Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

If scores were like breakfast cereals, not everyone can be Lucky Charms, Count Dracula, or an expensive crunchy granola sweet cereal. Somebody's gotta be the generic off-brand corn flakes.

True enough.

Not everyone can be Wheaties, or Special K. Somebody's gotta be plain old Corn Flakes.

And somebody's got to be poo.

[Wojo 2,453]

Nobody's twisting your arm saying "listen to Pirates of the Caribbean or die."

[Henry B 50]

If scores were like breakfast cereals, not everyone can be Lucky Charms, Count Dracula, or an expensive crunchy granola sweet cereal. Somebody's gotta be the generic off-brand corn flakes.

Some members here may have an issue with your metaphor, considering corn flakes are healthier than the other cereals you've mentioned, and many here consider the score to Pirates to be physically damaging to the human brain and body.

I'd liken Pirates to Cookie Crisp. Cookies for breakfast? Come on.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

If scores were like breakfast cereals, not everyone can be Lucky Charms, Count Dracula, or an expensive crunchy granola sweet cereal. Somebody's gotta be the generic off-brand corn flakes.

Some members here may have an issue with your metaphor, considering corn flakes are healthier than the other cereals you've mentioned, and many here consider the score to Pirates to be physically damaging to the human brain and body.

I'd liken Pirates to Cookie Crisp. Cookies for breakfast? Come on.

Oh come on, everyone is missing the obvious, if POTC is a breakfast cereal its Capt'n Crunch. Tastes pretty good but never fails to tear up the roof of your mouth.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

"obvious" - there's another word that will start a war some day.

Obviously.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I'm bored.

What's for breakfast?

[Ollie 1,059]

I prefer a good cup of coffee with either hash browns, bacon, sausage, corn beef hash or toast for my breakfast.

Although left over pizza always tastes good in the morning.

[Jay 37,346]

Now I feel like I'm in a TheListener thread

[Wojo 2,453]

If movie scores were like breakfast cereals....now there's a thread topic to make me start thinking about Trevor Jones' mug.

[SyncMan 314]

 

 

I went to the Live-2-Projection concert of Pirates of the Carribean-The Curse of the Black Pearl with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra in Grand Rapids, MI, last Saturday.  When I decided to go, I thought that a large orchestra would make the score sound a little better.  It didn’t. I should have listened to Eric Woods’ review.

 

On 9/10/2005 at 1:35 PM, Erik Woods said:

The Pirates score is pure poo. IMHO, it is the worst score ever written.

-Erik-

 

 

 

Conductor John Varineau introduced the audience with a pirate accent and saying, “Arrr.” He encourages them to cheer at the screen by saying, “the more you react, the more we play.” Despite that, there was very little crowd reactions, even at Jack Sparrow antics, which I liked.  Having not seen the film, it was entertaining.

By the time the end credits came, the orchestra stopped playing, but the remainder of the credits resumed.  Frankly, I didn’t mind that the performance ended that way, because I really didn’t like the music.  Perhaps I’m been spoiled by all the John Williams Live-to-Projection concerts that I’ve been to that I didn’t enjoy this one.

 

A question:

After the conductor and the orchestra filed-out of the stage, I peeked at the conductor’s video monitor, positioned just above the lactern, where a separate verson of the film is shown with sync-patterns to help the conductor stay in sync with the film.  As you can see in this video I took, there are sync-patterns shown in-front of the end credits, but all the musicians are gone.  Not that I would lose sleep over this, but has there been any performance of POTC-I where music for the remainder of the end credits was played?

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12lMPSmGFua5ktwhsw3U5zdI4NQ3MXGvN/preview

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Holko 9,516]

Damn, you guys were harsh on this! Even if it's not your thing, 1 star seems a bit excessive.

[Fargo 297]

PotC 1 is better than Star Trek.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

I like this better than the film's music.

 

 

[Fargo 297]

Isn't that supposed to be a big, AAA game? Why is the music synthed like it's from 2002?

