Failed and/or awkward scoring choices

[Sandor 918]

Recently, I watched Powder with my wife.

I really enjoyed Jerry Goldsmith's score, although I feel he relied a bit too much on the main theme for the film.

There is one scene however where I feel Goldsmith completely missed the mark and I wonder if anyone could explain his odd and questionable choice.

The scene I'm talking about starts at 1:25:00.

Powder is observing a guy undressing. The point in the movie is that he envies the skin of a 'normal' person.

Jerry's scoring makes it look like it's setting up for gay porn..! Because Jerry uses the principal theme of the film which is quite romantic in nature, he gives the scene a homo-erotic touch to it.

My wife asked me: 'What's going on now?' She thought the film would take an unexpected turn at this point. The scene would have been much more effective without any music in my opinion.

So I say: failed scoring by Goldsmith. You guys probably see it as a stroke of genius.

http://youtu.be/QHh1108IRGU

[Luke Skywalker 2,384]

I dont think it's Goldsmith's fault. I have not seen the film, just the scene you mentioned now, at it looks like the protagonist has some homosexual feelings. It could have been avoided if the other guy didnt look like one of those covers for erotic novels. and what he does with the wet towel and that...

so i think its the fault of the director-writer and Goldsmith scored what he saw.

If they wanted to show the protragonist to be envious of normal skin...there could have been better ways to show it...

[Pieter Boelen 1,032]

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, "The Kraken" sequence. The "modern-y" approach in the first film was already controversial, but I found the result still quite entertaining.

However, in this instance the music is SO decidedly modern hard-rock style that I'm completely forced out of the film.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

A lot of scenes in Minority Report are borderline string Mickey Mousing when they should be broader strokes.

"So Awks" as kids today say!

[Wojo 2,458]

It took two posts to start bashing Pirates. Too slow.

[Incanus 5,890]

It took one post for Goldsmith and 4 posts before JW bashing began. Too slow.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

I'm still waiting to be bashed on my Minority Report call. TOO SLOW.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

so i think its the fault of the director-writer and Goldsmith scored what he saw.

The director of Powder, Victor Salva was convicted for child molestation, and videotaped his acts with a 12 year old boy.

Any (homo) sexual undertone in that scene was probably intended by it's direcor. And Jerry didnt get it wrong then.

[Pieter Boelen 1,032]

It took two posts to start bashing Pirates. Too slow.

I technically only bashed the one part of DMC. I used to like the score to CotBP VERY much. Then I heard Cutthroat Island and that all changed.

[JoeinAR 1,957]

I'm still waiting to be bashed on my Minority Report call. TOO SLOW.

that's because nobody ever listens to it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

I zone out during it.

Noughties JW has soo many misfires!

[Ollie 1,375]

The slide whistle in Man With The Golden Gun.

The guitar in Chase Thru Courascant.

Theme from Lawrence of Arabia in The Spy Who Loved Me

Theme from The Magnificent Seven in Moonraker

[Jay 46,244]

The guitar in Chase Thru Courascant.

I love that!

[JoeinAR 1,957]

The slide whistle in Man With The Golden Gun.

The guitar in Chase Thru Courascant.

Theme from Lawrence of Arabia in The Spy Who Loved Me

Theme from The Magnificent Seven in Moonraker

love that piece.

[Jilal 681]

The guitar in Chase Thru Courascant.

I love that!

Me too. Personally, I think it really fits the futuristic design of Coruscant. It adds a little modern flavour to the music.

[Datameister 2,586]

The first time I heard it on the album was a big "WTF" moment for me. I've since grown to enjoy it, though.

Keeping it in the realm of the prequel scores, I was severely disappointed by the way Williams handled the segue into the ROTS end credits. I've kinda gotten used to it over the years, but I still think it was a very poor musical choice. Using the Force theme for the final scene and using the standard end credits fanfare both made perfect sense, but the way Williams transitioned between them is soooooooo unsatisfying, especially as the end of (what at the time was going to be) the last Star Wars film. It needed an authentic cadence or something to give it that real weight and finality. Instead, it just modulates awkwardly, leaving me thinking, Wait...that's it?

