s Shire music prominently features all but the viol, and Plan 9’s diegetic Shire music uses a lot of bowed banjo, which is a good substitute for the viol, on top of that. Looking into The Lord of the Rings, there’s also mention of horns (probably more along the line of alphorns and blowing horns used for the diegetic horn calls in the film, rather than valves horns), trumpets and pipes. Shore did use “drones” in Fellowship, as well as both Uilleann and Highland Bagpipes - unless of course Tolkien was referring rather to Pibgorns (to which the name “Pipe” originally refers) which Shore’s scores regrettably don’t feature. Shore and Tolkien both knew that all these instruments are historically as much English as they are Irish. There’s also mention of “musical crackers” and bells - the use of celesta, tubular bells, mark tree and whatever it is Plan 9 used for Flaming Red Hair and Blunt the Knives (Castanets? Spoons? Ratchet?) are good substitutes for those, as well. The Silmarillion mentions lutes (which Shore uses) and conch-trumpets, as well as organs (which I believe also earn a passing mention in The Lord of the Rings), which Shore again used. Earlier drafts of the great tales, as well as The Hobbit, feature gongs, so the eastern elements aren’t too out-of-character, as well. That, and of course the use of voices (which Tolkien envisioned as ranging from folksy English to Gregorian chants) and body percussion, are just about everything regarding musical instruments in Tolkien’s work. I suppose we could also look into what music Tolkien liked and listened to: I understand he did have a passion for opera, and for the piano - he tried taking on the violin in his youth, to no avail. So I’d say Shore’s scores are very much in line with Tolkien’s vision. I’ve always said that it sounds like a grand opera composed in the Forth Age about the War of the Ring.

I don't have any problems Yates. His Potter films were better than the ones by Columbus and whoever directed GOF (can't recall at the moment). You lot don't appreciate how hard it is to turn these books into films. It's a minor miracle that they all turned out as good as they did.

Valerian > RPO > Avengers

All of you constantly bash and diss David Yates, every chance you get. I'm sick of it. Don't you think there's a reason why JK Rowling has chosen him as the helmsman for all things Harry Potter in the cinema realm? I can guarantee they've had countless conversations about the approach of this beloved series on the screen. "So JK, how's this scene look?" "Mm, acceptable, Dave, but really when I wrote it I was imagining something very lifeless, and boring. Is there a way you could remove any sense of vitality, momentum, and vibrancy?" "I know just what to do." "Splendid, Dave. IBut it's just not the look...there's something else...the music, it sounds a little too...magical. That's not how I imagine my world." "I know just what to do." "Excellent! Dave, when I wrote these books, I wanted to inspire countless children across the world and spark their imagination, their sense of wonder. And with these films, and their dry, stale, indie drama settings, I can now complete that mission. Thank you so much for understanding my vision and bringing it to life. Thank you."

In a stunning move, the mediocre film director, David Yates, has swept into the British capital and kidnapped the Harry Potter franchise

Oh yeah, that just sounds wrong. How infantile do you have to be for the waving of a huge glowstick (not even to the rythm, just because) to add to your concert experience or be fun?

I'm glad someone finally just came out and said this. After all the hype and hopes about him a few years ago, Desplat is just another lower tier movie composer.

There is a difference between crazy and unnecessarily wacky.

The spreadsheet is an absolute good. All around the laptop, lies the gulf.

Desplat’s Star Wars: moody muted strings play a slow, minor key setting of the main theme with a mallet ostinato repeating underneath