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Because the movie's from 2003! : D 

[bollemanneke 3,342]

There are worse scores, I think, and it's enjoyable enough if you consider how quickly it was written.

 

EDIT: Wait, did you just say they did NOT play during the credits? What's the point of a movie concert again?

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

Whoah. A single star has the highest total?

 

Personally, I gave it four stars. Unforgettable themes. Amazing action cues. Iconic. When you think of sailing the high seas, this music is in your head.

 

Perhaps the negative stigma is a result of the OST, which, while not a bad representation of the score, doesn't include many great moments of the recording sessions. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

You are without doubt the worst pirate score I've ever heard of.

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

It's not even the worst of of the franchise. It's right up there with At World's End IMO. Not a huge fan of Dead Man's Chest, but I'd probably say:

 

1. At World's End

2. Curse of the Black Pearl

3. Dead Man's Chest

4. Dead Men Tell No Tales

5. On Stranger Tides

[Holko 9,516]

I gave it a 3.5 now because it's definitely below AWE which is a 4.

[MedigoScan 324]

Definitely rated too low here on this board.

[Jurassic Shark 12,054]

@Pieter_Boelen, the poll is missing an option - zero stars.

[Bilbo 3,709]

4 hours ago, Holko said:

I gave it a 3.5 now because it's definitely below AWE which is a 4.

 

I gave it 4 because I would rate AWE at 4.5

 

There was some shite posted in this thread 

[Pieter Boelen 740]

11 hours ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

It's not even the worst of of the franchise. It's right up there with At World's End IMO. Not a huge fan of Dead Man's Chest, but I'd probably say:

 

1. At World's End

2. Curse of the Black Pearl

3. Dead Man's Chest

4. Dead Men Tell No Tales

5. On Stranger Tides

That does actually sound about right.

I was never much impressed with DMC either.

 

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

@Pieter_Boelen, the poll is missing an option - zero stars.

You might be slightly late with that.

[Jurassic Shark 12,054]

1 minute ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

You might be slightly late with that.

 

I believe you may still add it!

[MedigoScan 324]

And if we are rating albums, Stranger Tides is clearly the worst.

[TheUlyssesian 2,477]

17 hours ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

Whoah. A single star has the highest total?

1

 

That is because zero stars wasn't available.

 

17 hours ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

When you think of sailing the high seas, this music is in your head.

 

 

No - this is the music in my head - 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,054]

17 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said:

No - this is the music in my head - 

 

No, this is the music in my head!

 

 

 

[Pieter Boelen 740]

17 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said:

No - this is the music in my head - 

I definitely like that one a lot.

Also Cutthroat Island.

[Jurassic Shark 12,054]

1 minute ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

I definitely like that one a lot.

Also Cutthroat Island.

 

The Sea Hawk beats them all!

[Richard Penna 3,683]

I wonder how many people in this thread see this as a servicable score but give it 1 or zero stars because it's 'cool' around here to completely trash the score.

 

I'm no fan of the committee method of composing this (many composers would've come up with something better solo) but it's got a memorable main theme and some rather fun parts.

[Jurassic Shark 12,054]

It just sounds underdeveloped. Like an early draft, which it probably was.

[Holko 9,516]

To the last 2 comments: they had 3 weeks or something after firing Silvestri for using woodwinds. Considering that it's a pretty good score and a great base to build upon later.

[Bilbo 3,709]

1 minute ago, Holko said:

To the last 2 comments: they had 3 weeks or something after firing Silvestri for using woodwinds. Considering that it's a pretty good score and a great base to build upon later.

 

Has anything from Silvestri’s rejected score ever made it out?

[Jurassic Shark 12,054]

2 minutes ago, Holko said:

To the last 2 comments: they had 3 weeks or something after firing Silvestri for using woodwinds.

 

Just shows how stupid the producers were.

 

Were any of Silvestri's cues recorded?

