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

[Incanus 5,715]

You can't compare JFK to a fictionalized bard's play. It plays devil's advocate to several obviously false claims that were falsified even in 1991 and together with the score it misuses the cumulative power of the movies to distort history. This may not be the end of the world but i think Stone (and Williams) shouldn't be congratulated for such a stunt.

And why is this so particularly heinous here and not in the bazillion other historically inaccurate films?

Because JFK acts much more as a 'journalistic' dossier than a simple action film - and i honestly don't know what bazillions of movies were made with such obvious distortions about a history landmark. Certainly not some lame-o action movie like the u-boat thing that claimed the enigma codebreaking machine was invented by americans.

Every historical movie has inaccuracies, false portrayals, biased points of views. I know well Stone's aims for the film and how he presents his case and the film but I don't think it is any worse than say Gladiator or Kingdom of Heaven in that regard. Because it is closer to our time and because it seems to make claims doesn't make it any less a work of fiction set in a historical context. I never certainly perceived it as anything else. Same goes for Nixon, which was apparently entirely disowned by his children again I assume for false portrayal of their father.

[publicist 4,643]

The leftist movement can be as distorted and cartoonish in the way they present their message as the far right!

Sure, but it shouldn't be applauded for that.

Every historical movie has inaccuracies, false portrayals, biased points of views. I know well Stone's aims for the film and how he presents his case and the film but I don't think it is any worse than say Gladiator or Kingdom of Heaven in that regard.

If you can't see the difference between JFK and GLADIATOR, at least Stone didn't do any harm in that very case.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Stone is a political film maker. Once you realize that you can watch his films in the proper context.

Factual accuracy and historic truth can hurt creative storytelling and universal, underlining truths

[publicist 4,643]

What is the universal, underlining truth of JFK then?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That truth gets distorted, and the further we move away from the actual event the harder it becomes to discover what really happened. Ironically Stones film is as guilty of that as the government agencies and political agendas it judges.

I find that rather pleasing.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Is Stone really a lefty? He doesn't like the current bloke all that much.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Obama isn't a left winger, never was. Far too pragmatic.

[Quintus 5,399]

JFK is one of the greatest fantasy thrillers ever made.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes!

[publicist 4,643]

That truth gets distorted, and the further we move away from the actual event the harder it becomes to discover what really happened. Ironically Stones film is as guilty of that as the government agencies and political agendas it judges.

I find that rather pleasing.

That is not at all what Stone's film wants to convey, It would need a busload of background information to really suss that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Its not about what Stone wishes to convey. It is about what I perceive from it.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Obama isn't a left winger, never was. Far too pragmatic.

And yet he's still a posterboy for hardcore lefties. He looks like Apophis from Stargate SG-1 so maybe his followers and loyal subjects subconsciously think of him as their god.

[Incanus 5,715]

Nixon by John Williams: I took another listen to this inspired by this thread. Gotta to love this brand of JW gothic darkness. I am sure many would call it boring but I choose to call it a surprisingly psychologically in-depth (by Williams standards) potrayal of the main character through music. While dark the 45 minute album never outstays its welcome and has enough variety in tone and style to sustain it. Highlights are the overture-like trailer music of The 1960s: The Turbulent Years, the gothically growling Main Title...The White House Gate, the delicate Meeting with Mao, the slow burn dread of Love Field Dallas, November 1963 and The Miami Convention, 1968.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Is this a "American Presidents' film scores" week or what?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Preceding XMas score week!

[Incanus 5,715]

Is this a "American Presidents' film scores" week or what?

Yes. Next I'll give praise to Lincoln, the most sugary of Williams's president trio.

[publicist 4,643]

Its not about what Stone wishes to convey. It is about what I perceive from it.

That's enough to excuse the carefree distortion of facts just to produce a gripping thriller that happens to lay the blame for the JFK murder solely on the side of republican reactionaries? The music follows suit (to stay on topic).

This approach may work for a heavy-handed personal drama like BOTFOJ that happens to play out during the Vietnam war but i think Stone would have needed a much more enigmatic approach, musically, for JFK to at least soften the factmongering somewhat.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Again, historical facts are irrelevant in good storytelling. Much like scientific accuracy.

I find it misguided to judge a film solely on those criteria.

[Incanus 5,715]

Preceding XMas score week!

All Home Alone all week!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Hiring an escort?

[Incanus 5,715]

Nah. Just me and my JW Boston Pops Christmas albums and Home Alone scores in the candle light. It will be spectacular.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Sounds ghastly!

I'll need drink to get though xmas. Won't be as bad as the last 2 years though

[Incanus 5,715]

Sounds ghastly!

I'll need drink to get though xmas. Won't be as bad as the last 2 years though

Nah I am kidding. I am going home for Christmas to spend the holidays with my family and friends! But John Williams's music will be part of the Christmas this year as much as it has been in the previous years.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I think I've listened to Home Alone 2 at xmas time exactly once. It's ineffective for me because it just sledgehammers the Christmas spirit in to the point that my very essence rejects it.

