James Newton Howard's Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

[leeallen01 2,133]

6 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said:

I re-scored one of William's most famous Harry Potter moments with JNH from this score. And I think it works rather well.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B02JYRFL956dcHJZUHBoTXlxb1k/view?usp=sharing

 

What do you guys think? I think JNH can do also do spectacle when called for.

 

And more importantly, that his main theme can be as big a cultural milestone as Hedwig's theme.

 

 

Nice. I adore JNH's new Main Theme. It's brilliant, as is the entire score.

 

I made this video over a year ago, before JNH was announced as Composer for Fantastic Beasts. I always knew he'd be perfect for the film franchise, and I'm so damn happy that it looks like he'll be scoring all of the Fantastic Beasts films.

 

 

[Richard Penna 3,662]

That montage is superb - demonstrates very well that JNH would have been well placed for the whole franchise.

 

I don't think FB works quite 100% for that scene - JW's theme has a bit more of an ominous feel to it, I think. Obviously, JNH's theme is scoring a different context so we shouldn't compare them literally. However, if that had come out of the recording session for Potter, it would've been a good start.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

16 hours ago, BloodBoal said:

While I like the theme, I have to agree with gkgyver here: I doubt it will become a cultural milestone in any way, shape or form.

 

Lol now it obviously won't be. I was talking in terms of quality, that it is good enough to be  famous theme. But the movie while a hit did not catch on in any meaningful way at all, the theme itself is not used in well in the film or in the album, there is no stand alone track to make the theme famous etc. etc. being some of the many hits against it.

 

I think nowadays it takes a lot for a theme to be become a cultural milestone. I daresay Hedwig's theme was Williams last big famous theme too and it's been 15 years.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I haven't gotten a chance to read this yet, but posting to start the discussion:

 

Pottermore Interview with JNH

 

For some reason, since it's Pottermore, I'm expecting something substantial but I just noticed it's really short so probably not. ::shrug::

[Pieter Boelen 740]

I find it so weird that whenever they mention James Newton Howard in articles, they only mention scores of his that I don't care about.

Never Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Blood Diamond, Dave, Dinosaur, King Kong, Maleficent, Waterworld or Wyatt Earp.

I can understand why, of course, but I hope that some day soon, they will add "Fantastic Beasts" to the list!

Then at least I can get to see him credited for a score I DO like!

[publicist 4,643]

Well then imagine his 2017 concert tour: 3 hours with choir and orchestra and they play only Batman and Hunger Games! (i hope not, i just paid 100€)

[Will 2,215]

@Disco Stu

 

On 11/24/2016 at 1:00 PM, Will said:

Has this been shared?

 

https://www.pottermore.com/news/interview-with-fantastic-beasts-composer-james-newton-howard

 

Some confirmation about various themes, but also some additional confusion. I'll let you make of it what you will. 

 

 

 

Only a month and a half late. 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Haha!  Guess I should've paid attention to the date at the top of the article!

 

Sorry about that.

[Will 2,215]

http://filmtracks.com/titles/fantastic_beasts.html

 

Hope to get a chance to read this tomorrow!

EDIT: Clemmenson seemed to love it! I agree with much of what he said. He gave it four stars overall, but basically said the only major weakness was spotting. And he gave it five stars for album listening. 

 

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

After more listening, I think I can brand this score as JNH's masterpiece.

 

This is a magnificent score. And I might now say my favorite of 2016.

[mrbellamy 6,270]

Not sure if I think it's his very best but it's definitely one of his most flat-out entertaining scores for me. Really thrilled with it, can't wait for his second and hopefully 3 more besides! 

[Jay 37,249]

The other day my wife was watching the film, and so I heard a lot of the score again, and I was actually quite impressed by how much I liked what I was hearing.

 

Is there a consensus yet on what the various themes represent or is that still up in the air?

 

Which theme list post do you recommend I read through again to get to learn the themes better?  I know a few different people here have posted ones

[crumbs 14,287]

Watched this last night. Found the film itself middling but the score was fantastic. JNH writing in Williams' Potter-mode made for great listening. The orchestrations were suitably lush throughout. You can tell he had lots of fun flexing his composer muscles writing this.

