What Is The Last Score You Listened To? (older scores)

[Score_Fan 37]

The Incredible Hulk - Craig Armstrong. Tis a serious shame he won't be able to come back for any Hulk movies anytime soon, I thought his effort was almost as good as Elfman's, but just as interesting.

[crocodile 9,724]

Listened to all of these while travelling earlier today:

The Golden Compass - still Desplat's best blockbuster fantasy work, theme-crowded and detailed and yet intelligent, delicate and precise.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - for me this one suceeds only in the small and intimate scenes (Hermione and Harry, Slughorn's Confession) and these are the only bits in the movie where the music actually works very well (ironically, because those cues veer strongly towards banality), whenever it tries to do big stuff it fails miserably

The Amazing Spider-Man - a good proof that Horner has still got it, his main theme is the best single theme penned by anyone on 2012, just pitch-perfect for the character.

Life of Pi - not as stunning as I thought, but still proves Danna is one of the few composers who can actually use ethnic colours and not embarass himself; i need to see the film before I make my final judgement

Die Hard with a Vengeance - the new material is a real treat and Kamen's is as witty as ever (gotta love all these musical references), but there is a tad too much recycling going on for my liking (and there's a lots of it, especially in the second half); ultimately hugely enjoyable, but behind the first two.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

The Breaking Of The Fellowship and May It Be.

[chuck 155]

Last score I listened for 2012 was Silverado - Bruce Broughton

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

First cue of 2013, by accident, Universal Logo by Jerry Goldsmith because my mum put on a DVD.

Could be a lot worse.

[lonzoe 19]

[Naïve Old Fart 13,026]

First cue of 2013, by accident, Universal Logo by Jerry Goldsmith because my mum put on a DVD.

Could be a lot worse.

The new one, or the old one?

Hmmm. Goldsmith fan, eh?

[lonzoe 19]

You mean Morricone fan? Though I am a fan of Goldsmith's work (the scores I'm familiar with anyway). Actually those three scores out of Morricone's 500+ scores are the only ones I own by him sadly. But I enjoy his scores and hope to expand my Morricone collection some day. His scores tend to leave a strong impression on me while I listen to 'em and long after it's concluded.

[crocodile 9,724]

John Carter, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Super 8 and Let Me In.

This Giacchino lad has some skill. His Trek score disappoints me to no end, but those four works are top notch. He's getting there.

Karol

[Ollie 1,375]

Trek is awesome, some people just have no taste.

[KK 3,313]

The Matrix Revolutions (Don Davis)

Davis' somewhat iconic minimalistic structures are unleashed in full fury here and boy is it incredibly satisfying. To hear the percussive ruckus play atop the bombastic brass clusters is a real treat. The love theme gets wonderful treatment here, Neodammerung still blows me away and The Spirit of the Universe is just sublime (love that boy soprano solo). A very satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.

[crocodile 9,724]

The boy soprano part is basically a major key reworking of Dies Irae heard earlier in the score (at 5:28), right?

Karol

[Naïve Old Fart 13,026]

You mean Morricone fan? Though I am a fan of Goldsmith's work (the scores I'm familiar with anyway). Actually those three scores out of Morricone's 500+ scores are the only ones I own by him sadly. But I enjoy his scores and hope to expand my Morricone collection some day. His scores tend to leave a strong impression on me while I listen to 'em and long after it's concluded.

Actually, I was joking. No harm done...I hope...

I like "FM+LB" (or, to give it its U.K. title "Shadowmakers") a lot, and "The Untouchables" a fantastic score. Try to puschase "The Thing": the most un-Morricone Morricone ever, and it's brilliant.

[Score_Fan 37]

DareDevil by Graeme Revell

[lonzoe 19]

You mean Morricone fan? Though I am a fan of Goldsmith's work (the scores I'm familiar with anyway). Actually those three scores out of Morricone's 500+ scores are the only ones I own by him sadly. But I enjoy his scores and hope to expand my Morricone collection some day. His scores tend to leave a strong impression on me while I listen to 'em and long after it's concluded.

Actually, I was joking. No harm done...I hope...

I like "FM+LB" (or, to give it its U.K. title "Shadowmakers") a lot, and "The Untouchables" a fantastic score. Try to puschase "The Thing": the most un-Morricone Morricone ever, and it's brilliant.

