Alan Silvestri's READY PLAYER ONE (2018)

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

ID4 and Godzilla are among the only scores that work in both truncated album and expanded format.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

ID4 is too long in the complete release... haven't heard the extended Godzilla.

[Pieter Boelen 740]

47 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

ID4 is too long in the complete release...

There are a few tracks in there that I don't like listening to.

But it's really only very, very few.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

3 minutes ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

There are a few tracks in there that I don't like listening to.

But it's really only very, very few.

 

It's certainly a better listening experience than Stargate (both OST and extended).

[Pieter Boelen 740]

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

It's certainly a better listening experience than Stargate (both OST and extended).

Awww, I like that one too.

But indeed Stargate has more boring bits.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I prefer complete ID4 and Godzilla. ID4 needs the complete film version of the end battle and The Death of Marilyn.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I love the original alternate to the end battle too. Feels more, I dunno, 'organic' than the revised version.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

What kind of organic? Vegan?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

How do you pronounce "vegan" anyway? I've always pronounced it as "vej-ann", but all these greenie types keep saying "vee-gann", which is really weird.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

As someone who was raised by a vegetarian mother and vegan stepfather, I assure that it's pronounced "vegin", like begin.

 

And don't worry, I myself am an omnivore. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

V'ger.

[Bilbo 3,709]

“Misinformed”

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

4 minutes ago, kaseykockroach said:

As someone who was raised by a vegetarian mother and vegan stepfather, I assure that it's pronounced "vegin", like begin.

 

And don't worry, I myself am an omnivore. 

 

But is is vej-inn or vee-ginn?

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

It's pronounced "ee-vil".

 

(The latter, to actually answer your question)

[mrbellamy 6,272]

2 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

But is is vej-inn or vee-ginn?

 

 

[Koray Savas 2,251]

11 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Then he most likely has made a mistake. I doubt this score has the thematic richness and scope of something like STAR WARS, able to sustain 80+ minutes of music. But we'll see. A bit too early to say at this point.

 

I'd love it if one CD was a conceptual synth album, and the second a conceptual orchestral album. Hoping that he uses some of his brilliant synth skills again, at least.

 

8 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Very, very few, IMO.

 

 

You don't have to rewrite or rerecord anything. You just have to choose tracks and order them in a way that makes for a great concept album.

 

Full disclosure: I love Thor and think he’s an awesome person. 

 

But I love to pick on you for this.  If Silvestri made a mistake by thinking his music works best as an 80 minute presentation, then your continuous argument that it’s about the artistic expression of the composer is BS. You just like shorter albums!

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

Shorter albums are easier to fit into my CD player! The tall ones get stuck.

[Thor 7,463]

3 hours ago, Koray Savas said:

But I love to pick on you for this.  If Silvestri made a mistake by thinking his music works best as an 80 minute presentation, then your continuous argument that it’s about the artistic expression of the composer is BS. You just like shorter albums!

 

Nope, that's a misunderstanding. I've never said that I MUST like whatever the composer has chosen to present. That would be ridiculous. All I require is that it has been re-conceptualized for listening in the first place, in order for a soundtrack to be "valid" (for me). C&C are "invalid", whether the composer has condoned it or not, as no such process has taken place. After it has been re-conceptualized, I'm free to like or dislike said presentation, just like any other consumer.

 

Thus: If a) this is not C&C, and b) Silvestri has indeed chosen this format, with some re-conteptualizing thought into how it appears as a listening experience, then it is indeed a "valid" soundtrack presentation in my book. But it doesn't mean that I must automatically agree with it, or like it.

 

But hey -- we don't know the nuts and bolts behind the presentation, and it could also very well hold up to its running time. We'll know in a few weeks.

[Pieter Boelen 740]

What if the composer did put some serious thought into it and ultimately decided that the best presentation was to exactly follow his original intentions for the film?

[Thor 7,463]

Then no re-conceptualization has taken place. Hence invalid. It's the presence of that process which is the most crucial foundation for my enjoyment of soundtrack albums (in addition to the quality of the music itself, of course). Always has been, always will be.