 

One really weird thing I noticed was a section of the film that seemed to be scored with synth demos/mock-ups, towards the end when the Obscurus is wrecking havoc on New York. Does anyone know the deal with that?

[DemonStar 57]

I watched the film last week, which was good but it took me two viewings to follow the story. The score was beautiful, especially the Thunderbird theme really shone on its own and was truly splendid accompanying that scene. Unfortunately the action cues seemed to be mixed a bit too low. I really hope JNH scores the rest of the franchise as well.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

6 hours ago, Jay said:

The other day my wife was watching the film, and so I heard a lot of the score again, and I was actually quite impressed by how much I liked what I was hearing.

 

Is there a consensus yet on what the various themes represent or is that still up in the air?

 

Which theme list post do you recommend I read through again to get to learn the themes better?  I know a few different people here have posted ones

 

The theme situation is a bit problematic I have to say. The application is a bit muddied. Like the Edward Scissor-hands like theme in the end is played in an epic concert suite format for the extended New York Reconstruction sequence but also in a softer sense for the parting between Newt and Tina where you could almost consider it a bittersweet love theme for them.

 

The theme played over the title which has been alternatively called Grindelwald theme or the Obscurus theme or the fantastic beasts theme is I think more clearly labelled as a conspiracy theme as Filmtracks chooses to call it.

 

Newt's so called main theme which is debuted with an establishing shot of New York also seems kinda linked to Newt's relation with the Thunderbird.

 

So I think that analysis needs to still happen at a deeper level. I think someone would have to dig through the film to establish some of these connections clearly.

 

And the story is a bit much on first viewing with literally 5-6 subplots going on at once and one major twist only revealed in the finale. So with that context in mind, a second viewing and onwards would be an ideal time to analyse the music and how it coheres with all that is happening on screen.

[Richard Penna 3,662]

We also need to cater for the director liking a theme and asking JNH to use it somewhere that's structurally wrong but sounds awesome.

 

(Not saying that's what happened, but it would account for our muddled definitions.)

[crumbs 14,287]

I hate to be that guy, but I didn't really notice any strong themes. Strong music, sure, but thematically? Nothing stood out.

 

I guess there was the rising and descending 5 note motif that got a strong workout in the end credits? Is that a theme?

[Jay 37,249]

Wow see that's what took me by surprise the other day when the film was playing in the house - the strong memorable themes! I was just confused about what they represented, and it seems people who have studied the score still are too! 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,249]

But which theme list post should I use?

[mrbellamy 6,270]

22 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

I partially agree with crumbs. I'd say Newt's Heroic theme and the Wizarding World theme are pretty strong (in the sense of "memorable"), but apart from those two, if one were to watch the film (or listen to the score) only once or twice/occasionally, I wouldn't expect that person to remember much from the thematic material.

 

I think the "Edward Scissorhand-y" Thunderbird theme actually made the strongest impression in the film due to its prominent statements at the end, followed probably by the Newt action theme which gets those two action setpieces and the distinction of opening the end credits. Left me humming, anyway. 

 

The "Man and His Beasts" theme is great but strangely gets thrown under the bus in context after the big MACUSA statement. "Kowalski Rag" similarly makes a strong impression in its suite, but doesn't have much of a role in the underscore.

 

One of my favorite melodies is actually the little love theme for Queenie/Jacob that appears at the end for their last meeting in the bakery. I think it has at least one or maybe two other moments between them to constitute calling it a theme but can't quite remember. I know it's thrown in at the end of the "Kowalski Rag" suite, sort of as a tag to the jazzy second half. 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[bollemanneke 3,334]

The Filmtracks review has an excellent overview of the themes (and this time he even tries to dedicate one paragraph to one theme, so you won't have to read the entire review).

 

I really hoe he'll continue to use the magic/MACUSA theme in the sequels, that's by far my favourite theme. Such a pity he abandoned it after they leave Queenie's house.

[crumbs 14,287]

I hadn't listened to the soundtrack or any samples before seeing the film, so that's my context after one viewing (very little thematic recognition).

 

Probably similar to my first TFA viewing. Couldn't have deciphered the themes from a bar of soap until hearing the soundtrack twice.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

Just checking out the movie again, and am I missing something or is Jacob's theme never used in the main film at all? Jacob's theme is heard in concert version from 0:00 - 3:55 in Kowalski's Rag. In my opinion, it might even be the most beautiful theme in the entire score.

