Lost

[crocodile 7,984]

Well, Giacchino music consists of several small motifs that (hopefully) will be developed throughout the course of the show. It's somehow similar to the Shore's thematic development in LOTR or at least it appears to be so. The difference is that it isn't very melodic.

I'm not a big fan of LOST score on album, but it's interesting to say the least. Maybe not from the clearly muscial point of view, but more because of the orchestrations (he does them all by himself!), which raise Giacchino's work slightly above avarage thriller scoring. I love this dirty LOST sound in suspense tracks! But otherwise it's pretty standard. And it kicks ass in the show itself!

Karol

[Vaderbait1 1]

Yeah, it's definitely effective in the show, I've just heard of so many fans of the music and I just don't quite understand the fascination with it as a stand-alone.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

You sound like an IMDBer. They're called themes.

- Marc, who will be getting this.

[Vaderbait1 1]

I've never noticed themes though. The best description I can use is "stock music". I suppose they are themes, but they're so subtle and they don't represent anything other than vague "good" or "bad" and can be used interchangeably in different situations, I'd rather call them stock music.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Several characters have their own theme. Off the top of my head:

- Locke

- Charlie (MIA on the first soundtrack release)

- Claire

Then there's the main theme, which can be heard over the Pilot's credit sequence, a mystery motif (again MIA on vol. 1), a theme for the hatch in season 1.

And there are plenty of incidental cues. I'm talking about stuff like Parting Words, I Have a Plane to Catch and Navel Gazing (although this last one is really a reworking of the main theme).

Have you even heard this music outside the show?

[crocodile 7,984]

Then there's the main theme, which can be heard over the Pilot's credit sequence, a mystery motif (again MIA on vol. 1), a theme for the hatch in season 1.

I really enjoy the moment when this main theme, as you call it, joins the life/death theme in the finale track of the first season. It's a great moment IMO.

Karol

[ridan 0]

I think the greatest bit in the first season is either Locke's theme from Deus Ex Machina, or the 'Raft theme' in "Parting Words." Some of the most powerful music I've heard from...anything...

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Locke's theme worked even better in its first presentation: the finale of Walkabout. I'm not sure how much the music was really different, but the visuals and the sound design on that scene really helped.

- Marc, who'd rank Walkabout as his all-time favorite episode of Lost.

[Miz 139]

I've never noticed themes though.  The best description I can use is "stock music".  I suppose they are themes, but they're so subtle and they don't represent anything other than vague "good" or "bad" and can be used interchangeably in different situations, I'd rather call them stock music.

I'm afraid you've not listened hard enough. I've had copies of every Lost episode as they came, plus the album, and as an overly-dedicated fan I've found and loved all the subtleties of his music and soundscapes. SPOILERS ahead.

There's Jacks's theme, understated and piano-based, scoring the life/death montage when Aaron is born and the last episode's close before looking down the hatch. There's the three-note-based 'main' theme, attached to nobody in particular, and heard as counterpoint in the last example and plenty elsewhere early in series 1. Locke's struggle theme, heard best in Walkabout and Deus Ex Machina, and his minimalist 'tracker' motif first heard when he addresses himself to the survivors. Kate's 'theme' is an unsettling descending string affair, heard in most of her flashbacks, Hurley has no particular theme but a music design attributed to his antics in his series 1 episode, with simple almost Spanish-flavoured guitar springs and punctuations, which turn to an ambiguous, almost ethereal ambience during his 'revelation' in Dave. There's the unforgettable raft theme, exemplified in Parting Words and hinted at until it's released beautifully again when the rafters return. The monster even has a basic motif, heard in the tracks Run Away and Monsters Are.... Now series 2 has presented the Others' theme, with its queer rising and falling, heard when Michael enters their camp and Henry's boat arrives.

All these motifs cannot be considered stock music - there are many unique pieces throughtout both series that show no such use of any themes but remain superb. Likewise, having such a unique non-diagetic instrumental soundscape, Lost is guilty of some stock music, particularly the flaring, scattered strings whenever running through the jungle under duress. I can forgive Giacchino that, and look forward to the next album.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

There's Jacks's theme, understated and piano-based, scoring the life/death montage when Aaron is born and the last episode's close before looking down the hatch.

