Who Should Win the 2014 Oscar for Best Original Score?

[King Mark 3,631]

The RotS OST omitted a lot of genuine highlights but included a lot of the "re-hash" rerecording cues

TPM OST was in a similar situation

AotC album is actually not bad in terms of selection, missing only a few really important cues

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Tell me, what is missing on the OST for ROTS that makes it from being a lackluster effort to a masterpiece?

[King Mark 3,631]

Another Happy Landing

Be careful of your Friend

Palpatine's Big Pitch

Goodbye Old Friend

I am the Senate

Swimming,Droids and Yoda's Farewell

It Can't Be full version

Padme's visit

Plan for the Twins

Padme's Funeral

Complete Finale

Also both RotS and KotCS become more "intricate" in complete form.

Unlike Shore or Giacchino that re-hashes the themes in an almost identical fashion, it seem like Williams carefully crafts every second of his scores

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I've listened to a few of these, and while there is good stuff there, it's not enough to balance out the rather large amount of dull "Williams-on-auto-pilot" music that the OST contains.

The main problem for me is that the music for the massacre of the Jedi feels "false" somehow. It's trying to sound tragic instead of actually feeling tragic.

[King Mark 3,631]

it's generally regarded as one of the good cues..not sure what you mean

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah I know. But to me it just never felt that good. Technically brilliant, as every single JW cue. But in this case devoid of emotion.

And this isn't some prequel bashing thing either.

I love the TPM score, despite the crappy OST. It may not be quite as good as the OT scores, but it's really a stunner.

Same for AOTC. Written in a hurry, with a lovetheme that is a derivative of the SW main theme it's still a great listen. I've probably heard it 100 times.

I was fully expecting to love ROTS also. But, I dunno, there doesn't seem to be anything there really? A lot of hollow posturing. Trying to be tragic, trying to be epic.

I've come back to this score time and again.

It just doesnt do much for me.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Unlike Shore or Giacchino that re-hashes the themes in an almost identical fashion

Yeah, right.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I was never a huge fan of Anakin's Betrayal like so many others seem to be. I thought Padme's Ruminations was a more interesting piece because it was so left-field and unexpected from Williams. Especially in a Star Wars flick. The Immolation Scene is also quite a stirring piece, even if it's derivative of JFK.

[Jay 37,368]

That is not what I mean. I phrased it badly.

Many many Goldsmith scores have had 45 minute OST releases. and with many of them people thought they were great scores and wanted more.

While a "shorter" release doesnt always offer the whole picture of a score, you should be able to gauge if it is a good score or not.

People were generally underwelmed with Into Darkness. If a 45 minute release doesnt leave people wanting more, then either the production on the album is terrible, or the score isnt that great.

Completely disagree with you here. First of all, I would not say that people were "generally underwhelmed with Into Darkness" - quite the opposite, I would say it was generally positively reviewed, with many people including myself liking it more than the first score.

Now what I was trying to point out was that they took a complex two hour score and condensed it down to 45 minutes for the OST, about 5 of which were repeats from the first score (the opening logos and closing credits).

It'd be like trying to create a 45 minute OST for John Carter, or The Phantom Menace. Some scores just need a 70 minute+ duratiion to get all its ideas across, and I put STID in that category. Many of the absolute biggest and most important highlights of the score do not appear on the OST.

[publicist 4,643]

I saw the movie and found the score just as hollow - nothing approaching the brilliant fluttering woodwind/string combo exploding into the main theme in "Enterprising Young Men".

[Ricard 2,245]

Thomas Newman Should Finally Win Best Score This Year

[Wojo 2,453]

Don't worry, Steef, I was underwhelmed by Star Trek Into Darkness.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Yeah I know. But to me it just never felt that good. Technically brilliant, as every single JW cue. But in this case devoid of emotion.

And this isn't some prequel bashing thing either.

I love the TPM score, despite the crappy OST. It may not be quite as good as the OT scores, but it's really a stunner.

Same for AOTC. Written in a hurry, with a lovetheme that is a derivative of the SW main theme it's still a great listen. I've probably heard it 100 times.

I was fully expecting to love ROTS also. But, I dunno, there doesn't seem to be anything there really? A lot of hollow posturing. Trying to be tragic, trying to be epic.

I've come back to this score time and again.

It just doesnt do much for me.

