Composer Threads The Official Michael Giacchino Thread

[Jay 37,287]

No one has any comments?

[Jonesy 55]

Seems a compilation of MoH music. But sounds different.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

Ya know what he should do more of? Small movies. Goldsmith and Horner did/do a ton, even Williams has his fair share, but Giacchino's largely doing big summer movies or CGI-fests (not that there's a huge problem with either). And since he's said he'll mainly work with friends/Pixar at this point, that's all he'll be doing for a while. Family Stone and 50/50 are the only ones that really come to mind, but it might not be a bad idea to vary his workload a little and do something that isn't action-adventure-sci-fi.

Just thinking out loud, of course. I like his big scores as much as anyone.

[KK 3,307]

Bingo. Although I'd like to see Giacchino do more films that provoke more dramatic scores. We haven't really heard much of his more mature, dramatic scoring yet. Give the guy some serious, Oscar-bait film. I would be very interested in the results. As it is, I'm not on board with the whole "Giacchino is the next Williams"/"Giacchino is the saviour of all film music" concept yet, I might even dare say its he might be a tad bit overrated in that sense. But I really do like the guy and I'd just like to see his style mature more. That and get rid of Dan Walin...

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

New Michael Giacchino music!!

https://www.extremem...com/#album/2233

i dont hear differences from the moh trakcs...

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Bingo. Although I'd like to see Giacchino do more films that provoke more dramatic scores. We haven't really heard much of his more mature, dramatic scoring yet. Give the guy some serious, Oscar-bait film. I would be very interested in the results. As it is, I'm not on board with the whole "Giacchino is the next Williams"/"Giacchino is the saviour of all film music" concept yet, I might even dare say its he might be a tad bit overrated in that sense. But I really do like the guy and I'd just like to see his style mature more. That and get rid of Dan Walin...

He's done a fair share of drama. Of course parts of Up, Super 8, and Star Trek like "Married Life," "Letting Go" and "Labor Of Love," and then there's a little bit of M:i:III. LOST is Oscar-worthy music. A straight drama from him would probably just sound like Earth Days.

New Michael Giacchino music!!

https://www.extremem...com/#album/2233

i dont hear differences from the moh trakcs...

There is no difference.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

Bingo. Although I'd like to see Giacchino do more films that provoke more dramatic scores. We haven't really heard much of his more mature, dramatic scoring yet. Give the guy some serious, Oscar-bait film. I would be very interested in the results. As it is, I'm not on board with the whole "Giacchino is the next Williams"/"Giacchino is the saviour of all film music" concept yet, I might even dare say its he might be a tad bit overrated in that sense. But I really do like the guy and I'd just like to see his style mature more. That and get rid of Dan Walin...

He's done a fair share of drama. Of course parts of Up, Super 8, and Star Trek like "Married Life," "Letting Go" and "Labor Of Love," and then there's a little bit of M:i:III. LOST is Oscar-worthy music. A straight drama from him would probably just sound like Earth Days.

Those are drama scenes in action/adventure/sci-fi movies, not really what K.K. and I are talking about. He's got a ton of crowd-pleasing scores out there (everything you've just named), but he doesn't really have a Monsignor, or a Nixon, or even a Witches of Eastwick in his oeuvre. I'd love to hear Giacchino tackle a dark, weighty drama like Nixon, if only because he's never really done anything like that.

[Jay 37,287]

Let Me In is what you're looking for.

[KK 3,307]

Let Me In was horror, and the score was interesting. I'd like him to try more films like that. Like Miles said, give him some weighty drama like Nixon. Something beyond the blockbuster crowd-pleasers. I would like to hear the results.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

I didn't realize Nixon was a horror film with child vampires.

Seriously though, Let Me In definitely has its moments, and I'd like to hear more of his horror sound too. But again, I'd like to see what Giacchino could do with grandiose drama.

EDIT: Way to make me look redundant, K.K.!

[Jay 37,287]

I just meant Let Me In was an intimate score, not a crowdpleaser score.

I agree he has not really done any straight up drama scoring yet. Would be nice if he found one to do while he brewed the Star Trek 12 score in the back of his mind. The drama score in the forefront could end up influencing the later sci fi blockbuster score in a positive way

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Earth Days is what you're looking for.

[KK 3,307]

EDIT: Way to make me look redundant, K.K.!

Anytime pal, anytime!

[Jay 37,287]

Earth Days is what you're looking for.

Oh yea, I always forget about that score! I've still never heard it.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91p700timUw

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

So, I'll be going to this tonight.