Who came up with that theme being Jack's? I think it's some sort of "ultimate destiny" theme - it is played when people die (Boone, Libby and, I think, the Marshall?), which to me is the ultimate fulfillment of one's destiny. It would explain why it's played in the closing scene of season 1, with everyone in the plane.

-Ross, who thought it was downright cruel to show Boone in flashbacks after he had so painfully kicked it.

EDIT: Oh, and...

All these motifs cannot be considered stock music - there are many unique pieces throughtout both series that show no such use of any themes but remain superb. Likewise, having such a unique non-diagetic instrumental soundscape, Lost is guilty of some stock music, particularly the flaring, scattered strings whenever running through the jungle under duress. I can forgive Giacchino that, and look forward to the next album.

Amen, brotha!

[Morlock 11]

I know I'm about two years behind everyone here, but only recently I started watching the first season (A big thanks to Ross for finally convincing me! 8O). I just wanted to comment that I finished the 17th episode, Numbers, Hurley's episode, and I thought it was the best after Walkabout. A terrific episode. I was begining to wonder if they'd ever get to Hurley.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

(A big thanks to Ross for finally convincing me!)

Don't thank me. We're all a team.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I'm already gearing up for season 3 somewhat. I saw a sneak peek today, and it looks like we're in for more mysterious craziness. Yay!

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I'm also much behind everybody , it's second season going(three episodes) here in my country.

That's why I can't read all the posts in this thread(spoilers)

I loved the first season(I bought complete 1. season DVD as a gift for my wife ,just

to watch it again by myself 8O ), best thing ever happened on television.

I'm not the biggest fan of Giacchino but in Lost his music is absolutely fabulous.

Very soft and simple (almost minimalistic sometimes) toucht,works perfectly.

I hope the new seasons to come , are as good as the first one was...

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Fine, so we're not discussing the season three opener in here, are we? I mean, people? Just the opening 5 minutes of the episode?

[Ollie 1,059]

I'm on to Episode 2 of season III.

My biggest fear is this show is taking it's time to drag the plot along and then the ratings will get low and they'll decide to cancel/end the show and wrap everything up too quickly.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah, like the X-Files.

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

I'm on to Episode 2 of season III.

My biggest fear is this show is taking it's time to drag the plot along and then the ratings will get low and they'll decide to cancel/end the show and wrap everything up too quickly.

Isnt already a limited season number planned and a movie to finish it?

[crocodile 7,984]

They said that there will be 4 or 5 seasons and that they don't have ideas for more.

I saw first episode and it was okay. Nothing extraordinary or terribly exciting, maybe outside of the opening scene.

Karol

[futuremartymcfly 0]

Well, I found yesterdays episode an improvement over last weeks, but once again next week looks even better.

[QMM 4]

They said that there will be 4 or 5 seasons and that they don't have ideas for more.

Producers have said they have the material to end it in 5 seasons (they could go longer) but they don't know how ABC feels.

Also

OMG the Red Sox won the series

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

Well, I've just caught up with Season 3, so here I am. The truly great thing about Lost, as far as I'm concerned, is the fact that (at least at the beginning) it's 99% character-based. The whole first season really seems to be about why the characters act the way they do. Season 2 still focuses on that a lot, though of course there's more plot to be covered as well.

Things I like about the score: The friendship motif (that's what I call it... it might be a character motif, perhaps for Charlie, though it seemed to be more general to me) is lovely. Mostly on piano in season 1, though it returns in the last few episodes of season 2 with some nice orchestral arrangements. I also dig the Philip Glass-like chord progressions that have appeared since season 2. And the S3 opener suggests to me that Giacchino listened to Goldsmith's POTA.