No harm done. Sorry I didn't realise you were joking.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,026]

Yeah, well, my sense of humour has been known to be a little...esoteric at times. You'll get used to it, I'm sure.

[publicist 4,650]

HOUR OF THE GUN - Jerry Goldsmith, Prometheus re- recording

One of several mid-60 westerns Goldsmith did when the genre slowly was dying away. It's a good version of the Wyatt-Earp-myth and Goldsmith responds with one of his maximum-focused character scores with just enough thematic gusto and outward action pieces that it doesn't lose itself in introspective character study. The original UA album was around 31 minutes in length (condensed from around 55 minutes of score) and sounded suspiciously good for the period so the question 'why re-record it?' looms rather large. Indeed the most important stuff was released so the main interest here is to listen to an ace-Goldsmith score from a period where he could do no wrong recorded with modern techniques and it sure is interesting how close it sounds to the original even with the added bass and the more spacious recording - the idiosyncratic orchestrations are not to be tamed.

The RED PONY suite is a fitting addition, so if you don't want to shell out the dough for both albums, this Prometheus album is a good starting point, even if the mouth-watering prospect of a modern-sounding 100 RIFLES (Goldsmith most ferocious western score) seems much more alluring than HOUR OF THE GUN, which is a great score but due to the nature of the film in a more subdued way.

[crocodile 9,724]

I need to check it out.

Black Sunday for me tonight. Superb score from Williams. It's one of his few ventures into the thriller genre (don't know if Munich fits the bill). All of that written in his iconic late 70's style. There is a great arc to this music as well, similarly to his other works from the era (Jaws and Close Encounters). Delicious.

Karol - who has this sudden desire to listen to Superman: The Movie now, it's been a while...

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

I hear alot of AOTC in Black Sunday..

[Incanus 5,891]

I hear alot of AOTC in Black Sunday..

I think you mean the other way around Faleel.

But Black Sunday is such a superb score and the FSM album was a true revelation to me.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

I dunno. Did not click with me.

[KK 3,313]

I think its a great score and I'm glad for the FSM release.

[Cantus Venti 13]

This is kind of a new experience for me... I never watch movies or TV, which is ironic since I'm such a JW fan. I tend to just listen to the music and end up loving it, similarly to how I got hooked on a lot of video game music without playing the actual games.

Well I've been thinking I should start watching a lot more movies now, especially those with scores that fit so well with the scenes and moods of the movie. But it occurred to me that there's a difference between a score fitting the movie like a glove and delivering all the right emotions, and the music of a score just being very spectacular on its own. What if I realize JW isn't as great of a film scorer as he is a composer? because I wouldn't really know: I seem to just love his music more than other film composers, but music in the actual film itself? That's probably a much bigger ballgame. So it's time to find some movies where the score really delivers the movie, and I found a list of best scores. So far from the list I've watched Once Upon a Time in the West and the score dramatically enhancing the movie instead of standing alone was incredible. The woman's theme parts were epic and well-executed throughout, the experience was very inspirational in the movie and wasn't when I just heard the music, yet it is the music that made it so. This science something I really have to explore now. So next I'm going to watch The Empire Strikes Back and compare these two scores affectively, but so far it's still been pretty lyrical and not 'action' music nor music that necessarily 'atmospheric.' I'd really like to get in to watching/hearing some classic atmospheric movie scores, because I have seen various movies like E.T. I experienced Bait for E.T. as it played in the forest scene and it was one of the most brilliantly atmospheric experiences I've had. Someone compared this style of scoring to Herrmann, which is on the list next. So, any thoughts on the styles of film composers?

Update: http://www.jwfan.com...040#entry873344

[publicist 4,650]

POLTERGEIST, same year as E. T. (and the same director, really), written in a very similar mindset (regardless of what Thor says).

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

I hear alot of AOTC in Black Sunday..

[Wojo 2,458]

I like the main suspense theme in Black Sunday. The whole score is a nice companion to Close Encounters.

[KK 3,313]

Well Black Sunday did give us the Force theme

[crocodile 9,724]

And a (kind of) reprise of shark terror. And a fugue!

Karol

[Incanus 5,891]

And a (kind of) reprise of shark terror. And a fugue!

Karol

Yeah, Johnny was chastised by the critics for repeating his "Jaws trick" in this score.

[Marian Schedenig 11,695]

I like the main suspense theme in Black Sunday. The whole score is a nice companion to Close Encounters.