99 times too many

[Wojo 2,453]

It's a fantastically romantic love theme. You may not remember this, but it's actually the very first love theme John wrote for the Star Wars saga. True story. That's just breathtaking.

[crocodile 8,017]

I've not heard Her, so won't comment on that.

If The Book Thief's Williams is on autopilot as many people say (not me), then so are the other nominees.

Karol

[Jay 37,368]

Wow, that's a new level of triple posting.

[crocodile 8,017]

Wow, that's a new level of triple posting.

I have now new superpowers too!

Karol

[JoeinAR 1,949]

It's a fantastically romantic love theme. You may not remember this, but it's actually the very first love theme John wrote for the Star Wars saga. True story. That's just breathtaking.

I forgot that. Gotta love those firsts.

[gkgyver 1,645]

ok,..I agree to some extent but The Star Wars Prequels and KOtCS scores are way better in expanded/complete form than the OST would indicate I was disappointed when I first heard the RoTS OST especially but rate it a near masterpiece if you add all the unreleased music from the videogames

There's nothing in KotCS except for the two Last Crusade snippets that is worthwhile. Even the OST drops drastically in re-listening value in the second half.

Same with RotS. Other than a maximum of 5-10 minutes, the OST presents the highlights. I would never listen to the lengths of aimless conversation meandering that plagues the prequels so much.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Your loss.

[MarnixBilderbeek 2]

I'd be very happy to see Newman finally win an oscar, same goes for Desplat. And for Williams obviously. I would be disappointed if one of the other two won.

[King Mark 3,631]

didn't Desplat already win?

[crocodile 8,017]

No. But this is not a worthy score anyway.

Karol

[Richard Penna 3,694]

I'd like to see Newman win, if only to see him win an Oscar.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Me too. He's earned one!

[filmmusic 1,829]

Is it just me, or i get a notion that everywhere they're talking about "who" should win (because he hasn't won before, or because of this and that) and not "what" score should win because it's the best of the 5?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Welcome to the Oscars!

[Jay 37,368]

Every year the Oscar "should" go to the best score composed out of the 5 eligible. Who composed it, and what those composer's past history of winning/nominations are, should have absolutely nothing to do with it.

I know that's not the reality, but I wish it was.

[Richard Penna 3,694]

And since that will never, ever be the reality, let the illogical rooting continue

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I actually find the score category to be pretty spot on most of the time. Most of the politics and stuff relates to the big awards with the actors and directors and producers.

If they gave out pity awards to composers that never win then Newman and Desplat would have won by now.

[mrbellamy 6,287]

Yeah, I can't remember the last time that they gave it to a score that I thought was anything less than very good. Maybe Babel.

[Richard Penna 3,694]

Maybe Babel? That was some of the most headache-inducing crap I've ever heard on album.

I actually find the score category to be pretty spot on most of the time. Most of the politics and stuff relates to the big awards with the actors and directors and producers.

If they gave out pity awards to composers that never win then Newman and Desplat would have won by now.

Seems mostly to do with the cache of the film to me, with the reputation of the composer playing a factor. The actual quality of the score seems to make little impact.

Although for the actual night token voting is still a dangerous trend.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Desplat's overdue for a composer whose name most people can't pronounce.

[publicist 4,643]

They can, they just get it wrong.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Or they just don't want to make the effort.

"A foreign-souding name? Ugh. I'm not going to pronounce that!"

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I can't be blamed for I am a humble English-speaking Aussie who reads things phonetically.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,534]

I'm probably going to say the obvious, but...John Williams, for "The Book Thief". I have heard the other scores, and IMO, JW's is, far and away, the most moving, and most beautifully constructed score. It's as if the others are all second year music students, and JW is the master professor, showing them all not just how it is done, but showing them all what they will never have - care, love, respect for music scoring requirements, and just plain, raw talent.

This is what makes JW (still) a giant among film composers, and the most popular film composer who has lived, or will probably ever live.

[Jay 37,368]

Yea, it's a significantly better score than the other nominees.

[publicist 4,643]

I'm probably going to say the obvious, but...John Williams, for "The Book Thief". I have heard the other scores, and IMO, JW's is, far and away, the most moving, and most beautifully constructed score. It's as if the others are all second year music students, and JW is the master professor, showing them all not just how it is done, but showing them all what they will never have - care, love, respect for music scoring requirements, and just plain, raw talent.