As for season 3... interesting. Of course, it starts in the same nerve-testing way season 2 did. We've had all those cliffhangers (though I found those from season 1 better), and yet they take the time to resolve them one by one, character by character, over the course of multiple episodes. Not that that's a bad thing, it was just easier to deal with when I watched S2 (since I did that when it came out on DVD, and I wasn't limited to one episode per week).

*** SEASON 2 SPOILERS ***

Oh, and one more thing about Season 2. After two Ana-Lucia and Eko episode each (iirc), I started thinking that there had to be some really evil flashback bit about Libby (since they'd put those off for so long). Then came that Hurley flashback, and I thought "I knew something like this would happen". Then she got shot, and I was utterly confused. Anway, I hope that flashback wasn't just a "joke" - that would be rather stupid. (Funny though it was, I found Numbers had too much humour for this series... my single complaint about S1 as far as I remember).

And why did none of the characters figure out that 4+8+15+16+23+42=108? When someone (Locke? I don't remember) nearly mis-typed the sequence, I thought they'd find out, but then he corrected it, and now they've blown up the whole thing... I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

*** END SEASON 2 SPOILERS ***

Marian - anxiously awaiting the return of Locke.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Fine, so we're not discussing the season three opener in here, are we? I mean, people? Just the opening 5 minutes of the episode?

Ofcourse you are , please go on. We "retarded" ones just will skip the biggest spoilers...

[Vaderbait1 1]

It's safe to talk about the opener now, the episode aired two weeks ago.

Anyways, I like how the show develops. So far, each season brings a totally new aspect.

The first one focused on the castaways and it seemed the show would never reveal the others and remain a mystery focused on them.

Season two came along and showed us that there are other people to focus on.

Season three seems to show us A LOT about the Others, yet again changing the focus.

When Lost first came out, most people didn't think it would last long simply because the storylines would run out. Even I was guilty of this. But they've renewed the show each season in a different way that I can see this going the 5 or 6 seasons the Producers expect.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

*** SEASON 2 SPOILERS ***

And why did none of the characters figure out that 4+8+15+16+23+42=108? When someone (Locke? I don't remember) nearly mis-typed the sequence, I thought they'd find out, but then he corrected it, and now they've blown up the whole thing... I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

*** END SEASON 2 SPOILERS ***

More S2 Spoilers!:

What I found even weirder was that in Orientation (203), Jack and Locke have a big discussion about whether or not anything will happen when the counter reaches 0. And Desmond is standing right next to them! Rather convenient that he doesn't say anything about the time the counter reached 0 and the whole bunker nearly collapsed into itself... (see Live Together, Die Alone (223))

[futuremartymcfly 0]

Well, Desmond seemed to have completely forgot about that seemingly traumatic part of his life even in the Season Finale, where he goes right along with Locke's expirement. Must be the alcohol.

[Ollie 1,059]

next week we find out what happened to Locke, Ecko and Desmond.

Of course the previews show what happens so there really is no suprise.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

They stuble onto the cast of The Village?

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

Luckily, the downloads don't contain previews, so I'm unspoiled.

Marian - who thinks Lost spoilers are evil.

[crocodile 7,984]

Am I wrong or the first six episodes of the third season are supposed to be a mini-series of sorts (and after that there will be a couple of months of hiatus)?

BTW Hurley's Handouts cue kicks ass. It's easily the most enjoyable track from either album.

Karol

[QMM 4]

Am I wrong or the first six episodes of the third season are supposed to be a mini-series of sorts (and after that there will be a couple of months of hiatus)?

Nope

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Am I wrong or the first six episodes of the third season are supposed to be a mini-series of sorts (and after that there will be a couple of months of hiatus)?

Nope

By which of course you mean, "no, you are not wrong."

[crocodile 7,984]

I checked this and I wasn't wrong. For once.

Karol

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

What? Four more episodes, and then nothing for a few months?

[futuremartymcfly 0]

And then 16 or so straight episodes without repeats... and then nothing for months.

[crocodile 7,984]

Yeah, exactly.

