What Is The Last Score You Listened To? (older scores)

[Maglorfin 196]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Mummy Returns (Alan Silvestri)

 

Fits very well stylistically with the earlier Goldsmith effort. Its a bit lighter and more epic. But the Sinfonia Of London Orchestra's massive horns eb and flow in a similar way, and the percussion is massive. I rather miss that 90's epic adventure sound actually. The Mummy Returns is a good example of it.

 

Very much a Silvestri score, but there's a few nods (possibly incidental) to the Goldsmith work. The brass theme which starts the CD is similar go Jerry's secondary theme. And I've noticed a similar lean and streamlined quality in some of Silvesti's other works that reminded me of Goldsmith.

 

Silvestri is far less consistent though.

Exciting and fun score which gains a point for sound, but loses one for presentation. The entire last act is missing and because of that the score peters out a bit. Actually, it just ends.

[Incanus 5,713]

I was just listening to The Mummy Returns yesterday myself and I pretty much agree with your assessment. The main heroic motif is malleable enough for longer and shorter bursts of energy but again in a typical Silvestri fashion doesn't really go through a huge amount of variation beyond endless repetition (see Judge Dredd with the same syndrome) but feels like miles ahead of what is offered as an adventurous hero theme these days.

 

Again this score lacks only the distinct villanous material to make it a top effort in my book as Silvestri's music for the mummy is far too nebulous for me. Some rhythmic ostinati ideas seem to appear for the villains but they don't really establish a larger presence. This lack of musical counterbalance actually plagues another Silvestri action romp, Captain America as well but I guess the emphasis is on the heroes beyond the general Gothic dramatic chords the composer most often seems to reserve for the baddies.

 

And yes the album just sort of ends without much crescendo or flourish before it goes into the edited together end credits suite.

 

But despite its flaws it remains a really fun adventure romp from Silvestri and I can't think of a score from him other than Captain America that would have entertained me more in the last 16 years.

 

Titanic by James Horner: I am so sorry, I tried to listen to this score but at the first sign of the My Heart Will Go On love theme, the gag reflex kicked in and I had to stop. If there ever was a movie song that ruined a score for me it is this one.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

7 hours ago, Incanus said:

 

Titanic by James Horner: I am so sorry, I tried to listen to this score but at the first sign of the My Heart Will Go On love theme, the gag reflex kicked in and I had to stop. If there ever was a movie song that ruined a score for me it is this one.

 

I think it's a beautiful song ruined by Dion.  I deleted her version from my digital rip of the CD long ago and happily love the score without it.  Of course, if you dislike the melody as well, I can do nothing for your shriveled soul.

 

"The Portrait" solo piano performance from the second OST release is one of my favorite cues of the 90s.

[crocodile 7,973]

Poor Mikko can't listen to Horner's two rather excellent Zorro scores for a similar reason.

 

Karol

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The Light Between Oceans - Alexandre Desplat

 

I keep returning to this one every couple of months and I'm not even sure why.  It's a lovely little score, the melodies introduced in each of the first two tracks are really good and I wish were used more throughout the score.  It maintains a tone of bittersweet melancholy throughout that I often find pleasant.  I think I like it more each time I listen so check back in a year when I'm declaring it Desplat's greatest achievement  

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

22 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Poor Mikko can't listen to Horner's two rather excellent Zorro scores for a similar reason.

 

Karol

 

Really? Thats sad.

[Wojo 2,453]

That is sad. The key change at the climax in My Heart Will Go On is probably one of my favorite moments in all of music. 

[Incanus 5,713]

1 hour ago, Stefancos said:

 

Really? Thats sad.

Horner had an unfortunate ability to write melodies for the Zorro scores that sound like old Finnish pop songs, which is never a good thing. Plus the Mexican musical aspect is another thing that is not too high on my list of favourite musical styles.

 

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

The Light Between Oceans - Alexandre Desplat

 

I keep returning to this one every couple of months and I'm not even sure why.  It's a lovely little score, the melodies introduced in each of the first two tracks are really good and I wish were used more throughout the score.  It maintains a tone of bittersweet melancholy throughout that I often find pleasant.  I think I like it more each time I listen so check back in a year when I'm declaring it Desplat's greatest achievement  

It took a bit of listening for me to fully appreciate but it actually is quite an excellent score.

 

2 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

 

I think it's a beautiful song ruined by Dion.  I deleted her version from my digital rip of the CD long ago and happily love the score without it.  Of course, if you dislike the melody as well, I can do nothing for your shriveled soul.