 

 

The concert rendition is almost structured like a showstopping broadway number. With one words one could easily imagine this theme being a popular song.

 

Sp where is this theme in the movie? Its used a few times in the soundtrack album, but seems entirely lost in the movie.

[Bilbo 3,709]

On 12/3/2017 at 5:50 PM, BloodBoal said:

 

I don't know, man. Of course, I'd suggest mine, but as I said in it, I'm not sure about a lot of themes (it seems JNH doesn't use a lot of them with a strict association to a character/creature/idea), so there is that...

 

Ill be getting the BluRay when it comes out so I can have a closer look at some of it when that happens. 

[mrbellamy 6,270]

3 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said:

Just checking out the movie again, and am I missing something or is Jacob's theme never used in the main film at all? Jacob's theme is heard in concert version from 0:00 - 3:55 in Kowalski's Rag. In my opinion, it might even be the most beautiful theme in the entire score.

 

 

The concert rendition is almost structured like a showstopping broadway number. With one words one could easily imagine this theme being a popular song.

 

Sp where is this theme in the movie? Its used a few times in the soundtrack album, but seems entirely lost in the movie.

 

 

 

 

 

I can't remember if it showed up in the bank at all? I have some memory of it being there for Jacob's first appearance but I'm probably misremembering.

 

That sequence had at least one unfortunate score omission, when Newt grabs the Niffler in the vault. I was smitten with that cue in the first online clip so of course it got cut in the film proper.  

 

Scored

 

Yates-d!

 

I remember some interview that mentioned a big frantic cue for that jewelry shop scene later on too, also cut! I don't think it made the OST at all either, from what I can tell.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

Filmtracks rating makes sense. This is a 5 star score not used well by an idiot director in the film.

 

I think Yates had never worked with such a massive score before - with more than a dozen themes and motifs and stuff. And because he had never worked with such a big score, his spotting suffered. I think directors need to realize that when working a big score, there are two many themes and stuff, so if we you do not put them in the proper places to relate to certain characters or concepts, the theme associations will get confusing. They also end up cutting out a lot and randomly asking the composer to use this theme there or here just because they like it.

 

Kinda butchers a work as written. 

 

The Kowalski theme referred above is in the OST track of the bank sequence for Jacob's scenes but is cut from the movie.

 

We are left with the extraordinary circumstance that a huge character main theme for one of the lead characters which also has a big concert suite for it goes entirely unused in the film. How bizarre.

 

 

[mrbellamy 6,270]

It's frustrating because Yates is not an untalented director at all (and at least he encouraged a score like this in the first place), but between Potter and Tarzan he's done six of these epic adventure movies and he just keeps proving himself too conservative for these things. There are occasionally inspired moments but the movies just become a drag to watch. Musically it's not even just about themes...the basic difference in momentum between the two versions of the bank scene is staggering to me. Moreover the charming flute melody brings out an innocent sort of mischief to the Niffler IMO, endearing me to the creature. Yeah it's an imaginative piece of animation, anyway, but I can really feel the little thing going  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in the scored version that isn't as strong to me without music. I can't think of anything that I find really improves the scene by taking JNH out of the equation. Why break up that lightly accelerated comic pace? What is really gained by slowing everything down in that moment? There's a fine line between deadpan and just...dead.

 

Modern directors have some weird artistic insecurity lately about scoring their movies wall-to-wall, as if "real" directors don't need music. That's the conventional wisdom, of course, that film music is some sort of artistic weakness or a crutch or distraction. Never mind that it's half the fun of these silly genre things but nah, lower the mix, the melody is too discernible and people might accidentally listen to it instead of paying close attention to this fat guy running away from a magic rhino. Oh dear, remove the woodwind stem please, those high trills might take away from this grown-ass man running around NYC in a cape and tights like a little baby.