[Richard Penna 3,669]

But you're saying that you no longer trust the composer to do it because if they feel their work is good enough for an 80 minute release, they're wrong?

 

Apparently we're not qualified to do it either. So... who is? Every single person here could take Silvestri's 2-CD set and come up with a unique way of reconceptualising it so it plays better. Whose are you going to take?

 

I mean all of us have to do some pruning here and there, and sometimes I end up with a very Thor-like album, but the point is that I started from a point where largely more people can have a personal say over the music they want.

[Thor 7,463]

55 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

But you're saying that you no longer trust the composer to do it because if they feel their work is good enough for an 80 minute release, they're wrong?

 

It's not about being right or wrong. It's about the process itself. It needs to be there. Preferably by the person who's composed the music. If not, a seasoned producer. Once it's there, it's a finished, "valid" soundtrack album that I can evaluate (positively or negatively).

 

If the process is not there (like C&C releases), I'll either skip the release or try to make a playlist myself. But then it is just that -- a playlist, not a proper soundtrack album. Same applies for poorly structured "process soundtracks" (which READY PLAYER ONE may or may not be -- we don't know at this point).

[MedigoScan 324]

I suppose I can understand

Though I could never agree

Even worst most liked playlist gets tinkered with in my hands

[Pieter Boelen 740]

2 hours ago, Thor said:

Then no re-conceptualization has taken place. Hence invalid. It's the presence of that process which is the most crucial foundation for my enjoyment of soundtrack albums (in addition to the quality of the music itself, of course). Always has been, always will be.

So the intended order for the film is by definition not the most musically valuable one?

 

I do often think that some jumbling up can improve the listening experience.

And sometimes an album that bears no resemblance to the film order can be pretty great and sometimes even better than C&C.

 

But that all depends on the music itself. I don't think there is a "golden rule" here that is always true without exception.

[Thor 7,463]

Just now, Pieter_Boelen said:

So the intended order for the film is by definition not the most musically valuable one?

 

Correct. 95% of the time, anyway.

[Pieter Boelen 740]

Just now, Thor said:

 

Correct. 95% of the time, anyway.

Sounds fair enough.

Probably there is virtually always some improvement possible; even if it is just pruning boring tracks or excessive alternates or merging short tracks that fit together.

Sometimes I even like short alternate bits being pliced within the main program.

Definitely worthwhile to keep some creative juices flowing even after the recording sessions have finished.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

5 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Nope, that's a misunderstanding. I've never said that I MUST like whatever the composer has chosen to present. That would be ridiculous. All I require is that it has been re-conceptualized for listening in the first place, in order for a soundtrack to be "valid" (for me). C&C are "invalid", whether the composer has condoned it or not, as no such process has taken place. After it has been re-conceptualized, I'm free to like or dislike said presentation, just like any other consumer.

 

Thus: If a) this is not C&C, and b) Silvestri has indeed chosen this format, with some re-conteptualizing thought into how it appears as a listening experience, then it is indeed a "valid" soundtrack presentation in my book. But it doesn't mean that I must automatically agree with it, or like it.

 

But hey -- we don't know the nuts and bolts behind the presentation, and it could also very well hold up to its running time. We'll know in a few weeks.

This is all fine and dandy, but you’ve already said that Silvestri has made a mistake in an 80 minute presentation without hearing any of the music. You’re literally judging the album based solely on its length and not its content. Case in point... you like shorter albums

[Wojo 2,453]

C&C is only an invalid listening experience to deaf people.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

Try listening to all of Bruce Broughton's Baby Day Out and then get back to me on that. 

All 80 minutes.

 

[Wojo 2,453]

I've discovered that with Broughton, if I haven't seen the film, I don't connect with the music. In other words, I only like Tombstone. 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

All those extra cues that didn't make it on the OST are obsolete. They must never again be heard by human ears.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

3 hours ago, kaseykockroach said:

Try listening to all of Bruce Broughton's Baby Day Out and then get back to me on that. 