Here's a clip about the 2 month hiatus:

http://www.greatlink.org/dcisV2.asp?url=ht...m.asp?item=5448

And here's a mention on a mini-series approach for the first six episodes:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=15614

And finally the schedule for season 3 (for US):

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/unions/forum...5&union_id=3268

Karol

[Ollie 1,059]

Yes by the time the first 6 episodes are over it's the holiday season and most shows usually go into reruns anyways or show their Christmas episodes.

[futuremartymcfly 0]

According to Ben/Henry, Lost might just be due for a christmas special next season.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

It's the Lost Holiday Special!

Michael and Jin are on their way to Korea to celebrate the national holiday of Life Day, but are pursued by the evil Others!

Meanwhile, Jack wears way too much make-up, and Kate sings some silly song.

Don't miss it!

Dun dun dun!

[Ollie 1,059]

Ugh, this show is driving me crazy!!!!!

Spoilers (Hi-Lite)

I can't believe they killed Mr. Eko off. The Dark Smoke/Cloud monster brutally beat him to death.

He died by Locke's side telling him they were next.

There seems to be a power struggle or something odd between Henry & Juliet from The Others. I don't trust her, especially after she held a gun to Kate's head and Sawyer told Kate there's no doubt Juliet would have killed her. I think there is a possibility Henry is going to be a "good" guy.

It looks like there is another occupant in one of the Island's six bunkers, a one-eyed man.

Next week is the fall finale until after Christmas.

[crocodile 7,984]

Until February 7. It's exactly a three month gap.

I will probably see it in a few days, but already know what happened. I wonder what's the "big twist" next week...

Karol

[David Coscina 3]

Ugh, this show is driving me crazy!!!!!

You and me both Mark! Hi-Lite for spoilers:

I was very upset that they killed off Mr. Eko as well. But when he was attacked by the Polar Bear last week, I figured they had him marked for expulsion from the show. Pity because I thought he was an interesting character. But the show is becoming too convoluted with all these new characters so I guess they had to make room. And he might come back as a ghost.

My feeling is that Jack and Kate will be the final survivors of the show.

My personal thinking about the show is that the Darma Initiative was set up as a scientific experiment but came into odds with some malevolant supernatural force on the island. I don't think there's one explanation as to what is happening. The black cloud and the spirits/apparitions don't jive with the Others IMO.

[crocodile 7,984]

Highlight to read:

Too bad that they kill all the new characters. They don't have time to establish themselves properly and tension is not as high as if they killed someone from "oldies losties" like Jack or Locke. I liked Eco BTW.

Karol, who thinks that these blank posts are hilarious.

[Ollie 1,059]

Spoilers hi-lite:

I thought the black cloud was a defense mechanism at first but now I'm beginning to think the Island may be "Alive" or the Darma Initiative has tampered with science to an extent where they created a monster, so to speak.

Over the summer the numbers were revealed to be a code for the destruction of mankind, or something to that effect. I wonder if The Others are working to stop it or planning to be the sole survivors.

Plus we haven't even gotten to Desmond's girlfriend from last year's season finale.

It looks like Micheal and Walt are gone from the show, did they make it to safety? are they brainwashed from giving the location? do they know the whole story?

[crocodile 7,984]

Do you visit LostPedia.com? It is updated every week and there are many theories listed. I recommend it, it's very informative.

Karol

[Ollie 1,059]

I'll have to check it out.

[futuremartymcfly 0]

Something I still don't get. Why was Ecko in Australia?

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

It looks like Micheal and Walt are gone from the show' date=' did they make it to safety? are they brainwashed from giving the location? do they know the whole story?[/color']

I assure you, they will return later this season.

Pity about Eko, really. My favorite new character from season 2.

Something I still don't get. Why was Ecko in Australia?

It was explained in ? (2x21). I suggest you watch it again.

[Red 75]

I am also mad/sad about Eko. He was one of my favorite characters and now that he's gone, all of the "new survivors" who were introduced in season two are gone. I think that they should have axed one of the original survivors, because there would have been more emotional weight to their deaths and frankly, because they've been fleshed out more.

Rabbit--who doesn't do blank posts

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Rabbit--who doesn't do blank posts

Please do.