I rank CE3K with the best scores of all times, but like Steef I haven't really found access to Black Sunday so far. I guess another listen is in order.

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

Tron Legacy (Recording Sessions)

Meh, didnt do much for me..

now on to Monkey Island!

[crocodile 9,724]

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Skyfall

Jaws

Karol

[Incanus 5,891]

Empire of the Sun by John Williams

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

Empire of the Sun by John Williams

I keep reminding myself to listen to that one, never heard it before, and only one track is on youtube.

[JoeinAR 1,957]

Wreck it Ralph by Henry Jackman? I think he "composed" it.

[Incanus 5,891]

Empire of the Sun by John Williams

I keep reminding myself to listen to that one, never heard it before, and only one track is on youtube.

Be prepared for an eclectic score with rather subtle thematic development and very much a singular set piece approach to almost every track. The choral writing is a highlight and a thematic thread in and on itself in this score. A very somber and mature score with some of the most beautiful choral music Williams has ever written.

Be sure to seek the Boston Pops performed concert version of both Cadillac of the Skies and Exsultate Justi, found on the Spielberg/Williams Collaboration album. Especially the first one is certainly one of my favourite Williams pieces ever but the joyous choral chant of Exsultate Justi is not far behind.

[crocodile 9,724]

The most beautiful choral work he's ever done would be Family Plot opening to me.

Karol

[crocodile 9,724]

Spider by Howard Shore

Now this is a damn fine score. I remember watching the film where the music was chillingly effective. Cold, bleak and really small in size. Kronos Quartet's performance creates sense of spinning web. Shore composed this somewhere in between Rings films. It might be one of his darkest. I love how he uses the traditional Love Will Find Out The Way and also some ghostly female vocals. Creepy but delightfully so. Sadly, the album itself is almost impossible to find. This is probably why I can't remember anyone ever mentioning this one.

Karol

[Wojo 2,458]

Used on Amazon for $75.75. Jehoshaphat...

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Recording Sessions - Hans Zimmer

enjoyed it more than AWE on first listen.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

Road to perdition.

Excellent score!

[A24 5,157]

1942: Conquest Of Paradise

I'm certainly not a fan of the score or the film or of the Vangelis of that period but I like the rhythm of 'Moxica And The Horse', you know, the track with Indian chanting on it.

Alex

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

So....wailing bad, chanting good!

[A24 5,157]

Yeah!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,392]

[crocodile 9,724]

The Wolfman by Danny Elfman

Still one if his very best. The initial (intentional) Kilar impression gets washed away as soon as the 10-minute opening suite ends. The score is beautifully detailed and wonderfully atmospheric. A truly gothic score, as compared to his usual festive material. It never really goes over the top, even in its, very few, louder moments. Elfman has clearly matured as a composer. And all the Gypsy/viola stuff is absolutely lovely. It's a pity that when I watched the film, the music was so butchered. The untouched stuff worked really well.

Karol

[publicist 4,650]

THE ROAD TO PERDITION - Thomas Newman

I forgot how good this score actually is. From the airy irish tune forming the main titles to the oppressive and ghostly moods depicting the dread and doom to the broad americana of ROAD TO CHICAGO that only Newman does like this.

It's too long (70 minutes) to sustain and too cluttered (jazz source etc.) but when it gets going it's top millenium material.

[crocodile 9,724]

Yeah it is pretty good.

Karol

[Romão 2,473]

1942: Conquest Of Paradise

I'm certainly not a fan of the score or the film or of the Vangelis of that period but I like the rhythm of 'Moxica And The Horse', you know, the track with Indian chanting on it.

Alex

The last track of this cd is probably my all time favorite Vangelis composition. It still think it's the best soundtrack-related album he has ever done (though not necessarily the best score)

[chuck 155]

Jerry Goldsmith's Poltergeist.

I could definitely hear the relationship between this score and it's brother scores The Final Conflict & Twilight Zone: The Movie. Interestingly, I could also hear bits of this score that reminded me of John Williams' Star Wars.

Jerry Goldsmith's Under Fire.

Having skimmed and listened only to a few parts of this score and having heard of it's resurgence in Django Unchained, I decided to revisit this score and listened to this one intently. Now I've regretted the time back then when I all but ignored this score. Beautiful Goldsmith score, and one where the synths are not horrible to listen to.