Richard, this is with all due respect a rather ignorant statement. The idiom BOOK THIEF is written in represents a really small neo-romantic compartment of the film musical genre that is not exactly all-encompasssing. How one can honestly wage something like GRAVITY, HER or even PHILOMENA against a very typical and dare i say conventional (as in: tired) JW effort - as if these musicians tried to out-Williams Williams in the most moving, and most beautifully construction-department and failed dismally, which is..let's say a rather puzzling statement.

[Brónach 1,302]

Desplat's overdue for a composer whose name most people can't pronounce.

Anglophones are perfectly capable of pronouncing that.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

"A foreign-souding name? Ugh. I'm not going to pronounce that!"

[KK 3,307]

"A foreign-souding name? Ugh. I'm not going to pronounce that!"

"But here's your Oscar! You win by default!"

[King Mark 3,631]

Richard, this is with all due respect a rather ignorant statement. The idiom BOOK THIEF is written in represents a really small neo-romantic compartment of the film musical genre that is not exactly all-encompasssing.

That's an extremely arrogant post

Until the recent trend where scores sound like extension sound effects, most film music was like this. The level of musical talent needed to write a score like Gravity is minimal compared to the average JW score or any orchestral score. Film music is either orchestral, pop or synth. I hardly see Williams music as a small compartment of the genre .Desplat, Giacchino ,Howard Shore and many others still write orchestral scores.

If you enjoyed the Book Thief movie (it was better than over hyped crap like The American Hustle), JW's last few cues in the film were effective enough emotionally to make him worthy of winning the Oscar

[publicist 4,643]

That's an extremely arrogant post

Until the recent trend where scores sound like extension sound effects, most film music was like this. The level of musical talent needed to write a score like Gravity is minimal compared to the average JW score or any orchestral score. Film music is either orchestral, pop or synth. I hardly see Williams music as a small compartment of the genre .Desplat, Giacchino ,Howard Shore and many others still write orchestral scores.

If you enjoyed the Book Thief movie (it was better than over hyped crap like The American Hustle), JW's last few cues in the film were effective enough emotionally to make him worthy of winning the Oscar

Ignorance? I don't know what kind of parallel bronze age you are referring to, but the notion that the style BT is written in characterizes 'orchestral' music as a whole is just exactly that: ignorant and limited.

But why bother? If you really don't see that there is a whole musical world to be discovered beyond lush neo-romanticism (that has been used countless times by countless composers), then go on belittling artists that don't feed your own limited perceptions of 'emotional effective' music.

[King Mark 3,631]

What is you definition of "emotional effectiveness" now? A big WHOOOSH sound in the music to indicate danger , the 2 note rising motif in Man of Steel, or deafening percussions in action scenes ?

It's pretty pointless arguing with you, obviously you don't care for JW's music more than any other random composer's. It's like your on this board to tell us he's not that great and just re-hashing romantic music from past eras, and he's just of very narrow and limited musical interest

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I think we hit the funny bone!

[publicist 4,643]

It's pretty pointless arguing with you, obviously you don't care for JW's music more than any other random composer's. It's like your on this board to tell us he's not that great and just re-hashing romantic music from past eras, and he's just of very narrow and limited musical interest

Dr. Goebbels, thank you for your as always effortless word-mangling. Now read what i wrote, start thinking about it before you post and maybe, just maybe something constructive will spring of it. I doubt it, though.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

It's like your on this board to tell us he's not that great and just re-hashing romantic music from past eras, and he's just of very narrow and limited musical interest

It's more that THE BOOK THIEF showcases a very narrow range within John Williams's stylistic spectrum. That's the problem with these worthy, televisual dramas-- they're like a corset for a composer of Williams's talent and girth.

[crocodile 8,017]

Thing is pub, none of the nominees really showed anything special this year. Neither Desplat nor Newman broke new ground and that Gravity score is horrible in the film.

Karol

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Neither Desplat nor Newman broke new ground and that Gravity score is horrible in the film.

The only reason why GRAVITY's score is popular is become it appeals to audiences weaned on nothing but modern pop-- especially minimal and ambient subgenres. It works like gangbusters for the same peeps who thought M83's OBLIVION was the best thing since sliced bread. This helps mask the fact that it's more cloying, dumbed-down and sentimental than any Williams/Spielberg collob.