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Howard Shore's The Battle of the Five Armies (Hobbit Part 3)


Jay

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Well we know for sure that it's being recorded in New Zealand again.

On August 9th, Conrad Pope checked in on Facebook "Waiting to board. Next stop breezy, lovely Wellington" (link). On August 13th, he checked in at the Museum Art Hotel in Wellington, NZ, saying "Working and working and .....working" (link).

And earlier today, JoAnne Kane Music Service posted "Air New Zealand to Auckland. Middle earth here we come!" (link).

I haven't found anything on Doug's twitter feed about him being in either NZ or NY, though.

ANYWAY, I hope everyone is excited for this score as much as I am!

It will be the culmination of not only The Hobbit's story, but the entire LOTR/TH series as a whole.

I expect we'll hear definitive versions of themes such as Smaug, Erebor, Thorin, House Of Durin, The Arkenstone, Tauriel, Tauriel/Kili, Girion and Lake-town.

There will probably be a bunch of new themes, though I except less new themes than either of the prior scores introduced, and less than ROTJ introduced. The only major new character not yet introduced is Dain Ironfoot, and it's possible his thematic material was already introduced in AUJ (heard in the tracks "An Unexpected Party" [3:43] and "The Dwarf Lords".

Beyond that, there could be a theme for The White Council (when Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel, Elrond, and Radagast fight Sauron in Dol Guldur). There could be a new theme, or new variation on existing Sauron material for Azog and Bolg's orc and warg army. There could be a new theme for the eagles, maybe one for the Lake-town men in battle.

There could be some kind of overacting theme for the Battle of Five Armies itself too.

I think it's very likely we'll finally get to hear the full Beorn theme that was only hinted at in DOS too (the recent published sheet music show how it continues from what's used in the score to a cool ending reminiscent of Nature's Reclamation)

I think the big question is which of the great themes introduced in AUJ that were completely dropped in DOS will return in BOFA?

One of the coolest and most radically different from the sound of LOTR themes in AUJ was Radagast's Theme, which was completely absent from DOS despite his character returning. Will we hear it in BOFA?

Bilbo had 3 major themes in AUJ - his Main Theme aka Baggins/Took Theme, his Adventure Theme, and his Fussy theme. Only the latter two returned, and only in small cameos. Will he hear the definite conclusion of his main theme?

Shore wrote a great theme for Thorin's Company for the first film that was mostly replaced by Misty Mountains. Will either return in Part 3?

What else can we expect from BOFA? What scenes from the book are people most looking forward to hearing the score for?

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In terms of thematic material, I very much expect this to be like ROTK - development, ornamentation and combination of existing material.

I haven't found anything on Doug's twitter feed about him being in either NZ or NY, though.

<insert conspiracy theory here>

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Yea, but ROTK had a bunch of new themes, too.

Doesn't seem like BOFA will have nearly as many as ROTK did.


Oh another thing I thought of - if the film ends with a Old Bilbo / Frodo flash-forward like AUJ started with, how can we expect Shore to score that? How will he score the culmination of his six film saga, that will end with 2 big characters from the first film?

Also, will PJ put some kind of Gollum scene in this film? Will we hear Gollum material one last time?

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I'd like to see this ending be even more emotionally compelling than ROTK's. Since in real time it'll be our last trip to Middle-Earth for a very long time.

Unfortunately the source material doesn't call for it.

But PJ might push for extreme sentimentality (to an almost artificial sense) in his giant CG extravaganza.

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How can you say the material doesn't call for it... We don't know what the material is yet. Surely PJ will have added some amount of story after the book ends.

Though of course, you're right - there won't be group of characters heading to the afterlife while their friends say tearful goodbyes this time.

Still, he could come up with one hell of an end credit suite :)

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And ROTK's wasnt?

Wasn't what? Our last trip to Middle-Earth for a very long time? No, it wasn't.

I'd like to see this ending be even more emotionally compelling than ROTK's. Since in real time it'll be our last trip to Middle-Earth for a very long time.

Unfortunately the material doesn't call for it.

But PJ might push for extreme sentimentality (to an almost artificial sense) in his giant CG extravaganza.

Are you really going to go by what the material calls for, at this point? With everything he's already done to change things, I expect a ridiculously sentimental ending that has little to do with what Tolkien wrote. Might as well go all out now.

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How can you say the material doesn't call for it... We don't know what the material is yet. Surely PJ will have added some amount of short after the book ends.

)

FAIL!

If you will read again you will see the phrase "source material" which is the children's book these films are based on and a few odds and ends from other books.

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I'd like to see this ending be even more emotionally compelling than ROTK's. Since in real time it'll be our last trip to Middle-Earth for a very long time.

Unfortunately the material doesn't call for it.

But PJ might push for extreme sentimentality (to an almost artificial sense) in his giant CG extravaganza.

Are you really going to go by what the material calls for, at this point? With everything he's already done to change things, I expect a ridiculously sentimental ending that has little to do with what Tolkien wrote. Might as well go all out now.

Fair enough, but whatever new ending they concoct can't possibly rival the tearjerking ending of RotK. They'll definitely try and it'll seem forced. Besides, it's not the same, most viewers (or at least myself) aren't nearly as emotionally invested in this trilogy.

Here's hoping for that kickass end credits suite though.

And ROTK's wasnt?

Wasn't what? Our last trip to Middle-Earth for a very long time? No, it wasn't.

And judging by what we've seen, it should have been.

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I'd like to see this ending be even more emotionally compelling than ROTK's. Since in real time it'll be our last trip to Middle-Earth for a very long time.

Unfortunately the material doesn't call for it.