 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

On 3/19/2017 at 6:32 PM, BloodBoal said:

What I called the The Fantastic Beasts Theme (ex: Disc 1 - 01. Main Titles: 00'19 - 00'38 / 01:23 - 01'34) appears to be indeed Grindelwald's theme (as was already suggested by some members here before). The one thing that seems to confirm it to me is that it is used for the big reveal at the end (used for the shot when we finally see Grindelwald). But the theme is often used oddly throughout the film for sure.

 

It's most extended statement is for the sequence of the Demiguise and the Occamy, track 4 on OST 2. And that sequence has nothing to do with Grindelwald. I think the theme, as filmtracks, characterizes is more of a mystery theme or a conspiracy theme or a problem theme.

 

It's use is atleast consistent in that JNH uses it to indicate something treacherous or sinister is afoot. Think of it as his version of Horner's infamous danger motif.

 

If we look at the theme that way, it does make sense. The main title sets up a mystery and JK rowling throws various red herrings throughout the plot and JNH judiciously uses the mystery theme for all of them as well as in the end when finally the mystery is unmasked.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Bilbo 3,709]

Probably have a brand new composer for the next one now 😂

[publicist 4,643]

Also, it's not a properly fleshed out theme, more of a non-descript motif. It could gain an interesting development if JNH gets a firm storyline. Or, if the movies are rambling mess's like the first, it all falls apart like a microwave soufflé.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[publicist 4,643]

Perilous times!

[Bilbo 3,709]

There seems to be new music in the deleted scenes. 

[Jay 37,249]

Neat, I wonder if JNH composed it for the scenes, or they're tracking in original versions of cues that got replaced with revised versions in the final film.

[Bilbo 3,709]

There didn't appear to be any familiar themes on first run through. 

 

I'll another look tomorrow night or Monday and have a proper listen .

[Jay 37,249]

That's what I mean, cues might have been rewritten to use themes when they originally didn't.

[Bilbo 3,709]

With one or two it seemed like they had been composed for the scenes shown because of the way they went into existing scenes. 

 

Again, will have to see them again to be sure. 

Rewatching the film and now I'm less sure...

[Alex 2,833]

 

2.58

 

Interesting what JNH says about the other films. Maybe we'll get someone different for 3,4 and 5.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You mean like Lorne Balfe, Ramin Djawadi and Tyler Bates?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Bring back Hooper!

[Mr. Who 919]

On 2016-11-17 at 9:26 PM, TheUlyssesian said:

JNH said there are two main themes - the two themes that he wrote first. He called one Newt's theme and one as an overarching franchise theme to define the concept of the franchise.

 

I really hope he ends up scoring the whole film series! 

 

However, I read somewhere that film 3, 4 and 5 might not feature Newt as the main character so maybe they're taking those movies into another direction, focusing even more on Dumbledore and Grindelwald's story, but even so, I'd say KEEP JNH!!! but if they don't then get Desplat!

[Bilbo 3,709]

17 hours ago, Mr. Who said:

I really hope he ends up scoring the whole film series! 

 

However, I read somewhere that film 3, 4 and 5 might not feature Newt as the main character so maybe they're taking those movies into another direction, focusing even more on Dumbledore and Grindelwald's story, but even so, I'd say KEEP JNH!!! but if they don't then get Desplat!

 

I think Rowling came out and said that's Newt will very much be the main character for the series.

 

I think the original bit of info that spawned this rumour meant that the Dumbledore Grindlewald story would be the main over arching plot of the series but that doesn't mean Newt won't be the main character. Presumably he'll be heavily involved in that plot as it's kinda hinted at in this film that he was in New York on Dumbledore's orders re: Grindlewald. 

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

I re-scored the original Fantastic Beasts finale (last 2 minutes with Jacob's theme). It always bothered me that they discarded his theme from the film and did not even use it for the finale which ends with him. I have now corrected that. What do you think? Does it work well? Listen at loud volume for maximum effect.

 

 

What an outstanding theme. Probably my favorite in that score and it was SEVERAL great themes.

[leeallen01 2,133]

Nice. I love his melodic themes for these films. Just sensational and so versatile. A shame we didn't hear them in the film as they should have been heard.

[Arpy 4,145]

@TheUlyssesianI think it's a little too bombastic and overpowering for that particular scene. I can see what you're going for and agree it would be a great opportunity to reprise Jacob's theme, however I think it would need to be something that's more tender and paired down.