Now to pick which CD to get signed...

[Jonesy 55]

Composer Michael Giacchino Talks 'Trek', Manipulation, Work & More

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

back in January, he told me he was taking the entire year off after a lot of work

i think he maybe taking a sabbatical. he did it in 2009 i think with too many scores in a year.

told ya!

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

One of Giacchino's first ever published musical works:

[KK 3,307]

Nice to hear a midi version of "The Radar Train"

[Cantus Venti 13]

I hear people talk and I listened, but his score sounded senseless and dry. What is the best melody he's written? I'll give another try.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Nice to hear a midi version of "The Radar Train"

It actually is!

I hear people talk and I listened, but his score sounded senseless and dry. What is the best melody he's written? I'll give another try.

Is that rhyme intentional? Also what score did you listen to?

[Faleel 5,340]

I hear people talk and I listened, but his score sounded senseless and dry. What is the best melody he's written? I'll give another try.

Try "Up".

(and all his scores are recorded dry, and closely miked, blame Dan Wallin)

[Cantus Venti 13]

I hear people talk and I listened, but his score sounded senseless and dry. What is the best melody he's written? I'll give another try.

Try "Up".

(and all his scores are recorded dry, and closely miked, blame Dan Wallin)

I meant moreso "emotionally" dry, lacking imagination.

I listened to Up again and it doesn't sound too special or original, if you don't mind me saying. It sounds like a typical, sort of plain score you could hear in the 20th century. But then again, I suppose that's valued more than many scores these days.

Is that rhyme intentional? Also what score did you listen to?

I'm not sure. I think one I listened to was The Incredibles and I remember it sounding very spineless and senseless in it's application.

Anyway, don't mind my critiques--they're of subjective taste. I'm just curious if he wrote anything truly notable or just actually 'developed' scores.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yeah not gonna even bother.

[TimCox 0]

I'm, personally, a Giacchino fan. The next Williams? Time will tell but I don't think so. He has some amazing work and Super 8 is definitely a thing of beauty (IMO).

I do think he needs to work with a different producer because his scores have that close mic'd almost big band sound (regardless of style). The brass section generally comes off less powerful without a nice room mic, but that's the engineer side of me coming out

[Jay 37,287]

No you're right. We complain about the recording of Giacchino's scores by Wallin on this board all the time

[TimCox 0]

I feel like Super 8 came CLOSE but it just falls short of carrying that "oh-so-Williams" punch that a great room can give you. And I wish he'd work with a better orchestra. Don't get me wrong, the Hollywood Studio Symphony guys he works with are great, but they're so robotic sometimes.

[Faleel 5,340]

And I wish he'd work with a better orchestra. Don't get me wrong, the Hollywood Studio Symphony guys he works with are great, but they're so robotic sometimes.

Are they not the same orchestra Williams uses? (atleast for KOTCS?)

[TimCox 0]

I thought Williams used the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra as opposed to the Hollywood Studio Symphony?

[Ollie 1,059]

They're all the same.

Yeah not gonna even bother.

Yep.

[KK 3,307]

Nice to hear a midi version of "The Radar Train"

It actually is!

I thought it was hilarious. I suppose it just goes to show how awesome midi stuff can sound like when they're translated to an orchestral setting.

[Cantus Venti 13]

The next Williams?

I think a lot of Williams fans want there to be a new Williams, a prolific genius to follow the rest of their lifetime. It's the law of fashion, "what's happening now is the real deal." I personally don't follow because I know how unmatched John Williams is going to be.

I'm still open to listening to anything from Giacchino if you think it's good, just send me a link.

[TimCox 0]

I want to reiterate that no, I don't think he's the next Williams or is going to be. If anything, referring to someone as such is a nod to Williams as the gold standard for film composers (like The Beatles with rock bands).

What I've noticed with Giacchino scores is that you really have to have seen the movie to feel the emotion in the music, which is something that's not necessarily true for Williams. I listened to the score for The Terminal before I ever watched it and could feel what was happening in alot of it.

I do think one of Giacchino's shining moments was "Letting Go" from the Super 8 Soundtrack. It's a lovely cue and, when you know the context of the scene, an incredibly touching moment highlighted by the music. Like anything of his it is stunted, to me anyway, by the inadequate recording of the orchestra :/

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I meant moreso "emotionally" dry, lacking imagination.

I listened to Up again and it doesn't sound too special or original, if you don't mind me saying. It sounds like a typical, sort of plain score you could hear in the 20th century. But then again, I suppose that's valued more than many scores these days.

