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

[publicist 4,643]

 

Definitely Top Ten material (for 2017, that is)

[Incanus 5,714]

Julius Caesar by Miklós Rózsa: This was the first score I heard from the inestimable Rózsa and it still is among my very favourites of his (the Broughton and Sinfonia of London re-recording is wonderful). Top notch thematic ideas, the dramatic string writing and excellent variety in the orchestrations and colours employed from solo chorus and soprano to brass chorales make it a power house, delivered with usual dramatic gusto the composer was know for.

[crocodile 8,006]

 The Shape of Water by Alexadre Desplat.

 

Karol

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

It's a bit more "Euro-lite" than I was hoping, but still enjoyable.

[crocodile 8,006]

What does it mean?

 

Karol

[Jurassic Shark 12,067]

Lawrence of Arabia, Tadlow re-recording.

[idril 86]

Just been listening to Zulu re-recording by City of Prague Philharmonic. Never gets old.

[publicist 4,643]

12 hours ago, crocodile said:

What does it mean?

 

Karol

 

Probably that it sounds more like 'Amelie' than 'Painted Veil' or something. He has written a very good theme here that has staying power. The dramatics are kept to a minimum, though, which makes long cues like 'The Escape' (11 minutes) a bit of a non-event. It's all very elegantly done but i suffice with a good 30 to 35 minute selection of the lilting moments. Classic delicate Desplat, here with an almost Delerue-ian reliance on a strong theme. Given the rather pedestrian year it's a nice december present.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Kubo and the Two Strings 

I really enjoyed this one.  Very Powell-esque, especially in regards to the lyrical thematic material.  Works wonders in the film.  

 

22 hours ago, TheGreyPilgrim said:

It's a bit more "Euro-lite" than I was hoping, but still enjoyable.

That's how I feel about every Desplat score.  I would have preferred for this project to have somebody who's better at laying down the "emotional syrup" ala Fernando Velasquez or Javier Navarrete

 

[publicist 4,643]

God no, those guys can't write themes - at least not really memorable ones.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

4 minutes ago, publicist said:

God no, those guys can't write themes - at least not really memorable ones.

Pan's Labyrinth has a great main theme!

[publicist 4,643]

It's ok. 

[Quintus 5,399]

Around ten drives later and I finally polished off The Fellowship of Ring CR in the car. There's only one uninteresting track in the whole thing (and I do find it unlistenable), which is pretty friggin' amazing when you consider just how much music is on the album. This score is unparalleled. 

[Nick1Ø66 4,714]

4 minutes ago, Quintus said:

This score is unparalleled. 

 

Quite.

 

You could not wish for a finer score.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

46 minutes ago, Quintus said:

Around ten drives later and I finally polished off The Fellowship of Ring CR in the car. There's only one uninteresting track in the whole thing (and I do find it unlistenable), which is pretty friggin' amazing when you consider just how much music is on the album. This score is unparalleled. 

 

What's unlistenable, the party cue?

[Quintus 5,399]

Caras Galadhon. I appreciate it's a subjective thing and that others may enjoy the ruminations, but I just find it entirely boring. Not my kind of thing. 

 

The party cue is good! 

[crocodile 8,006]

You are weird.

 

Karol

[KK 3,307]

Wow. That's one of the best pieces in the whole thing.

 

Does anything get more Tolkien than this?

 

That whole scene is otherworldly. Scored to perfection.

[Quintus 5,399]

You're all making me think I'm mistaken about the track title now, but I can't check because I'm out. I'll have to confirm later when I get in! 

[Bespin 8,480]

 John Williams - E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial - 35th Anniversary Remastered Edition  

[Romão 2,274]

On 01/12/2017 at 6:59 AM, Incanus said:

Julius Caesar by Miklós Rózsa: This was the first score I heard from the inestimable Rózsa and it still is among my very favourites of his (the Broughton and Sinfonia of London re-recording is wonderful). Top notch thematic ideas, the dramatic string writing and excellent variety in the orchestrations and colours employed from solo chorus and soprano to brass chorales make it a power house, delivered with usual dramatic gusto the composer was know for.

 

Conceptually, I think this one is the most intelligent and interesting of all the old epics he scored (although this movie is not really epic in scale, purposely, it's much more stagey). I would place Julius Caesar in the overall oeuvre bt Rózsa in the same spot I would place Nixon in Williams'.

[KK 3,307]

The Shape of Water by Alexandre Desplat

 

There's a lovely theme here, and some charming material. But this is lighter Desplat fare and well within his comfort zone. Enjoyable, nonetheless.

[crocodile 8,006]

Thor: Ragnarok by Mark Mothersbaugh. I like this one, it's incredibly fun. The entire score conceptually is very much a collection of big blockbuster clichés but executed extremely well. I love the synth work and the big muscular orchestral passages brought a smile to my face. Some of it reaches this almost Goldenthal level of grandeur. The main theme itself is bit generic, it's Stardust/Children of Dune/Narnia/Deep Blue Sea/Shrek pop chords all over again. But, again, executed real well. And, to be honest, it does a good job at emulating what both Doyle and Tyler did for this series. Nice to hear some stylistic nods to Doctor Strange as well in Weird Things Happen. One of the most enjoyable Marvel scores overall.

 

Karol

[Quintus 5,399]

13 hours ago, Quintus said:

You're all making me think I'm mistaken about the track title now, but I can't check because I'm out. I'll have to confirm later when I get in! 