[Holko 9,516]

 

[Caliburn 72]

On 3/11/2019 at 6:36 PM, SyncMan said:

 Not that I would lose sleep over this, but has there been any performance of POTC-I where music for the remainder of the end credits was played?

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12lMPSmGFua5ktwhsw3U5zdI4NQ3MXGvN/preview

 

 

 

Yes, and the answer should ALWAYS be yes for every live to screen movie. The end credits are where the orchestra can shine. For the Matrix live to projection they even use Don Davis' end credits music instead of the song. Not finishing the end credit is a disgrace. I wanted to add "In my humble opinion" to that last sentence, but I am not going to. It IS a disgrace

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

Listening to the recording sessions for At World's End and The Curse of the Blck Pearl. 

 

I have no doubts regarding my comments earlier. If anything I have higher praise for these scores now. 

[SyncMan 314]

9 hours ago, Caliburn said:

 

Yes, and the answer should ALWAYS be yes for every live to screen movie. The end credits are where the orchestra can shine. For the Matrix live to projection they even use Don Davis' end credits music instead of the song. Not finishing the end credit is a disgrace. I wanted to add "In my humble opinion" to that last sentence, but I am not going to. It IS a disgrace

 

I think the remaining music for the end credits sequence would have been an edit of portions from body of the score, as it is the standard for movies of today.  I fell that the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra did great service to the audience by not playing any more of this music, even it is bits and pieces from the score.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

3.5 stars.  "You are a Pirate" is one of Zimmer's best tracks.

[Jay 37,346]

12 minutes ago, Not Mr. Big said:

You are a Pirate

 

[mrbellamy 6,278]

This score was my first lesson in discovering that a score that sounds amazing blasted over theater speakers enhanced by all manner of sound effects can actually be thoroughly lame on CD. At 13 I really had no opinion or knowledge of Zimmer or MV, I just know I was excited to buy the soundtrack after the movie and was disappointed by the lack of goosebumps I’d come to expect from film music.

 

I go like 2.5, hardly transportive but good hype in the film and probably rules at a Z man concert.

[Holko 9,516]

Just to be clear: 2.5 based on a very short and messy OST mixed so badly at one point it just blows out the bass and becomes distorted?

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

I'm just going through some stellar cues in the recording sessions:

 

Blood Ritual

Captain Jack Sparrow

Bloody Pirates!

Commandeering the Interceptor

Boarding the Dauntless

Village Attack

 

...among others.

[mrbellamy 6,278]

50 minutes ago, Holko said:

Just to be clear: 2.5 based on a very short and messy OST mixed so badly at one point it just blows out the bass and becomes distorted?

 

More like 2.5 based on nostalgia, some acknowledgment of its pop culture primacy and no further interest in revisiting these scores or movies anymore.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Am I the only one that thinks Dead Man’s Chest is the best film and score?

 

My holy grail would be a proper complete box set for at least 1-3. 

[Smaug The Iron 512]

1 minute ago, Koray Savas said:

My holy grail would be a proper complete box set for at least 1-3.

Me too

[Romão 2,274]

7 minutes ago, Koray Savas said:

Am I the only one that thinks Dead Man’s Chest is the best film and score?

 

 

 

 

I agree.

 

Still can't stand the first score, though

[Alex 2,835]

I wish they’d re-record it (with real instruments) The music itself isn’t *that* bad (although not very “pirate-y), it’s just really badly mixed and does not sound great on synths.

[Holko 9,516]

The Love theme, the Hoist the Colours theme, the Singapore material and the Locker all push 3's score to the top for me, in this order. 2 is good but I now can't remember why I placed it behind 1 - I'll get back to those 2 in a month or two when my alphabetical listenthrough gets to "P".

For films, I'd definitely place 1 on top, it's a surprisingly well written fun standalone adventure romp. 2 is almost nothing without 3 and 3 is a bloated mess, not great.