Yes my coal black heart and pitiless soul do not recognize any greatness in its sugary pop-ishness. Alas. But then again I usually detest most songs turned into underscore in films like Everything I Do (I Do it for You) from Robin Hood the Prince of Thieves, Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman from Don Juan DeMarco and All for Love from the Three Musketeers and most Will Jennings and Horner collaborations.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

7 minutes ago, Incanus said:

Horner had an unfortunate ability to write melodies for those scores that sound like old Finnish pop songs, which is never a good thing. Plus the Mexican musical aspect is another thing that is not too high on my list of favourite musical styles.

It took a bit of listening for me to fully appreciate but it actually is quite an excellent score.

 

The OST is just too long.  I haven't seen the film but I have to assume this is a basically complete score release.

 

I think after one more listen I'll be familiar enough with the best cues to make a great 35 minute playlist.

 

7 minutes ago, Incanus said:

Yes my coal black heart and pitiless soul do not recognize any greatness in its sincere, unpretentious beauty. Alas.

 

Fixed!  

[Disco Stu 15,495]

3 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I think after one more listen I'll be familiar enough with the best cues to make a great 35 minute playlist.

 

Update!  For all those who were on the edge of their seats.

 

This is my first pass at shortening The Light Between Oceans into a more manageable listen.

 

[publicist 4,643]

[Romão 2,274]

That's a great Rózsa

[Naïve Old Fart 9,488]

That's a spicy meatball 

[publicist 4,643]

4 minutes ago, Romão said:

That's a great Rózsa

 

It's also a (nutty) great movie. 

[crocodile 7,973]

 Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow by Edward Shearmur. Out of all the Williams pastiches, this is my favourite one. Although it has a more of a Golden Age patina as opposed to Silver Age... with some traces of Johnny, Horner and even Kamen. It basically sounds like a score from Fleischer's Superman cartoon music but done on steroids. What seemed to be a merely short-lived wannabe back in 2004 turned out to be quite durable. I listen to it quite often. Probably because it is one of the few tribute scores that feels genuinely heartfelt and full of enthusiasm... even in its overbearing orchestral mayhem. It has actually a collection of likeable tunes as well to complete the package. I hope they release the expanded 2 CD set sometime. It certainly deserves it. 

 

On a side note, if Kathleen Kennedy needs a demo reel from any composer to do the next SW score, she doesn't need to look any further. But it'll never happen.

 

Karol

[Fancyarcher 350]

Lifeforce - Mancini

[Incanus 5,713]

5 hours ago, crocodile said:

 Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow by Edward Shearmur. Out of all the Williams pastiches, this is my favourite one. Although it has a more of a Golden Age patina as opposed to Silver Age... with some traces of Johnny, Horner and even Kamen. It basically sounds like a score from Fleischer's Superman cartoon music but done on steroids. What seemed to be a merely short-lived wannabe back in 2004 turned out to be quite durable. I listen to it quite often. Probably because it is one of the few tribute scores that feels genuinely heartfelt and full of enthusiasm... even in its overbearing orchestral mayhem. It has actually a collection of likeable tunes as well to complete the package. I hope they release the expanded 2 CD set sometime. It certainly deserves it. 

 

On a side note, if Kathleen Kennedy needs a demo reel from any composer to do the next SW score, she doesn't need to look any further. But it'll never happen.

 

Karol

The score does a deft job in capturing the Golden/Silver Age feel of those composers you mention very well and spins really nice variations out of the musical tropes of the yesteryear. Shearmur's themes are quite strong too and have that innocently exuberant quality to them whether the muscular main theme or the breezy love theme, not to mention the various villanous ostinati motifs for the robots in the film that the composer gives a great workout. To my ears the heroic Manta Squadron theme has a deliciously British patriotic feel to it. And yes I would love to get an expanded release of this score as well. More of the same goodness.  

9 hours ago, publicist said:

I adore the main theme. Such a great encapsulation of nostalgia, longing and bittersweet regret.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Titanic

[Incanus 5,713]

Raise the Titanic by John Barry

[publicist 4,643]

 

I adore Quincy Jones' scores up until the mid-70's. 'The Deadly Affair', an early le Carré adaptation with James Mason inhabiting the George Smiley role that later was made immortal by Alec Guinness, is no exception. Ranging between seductive easy listening with a slightly dangerous twist that gives it a driving inevitability, it is right up there with the better Mancini's of the era. 60's icon Astrud Gilberto croons with her unmistakable fragile sadness.

[crocodile 7,973]

Michael Kamen day!

 

Lethal Weapon 2

The New Moon in The Old Moon's Arms

The Iron Giant

 

Now listening to Die Hard 2: Die Harder. One of my favourite thriller/action scores ever (and orchestrated by Don Davis!). It is just delicious:

 

 

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You can hear Kamen's influence in the Matrix scores.