.

This is basically how I feel about Gia.

His music is technically adequate, supports the films or tv series well. But its lacking "something".

[KK 3,307]

I've felt that "lacking" in a lot of his recent scores. The first 3 Meal of Honor scores (or maybe just the first one) are the only works of his that I truly love. The rest of his career has great stuff here and there, but no full score that I came out wholly satisfied with.

[crocodile 7,984]

I have to admit I have a problem with the first two MOH scores. Enjoyable, sure. But they don't serve their games well, I think. Instead of doing justice to the subject, Giacchino went oll "yupiee, let's kill some Germans, swashbuckling cartoon style". i know might be part of the concept, but they sound more like a Soviet propaganda film music (as written at the time by the likes of Shostakovich) and that makes it all feel a bit silly. He corrected that in the other two, where there is more weight to everything and thus it makes for a much more powerful and dramatic experience.

Karol

[KK 3,307]

Perhaps, but it makes for great music to listen to!

[Brónach 1,301]

Sometimes they just remind me a lot of Last Crusade and I like them for that.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I have to admit I have a problem with the first two MOH scores. Enjoyable, sure. But they don't serve their games well, I think. Instead of doing justice to the subject, Giacchino went oll "yupiee, let's kill some Germans, swashbuckling cartoon style". i know might be part of the concept, but they sound more like a Soviet propaganda film music (as written at the time by the likes of Shostakovich) and that makes it all feel a bit silly. He corrected that in the other two, where there is more weight to everything and thus it makes for a much more powerful and dramatic experience.

Karol

You obviously never played the games. That's exactly what it's like. "Let's kill some Germans!" Did you know you could toss a frag at a Bismarck and it'd pick it up and return it to its master? It you ever ventured into local multiplayer you'd discover characters such as Rosie (yes, O'Donnell), Steven (not Spielberg, a raptor), Bismarck the dog (yes, standing on two feet), and the Nutcracker.

The original MOH is my favorite Giacchino score after LOST. It's perfect.

[crocodile 7,984]

I have to admit I have a problem with the first two MOH scores. Enjoyable, sure. But they don't serve their games well, I think. Instead of doing justice to the subject, Giacchino went oll "yupiee, let's kill some Germans, swashbuckling cartoon style". i know might be part of the concept, but they sound more like a Soviet propaganda film music (as written at the time by the likes of Shostakovich) and that makes it all feel a bit silly. He corrected that in the other two, where there is more weight to everything and thus it makes for a much more powerful and dramatic experience.

Karol

You obviously never played the games. That's exactly what it's like. "Let's kill some Germans!" Did you know you could toss a frag at a Bismarck and it'd pick it up and return it to its master? It you ever ventured into local multiplayer you'd discover characters such as Rosie (yes, O'Donnell), Steven (not Spielberg, a raptor), Bismarck the dog (yes, standing on two feet), and the Nutcracker.

That's all fine, but I just have an ethical problem with making things "fun" like that. I went to a toy store the other day and it's hard to find a toy for boys that isn't a weapon of some sort. It's just wrong...

Karol

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Well go and muse about violence in America, it's not Giacchino's fault killing Nazis in video games is fun

[crocodile 7,984]

Maybe, but his last two scores are better.

And I'm not talking specifically about America.

Karol

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I know I was just speaking generally as it's a big topic these days with all the shootings.

[crocodile 7,984]

Speaking of strong reactions to violence and how it relates to fiction, have you seen this interview with Tarantino?

http://www.channel4....tion_ref_map=[]

Not sure what to think of it, but it's well worth a watch.

Karol

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I saw someone (I think Charlie actually) post it on Facebook but had not yet watched. Just did now. I can't help but laugh with QT. He's a very cinematic, extravagant director. His films are almost always fantastical in terms of their realism. I understand what the interviewer was trying to do, but I don't blame Tarantino for refusing to discuss it.

[KK 3,307]

That interview to be hilarious. Tarantino can be a bit excessive in his interviews, but heck they're entertaining to watch.

[Jay 37,287]

Apparently the new Star Trek game coming out will have an original orchestral score by Giacchino!!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/preview--new-‘star-trek’-game-serves-as-official-bridge-between-films-035914361.html

[Jonesy 55]

Great!

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Apparently the new Star Trek game coming out will have an original orchestral score by Giacchino!!!!

http://news.yahoo.co...-035914361.html

Now you know what Michael was doing in 2012.