But PJ might push for extreme sentimentality (to an almost artificial sense) in his giant CG extravaganza.

Are you really going to go by what the material calls for, at this point? With everything he's already done to change things, I expect a ridiculously sentimental ending that has little to do with what Tolkien wrote. Might as well go all out now.

Fair enough, but whatever new ending they concoct can't possibly rival the tearjerking ending of RotK. They'll definitely try and it'll seem forced. Besides, it's not the same, most viewers (or at least myself) aren't nearly as emotionally invested in this trilogy.

Here's hoping for that kickass end credits suite though.

I have faith, though, that PJ can rise to the occasion, concoct something of his own that not only feels organic, but gives all of this a proper sendoff. It doesn't even have to be related to the story of The Hobbit. Some kind of coda to all six films. I don't know.

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There will probably be a bunch of new themes, though I except less new themes than either of the prior scores introduced, and less than ROTJ introduced.

I don't think there's any need to bring Star Wars into this... :D

I want to hear as much Dwarven material as possible, and of course plenty of Khuzdul. The Company theme can't be gone - surely it must return for when the Dwarves charge out of Erebor, complete with Khuzdul chorus? Will the 'Dwarf Lords' be used for Dain and the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, or might there be something new, or two separate themes, one for Dain and one for his army? Either way I have a feeling uilleann pipes may be prominent in renditions of these themes. And while it doesn't make much sense, I'd love to hear the Dwarrowdelf theme again, or at least a rendition of the House of Durin for a certain event later on in the film that plays similarly. It could be that strains of the Dwarrowdelf theme are introduced here as a theme for Balin. If we get his meeting with Bilbo at the end, and he mentions an intent to go to Moria, it would be nice to hear a hint of the theme play. And to top it off, Shore can give us a suite of all Dwarven material for the credits.

I'd also like to hear the Baggins-Took theme again, though I know it's highly unlikely.

Another possible returning LOTR theme could be the

Grey Havens motif, if these rumours about Tauriel going to the Undying Lands prove true

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Lol another LotR thread.

Just you wait till next year, when JWfan is overrun with SW7 threads!

Fingers crossed the movie (and score) don't actually suck and such threads might even be quite welcome.

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There's a high probability that John's new Star Wars score is more successful than Howard's Hobbit relative disappointments. John is working with someone new and young, and that is encouraging to me.

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I have no disappointments with the Hobbit scores at all. Howard Shore did a really great job with both. Can't wait for the third.

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I have no disappointments with the Hobbit scores at all. Howard Shire did a really great job with both. Can't wait for the third.

Indeed!

Ditto!

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I have no disappointments with the Hobbit scores at all. Howard Shire did a really great job with both. Can't wait for the third.

Indeed!

Ditto!

+1 :)

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Years of substandard banality have just conditioned you guys to be more readily satisfied by just decent scoring jobs, you're all quite happy for reasonably interesting music like AUJ to 'carry the banner' in these times of symphonic wilderness; when only 20 odd years ago The Hobbit scores would have been lost in the relative swathes of greater scoring work on the scene and would have been even outshone by Shore's own The Silence of the Lambs - a score which is far more potent and memorable than anything heard in his latest music for hobbits and dwarves.

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Complaining about what? The poor mobile site? The rubbish state of modern film music? I can only assume that you disagree with me on the latter, and as far as you're concerned, the majority of modern film music is in great shape. Which some might dispute.

And I'm afraid I just disagree that AUJ is a "fine" score.

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Quint you have no idea what you're talking about because you saw the two Hobbit films one time each and didn't like them, and haven't bothered to listen to the OSTs all the way through to form an informed opinion. Come back when you've actually paid some attention to what you're criticizing.

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Nah bollocks to that Jason, I know exactly what I'm talking about - because I heard the scores in precisely the place I was supposed to - within the context of the films themselves. You don't understand the objective of music written for movies if you believe a CD album release is the "one true" way to understand the success of its notes as soundtrack, so please don't try to spin that enthusiasts nonsense my way, cheers.

Btw, I rather enjoyed the score to DoS, as it happens.

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All the best material Shore composed for AUJ was replaced in the film at the last minute with retreads of LOTR music by Peter Jackson. The soundtrack album is essential for understanding what Shore was doing with that score.

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Booooo Lee...booooo!

Sorry Steef, heh heh. If I had a mind to I could even be a bit offended by Jason's propaganda which teaches that because, as he says, I did not "like the movies" (a fallacy) after daring to see them only the ONCE(!), I am in no position to comment or critique on the scores due to my opinon being "uninformed".

I mean... Fuckin' LOL!!

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You are a beacon of common sense in a sea of anally retentive and hyper sensitive elitism (AKA OCD score collectors).

And I'm telling you now: the only reason - THE ONLY REASON - the dozens of Middle-Earth related threads have been allowed to exist all over GD without being promptly folded into a couple of specialist threads is PURELY because Jason, like gkg, like Incanus, like SafeUnderHill, ALSO has a hard on for these scores (and movies).

Because you can BET your life he'd have wrapped them all up months ago if the subject was, I don't know, NARNIA. Or fucking Twilight!

He's OCD about keeping things in his prescribed locations here, I know all too well, but noooooooooo, he's certainly not when it comes Hobbit and Howard Shore! In fact he's looser than a wizard's sleeve when it comes to yet more new LotR threads!

Double standards is what it is, yep. So there!

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Awwww can you feel the love.

Much deserved, after the bollucking he got for simply stating his opinion.

I wish Jason and his ilk would get of their high horses once in a while and realize not everyone has the time, inclination or desire to brownnose into every single note of these scores.

No, not over. Extended Edition, Complete Recordings, book.

And then The Silmarilion!

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