[Jay 37,249]

Wait, really?

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

It's fair to wonder if you hear Horner, Kamen, etc. in The Matrix, or if you just hear Davis in their scores. 

[Jay 37,249]

Right, exactly.  Like when it came as no surprise that Don Davis orchestrated that Toy Story 3 cue

[publicist 4,643]

A lot of Horner kiddie scores from the early 90's had suspicious orchestral colours that were to be found in later Davis but not Horner scores. Not all on the level of 'A Far Off Place', but still...

[Marian Schedenig 8,153]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

Right, exactly.  Like when it came as no surprise that Don Davis orchestrated that Toy Story 3 cue

 

Davis seems to be a regular orchestrator for Newman, even to this day - he just did Cars 3.

 

1 hour ago, publicist said:

A lot of Horner kiddie scores from the early 90's had suspicious orchestral colours that were to be found in later Davis but not Horner scores. Not all on the level of 'A Far Off Place', but still...

 

The sentinel music in the Matrix scores has a strong Aliens vibe, I think. Was Davis involved with that one?

[Disco Stu 15,495]

3 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

Davis seems to be a regular orchestrator for Newman, even to this day - he just did Cars 3.

 

 

 

http://www.imdb.com/search/title?roles=nm0204485,nm0005271&title_type=feature,tv_episode,video,tv_movie,tv_special,mini_series,documentary,game,short

[Jay 37,249]

9 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

The sentinel music in the Matrix scores has a strong Aliens vibe, I think. Was Davis involved with that one?

 

According to IMDB Aliens was orchestrated by Greg McRitchie

[publicist 4,643]

Ahh, Greig McRitchie, did all the Horners until he was suddenly dropped after 'Fievel Goes West'. 

53 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

The sentinel music in the Matrix scores has a strong Aliens vibe, I think. Was Davis involved with that one?

 

Too early. But 'We're Back', 'Pagemaster', 'Balto' etc. clearly bear his imprints.

[Maglorfin 196]

 

 

Lots of this one in Aliens. 

[Jay 37,249]

One of the best scores of all time!

[Nick1Ø66 4,687]

Dunkirk.

Zimmer's best score for a Nolan film since Interstellar.

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

It is, isn't it!?

 

I like it more after every spin.

[Jay 37,249]

John Williams - Jurassic Park (LLL)

 

John Williams - The Lost World (LLL)

Alan Silvestri - Predator 2 (Varese DE)

 

Mark Mancina - Speed 2: Cruise Control (LLL)

Was in a tribal drums mood today apparently!

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

The Dark Tower - Junkie XL

 

My favourite score of the score year, thus far.

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

There's some good stuff in there.  Seen his Studio Times about it yet?

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

I saw the whole series.

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

If you haven't watched the Kitchen Time special, that is also a must!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,488]

9 hours ago, Nick1066 said:

Dunkirk.

Zimmer's best score for a Nolan film since Interstellar.

 

(sighs, and peers at screen eruditely over the tops of his spectacles)

Really? 

[publicist 4,643]

[Naïve Old Fart 9,488]

"Does the other one talk?"

"Only when she let's me (!)".

 

Great little score, from a great little film.

 

[Incanus 5,713]

War Horse by John Williams

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The Adventures of Don Juan - Max Steiner. The Stromberg re-recording.

 

Boy that score is fun.

[Quintus 5,399]

On 05/08/2017 at 3:18 PM, Bespin said:

Music for a gray saturday morning that needs a little bit of magic!

 

Didn't you hate BFG?

[Johnnyecks 33]

21 hours ago, Nick1066 said:

Dunkirk.

Zimmer's best score for a Nolan film since Interstellar.

 

 

I enjoy it as well... however after seeing this... I'm a little underwhelmed...

 

 

 

Been listening to these:

 

Spiderman: Homecoming - meh. Sounds a lot like Powell to me in spots, like Hancock or Paycheck.

 

Logan - I like it.

 

The Da Vinci Code - love it, but I need to listen to something else b/c it seems like I keep listening to the last 4 tracks on repeat (in my head even..ugh)

 

 

[Nick1Ø66 4,687]

7 hours ago, Richard said:

 

(sighs, and peers at screen eruditely over the tops of his spectacles)

Really? 

 

It's a fact.

 

On this subject there can be no debate.

[Bespin 8,472]

2 hours ago, Quintus said:

 

Didn't you hate BFG?

 

Some parts of it!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

1 hour ago, Johnnyecks said:

Superman: Homecoming

 

Hehehe...