 

Yes, Caras Galadhon. The first five minutes of the cue are pretty essential, but then there's another five minutes after it featuring the aforementioned Liz Fraser ruminations which I can't abide outside of the film. 

 

3 hours ago, KK said:

The Shape of Water by Alexandre Desplat

 

There's a lovely theme here, and some charming material. But this is lighter Desplat fare and well within his comfort zone. Enjoyable, nonetheless.

 

I quite like Desplat, but this is my experience of everything I've heard from the man. What has he done that is really dramatic? Godzilla got fairly close I suppose, but it was also a bit on the thin side both texturally and sonically I thought. 

[publicist 4,643]

 

Another great-but-forgotten score, 'The Good Thief' (2002) sees Goldenthal deep in a sophisticated sleuth-jazz mode, though with a bit of a european touch (the Toots Thielemans-like harmonica improvs might have something to do with that). Together with 'Golden Gate' (another interesting fusion of lighter styles) it stands out from his usually more heavy repertoire. Good movie, too.  Come back, Elliot!

[crocodile 8,006]

2 hours ago, Quintus said:

 Godzilla got fairly close I suppose, but it was also a bit on the thin side both texturally and sonically I thought. 

That, I think, has more to do with the recording/mixing rather than writing. There's some really interesting stuff in this one.

 

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Though i have to confess that i do not return 'Godzilla' apart from its rampaging main theme. It's written well enough but something in Desplat's mathematically calculated pattern writing is at odds with the demands of an ear-pleasing big action score. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I like the big fanfare at the end.

[publicist 4,643]

I liked the movie more than the score.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

As a committed Godzilla fanatic, even I had to admit Kong: Skull Island was a better movie.

[publicist 4,643]

I wouldn't dare to go near that thing.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I'm psyched for Godzilla vs Kong.

[publicist 4,643]

Maybe this one will go to Wintory.

[Quintus 5,399]

I really fancy Godzilla vs Kong, it looks like a good time. 

[Bespin 8,480]

Stanley & Iris: The Deluxe Edition/Pete 'n' Tillie (1990/1972) (2017, Varèse Sarabande, VCL03171178)

The Spielberg/Williams Collaboration Part III (2017, Sony Classical, Digital release; Clark, Erdody, Foster, Higgins, Hooten, Valerio, Grubinger, Williams, Recording Arts O of LA)

Tom Sawyer [Expanded Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack] (1973) (2015, Quartet Records, QR-211) (CD2-The Complete Film Soundtrack)

[Jay 37,352]

I never cease to be amazed by just how much I love the FOTR score.  It is film scoring perfection to me.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Indeed!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I found it okay.

[Bilbo 3,709]

32 minutes ago, Jay said:

I never cease to be amazed by just how much I love the FOTR score.  It is film scoring perfection to me.

 

The CR is amazing but I love the OST also. 

[Bespin 8,480]

Little lazy sunday...

 

Home Alone 25th Anniversary: Limited Edition (1990) (2015, La-La Land Records, LLLCD 1374) (CD 1)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence [Expanded Archival Collection] (2001) (2015, La-La Land Records, LLLCD 1353; Bonney, Williams) (CD 1 &2)

 

[Nick1Ø66 4,714]

6 hours ago, Jay said:

I never cease to be amazed by just how much I love the FOTR score.  It is film scoring perfection to me.

 

What's amazing about the CR's is that they exist in the first place. That we're not all whinging on here today about "where are the Lord of the Rings expanded scores" and scrounging for bootlegs and putting them as #1 on Holy Grail lists. They just arrived before anyone really had a chance to ask for them or had any right to expect them. I can still remember downloading the PDF's of Doug's extensive liner notes and thinking...wow, someone took the time to do this...and it's FREE? And looks amazing? Unbelievable. 

 

I'm not sure I even appreciated how special they were when I bought them.

 

 

 

 

[Faleel 5,346]

35 minutes ago, Nick1066 said:

That we're not all whinging on there today about "where are the Lord of the Rings expanded scores" and scrounging for bootlegs and putting them as #1 on Holy Grail lists

 

 

 

 

Speak for yourself

[Nick1Ø66 4,714]

Yeah, well I knew someone would say that. You can't make everyone happy.

[Faleel 5,346]

2 minutes ago, Nick1066 said:

Yeah, well I knew someone would say that. You can't make everyone happy.

You should have just quoted your signature

And I agree that we are very lucky to have the ER's at all.

[Ollie 1,059]

Shogun - Maurice Jarre

[crocodile 8,006]

1 minute ago, El Jefe said:

Shogun - Maurice Jarre

How is the new set, Mark?

Karol

[Ollie 1,059]

Very good. I’m normally not a fan of Jarre’s music but he really nailed this one.

 

Shogun was one of my favorite miniseries, I loved the music as a young teen. I missed the first intrada release, was not going to miss this one..

[Disco Stu 15,495]

1 minute ago, El Jefe said:

Very good. I’m normally not a fan of Jarre’s music but he really nailed this one.

 

Honestly I know very little about him outside of Lawrence and Zhivago.

[Ollie 1,059]

I have a few of his works, Lawrence of Arabia is another good one and I love Top Secret!

 

The Island at the Top of the World was another favorite of mine, I’m thankful for Intrada releasing it. 

 

 

[publicist 4,643]

 

While 'Pistol for Ringo' is the more famous, the sequel has arguably the even better tune. Most of the underscore is eclecticism alla italiano (mariachi bands, theme-free suspense) but the main themes are classics.