Fortunately, there are four other Star Wars scores that segue into the credits in the most sublime ways. ROTJ kinda got shafted, too...twice...20 years apart. What is it with Williams' credits segues on Star Wars episodes that are multiples of 3?

[Damien F 2,079]

The entire score for The Informant! was a real WTF moment for me in the theatre.

[ShowUStheHOOK 8]

The Other Boleyn Girl. The movie has a very period piece look to it, yet the score is waaaaaaaaaaay to modern. Not just one scene, but the whole choice of musical style was a mis fire there.

[Jay 46,244]

The first time I heard it on the album was a big "WTF" moment for me. I've since grown to enjoy it, though.

Keeping it in the realm of the prequel scores, I was severely disappointed by the way Williams handled the segue into the ROTS end credits. I've kinda gotten used to it over the years, but I still think it was a very poor musical choice. Using the Force theme for the final scene and using the standard end credits fanfare both made perfect sense, but the way Williams transitioned between them is soooooooo unsatisfying, especially as the end of (what at the time was going to be) the last Star Wars film. It needed an authentic cadence or something to give it that real weight and finality. Instead, it just modulates awkwardly, leaving me thinking, Wait...that's it?

Fortunately, there are four other Star Wars scores that segue into the credits in the most sublime ways. ROTJ kinda got shafted, too...twice...20 years apart. What is it with Williams' credits segues on Star Wars episodes that are multiples of 3?

With ROTJ, I think it's just really hard to segue from a half-source cue with choir into that end credits fanfare.... though honestly I've never really minded it (Never really thought about it before, either). The ROTJ SE version though... I mean, it doesn't even segue at all, it just stops then the end credits starts, it's awful! They tried to overlap them in the film itself, but it doesn't work.... like Williams forgot to end the new piece in the same key as the End Credits starts, or something.

[filmmusic 3,269]

One scene that i remember thinking that had very unfortunate scoring was from Mission to Mars by Morricone.

I don't remember which piece is in the soundtrack, but i remember it was a very tense scene and it had been scored in counterpoint by some slow organ music..

edit: Oh, i think i found it: Towards the unknown

[publicist 4,650]

I always liked that piece. Because it was special.

[A24 5,156]

The Other Boleyn Girl. The movie has a very period piece look to it, yet the score is waaaaaaaaaaay to modern. Not just one scene, but the whole choice of musical style was a mis fire there.

Surely you mean Coppola's Marie Antoinette?

[crocodile 9,724]

That one cue from A.I. when the parents are arguing over whether to keep David or not. I've never witnessed Williams being as out of touch with the picture as in this case.

I always liked that piece. Because it was special.

I do as well!

Karol

[Naïve Old Fart 13,023]

A lot of scenes in Minority Report are borderline string Mickey Mousing when they should be broader strokes.

"So Awks" as kids today say!

Like what scenes, Blume? "Everybody Runs!", and "Anderton's Great Escape" are brilliant pieces, even if the latter is messed-up at the end.

"Totes amazeballs", as kids today say!

[Datameister 2,586]

With ROTJ, I think it's just really hard to segue from a half-source cue with choir into that end credits fanfare.... though honestly I've never really minded it (Never really thought about it before, either). The ROTJ SE version though... I mean, it doesn't even segue at all, it just stops then the end credits starts, it's awful! They tried to overlap them in the film itself, but it doesn't work.... like Williams forgot to end the new piece in the same key as the End Credits starts, or something.

I think it could have been done, even with the choir and the quasi-diegetic nature of the original cue. That's why it confuses me so much that Williams didn't pull it off. I also wonder what happened with the SE version - I wonder whether the segue was his intention or not. Either way, fail.

[Ollie 1,375]

The slide whistle in Man With The Golden Gun.