Better to dilute Christmas with other types of music.

[publicist 4,643]

Again, historical facts are irrelevant in good storytelling. Much like scientific accuracy.

I find it misguided to judge a film solely on those criteria.

Not solely but abandoning any notion of them altogether? You seem to be more concerned about the accuracy of HOBBIT movies.

[Quintus 5,399]

Again, historical facts are irrelevant in good storytelling.

Braveheart probably wouldn't have been the smash it was if Mel had been foolish enough to follow historical accuracy.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Exactly, but only University professors wearing tweed jackets ever complained about that. Gibson filmed the myth of William Wallace, as did Stone with JFK.

[publicist 4,643]

That's superficial rubbish. He presented a procedural criminal investigation not the fucking myth of the Camelot years. Now we compare that to GLADIATOR and BRAVEHEART? Why not BATMAN & ROBIN if we're at it?

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Exactly, but only University professors wearing tweed jackets ever complained about that.

Erm, no.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Oh god, not you?

[Quintus 5,399]

My uncle Vinny has a real hatred for Braveheart and the fact that the Battle of Stirling Bridge in the movie doesn't take place on a bridge!

[publicist 4,643]

Scots hate the fact that Horner used oirish pipes - minor gripe, yes. Adding a princess for a bit of love rumpy-pumpy OK. King Edward battling William Wallace with curtain fire and mustard gas...then you have a JFK-level of historical fuck up.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Ive never heard any complaint about Horner using Scottish pipes. Do the Scotts also complain that the film was largely shot in Ireland? You are making it up!

[publicist 4,643]

Please, i wouldn't even have known the difference. I think i even heard a british radio host mentioning it so it must have made the rounds after 1995.

[Matt C 454]

Penny Dreadful - Abel Korzenowski

I love it. It's so different than Copernicus Star, but at the same time more accessible due to the stripped-down orchestrations. There's a delicious sense of Gothic beauty and unease but Abel incorporates it well with the more soothing tonal sections. And it sounds like he got a decent-sized ensemble to use on the series, which is even better. It sounds like a movie score, in the best way possible.

[Jay 37,364]

I still need to listen to that.

[crocodile 8,016]

It wasn't a very big ensemble, actually.

Unbroken by Alexandre Desplat

Karol

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Kamen's 101 Dalmatians.

My God I'd forgotten how much I used to absolutely adore this music when I was a kid. And now I think it's even more brilliant than before. Beautifully played and with some exquisite orchestrations and melodies, it's now among by top Kamen scores, I love it.

[crocodile 8,016]

Need to check it out sometime.

I was listening to Jonny Greenwood's Inherent Vice. It's really good.

I was also listening to his wonderful Bodysong score. The track Convergence was used in There Will Be Blood (the infamous percussive piece) and be heard around 15:07 mark:

http://youtu.be/qyG3yg5Rt_M

Karol

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Need to check it out sometime.

It's lovely, although if you're into Greenwood right now it won't be the best transition as it sometimes features that sort-of 90's family-movie sound, but still it's got this infectuous energy. The curious thing is I would have never expected a composer of Kamen's caliber to put so much effort into what's not a very good movie. But it seems the movie got to him, somehow. Maybe he loved dogs, like our Johnny.

[crocodile 8,016]

Family-oriented Kamen (or Kamen in general) is always welcome, whether I'm into Greenwood at the moment or not.

Karol

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

That's the spirit!

[crocodile 8,016]

Well you know, you mention how Kamen poured his energy into such a film. Remember that he hated action cinema with passion. And look how both Die Hard and Lethal Weapon turned out.

He was just good!

Karol

[Incanus 5,715]

Batman by Danny Elfman (LLL's The Danny Elfman Batman Collection): This is actually the first time I properly listen to the actual film version of the score. I can't say how much different this is compared to the 2010 version but the music sounds to my ears very dynamic and vibrant. While I think the original soundtrack album is a fine presentation of the music the new cues between the music familiar from the OST add nicely to the whole. It has been a while since I have listened to this score and it actually holds up very well after all these years. Elfman's Batman theme was one of the pieces that were responsible for igniting my interest in film music and it is lovely to hear the music from the film in all its glory. The score just churns with gothic gloom and grandeur mixed with wicked musical humor and dashes of romance. Excellent work LLL!

On to Batman Returns!

[Jay 37,364]

Yea, Batman is a great score!

Batman Returns is even better

[crocodile 8,016]

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus by Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[crocodile 8,016]

Because you're useless, that's why!

Now listening to Mychael Dann's The Nativity Story. Arguably, one of the finest Christmas-themed scores ever! Hey, Doug Adams wrote liner notes for the album (forgot about that).

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Better then Home Alone?

[BloodBoal 7,538]