This thread is supposed to gather information and hints of upcoming Jerry Goldsmith titles in 2018. This year it seems more obvious what we will get. There were a few assumptions and predictions at the FSM forum which sound pretty reasonable: Releases that already happened: - Rambo III re-release by Intrada - Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend re-release by Intrada - 100 Rifles re-release by La-La Land - Small Soldiers expansion by Varese Sarabande - The Mummy expansion by Intrada - The Lonely Guy expansion and CD premiere by Intrada - The Reincarnation of Peter Proud premiere release by Intrada Already hinted at releases: - The Swarm (La-La Land) - Innerspace (La-La Land) Very probables releases: - Mulan (This year is the 20th anniversary of this score and either Intrada or Disney is very probable to expand it sooner or later.) - The Last Castle (The latest Jerry Goldsmith score, not owned by Varese, which is very likely to be expanded by Intrada or Quartet.) - Leviathan (It was recently revealed that this score is not in Varese's territory and as the score has been recorded in Italy, Quartet is the most probable label to expand it.) - Supergirl (If it is not owned by Silva, this is very likely to get the same treatment like The Swarm.) Probable Varese releases: - The Final Conflict (In case they are interested in completing the Omen-trilogy, this will happen soon.) - Air Force One (Varese seems to focus on expansions of scores whose initial releases where way too short, so this should be next.) - U.S. Marshals (The same reason here, besides this is also another 90s action score of which Varese has already expanded a few.) Releases that will probably not happen: - several pre-80s scores that seem to be lost - The Secret of NIMH (apparently lost) - Under Fire (apparently lost) - Legend (apparently lost) - Link (apparently lost) What do YOU think?

Ryder was a 10 out 10 in her day. She's still very beautiful now.

Finally saw Williams perform and I must say I really spoiled myself here. Seeing him conduct the last 15 minutes of ET with Steven mfing Spielberg on stage will be something I’ll never forget.

Same can be said about Silvestri of late. his Avengers and Ready Player One did nothing for me

Valerian didn't leave much of an impression on me either except for a track or 2 I'm not a Desplaty basher. some of his stuff is very good. Monument Men, Unbroken, Benjamen button, shape of water.... but all his block buster style scores I've been very dissapointed and he can't really write action music

David Yates has nothing better to do with his life than make these potentially magical and charming movies into dreary, lifeless slogs. What a curmudgeon. He's too miserable to even work with Williams, but at least he's had the good sense to keep JNH employed.

Nope, I don't hear anything wrong in Key in the Hand. Mummy Attack does have a single weird click at 5:31.

Loving the Carl Davis. THE WORLD AT WAR is great.

That scene comes straight from Keneally's book. It actually happened. Levartov was saved by the incredible coincidence that Amon Goeth's both weapons were faulty.

I’ll be much more excited when a different director is announced for the third one

Goldsmith basically confirmed. Quote from Doug's Corner (emphasis mine):

Month-end haul:

We don't have the same definition of generic then...

It's a very typical belcanto course, melodically. You will find it in many italian scores of the same time (Morricone, Ncolai etc.).

He's 86.

If this is true, I hope Disney puts out an official release of the music. It would pain me for there to be Star Wars music from JW that we don't have good recordings of.

Bravo! Thanks Ricard!

It’s just his Clark Kent theme reworked

That's racist!

Judging by Harry Potter it would suck Desplat generally sucks at blockbuster scores .He's good for more intimate movies

Sounds great if true! Although it occasionally gets things wrong, MSW is one of the most reliable SW sites out there. Recall that MSW was, IIRC, the first news source to report that Lucasfilm was considering replacing Desplat on Rogue One.

Silence from the LA Phil who are now contractually obligated to not publish any salacious details of his various immoral/illegal exploits.

Someone didn't like the Rogue One score haha

You also accidentally left Caps Lock on.

Went on a tear of buying vinyl on the Discogs marketplace. I got The Last Jedi for $10 less than Amazon is currently selling it for! Yes, I opted for the mono versions of the Copland albums on purpose. I'm starting to slowly collect every album Copland recorded as a conductor or performer in their original vinyl format.

Don't get me wrong I have the LLL Hook, I just don't own it.

I decided to spend my free time this week literally drawing and designing my own cover art for Rogue One. Everything from front covers, to back covers, to spines. I made two, one with Jedha as the main focus and the other with Scarif as the main focus. They are for my eventual burn of a OST FYC edit. What do you think of the good old hand made covers? The Jedha set is my personal favorite and I don't quite like how Scarif turned out scale-wise.

Does this count?

Here is a version of Prisoner Of Azkaban's cue "Remembering Mother". It's, as I understand, the first version of the cue, the revised version being in the film. Sorry for the flat harpsichord sound.