All 80 minutes.

 

 

I can't listen to a composer whose name I don't know how to pronounce.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

It's actually pronounced J-own Weel-lee-ams.

 

[Thor 7,463]

6 hours ago, Koray Savas said:

This is all fine and dandy, but you’ve already said that Silvestri has made a mistake in an 80 minute presentation without hearing any of the music. You’re literally judging the album based solely on its length and not its content. Case in point... you like shorter albums

 

I said most likely made a mistake (if the presentation was his idea, which we also don't know). We'll find out for sure shortly. I was a bit relieved to know it's "only" 80 minutes in total, though, as opposed to 2x80 minutes.

 

But speaking of length.....while length in and of itself isn't that relevant (the aforementioned 'process' is far more important), you are right that I generally like albums that are shorter than the duration of a whole CD. It's not accidental that most pop/rock albums hover at 40-50 minutes, and most symphonies are about 30 minutes or less. I think that's the perfect duration for a singular musical work -- to keep the audience's attention, and to be able to develop the musical ideas sufficiently, while also being succinct. There will always be exceptions, of course, but I think it requires some very special circumstances (á la Wagner, STAR WARS etc.) for a singular work to sustain interest beyond 70 minutes and beyond. I seriously doubt READY PLAYER ONE has that, but we'll find out soon.

[Richard Penna 3,669]

Aren't we only discussing this because it's spread across two CDs? We're still only getting one CD of material. That feels very reasonable for a major action film.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Why not put it on one CD then?

[Holko 9,499]

Because it's two minutes longer than the standard playtime for one CD? So rather than cutting two minutes out, they waste money on two half-filled CDs, so they can price it in a higher category.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Just break the Red Book standard. No manufacturer of CD-players in recent history has limited the playing time to 80 mins.

[Holko 9,499]

Yo can't know how many consumers still use the CD players they bought in the 90s - why buy a new one if it ain't broken yet? Now if a specialty label were to do it, It could be fine - they're doing limited quantity collectr's items for enthusiasts, it's probably safe to make the assumption the people who buy it will have the necessary tech - but a mass market OST release has to make sure everyone can play it on every player they possibly have.

 

Or an even better question - why was the standard only 78 minutes? To still keep the Double LP alive? (market it wth having more music than a CD could have)

[Wojo 2,453]

You have a CD player that's 20 years old and still works? Bravo. Mine seem to break every 7 or so. 

[Pieter Boelen 740]

Maybe it's 2 CDs because each makes for a good, unique and short presentation?

[Holko 9,499]

Just now, Woj said:

You have a CD player that's 20 years old and still works?

 

Not me, but I can imagine it.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Usually there's problems with the laser before 20 years have passed.

 

3 minutes ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

Maybe it's 2 CDs because each makes for a good, unique and short presentation?

 

Why not make it 3 CDs?

[mstrox 6,643]

I really like Elfman's recent trend of arranging an album program, and then including "bonus tracks" at the end of the CD.  He did it on Goosebumps, Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Circle, and Justice League.  Best of both worlds, IMO

[Pieter Boelen 740]

27 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Why not make it 3 CDs?

One CD per track!

The "Ready Player One: Singles Collection".

 

(Oh dear, that's open for alternate interpretation, isn't it...?)

[Thor 7,463]

Yeah, my guess is they're aiming for a double LP here -- as other have said.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Spielberg talks about working with Silvestri (at 4:10)

 

 

[rolltide1017 43]

Spielberg, in that clip, basically explains why I dislike most modern film scores these days.  They are just acoustic sound effects, lacking thematic development.  He is one of a shrinking number of directors that still appreciates character themes.  Can't wait to see RPO and listen to the OST.

[leeallen01 2,133]

Very refreshing to see an interviewer who actually is knowledgeable and appreciative of film music. But when Spielberg was explaining it, those two actors looked like he was speaking an alien language though.