The guitar in Chase Thru Courascant.

Theme from Lawrence of Arabia in The Spy Who Loved Me

Theme from The Magnificent Seven in Moonraker

love that piece.

I love the theme too, it just doesn't belong in a James Bond film.

[A24 5,156]

That one cue from A.I. when the parents are arguing over whether to keep David or not. I've never witnessed Williams being as out of touch with the picture as in this case.

What cue is that? And why is Williams off the mark?

[TheUlyssesian 2,745]

Zimmer's entire carrer.

[crocodile 9,724]

That one cue from A.I. when the parents are arguing over whether to keep David or not. I've never witnessed Williams being as out of touch with the picture as in this case.

What cue is that? And why is Williams off the mark?

It's not on the album.

Karol

[A24 5,156]

Damn! But still, why is Williams not in touch? So they are discussing whether they will keep the robot or not. What is Williams doing with this scene? And what makes you think he didn't get it?

[crocodile 9,724]

You have two character having an emotonal argument. Involves some ethical subjects. And yet the music is sweet and romantic even, almost like something from Stepmom or The Terminal. Very jarring and completely ruins the scene.

Karol

[A24 5,156]

Sounds jarring indeed. Why didn't Spielberg notice this? If I was the director, I would say, "That sounds really nice and interesting, John, but it's not what I'm after in this scene".

[chuck 155]

"Cause at that point, Spielberg is just kissing JW's ass.

[Matt C 605]

Jablonsky using Zack Hemsey's "Mind Heist" (without proper credit) to terrible effect in Transformers: Dark of the Moon's battle royale. Even I could tell the temp-track influences there.

[Sharkissimo 1,978]

You have two character having an emotonal argument. Involves some ethical subjects. And yet the music is sweet and romantic even, almost like something from Stepmom or The Terminal.

Nothing wrong about that. Great example of dramatic counter-point.

[crocodile 9,724]

Or a bad example of dramatic counter-point.

Karol

[MSM 194]

The Other Boleyn Girl. The movie has a very period piece look to it, yet the score is waaaaaaaaaaay to modern. Not just one scene, but the whole choice of musical style was a mis fire there.

Surely you mean Coppola's Marie Antoinette?

That one wasn't as bad as everyone says.

I often find scenes are underscored, in the sense that there's no music where there should have been. Almost never with Williams though. Some composers have different choices for spotting.

[Once 1,083]

Or directors.

[MSM 194]

Or directors.

Yes, of course it's the combination of them.

[Trent B 354]

The guitar in Chase Thru Courascant.

I'll never defend that damn guitar!

[Luke Skywalker 2,384]

A lot of scenes in Minority Report are borderline string Mickey Mousing when they should be broader strokes.

"So Awks" as kids today say!

Like what scenes, Blume? "Everybody Runs!", and "Anderton's Great Escape" are brilliant pieces, even if the latter is messed-up at the end.

"Totes amazeballs", as kids today say!

the only one i can find is when anderton drops his eyebals. I love that cue though.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

The film has some weird comedy in it that does not always gel well with the dramatic tone.

[A24 5,156]

It tries too hard to be a science fiction movie.

[Brónach 1,330]

It has plotholes.

[Pieter Boelen 1,032]

It has plotholes.

A film with actual plot holes? Can't remember ever seeing one of those before!

[A24 5,156]

Like crocs once said, I'm not the kinda viewer that looks for plot holes. I do remember it was a fairly big one, right?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

It tries too hard to be a science fiction movie.

Some very obvious hints to Blade Runner in there.

[Sharkissimo 1,978]

MINORITY REPORT for all its flaws is a far superior film to BLADE RUNNER.

[crocodile 9,724]

I don't mind strange scoring in Minority Report because the film itself is not serious at all.

Karol

[A24 5,156]

It tries too hard to be a science fiction movie.

Some very obvious hints to Blade Runner in there.

There are? Please, refresh my memory.